This is a pretty good list. I don't know that I'd add a second 7.1 analog input, though, since the arrival of HDMI inputs will actually start to remove the need for these inputs. Folks are going to use HDMI for the new HD formats, leaving just DVD-A and SACD to maybe use multichannel analog - and even then, the last generation or so of DVD-A/SACD players have more often then not included HDMI v1.1 outputs. I'd also hang onto at least one or two composite and s-video inputs for legacy devices and other unusual components (SMS-1, for example).

Retep,

A fine list. I agree with gonk to keep a couple of composite and S-video inputs with corresponding L & R analog audio inputs. Of course they would be assignable and nameable.

I would like 1/2 dB increments on speaker levels. For me this is particularly important for the center channel.

I don't want to loose any of the 990's musical ability; I really like stereo Upsample! However, I would add a "balance" function for 2-channel in 1/2 db increments to adjust for individual recordings without having to make the changes in the main menu. The settings would revert to the original user defined settings when switching inputs.

Finally, the video processor would be able to scale well to all the common native screen resolutions.

this thread is quite long. I don't know if i've mentioned this or not. but I would like to be able to save separate settings for DTS and DD. right now if you calibrate your 990 for DD, it's not quite the same for DTS. I know this isn't a big deal for other folks. but for me. who watches DTS just as much as I do Dolby Digital.. it's a big difference.

I have to recalibrate manually whenever I watch a DTS soundtrack on a movie.

DTS is much more full volume and aggressive in their soundtracks.

Deleting analog L/R and either composite or S-vid is not a good idea. Many of us use them for a variety of purposes; especially necessary with zone 2 functions


Subsequent products should be backward compatible (as well as "looking" ahead.

nfaguys,

I never mentioned getting ride of the analog L/R or phono input, just the composite and s-video. Obviously a lot of people here still use them and I obviously don't. However, I don't feel like we need so many. Most of my old equipment gets retired at some point and if you're going HD which seems to be the future of most products, the legacy has to go at some point.

I agree that the quantity can start to be scaled back (the seven composite and s-video inputs spread across the front and rear panels of the 990 are probably not being fully utilized by more than a couple of 990 owners at most). It's just not yet time to eliminate them entirely, I don't think.

Gonk & Retep & I are, I believe on same page.
I can't think of a reason to shed the composites and/or s-vids, other than space. It's nice to have options.

I also agree to keep the composite video, I still have a laser disc player that is used on occasion because some of the titles were never released on dvd. Like Nfaguys said it's nice to have options.

Actually use powerful enough DSP engines that can apply Audyssey EQ, tone control, bass management, etc. to PCM, Dolby TrueHD, DTS Master Audio, and the like at 96 kHz and higher sampling rates WITHOUT downconverting the signals!

Or even accept and process all 8 channels of 24/96 resolution audio and 6 channels of 24/192 resolution audio no matter the source!

This is a very big hurdle that some manufacturers haven't jumped yet. Even though they know the specifications for Blu-ray and HD-DVD... they add caveats and quid pro quo's to their processors.

Outlaw, make it so!

Dan

Oh, here're a few good features that very few manufacturers include:

HDMI 1.3 auto lip synch feature.

Full video calibration adjustments for each input, not just a global one. You'd be surprised at how handy that feature can be.

User menu to adjust (per input, again not globally) the Reon-VX processor's many features.

Full x/y/z plane aspect ratio adjustments for up to and including 1080p/24 signals with no loss in quality for those with constant height 2.35:1 projection systems and anamorphic lenses.

Scalers that can perform the proper image stretch/crop for 2.35:1 ratio movies usually fail to include adjustments for other in-between ratios like 2.0:1 and 2.20:1-- the latter ratio is the standard for 70 mm movies (where you can place proper black pillarbox bars to keep said ratios intact within a 2.35:1 frame). Given movies with those ratios, for instance, and turning on the scaling for just the 2.35:1 ratio will lead to severe over cropping of the picture, both top and bottom!

If there is to be a powerful video processor onboard and fast DSP audio chips, provide adequate cooling for said chips because they get very, very, very hot. I can't stress this enough.

The Onkyo receivers and pre-amps, for instance, that have the Reon-VX chip and three DSP processor chips onboard get extremely hot to the touch (I'd say almost to dangerous over heating levels) and looking at photos of the insides they have not provided the necessary internal cooling for these "over-clocked" processor chips that are now basically computer CPU's (and any PC out there has very good passive with vent piping and/or active cooling for these CPU's to let them run at safe temps over the life of the product).

Cheers.