<font color='#8D38C9'>That's all good and well, Clint- it'd be nice to bypass the video section of the receiver, but whaddaya do when you use a FPTV with one DVI, one Component & one S-Vid input? Some of us have to rely on the receivers vid switching capabilities (even though we didn't need ISF certification to tell it degrades the video!
).
I have a Denon DVD-2200, Xbox & PS2 that all look better with the component out running thru my AVR-3802 than running S-Vid straight into the PJ. And I already can't have all three hooked up w/component d/t lack of inputs (really that's no biggie, though- the PS2 is collecting dust bunnies since I got an Xbox).
Actually, that's the main reason to upgrade receivers: lack of inputs. When I got my '3802, 4 digital inputs was pretty good. Now it's a joke- there are $200 Panasonic receivers with that many inputs! Consider all the things w/digital outs; CD player, DVD, PS2, Xbox, DBS/DSS...that doesn't even cound things on the horizon.
One last point on Power- if some is good, then more is better and too much is just right. My Denon is rated at over 110 wpc, yet even with an outboard amp running the front L/R/C, leaving only the 2 rears running off the Denon, the difference in authority & sound quality was very surprising when I unhooked the 200 wmp amp driving the center and tried it off the rec. And my speakers aren't particularly low in the sensitivity dept, either.</font>