My first venture into H/T was only a year or so ago. I am more of a two channel person.

From Dolby site:

<<Dolby Surround is the consumer version of the original Dolby multichannel analog film sound format (Dolby analog and Dolby SR [Spectral Recording]). When a Dolby Surround soundtrack is produced, four channels of audio information—Left, Center, Right, and Mono surround—are matrix-encoded onto two audio tracks. These two tracks are then carried on stereo program sources such as videotapes and TV broadcasts into the home, where they can be decoded by Dolby Pro Logic® to recreate the original four-channel surround sound experience.>>

Pro Logic IIx is the one that I'm using more and more to make use of all my 7.1 setup.

http://www.dolby.com/consumer/technology/prologic_IIx.html

Same here for 6.1 using a upfiring center back behind the couch.

Looking at the specs of the 497 it seems that it has pro logic 2.

Heck Rick, if the 497 does have that technology, not sure why you would want the old pro logic, when you could have DD, DTS, or EX or ES....

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I was not aware newer receivers would even have that option, I stopped using that almost 10yrs ago with my old JVC Pro Logic receiver.

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Its there, believe me. My harman kardon 230 has this option, and it blows. Prologic II is much better. More realistic.

I'm not quite sure as to why it would be used either. With all the other options avalible that would be my last choice.

Yes, Lin, it certainly would be a good idea to use DPLII with two-channel source material, rather than DPL. The ambient material originally coming from the left and right is extracted from the mains and sent to the surrounds where it belongs.