Your rambling makes perfect sense. I for one do not want my audio processor to do anything with video because it usually does something weird to it. I also don’t want my video processor to anything with audio…. But there lies a dilemma with that – lip sync for one, and the OSD secondly.
With new audio codec’s around the bend with HDMI 1.3, I think it’s going to get very difficult to segregate the two. There is also a third problem; each source usually needs a different video profile – IE: input resolution and deinterlacing, output format and frame rate, color space, gamma control, brightness/contrast….etc…
In a perfect world (according to me), all sources would go to a stand alone video processor which could be swapped out as technology advances with an updated unit. This way you could calibrate every input video source differently and the VP would handle all the lip sync issues. From the VP, there would be two outputs, both hot at all times. One output would go to the display devise, while the other would go to the audio processor.
Currently there are no VP’s that have two live, HDMI 1.3 outputs, nor are there any VP’s with 1.3 to begin with. There are all 1.1.
So this leaves us to an integrated AVR. Unfortunately, there is only one on the market with the features and functionality I want, but even it does not have HDMI 1.3… Plus, it’s seven grand and you still need to buy amps (anthem D2 pre/pro). Some of the new AVR’s are incorporating the Reon chip, but sadly, they have severely limited its functionality. And even the Reon is nothing more than last years hot item. The Realta is the one to get.
I don’t know what to recommend you do. I’m not real sure what I’m going to do other than by an A1400.
