RX-V2600 Technology Overview

In reviewing the new Yamaha RX-V2600 I feel like I 'm swearing in a new justice of the Supreme Court... After all, it's new and exciting, but there's also a lot of discussion and debate surrounding the newcomer. With the RX-V2600, Yamaha has entered that place where the label "AV processor" really starts to emphasize video processing. Let's face it, while there was always plenty of audio processing going on, the "video" part of the AV equation was mostly limited to switching . No longer. The new RX-V2600 breaks new ground and starts anew with a set of updated features that gives notice to the competition:

• 130watts/channel (20Hz - 20kHz, 0.04% THD, 8-ohms) - see our bench test for more on power
• Updated GUI interface
• Burr-Brown 192 kHz/24-bit DACs for all channels
• Assignable amplifiers for bi-amp connection
• 2 in/1 out HDMI interface for high quality digital audio and video data handling
• Fully analogue video up-conversion to HDMI and component video
• Output with TBC (time-base-correction)
• De-interlacing (480i to 480p)
• Up-scaling (480i to 1080i/720p)
• XM Satellite Radio ready
• Additional Zone 2/3 remote control unit
• Zone 2 video monitor outputs displaying Zone 2/3 info
• Improved main remote (fully backlit)

Being the video-head that I am, it was easy to figure out where to begin. I wanted to examine up close and personal what the RX-V2600 could do in terms of its new video processing capabilities. I mean, this isn't your run-of-the-mill AV receiver - it's an all-inclusive analogue to digital workhorse designed to take everything you feed it and process it into a tasty digital morsel. I was excited but skeptical, to put it mildly. Going over some of the updated items, here are some quick summary notes to chew over before we get into the real nitty gritty of this processor (and whether you should be happy or not to pay the additional $300 over last year's model):

In the spirit of Brothers Grimm , which just came to me on DVD this week - let's put this into perspective through allegory. Once upon a time there was HDMI... HDMI liked to go real fast, but he was also lonely because he had a brand new highway all to himself. One day, someone decided to build an entrance ramp so other formats could play with HDMI - and that made things better. Eventually, however, HDMI got tired of always passing the other formats on the highway (they couldn't keep up) so someone decided to construct little cars that each of the other formats rode on, making them just as fast (sort of) as HDMI. Now HDMI was able to go different speeds, but the other formats could still match him and everyone, of course, used the same exit ramp. You still tracking with me? Ah, bliss in the land of make believe.

Here's how it breaks down in the real world. Send in composite 480i, output 1080i or 720p via HDMI. Send in s-video 480i, output 1080i or 720p via HDMI. Send in component 480i or 480p, output 1080i or 720p... It doesn't matter what you put in, the Yamaha RX-V2600 can take it and output it onto HDMI in the proper format for your display (with the exception of 1080p). The only question we'll answer later is: do you want it to?