some of us still have laser disk players that we use, so the question is whether or not the 990 has an ac3 input, or whether it would be necessary to try to find an external rf demodulator. didn't see anything mentioned about this in the specifications, so i'm prepared for bad news.

does anyone know for sure?

I would almost certainly assume that you'll need an external RF demodulator - I can't recall seeing a receiver or pre/pro offering an RF AC3 input in years.

I have a lazer disk player too. It's upstairs in the closet with my Phase Liner amp. :-)

Haven't posted here in a long while, but got drawn back like a lot of people after the introduction of the 990. A comment on a thread a couple of pages back about HDMI switching and upconversion of analog inputs to HDMI output...I was just reading in the latest Home Theater magazine and in their AV newswire section they mentioned that JVC is announcing receivers with HDMI inputs and outputs which will upconvert analog input to the HDMI output! I was kind of surprised and wondering if anyone heard about this. Also, I was not really thinking about uprgrading in the immediate future, but the 990 has got my id working overdrive.

My laser disk player is currently hooked up to a PC. Slowly copying my LD's over to DVD ... at least the ons that are unlikely to be done & offered commercially.

Any idea what shipping is going to run?

What was the shipping on the 950?

I think shipping for my 950 was $50, but that was three years ago (when gas was a lot cheaper) and the 990 looks to be a somewhat heavier and bulkier package to ship.

Starting the purchase process indicates that shipping the 950 (18lbs) to the Dallas area is $35. Shipping the 7100 (51lbs, also to the Dallas area) is $46.

The new contender, the 990, weighs in at 28lbs. So..............

I don't know where the 990 will be shipped from so I don't know where Huntington, WV is in relation to Dallas so the final cost will be dependent on it coming from the East coast or West coast.