Hi Def audio formats-How to buy the right player/receiver combo

[JimPullan]

A couple fine products come to mind for your application, the first would be the Panasonic DMP-BD30 which 'bitstreams' all the advanced high bit audio codecs via HDMI cable to your receiver, which has the decoders. NO you don't need decoders in both devices, the Blu-ray Disc Player and the Receiver. The first week of June, Sony will be introducing the BDPS-350 that works exactly like the Panasonic, but will also be Profile 2.0 capable for BD-Live capability. Panasonic, also about that same time frame will be introducing the DMP-BD50 which, I believe is Profile 2.0, but includes all the advanced high bit audio decoders in the unit.

One of the best, and least expensive cables you can purchase, once, and be done with it is an HDMI 1.3a Catagory 2 compliant HDMI Interconnect, and these at whatever length you'll need are available at MonoPrice.com. You'll need NO other HDMI cable. It has the bandwidth to carry 'everything' !!! [Jim]