I wasn't sure how the new HD audio formats would work when I got my A2 HD-DVD player as I have a reciever that does not have the new formats. However, I read that as long as you use HDMI, the player will decode and send a compatible multi-channel stream to your receiver.
However, if you don't use HDMI, you will be limited to choosing old formats like Dolby 5.1 or DTS (hopefully all HD-DVD disks still have at least a Dolby 5.1 format included.)
OR
your player would have to have separate analogue outs for every channel to your receiver. The player could then, again, decode the new formats and send to your receiver via the analogues.
I wasn't sure exactly how the player decoding works via HDMI but after getting it set up, testing seems to indicate that it works.
For instance, when I put in a HD-DVD and select a HD audio format, my Denon 3608 switched to an new setting I never saw before. The display read simply [Multi-channel Audio] instead of listing Dolby, DTS or any other actual format name that I'm used to seeing. All 5.1 of my speaker input and output lights were on to indicate a multichannel input source and output.
When I put in HD ver. of Transformers which only comes with a Dolby 5.1 soundtrack (albeit a very, very impressive one) my display actually detected Dolby 5.1 again and displayed so.
In short, for the new audio formats, you will need
1. A HD Decoding player and HDMI but not necessarily a HD Audio capable Receiver.
or
2. A HD Decoding player with Analogue-Outs and a receiver with free Analogue-Ins.
