obie-fl: dream on! Before buying the 990 I tried to configure an HTPC as that one single box but it's not ready for prime time yet. I also looked for a processor with digital outs becase my DEQX accepts digital inputs--but no soap unless I was willing to spring for $10K for a Meridian that had no DVI or HDMI inputs. Digital speakers is obviously the way to go. Just a matter of time before they become the next "must have." But they're done done selling us all the analog stuff they can yet. The high efficiency high quality Class D amps that are emerging will eventually change all this.

In order to avoid that hangup you refer to, I settled on 7.1 analog. It sounds just fine. It will work fine with the new HD players too--they will all have to have decoders in them.

Blu-Ray will be here sooner than expected....we'll soon see.