Personally I think we'd all be better off if HDMI was scrapped completely and some sort of DVI + audio format was created instead.

As far as I can tell the whole HDMI spec from the connectors to the included DRM is crap.

Most of us will do just fine with today's digital surround formats for many years to come anyhow. After listening to what the 990 is capable of TODAY, I don't put much stock in gaining improvement from going to the higher bitrate formats.

I expect that it will take them at least 3 years to bring the new HD DVD specs up to a level of maturity that makes them worth investing in. By that time Outlaw will most likely have their new flagship piece out with all the requisite bells and whistles to take advantage of the new formats.

Until then, it's all just so much vaporware and not even good vaporware at that.

Lusting after cheesily designed connector formats?

That's just crazy talk.