Onkyo DV-CP802 & 7.1

[Nomo]

I got a pretty good deal on an 802 Onkyo player. Just arrived today. I currently have my entire set-up ripped apart to both replace my recently dead Toshiba SD4700 (nice player BTW) and to clean up some really ugly wires. Both the player and my Yamaha 1500 receiver accept 7.1 analog connections. My question is; why?
My intention is to use these connections for for DVD-A and SACD listening. Both of these formats are 5.1. Barring some outbreak of 7.1 SACD recordings, is there any advantage to utilizing the extra 2 connections? Am I completely blind?

BTW, I really had intentions of getting a Yamaha player, but the thought of the relatively complex menu system such that exists on my receiver kinda turned me off.

 

[mtrycrafts]

I got a pretty good deal on an 802 Onkyo player. Just arrived today. I currently have my entire set-up ripped apart to both replace my recently dead Toshiba SD4700 (nice player BTW) and to clean up some really ugly wires. Both the player and my Yamaha 1500 receiver accept 7.1 analog connections. My question is; why?
My intention is to use these connections for for DVD-A and SACD listening. Both of these formats are 5.1. Barring some outbreak of 7.1 SACD recordings, is there any advantage to utilizing the extra 2 connections? Am I completely blind?

BTW, I really had intentions of getting a Yamaha player, but the thought of the relatively complex menu system such that exists on my receiver kinda turned me off.

I suppose it is for allowing your DVD player to decode DD 6.1 or more?

 

[Nomo]

Thanks for the reply.
That's about the only reason I could think of but I would think the reciever, especially a Yamaha with all it's bells whistles and DSPs, would do a better job with non-high-res recordings thru digital connection.