[squiggleslash (Unverified) Posted Oct 3rd 2008 3:57PM]

There are two types of way to "support" HDMI in receivers. One is to just add an HDMI switch. There is no logic in it, it literally just switches the source from one of three HDMI inputs to a single HDMI output. Nothing else. The audio is not extracted from the HDMI feed (so you still have to hook up an optical or coax SPDIF connection to get digital audio), the analog inputs are not upconverted into digital so you can run your TV off of a single HDMI setting and let the receiver do the switching, it's just a switch.

The other way is the way you'd expect a receiver to work. In this model:

- Your receiver receives inputs via HDMI, component, and composite connections, with audio coming in via the HDMI input for the HDMI connection, or coax/optical SPDIF and/or analog RCA plugs for the analog connections
- Your receiver outputs everything via the single HDMI output on the back of the receiver. The analog video sources are upconverted.

The first is simple but a gimmick and means you have to play the whole "I want to watch a DVD, so let me set the TV input to X, the receiver to mode Y, and... {etc}; ok I'm done, now I want to watch satellite TV, so let me set the TV input to Z, the receiver to mode Q; ok, done with that, now let's play with the Wii. That means..." game. The other mode allows you to let the receiver do all the work.

Apart from convenience, the other point is that the latter type of receiver can extract the audio out of the HDMI inputs, which simplifies wiring and means you don't have to worry about buying a receiver that has 15 coax connections and one optical, when you have 15 A/V devices that output optical, and one coax.

It's a "just works" vs "I can get this to work but it's going to drive me nuts" thing.