Home Theater: Best amp for your $?

[Borrik]

I snagged a Samsung 56" LED DLP HDTV when they first hit the market 6 months ago, a 5.1 Samsung upscale DVD player/home theater combo package, and an 80 gig PS3...

Once I hooked everything up I have my cable box >HDMI> 5.1 DVD/Home Theater >HDMI> TV; PS3 >HDMI> TV; PS3 >Digital Optical> 5.1 DVD/Home Theater.

This setup was working great until my cable box decided to not "communicate" as the Samsung Techy put it with my 5.1 system. Every so often I get the "blue screen of death" and have to turn off/on the 5.1 or cable box to restore viewing.

I had to rewire it again to get rid of the BSoD; so I hooked everything to the TV via HDMI and Digital Optical to the 5.1 from the TV. Well... low and behold when you hook up HDMI to the TV, for some reason it can not output the audio in Digital optical... Straight from the Techy's mouth and the Guy that was supposed to fix it. Page 73 of the owner’s manual in .0003 font tells you this same thing. Go fig...

So as a possible solution to the BSoD I was thinking about running everything through an amp (couple HDMI hook ups and/or digital optical) and possibly get some new speakers but didn't know of any good manufacturers to look at or types to keep in mind when looking for an Amp. I have been so used to the "all in one" packages, which I know isn’t necessarily a good thing.

Sorry for the rant, just looking for some advice. Thanks!