TV & Home Theater

[Scrabble_Bum]

I am looking to buy a new Receiver that will be able to run my HDTVs, PS3, Surround sound system, Netflix Movie rentals, Apple TV, etc.  I am considering a unit in the Yamaha Aventage series.  But According to Best Buy's information, many of them are not "Built for Blu Ray).  If you compare the RX-A1000 to the RX A-3000, the 1000 is not built for Blu Ray and yet it's a unit that costs a grand while the RX A-3000 is built for Blu Ray and it costs $1,800.  What is the meaning of "Built for Blu Ray" in layman's terms?  Do I need it (if so, why)?  What am I missing if I don't have it?

[minidvpro]

I have found the term: "Built for Blu Ray" to be a general term that really does not denote a specific function. If the AVR you're considering has HDMI ins and outs it will inherently support any device (including Blu Ray) that has this standard connection. You do not need to seek out a unit that has this marketing mumbo jumbo and (in my humble experience) you won't be missing out on any functionality.

You probably DO need to be concerned if it has "HDMI Up-Conversion". This allows you to plug in analogue sources (composite or component... like the Nintendo Wii), and the receiver will convert the signal to a 1080p "like" image AND convert it to a digital signal and output it to HDMI. Without this functionality you will have to use analogue inputs and outputs. Almost all AVRs at the price you quoted are standard with this, but you should still double check.

When selecting a new AVR, you MAY also want to be sure that it is "3D Ready" even if you're not. This means it has the HDMI 1.4 version installed and will support 3D content. You may want to buy a future TV or device that has this functionality (your PS3 is already ready to play 3D Blu Rays if you've done recent firmware updates). 3D support is becoming more standard on AVRs these days though.

I hope this helps!

[Neihn Valued Contributor]

What it means is basically the AVR has HDMI 1.3 compliance and On-Board HD audio decoding capability.

On the 3D branded receivers remember the 2 terms you will see 3D Ready and 3D passthrough. 3D ready receivers when the Blu-Ray (or any other HDMI device)I is connected to the receiver through the receivers HDMI ports and the receiver is connected to the TV the receiver must be turned on for you to get a picture. 3D Passthrough means the receiver is capable of passing the video/audio to the TV without the need for the stereo to actually be on.

[Scrabble_Bum]

Thanks for that response. So on the cheaper model above which is NOT "Built for Blu Ray" the AVR has HDMI V 1.4 with 3D and Audio Return Channel. It also has analog and HDMI video upscaling to full HD 1080P. 1080p-compatible HDMI: 8 inputs (1 on front) and 2 outputs (simultaneous). I think this satisfies all the criteria you mention. I do want to future proof the purchase at least a bit so it does not become a piece of legacy equipment if/when I do go to 3D. Thatnks again!

[Scrabble_Bum]

for a layman like myself, what on earth is On-Board HD audio decoding capability? Do I need it? Why? The plan of course would be to connect my PS3 to the AVR and the AVR to the TV. The AVR will have surround sound on it and I expect to get what Blu Ray is supposed to deliver. Are you saying I will not be able to do that on an AVR that is not Built for Blu Ray? You will see in my response above, that is not the impression I have from the technical specs. As for 3D, here is what Yamaha says: Yamaha receivers displaying this (3D) icon support 3D HDMI pass-through on HDMI from 3D-compatible Blu-ray, games and broadcast devices to 3D-compatible HDTVs.... The cheaper unit is again, not "Built for Blu Ray" but yet it seems to everything I need. What am I missing? Is it really marketing mumbo jumbo (LOL)?

[minidvpro]

Scrabble... any AVR that has HDMI inputs and outputs today is technically "Built for Blu Ray" as they ALL now have the ability to do HD Audio decoding. This means that they can decode those Blu Ray discs that have the Dolby True HD and DTS Master HD audio tracks. These are uncompressed formats only avaible on Blu Ray discs... preferrable and improving upon the previous standard of Dolby Digital.

A lot of what you're reading unfortunately sounds like marketing BS (in reference to "Bulit for Blu Ray"). I would ignore this terminology in determining your AVR. Pay attention to things like Watts per channel (RMS), THD (The lower the better), inputs & outputs, and as Neihn explained 3D Passthrough vs 3D Ready... also do you think you'll need a second zone (ie: outdoor) in the future?