Yamaha RX-V363BL 500 Watt 5.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I purchased this Yamaha (RXV363) unit because a lightning storm burned out the Sony, which I was happy with. This unit resides in my bedroom - which consists of an HDTV, FIOS, DVD and Sony 5.1 satellite speaker system - and is not my main HT system, which reside in the basement and consist of the higher end components. I looked at the Yamaha RXC463, Onkyo TX-SR506, 606, Sony STR-DG720 but did not want to spend the extra cash for the satellite ready capability. Nor was I interested in the video switching capabilities since I connect all video source directly to the TV and all audio sources to the receiver. For switching, I use my Harmony 880 - one button operation.
Connectivity:
For my situation, the Yamaha has all the connections I need (DVD and FIOS). Setup is simple and straight forward. Remember, you get HD quality from both HDMI and Component connections.
As far as connecting video components thru the receiver, I can't give an opinion on that because I do not go thru the receiver for video connections, up conversion and all that stuff. I always connect my video source directly to the TV- always. I just believe that you lose picture quality going thru a receiver. Remember, the most direct path between 2 points is a straight line. I only use the receiver for the audio connections because to me that's its main purpose - audio and TV is video. Besides connecting thru the receiver, in my opinion, is mainly for convenience and possibly (emphasis) saving a few bucks on cables.
As stated by other reviewers, the HDMI ports (video pass-thru) do not output sound (manual specifically states this fact as well as other sources on the internet) so you must connect separate audio cables. Having HDMI output audio is good if you are using the speakers in the TV (but why would you do that if you want a HT quality sound) but if you have surround speakers then you should use either the digital or optical audio connections.
Now with that said, I know that there are some that have many components to connect in their system or want the convenience of having the least amount of cables connected to the TV, receiver etc. For those you either have to dig a little deeper in the pockets or get a separate switching device for all of the components. This unit, at $200, is an entry level HT receiver so don't expect it to do what the high end units can.
Remote Control
The remote control is a little tricky. What I found is that it's a little confusing on how to switch between sound stages at first but like anything new you get used to it.
As an alternative to those who want simplicity in switching between video sources do yourself a favor and get the Harmony 880 remote control - one remote, one button control bliss baby. Amazon seems to have the best prices on the remotes. Check it out.
Overall:
Overall this is a good unit. This is a nice entry level unit and it does well for the limited setup I have in the bedroom. This unit actually makes the Sony satellite speaker sound much better than the Sony receiver did. This unit has better sound fields than my older Sony unit - I like the Straight and Enhance and 5 channel speaker modes. My Sony did not have these.
TIP: Before purchasing any HT equipment you must do your research. You can go to the manufacturer's website and download the manual and determine if it contains all the connections etc you need for your system. What I've found in some of the previous reviews is that the unit was purchased without truly knowing its capabilities and then that person bashes it - which is unfair. The only problem is the individual did not do his/her research and/or know the true capabilities of the unit. The World Wide Web has all sorts of reviews on this unit - both professional and end user - so it baffles me that these people did not know the limits of the unit. Uhhh oh yeah they didn't do their research. So when you read these reviews, read between the lines of the comments, which many times will reveal that the person did not do the necessary homework prior to the purchase and/or did or do not understand the functions of a specific AV receiver. So please make sure the equipment has all you need before putting out negative reviews.
Also, remember if you have surround speakers you do not need to send the audio thru the HDMI just use the digital coax or optical audio connections. And don't believe much of the hype about the cables (i.e. the better ones are the most expensive ones). Just don't use the cables that come in the box and don't spend tons of money on cables either.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Yamaha RX-V363BL 500 Watt 5.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver

High-value receiver with an impressive array of features and technologies to enhance the audio/video experience, including HDMI switching with 1080p video pass-through, iPod and Bluetooth audio compatibility, CINEMA DSP, Compressed Music Enhancer, and four SCENE buttons.

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Sony STR-DN1020 3D Blu-ray Disc A/V Receiver (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Howdy!
It's been a banner fifteen months. I've been able to slowly upgrade to my A/V system from a crappy one to one of extraordinary magnitude. Yes... my days of watching "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" on the Sony Betamax are over. Now I've been out of the A/V game for some time and have been boning up on what the new technology has to offer. There is amazing gear and technology that is available to people at great prices. The journey I've made, and I'm not talking about the band that replaced Steve Perry with a dude they found on YouTube, has allowed me to update my A/V gear to include the following...
1 Sony STRDN1020 Receiver
1 Sony Bravia NX 800 Series 52' LED TV
1 Sony PS3 Slim 160GB
4 Mediabridge HDMI cables
1 Belkin Subwoofer Cable

