im a pioneer fan boy :) is a 819 gonna be ok?

[TZona]

i have a vsx 816 now, really wanting to add hdmi

[Sonny]

I think' the 819 just does PCM over HDMI , for lossless audio. Which is fine if you don't want bit-streaming of HD audio? Also depending of your buget, I would look for a receiver that has pre-outs so you could always add an amp down the road. I too love the look of Pio receivers with their dual knob design & glossy black finish and great sound.

[lojack1976]

It does do decoding, but its only a 5.1 receiver and it has slightly less power. There are a lot of other features that this one lacks over the higher end models, but its still a solid entry level receiver. HERE are the specs of the entire line of Pioneer's new receivers. If you are really concerned about budget you might want to consider THIS Panasonic receiver since the price has been slashed to $299.99 shipped from www.jr.com. It's 7.1 and it decodes the lossless codecs.

[Zman2k2]

I understand the Pioneer fanboyism. I'm that way myself. I just checked the Pioneer website, and you should be fine with the 819. It does have decoders for Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD-MA built in. So bitstreaming from a stand alone player will be fine. If you use a PS3, it also does PCM over HDMI so you're fine there as well. The only limiting thing that I can see on the receiver, is that it is only a 5.1 receiver. There is no option to expand it to 7.1. Also, as mentioned, there are no pre-outs, so you wouldn't be able to add an external amplifier if the desire presented itself down the road. But for an entry into HDMI powered HT, you picked a solid starter.

[TZona]

where is the best place to sell my 816? if i sell it first i can jut get the 1019, any idea what its worth?vlike new complete with box