I have no video problems whatsoever routing HDMI through the AVR; other than the irritating handshakes that the AVR, DVD P, Video Processor and Projector all have to make every time I switch inputs or pull up an on-screen-display. But yes, there have been some problems with particular display devises talking to AVRs or Players. In most cases firmware updates have resolved these issues, but not all.
My problems have all been audio related. Coax and Optical are limited not by bandwidth capabilities, but all these stinking electronic handshakes that supposedly prevent “illegal” copying of digital audio. You will not be able to get True Dolby, the HD DTS format (forgot what it’s called), or SACD without HDMI, -- unless the player will output these via 6 or 8 channel direct. HDMI sucks, period. Unfortunately that is the direction that the industry is heading and all of can either get on the bus or be content with regular Dolby and DTS and watch the big bus head on down the road. There really is no other choice. And even if you do go with 6/8 channel direct, you will be limited to one source seeing how 95% of the processors on the market only have one 6/8 channel direct input. So if you have an HD DVD player, a Blue Ray player and a SACD player, you’re screwed.
One exception to HDMI is Denon’s exclusive Denon Link. I don’t know much about it as I’ve never owned a Denon. But I hear it works fairly well. I don’t know about the HD audio formats and if the “Link” will pass them or not.
I suppose one other exception is with two channel audio. A person could go vinyl and ignore all this digital crap if they wished. Which doesn’t sound like a half bad idea to me…….certainly less stuff to give a person grief.
