There are currently 6687 members of the Outlaw forum, it would be interesting to know everyone's thoughts on the status of the 997. I admit that I have jumped ship, but it would be good for Outlaw to see how many are patiently, or impatiently waiting for the 997 to be released.
Unfortunately this forum doesn't enable polls, but maybe we could all vote our thoughts based on the following:

1. I want the 997 and am patiently waiting
2. I am impatiently waiting
3. I am on the fence right now
4. I am close to jumping ship
5. Sorry, I have already jumped ship

Which of the above reflect your opinion and a short reason why to help us all see your viewpoint, maybe?

Pete

Let me be the first to respond with my vote...

5. Sorry, I have already jumped ship

The wait made me re-think my needs, and I realized that while Trinnov sounded like it could be a big deal, it wasn't on my top 10 list. My highest priorities were full HDMI switching, the ability to handle all current audio formats and the flexibility to setup the system as I wanted ... preferred audio decoding based on source material.

I am assuming, of course, that video and audio quality is an absolute must have.

Pete

I have to say I am currently a #2.

I am happy right now with my 970/OPPO BDP-83 combo, but am thinking of upgrading. I am in no hurry and can probably wait for what ever it is Outlaw decides to do.

The only reason that I am a #2 is because Outlaw is irritating me because they seem to be letting so many long time customers down, and are forcing them to seek alternate solutions to their audio needs.

1. For me I'm patiently waiting. Have my OPPO-83 and enjoying the 7.1 direct input on the 990, that is, when the grandkids aren't exercising the Wii. By mid summer, if something doesn't happen, I may jump ship. Currently my investments are to upgrade speakers and I thinking about replacing my home built amplifiers since they are quite large and will not fit in the "designer" approved equipment cabinet.

2. I am impatiently waiting

A year ago, the 997 may very well have been an immediate buy, based on what a great value the 990 has been.

But that was a year ago. The incredible string of problems associated with the Sherwood Newcastle really have to give one pause. It's reasonable to expect some delays with a new product. We can all understand that. This is especially the case with something as (hopefully) revolutionary as the Trinnov optimizer.

Since that time, I've learned to adapt to the limitations of the 990. The analog inputs have helped with that. So has the addition of some Monoprice HDMI switchers. It's not the ideal fix, and there's no lossless audio via HDMI, but it works.

The 997 once made for a compelling upgrade, but time is passing by too quickly, and features are already lacking. In addition to the yet-again changes to HDMI, it lacks HD radio and an ethernet port. The later is becoming more commonplace and almost a requirement at this time, and especially going forward.

While the 997 is still worth consideration, the time it has to hit the market is dwindling. I'm not sure about the price anymore, either. There are reports of the Sherwood 972 hitting eBay for around $1100. That's not a good sign, and the reported problems are giving it (and the unreleased 997) a very bad reputation. That leaves Outlaw with a product that's going to be a hard sell.

Scott

Despite my positive experience with Outlaw's equipment and service in the recent past, I am afraid I am also one of those that had to move on, not because I wanted to but because of equipment failure and NO 997 to purchase. In many respects, this does not surprise me since this is what happens when you "get in bed" with a company(S/N) that, even at the best of times, has generally been "notoriously late" with even their OWN product introductions!

What must be of considerable concern to all is, regardless of the potential of Trinnov or overall excellent product performance, by the time the 997 is introduced, compared to much of the equipment that will be available in the marketplace at the time, you could have a unit that is invariably already TWO generations behind and realistically, what is the resale value of a two year old AVR/Pre-Pro?

I would hope lessons have been learned.

As Scott already said, even at a REDUCED price from the original $1399, it could be a hard sell.

3) I am on the fence right now. My main reason for wanting to upgrade is HDMI (I want to get rid of some cables) and access to the new CODEC's ( I have a PS3). I will eventually get an OPPO, but don't want to deal with the cables. The 997 looks very interesting especially with the Trinnov processing but the processor has no phono input. The Onkyo 886 looks like a great option to me.

With respect to the "time to market" of the 997 it seems to me that only the large players like denon, yamaha, sony, onkyo etc have been able to successfully implement hdmi and new software quickly. Parasound is still working on it, B&K doesn't even make mention of it. Since my main interest is music, I am not to worked up over all of this.

I think an update from Outlaw would be helpful.

5. Sorry, I have already jumped ship

I guess I just couldn't wait any longer. All the reports on the 972 were not encouraging. I found a 886 for about 1/2 of what Outlaw is selling for so I jumped. I have only had it installed for 2 days and so far I am very impressed. SQ is very impressive, a very noticeable step up from the 990. I still have some concerns about using the SMS-1 with the Audyssey room correction. I may try just removing the SMS-1 all together and see how that works.

How about a hybrid? 1. because 5. - I picked up an Onkyo 885 almost a year and a half ago to use with beta testing the BDP-83. It is good in general, but there are some things (mostly interface or configuration aspects) that I'd like to see done differently and my wife really dislikes it. There are times where I miss the ol' 990, but it went to a buddy in Alabama who I think is enjoying it. I am also very curious about Trinnov.