First off there is no 7.1 DD+ software available or AFAIK even announced. There are HDMI1.1 receivers and at least one HDMI 1.1 Pre/Pro namely the Anthem D2. Everyone keeps saying you need HDMI 1.3, including the Digital Bits article. I'm not buying into that because 1.1 can handle 8 channels of high resolution LPCM data. It is a matter of where you want the data decoded, in the player or the Pre/Pro. I'd just as soon leave the decoder in the player assuming the newer models can do more then just two channels of TrueHD. Once you have the 5.1 raw digital LPCM data in your Pre/Pro you should be able to apply processing to it to get the rear channels.