Quite a few DVDs are 7.1. The Haunting and Terminator 2 for example. The players don't have 7.1 outputs, but they do have digital outs. 7.1 inputs on the receivers and preamps coming out today are simple futureproofing, not just for hardware that will have outputs for THX EX and DTS ES, but for other potential formats. If SDDS comes to home theater, the current hardware is set to take a decoder, in theory anyway, not sure how well it would work with SDDS since that has extra front channels and no rear center, but that is the theory anyway.

Regards,

C.E. Tekell