Considering getting the 1098, but why no HDMI?

[toysnob]

I am considering getting the 1098 and pairing it with a Rotel amp. However I noticed it doesn't support HDMI inputs. I know HDMI is somewhat a moving target, but I am worried about springing several thousand for a pre and not being able to have it drive forthcoming uncompressed audio streams from an HD-DVD or BR player.

I am not worried about video switching since I don't want the video scaled by the Rotel, I trust the AVMII in my Fujitsu plasma much more.

So is there any kind of proprietary digital link on the Rotel that will enable digital lossless transfer of HD-DTS streams in the future (using some compatible Rotel player?)..

Or should I look somewhere else?

[aud19]

A lot of seperates manufacturers are holding out until HDMI 1.3 is finalized. Apparently there's a new 1098 due (I believe this fall) with finalized HDMI 1.3

Honestly I wouldn't be spending big money on ANY pre/pro at this point, at least not until 1.3 is finalized/implemented and BluRay HD-DVD are out and any bugs worked out.

[toysnob]

Man that sucks. I mean the conditions you laid out could take a whole year from now. I swear the companies that run this industry piss me off.

[aud19]

Man that sucks. I mean the conditions you laid out could take a whole year from now. I swear the companies that run this industry piss me off.

Well it's not really their fault new technologies/formats etc come along....it's just the nature of the beast Otherwise we'd all still be watching over the air B&W TV on those bulbous CRTs of the 50's :lol:

[Kevin D]

Also keep in mind the 1098 is two years old! Also, even if they did include HDMI, there's no way the processor would be able to decode the new streams. Rotel isn't cutting edge, their small production leads to increased R&D time and sometimes 'holding off' until they know a new technology is going to take.

In addition, pretty much anything else out there with HDMI isn't going to decode the new audio streams either. Not without hardware updates.

Their new scaler will accept and output HDMI, but it's for video only.

Kevin D.

[PewterTA]

Well it's not really their fault new technologies/formats etc come along....it's just the nature of the beast Otherwise we'd all still be watching over the air B&W TV on those bulbous CRTs of the 50's :lol:

Wait...

There's something better....?!?! Man, I'm always one step behind! :rofl:

[toysnob]

They don't have to decode the new audio streams, HDMI 1.2 should accept uncompressed raw audio and the player itself will do the decoding. That is all I'm looking for, as I pointed out in my OP. I'm not looking for a pre/pro that has a decoder because the decoders don't exist yet, as you pointed out.

[aud19]

They don't have to decode the new audio streams, HDMI 1.2 should accept uncompressed raw audio and the player itself will do the decoding. That is all I'm looking for, as I pointed out in my OP. I'm not looking for a pre/pro that has a decoder because the decoders don't exist yet, as you pointed out.

If the player does the decoding, that decoded signal will only be available over analog outputs. At least that would be my guess In which case the current 1098 will work jut fine :lol:

[toysnob]

No, HDMI 1.2 (I believe its 1.2 or maybe its 1.3) should allow for the uncompressed stream of HD-DTS to be transerred over the HDMI cable to the receiver. If the 1098 had an HDMI 1.2 compatible port, it would be able to forward on the audio from a BR or HD DVD player, after it received an uncompressed stream from the player itself.

[aud19]

I could by all means be wrong but I believe that's backwards.

[Mark_C.]

Let me take a stab at it: Even HDMI 1.1 will pass the newer HD audio signals decoded by the upcoming players as PCM.

[Kevin D]

Ok, after reading a bit, yes HDMI 1.1 will receive the audio but the player still has to decode it. Which means it will be equal to the multi-channel inputs.

HDMI 1.3 will have the ability to send the un-decoded signal and let the processors decode it and apply whatever crossovers, delays, etc it can do. If you look at players with current decoders (DVDA, DTS, etc) processors almost always have better setting choices vs whats built into the player.

So 1.1 while would work, waiting for 1.3 seems like a smart idea to me.

Kevin D.

[Clepto]

Also, keep in mind that the pre/pro centric methodology is changing. Players need to be able to do all the decoding, especially with the new HD formats, in order to decode multiple audio streams, i.e. Movie + PIP audio simultaneously. So having decoded PCM sent to the pre/pro will be more common.

The benefit, will be your pre/pro will go much longer without being outdated, but also means that you're more likely to do player upgrades. While HDMI 1.1 can definitely handle 5.1 24/96, I'm not sure it will be able to handle 7.1 24/192.

I'm also waiting for pre/pros with HDMI 1.3 as well as the ability to decode DTS-HD, DD+, and D_THD though. I might find my way to an interim purchase of an RMB-1077 in the interim, but I might just go all out and buy the amp along with the next version of the 1068 pre/pro that has HDMI.