Sure I'm a loyal Sony customer, but it's because they have treated me well over the years and I have the stash of still working, but outdated, gear to prove it.
Current SONY holdings...
1 Sony Betamax (1982) Make an offer!
1 Sony VHS Player (1985)
1 SONY HIFI VHS Player (1986)
1 Sony Laserdisc Player (1990)
1 Sony 36" Bravia TV (1995?) Estimated weight 2.56 metric tons
1 Sony 5.1 receiver (1999)
Now I don't want to come off as a Sony snob so I do want to mention that I have the following non-Sony items in my electronic stash.
1 Hasbro Litebrite (1981) Crystal clear pixel display but runs a little hot.
1 Hasbro Easy-Bake Oven (1975) A man's got to eat but runs a little cool.
1 Motorola M500 Bag Phone (1978) Looks great in my 1982 TransCamaro with the T-TopsSo here's my review of the Sony STRDN1020 receiver.
DELIVERY:
It took a week for the arrival but that's because I live in the middle of nowhere (Think Rudolph's trek to the land of broken toys) and didn't pay for expedited shipping. At time of delivery the UPS guy was very impressed with the receiver and it's features having read them off the box. He threw in a pair of complimentary fist bumps. That alone has to be worth one star on the review scale. The box was sealed to protect that "New Stuff Smell".
SETUP:
Well it took longer to extract the old receiver and 83 miles of attached RCA and S-Video cables then it did to install the STRDN1020 and the 3 HDMI, 1 Subwoofer, and 1 network cables. God bless you HDMI inventors wherever you are.
Actual setup was about an hour with 70% of the time spent trying to attach five speakers to the receiver's rear terminals. Folks... PLEASE don't be a cheap a-hole like me... get yourself some banana plugs. I have learned my lesson. NEVER again will I risk peersonal injury to hook up some speakers. Can you really put a price on Carpal Tunnel Syndrome? I hope I don't miss any work ... my dog needs braces.
The included manual was easy to follow and there is a chart on how to hook up your speakers and other components. I initialized the receiver and set up the speaker pattern, network, and audio calibration in about fifteen minutes. The GUI is easy to use but not as intuitive as the menus used on Sony's PS3 and TV's, whatever the heck they call it.

SOUND: All Connections VIA HDMI
Bluray VIA PS3 - This rig sounds great. I have a 2002 JBL 5.1 set up and they've never sounded better. Do you know that scene from "The Notebook" where the crew is robbing the armored car? Of course you don't it doesn't exist. God I hate that movie and the unrealistic bar it has set for us working men. Jim Rockford should be ashamed of himself. Anyway... you probably know the opening of the movie "Heat" where Deniro, Waynegrow and the boys, extract some goodies from the armored car. Now I have the movie on VHS HIFI, Laserdisc, DVD, and Bluray so I guess you can say I'm familiar with the audio recordings and playback of each format. The sound of the receiver and bluray was absolutely phenomenal. It really made the movie more intense. I almost called 911 to report a robbery in progress. I can't wait until they release Breakin' 2: Electric Boogalooo bluray. It's 'gonna be some insane sound!
TV - The Audio return channel is a great feature since I utilize our Sony TV to watch Netflix and Amazon on Demand, and to stream my computer's music. All three sources sound awesome and bring more bang to what are already incredible TV features.

PS3 - I played Call of Duty/Black OPS on the PS3 and once again phenomenal sound. In multi-player mode I can now hear those Orange County punks sneaking up behind me. Sure, they still kill me but now they have to look me in the eye when they do it. Backstabbers!
Cable Box - Great Sound. You feel like you are actually in the middle of one of the fights between the Real Housewives of New Jersey until you realize that you aren't because you have your "Stuff" together. Warning! Those A.S.P.C.A commercials with Sarah Mclachlan are now 10 times sadder.

Tuner: Don't useVIDEO:
I have had no video issues. All connections VIA HDMI. The Cable HD looks great. No sync issues with audio and no loss with running the cable through the receiver instead of straight to the TV.
BRAVIA SYNC Sure it's proprietary and only works on Sony gear but it works great. Hooray for me! Proprietary functionality is my one gripe with Sony but you Apple folks have zero right to complain.
Conclusion
I'm looking forward to growing old or should I say older with the receiver. I look forward to firmware updates that may extend the usefulness of the receiver. This may not be the best receiver on the market at the best price but it does everything most people will need and is very simple to operate. With this Sony, I won't have to send my wife to a three day course at a distant Ramada Inn to learn how to operate the damn thing.
I will update this with a review of the network functions once I've had time to utilize them. Also, I don't roll with Apple products so I will not be using the included Ipod dock.


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Maximize your entertainment experience with Sony's STR-DH1020 receiver. Connect seven HD sources,11 listen to your iPod9 and improve the quality of streamed music. Plus, enjoy incredible 7.1 channel sound quality while you watch 3D sports movies and games from connected 3D devices.4 You can even improve video quality to near HD.6 This great receiver also features an easy-to-use control menu for simple control and a convenient audio calibration set-up so you are assured the best possible listening experience

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Yamaha RX-V2700 - AV network receiver - 7.1 channel Review

