I was wondering if the 970 can detect whatever soundtrack (stereo, DTS, DD 5.1, etc) is being input into its digital inputs. Or do you have switch that manually.
For example, on the 970, you select DD 5.1 as the default for you DVD player. From the DVD menu (say War of the Worlds), you select the DTS soundtrack. Will the 970 automatically switch to DTS?

I didn't see anything in the manual about this.
Very well written manual by the way.

Thanks - Jeffer65

The 970 will detect the incoming format and switch accordingly; this is true of any surround processor or receiver, and is necessary because trying to apply Dolby Digital to a DTS input would produce an audio mess that could damage speakers or other equipment. It will identify PCM, DTS, Dolby Digital, DTS-ES, and Dolby Digital EX and react accordingly. It will also (based on the notes about the changes to the 1070 software) remember which mode you prefer to use with Dolby 5.1 on the active input (such as Dolby Digital plus Pro Logic IIx to get surround back on a DD 5.1 track on the DVD input or straight stereo on a PCM track on the CD input) and overlay any additional processing if desired.

Is it any faster then the 950? DTS especially ES took at least 2-3 second to lock on on the 950, it was one of the few annoyances I had with it.The other was one the global channel trim. Is the 970 let's you change individial channels trim setting by inputs, or it will change globally like it does in the 950? Thanks

From what I've heard from others, the 970 and 1070 seem to have made some good improvements over the 950 on signal acquisition time. I don't know if it is as fast as the 990, but it doesn't appear to have been an issue for 1070 or 970 owners.

The 970 handles channel trim the same as the 990 and the 950 - it's still a global setting. The 970 does offer the same two-channel sub offset that the 990 has (allowing you to dial down the sub up to 8dB when playing in a stereo mode).

I thought I remembered the 2-channel sub offset only being -6dB on the 970 while it is -8dB on the 990.

That's very possible, Doug.