I think Paul has touched a good point.

We generally tout several advantages of separates. One such advantage is not replacing both amplifier and processing sections merely because a new mode of processing becomes available. In my opinion the consumer world is approaching what has been true in the professional and purest markets: the separate processing of audio and video.

To this end, three paths are apparent to me: the separate box approach, the modular approach, and a hybrid of the two.

While there are many similarities between my HT and any other HT, there can be significant differences as well. Generally, when one tries to make one box do-it-all, one either does not have all the future capability that is needed or one pays for the inclusion of capabilities that go unused. Even with software/firmware upgrades, eventually some of the hardware will not accommodate the changes needed.

Because different video and audio standards are developing independently and come to market without enforced compatibility or coordination, I may need to update my video processing one year and my audio processing another year. Therefore, I wish to either change out modules in a cage or replace just the appropriate processor handling the function being upgraded.

Am I advocating three, four or five separate boxes, all with their own remotes or remote codes all needing independent commands and the user needing at a year of training to properly program all the necessary parameters? No.

If modular, then the command processing, the audio processing and the video processing can each be on one or more electronics boards that can slide in and slide out of a card cage. The connectors are a part of the card so that one can choose balanced or unbalanced for either audio inputs or outputs (one would not have to choose all balanced or unbalanced); BNC, RCA or multi-pin for video, etc. The card cage provides a power supply and signal interconnectivity between modules. One could also add enough digital data storage to the unit to be a small, medium or large library.

The same principle could be applied to separates, however all the separates could share the same command structure, wired, optical or wirelessly. No matter how a remote command is sent and received, it is distributed on the network that exists between the various processors, interpreted by the command processor, and finally data messages are then sent from the command processor to the other processors affecting the individual changes that obtain the overall desired results.

One could go so far as to have a programmable command processor, a modular audio processor, a modular video processor, a modular data storage system, even drives to handle various source material, all on a unified command structure and able to be upgraded via software and hardware. Add to this network receivers, active crossovers, and multiple amplifiers or multi-channel amplifiers or powered transducers at each loudspeaker location as suits the system.

But wait, there’s more! If you order within the next 30 minutes … oops, wrong script. What I meant to say was, as a boon to customer service and product loyalty, each unit or module carries a trade-in value with the manufacturer. When it comes time to upgrade an individual component, the previous component is not worthless junk.

Last but not least, this whole system should still cost less than your house – hopefully much less than half the cost of the average new car – but with a trade-in value on the still useful quality components that rivals the percentage of original value carried by well-built cars that are in demand as used vehicles.

As for 'certification,' since this system would already meet or exceed many consumer standards but the company would not necessarily find spending money on the licensing fees a necessity, one could pay more for a slightly different model where the box has these decorations.

OK, I don’t expect this dream to really come true, but maybe a portion of it?