Video Signal

• For the HDMI video signal passing through an AV receiver, quality makes little difference. The signals are made up of digital pulses that the receiver does not alter between input and output. It only selects which one of the inputs goes to the output port and then to the video screen. As long as the AV receiver has sufficient quality to pass the signals without distortion, your screen presentation will not be affected. Some HDMI receivers include converters to change analog video inputs to HDMI, allowing those signals to appear on the screen but without improving their quality.
  
  

HDMI Version

• HDMI was released in 2002 and few AV receivers at that time had HDMI ports. But as later versions improved HDMI, more AV receivers started including them. In 2009, HDMI issued version 1.4 with several new features that older versions don't support. You may see older versions on sale advertised only as "HDMI" without including the version number. To protect yourself from disappointment, find out the version number in the sale item, then check hdmi.org to see if its options suit your system needs.
  
  

Input Options

• An AV receiver has several input options with more appearing on the higher-priced models. If it has more HDMI input ports than you actually need, the quality becomes moot. If it has fewer than you need, you should look at a higher-quality model. Most models have alternative inputs other than HDMI, with the number and type also affecting the price. But the number of features doesn't actually define quality. Always select an AV receiver that has inputs sufficient for your needs. But look at consumer reviews to find makes and models with the performance you want.
  
  

Output Options

• An HDMI AV receiver will have at least one HDMI output to go to the main screen. But it may also have other options, including composite video, component video or S-video. A higher number of output options increases price, but not necessarily quality. AV receivers also have audio power output options, with higher power needing more expensive components. But you may not need higher power for your speaker system. Select your AV receiver to match the needs of your system and watch for meaningless marketing slogans used to obscure true quality issues.