Sony STR-DG510

Quick take: At its 2007 show, Sony rolled out a new line of entry-level AV receivers with HDMI connectivity. Unfortunately, the press release didn't announce many of the details we're interested in--such as the number of HDMI inputs or video upconversion specifics--but we were able to get a broad outline of what the new line will look like. The four new receivers are the STR-DG510, STR-DG710, STR-DG810, and STR-DG910.

The STR-DG510 is a 6.1 channel receiver and is the least featured of the bunch. The release states it offers 1080i pass-through, which means it probably won't be able to accept 1080p signals. It is XM Connect-and-Play ready, so you'll only need to connect an XM Mini-Tuner to get reception--with a subscription, of course. Also included is the Digital Cinema Auto Calibration system, which should assist in setting the levels for your speakers. There's also the Portable Audio Enhancer, which supposedly makes compressed audio files--such as MP3s--sound better, although we haven't had any success with similar features in the past. Sony claims the STR-DG510 will deliver 100 watts to each of the channels. The STR-DG510 will be available in March with a list price of about $200.