I'm always confused when people say want HDMI switching instead of DVI. Do they really mean HDMI input for audio? That is what I'm waiting for. DVI can "switch" HDMI with a simple adapter so I don't understand the fuss between DVI and HDMI switching.

I think I am going to go for the 990. Having my SVHS and OSD come through the component connections is a real plus, something that now takes a complicated RC macro to do. I am hoping that other little things will be fixed. How it deals with bass management, OSD display time in 1 second increments, a configurable startup volume, a mute button that stays muted when you adjust the volume, independent volume adjustment between inputs, muting during switching, DCV triggers that can be assigned to a device, maybe an auto leveling control that will keep a certain DB regards less of the source, like going through TV channels. If it's going to the heart of the system you need it to do a lot of different things.

Obie_fl, I think most people are wishing for HDMI for the audio, not realizing that the current HDMI standard for audio is still evolving. As you say, DVI can switch HDMI video.

I had a 950 for a while. Really liked it. In fact, I liked the CES modes so much, it pushed me in the direction of a Lexicon MC-8 with Logic 7. I love the MC-8. It's only fault: no i.Link. I would have considered the 990 if it had an i.Link input. It doesn't. I think that is a mistake.

(One thing in common between Lexicon and Outlaw: truly excellent customer service.)

HDMI might never be able to pass SACD/DSD, and even if it does, it can never be a jitterless connection like i.Link can be. For those of you not into SACD, that's fine. But I am. i.link passes all current digital audio *now*. HDMI doesn't, and might never be able to either.

But the 990 doesn't even have HDMI, it has DVI, which is being phased out in the consumer world in favor of HDMI. Plus, maybe a videophile out there can comment on this, DVI is 8 (or 10) bit video whereas HDMI is 10 (or 12) bit video. Greater bandwidth.

I also think it should have more than two coax digital inputs too.

I wonder about single cable solutions that contain both audio and video. Hardly anyone uses their TV for 5.1 SS, so how do those single interface/connections work? When it splits at some point to run to both the Display and Sound processing do you lose anything, does it have to be converted?

Single HDMI cable: one cable from player to pre/pro. Pre/pro splits off the audio to your amp. But also sends video to display. You get switching for free.

No you don't lose anything at the pre/pro. Plus, you can still use the audio at the display if you choose. For example, late at night viewing when you don't want to fire up your whole system.

Beside, if you want two cables, one for audio, one for video, it'd be i.Link plus DVI. Obviously, one of which the Outlaw does not have. Has coax and Toslink, but then what about DVD-A and SACD? Oh yeah, the 990 *digitizes* the 5.1 analog inputs. There's a great solution for those that don't mind 24/192 DVD-As and 2.45 GHz SACDs downsampled to 24/96...

Kevin,

Your post in the past have been very informative. But,on this matter; Man it's time to GET OVER IT.

Hey, I'm a little slow, but at this point in time it seems that with HDMI I would be investing in an unproven technology that I will probably only get to use half of. At least in my current system. I haven't read any articles that have praised the HDMI connection as being visibly or audible superior to all other connections; I must have missed that one. But, the bandwidth is greater, so it must be better. I am all for that. I am just trying to figure out what I will be missing by using DVI or Component for video and coax or optical for audio. Will I really notice the difference (asking myself)? Should I wait another 2 or 4 years until this all gets settled?

The iLink thing sounds good. Is that the same as the high speed connection used with digital cameras connecting to your PC? You can daisy chain them that sort of thing?

Hey PT: MeanGene ASKED.

MeanGene- Look at the players and displays coming out now. Almost all of them have HDMI. I don't think manufacturers would do that if it was "unproven." HDMI will pass every video format and every audio format (except for SACD/DSD, and that's my personal beef with it) that is available now.

Yes, you can daisy chain i.Link components.

DVI will work, just that you might have to buy adapters if any of your other components have HDMI connections. And there have been issues with blacker than black data being lost when going from certain players with HDMI outputs to displays with DVI inputs.

It appears that Outlaw considers this an issue that needs to be thoroughly addressed, because I got a second e-mail response this morning to the question I asked them on early Thursday. While they were at the show in New York this weekend, they picked a few brains at Silicon Optix about the issue of digital video switching and such. Silicon Optix concurred with Outlaw that the 990's switching would be fully compatible with HDMI components - all you need is an adapter or two.

There was also a comment from that discussion that intrigued me, although in light of the 990's pass-through switching it isn't really an issue either way for the 990. According to Silicon Optix (who should know better than anyone), all consumer-grade digital video formats currently available or in development (including Blu-Ray) are 8-bit. 10-bit digital video is limited to a few very pricey commercial platforms. Clearly, this does not match well with some of the information from sources such as Secrets (including this article ). It sounds to me like some HDMI source devices are manipulating 8-bit data in a manner that isn't behaving well with DVI displays. (In fact, JJ at Secrets referred to the whole as being due to the fact that "There is a bug in the Silicon Image HDMI transmitter".) It makes me wonder if, in light of the significant number of DVI displays that have been manufactured and sold over the last two or three years there may be an effort to improve this behavior. That's probably being a bit overly optimistic, but still... It also leads me to suspect that future HDMI devices (HD receivers and HD disc players like HD-DVD, Blu-Ray, or a unified standard) will simply pass the original 8-bit signal without any manipulation (similar to the way they pass digital audio now), eliminating the potential HDMI/DVI conflict.