Quote:
Originally posted by gonk:

HDMI's great benefit over DVI is the ability to carry audio. However, that ability has not been properly developed yet. Big corporations like JVC or Panasonic can tuck an HDMI 1.1 input into a receiver and leave consumers with a product that won't work with the final standard (SACD, high definition video discs), but a company like Outlaw would be crazy to do so.

When will HDMI audio be truly ready? That depends in large part on Blu-Ray and HD-DVD. If both formats roll out on schedule, HDMI will need to be pinned down in the next 12 months. If the two do merge, as is rumored, it could take longer - possibly 2 more years or more - to get all the details nailed down. By then, the 990 will be at least 2 years old. It's 7.1 analog input will provide an avenue for compatibility, and a future generation unit can have HDMI integrated.
So far I like my 990, and am happy with the dvi switching on it...or will be once I finish off a ground problem with my projector...but since I am not really versed in the possibile benefits of transmitting audio via hdmi, as compared to the current tosilink digital connection, or analog via rca's, this is where I am a little concerned. I figured the only real benefit was reducing the number of cables from source to pre/pro, but was not worried because I don't mind runnning audio on seperate cables. Since I started reading some on hdmi, have seen it posted in forums that the new HD audio formats (HD DTS etc..) will have bandwidth requirements that tosilink connections won't be able to support. This does concern me some, because I would like to keep my 990 for more than 2 years, and definitely see myself jumping on HD dvd in whatever format wins. It seems like from Gonk's post, the 7.1 analog ins are there to allow the 990 to get the audio signals from hd dvd/blue ray devices (is it even a given they will have analog outs?), assuming the 990 can be upgraded to decode HDdts or other new audio formats, just want to verify the 7.1 analog inputs are the 990's answer for input of audio from hd dvd devices. Or is the bandwidth limitations of tosilink connections only speculation, and they will be able to send the audio from HD audio formats to the 990.