As others have noted, the really high-dollar processors (Lexicon, Anthem, Classe, etc.) don't include this typically. Companies like Marantz and Onkyo and Integra do, but that is because it is carried over from the dozen other products they build that they can use the same basic networking hardware and software for, thus distributing the R&D costs across a lot of separate sales. Additionally, the presence of a port doesn't guarantee the capabilities offered by that port. The possibilities are extensive - RS232-style control, web control, firmware updating, network file access, streaming services like Pandora and Netflix, etc. - but it's rare to find a product that supports all of those.


When they talk about network connectivity, they are mainly talking about accessing local file servers and streaming media services such as Netflix, YouTube, Pandora, Hulu, Vudu, Amazon VOD, etc. Your Squeezebox is a much better device for accessing and managing music files on your server than a surround receiver or processor. Other very good options such as the Roku boxes, Boxee, AppleTV, and a lot of similar devices have been designed from the ground up to serve this purpose, each with a different approach to it. Outlaw doesn't want to try to re-invent the wheel (and pass the costs of that re-inventing process on to all of the processor customers) when others are already offering those features in a separate chassis. It's considered preferable to let customers buy the device they want or need than to try to provide a one-size-fits-all solution inside the surround processor.