Sony STR-DG820

Summary: Pros:
+ 4 HDMI v1.3a inputs with support for 1080p/24, Deep Color, and xvYCC
+ Up to 7.1 channel output (110Wx7, 8 ohms, 1kHz, 0.7% THD) with A/B speaker zones (7.1/2.0)
+ Lots of inputs: 3 optical audio, 1 coaxial digital audio, 4 HDMI v1.3a video/audio, 3 component video, 2 RCA stereo audio, 3 RCA stereo video/audio, 1 additional RCA stereo video/audio on front panel
+ Easy auto-calibration
+ Re-assignable digital audio inputs
+ Customizable display names for each input
+ Decodes Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS High-Resolution Audio, and DTS-HD Master Audio
+ XM Satellite Radio ready
+ Supports Sony BRAVIA Theater Sync and Sony Digital Media Port

Cons:
- Awkward remote
- Cannot send analog video signals (e.g., component) through HDMI output, or digital inputs through the analog outputs
- Only has LFE subwoofer (RCA jack) output, no speaker-level (spring-loaded terminal) output
- Multi-channel and DSD signals from SA-CDs are not supported
- Standby power mode can only be activated by the remote
- No S-Video inputs

If you're looking for a solid receiver with plenty of inputs, including four (yes, 4!) HDMI v1.3a audio/video inputs, the Sony STR-DG820 is a great buy. This is one of Sony's new line of receivers for 2008 along with the STR-DG520, STR-DG720, and STR-DG920. This is a very compelling receiver for its price as it packs in a lot of great features when compared to other popular receivers including the Denon AVR988 and Onkyo TX-SR606.

Both the 820 and the 920 model have on-board decoding of the high-definition audio tracks found on HD-DVD and Blu-ray discs, along with Linear PCM support (up to 8 channels, 192 kHz). A note to fellow PS3 owners: you'll need to use LPCM output to let the PS3 internally decode the audio because it currently lacks the ability to output all of the HD audio formats natively using bitstream through the HDMI connection. SA-CD owners will be disappointed to find out that this receiver doesn't support any of the advanced audio tracks of the discs, so we're stuck with plain stereo CD output.

Any standard speaker arrangements between stereo (2.0) and the full 7.1 surround sound can be attached and configured individually for optimal performance, or let the quick and easy auto-calibration feature work its magic. I was caught off-guard by the fact that the only connection available for a subwoofer is an LFE (RCA) connector, so my previous passive sub from the old receiver couldn't be connected using bare speaker wires and had to be replaced.

A wide variety of electronics can be hooked up through the different named inputs: Video 1 (analog and digital video/audio), Video 2 (analog video/audio, front panel), BD (digital video/audio), DVD (analog and digital video/audio), Satellite (analog and digital video/audio), TV (analog and digital audio), and SA-CD/CD (analog audio). Digital audio sources can be reassigned to other input modes to match your connections (e.g., you can use the optical audio input labeled Video 1 with the component video input labeled DVD). The only catch is that analog inputs must exit through the analog outputs rather than being transcoded and output digitally through HDMI, and digital inputs cannot be sent through analog outputs. For about an extra $200, analog-to-digital transcoding will be available only on the higher-end 920 model due out soon, but I don't really have a problem with having two different cables connecting from my receiver to my LCD TV instead of just a single HDMI cable.

The included remote is a bit difficult to use with lots of functionality trying to be packed into a minimal amount of buttons. Yellow, silver, and purple labels and dots attempt to organize buttons based on which mode the remote currently is operating, and it takes a while to make any sense of it all. Even after some use, some buttons still make no sense, like why there separate buttons labeled Amp Menu, Options, Menu, BD/DVD Top Menu, and BD/DVD Menu when one or more of these could have been consolidated into a single button. Also, there are two buttons labeled TV--one switches the input to TV mode and one activates buttons marked with a yellow dot on the remote. Basically, whoever designed the remote needs fired. Do yourself a favor and get something like a Logitech Harmony One universal remote to replace this kludgy beast.

All in all, the convenience and flexibility of this receiver combined with the great features for a relatively low price made this product an easy decision for me. If it weren't for the clumsy remote and lack of analog-digital transcoding, I'd give this receiver a higher rating.