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(More customer reviews)The RX-V2700 has more features than any receiver I know of in any category. The main features that distinguish it are:
* Play MP3s (off PC running the proper software)/Internet Radio
* High Power (140x7 - One channel driven into 8ohm from 20hz-20khz)
* Handles 7.1 multi-channel PCM over HDMI, helpful for Blu-ray and HDMI
* YPAO (Automatically adjusts levels, and bass management features; I believe it also has some basic equalization features)
* Three HDMI inputs (not a common feature of AVRs)
* Can pass 1080P
Cons:
* Remote control longer than usual; controlling network features a pain
* Clunky GUI for network capaibilities
I connected a number of component video sources and audio sources and ran a single HDMI cable to my display. I have no video issues with this setup. I used YPAO to do the initial setup. When that was done I set all speakers to small and the LFE/Bass crossover to 80hz. There's no good reason to let your speakers handle bass if your subwoofer can do it. 80hz is what THX has reccommended. Everything worked fine. The diagrams in the manual of the back panel were hard for me to read. This made it harder for me to try to wire it up with less than two feet between it, and the back wall. There are some photos online of the back panel that might be easier to use.Sound quality is good. If you already had a good receiver, don't expect amazing improvements. Amps tend to sound very much alike. Processing modes are typical. Select straight mode, and it should do the right thing most of the time. I prefer 7-channel stereo for normal music listening, though.
As for video, because I have a plasma, and I feel it does a good job deinterlacing (480i -> 480p) and scaling (to it's native 1024x780,) I only use HDMI conversion. I did play around with the 2700's deinterlacer and scaler options. I saw no improvement. I also see no degradation, which is what I expect. I use the 2700 to convert component to HDMI for a DVD player/Tivo box and my XBox 360.
The network features work ok. I see usual problems with disconnects, etc. To stream MP3's from your computer to the RX, you will need Microsoft Media Connect, or Windows Media Player 11 (which comes with Media Connect.) You don't need to run Win Media, Media Connect will run as a background process, which is nice. Setting it up was easy enough, but I have spent my life working with computers. You will need to go into Win Media Player or Media Connect and add the 2700 so you can share music to it. The ability to play internet radio is one I quite like. You can't add stations, and are limited to MP3 (I think.) The 2700 uses the vTuner database, which is extensive, and you can suggest stations to it. The GUI for the network capaibilities is painful. It's slow for one thing. It will stop displaying with no keypress in 5 seconds or so. However long it is, it's not always long enough forcing you to hit the display button on the remote again. Very dissapointing for a product with a suggested retail of $1700.
As mentioned above sound quality is good. It's powerful enough that I can turn it up as loud as I want without audible distress, and I can't say that about other receivers I have owned. Like most receivers, it's only rated with one channel driven, but don't let that concern you. If it's not loud enough for you, you either have a big room, inefficient speakers or a need to damage your hearing. As for it's sound quality being better than other receivers, I can't say that it is. Most receivers sound pretty close (in tests, even trained listeners have trouble picking out one amp vs. another.)
A brief note about Blu-ray and HD DVD. This receiver will handle 7.1 multi-channel PCM at 96khz/24bits. That allows you to take advantage of the lossless audio formats available on the new high def media formats, such as TrueHD. You will need to set your player to output multi-channel PCM over HDMI. Some people have reported diminished LFE (low frequency channel) when PCM was used rather than bitstream. I don't have room for a full discussion of this alleged issue. It is unconfirmed by any formal review, and some people have reported that LFE over HDMI/PCM works fine. This is only a potential issue if you want to hear the best quality from uncompressed audio on Blu-ray or HD DVD. You always have the option to let the player convert to DTS or Dolby Digital and send that via bitstream over HDMI (or S/PDIF.)
As for video quality, all I asked of it that was it converted component to HDMI, which it does with no obvious degradation.
Why would you spend over $1000 on a receiver? Probably for the feature set, and high power. Yamaha also has a reputation for quality. It's my fifth Yamaha receiver, so I am obviously a fan.

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Yamaha RX-V3900BL 7.1-Channel Network Home Theater Receiver (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)I purchased this unit a week after it went on sale. I had been investigating the device for some time prior to the actual release. I used this to replace a Yamahe DSP-A1 purchased about 10 years ago. I wanted to simplify my cabling by switching to an HDMI capable receiver. The availability of 4 HDMI inputs was a big selling point for me.
After initial setup I put the unit through it's paces with SACD recordings of Elton John's Madman Across the Water and the Alman Brothers Eat a Peach. The SACD 5.1 sound from my PS/3 over the HMDI was exceptional, wonderful depth to the soundfield. The video upscaling in this unit is far superior to that included in my 50" LG Flat Panel and has made watching non-HD signals much more palatable. Using blu-ray DTS HD and DD Pure HD both sound amazing. I also purchased a Rhapsody subscription account to use with the unit and love the virtual library of hundreds of thousands of CDs at my fingertips through the remote. I have found several albums on Rhapsody that result in a "unable to play" error, I am not sure if they are encoded in a format other than MP3 or if this error also occurs when using Rhapsody on a PC, these were usually extremely obscure recordings.
The onscreen Ipod controls are great and the album cover display is a great addition, now if they could only get the album, flip view from the iPhone or iPod touch working for scanning through and selecting albums/songs that would be truly fabulous.
The lack of inclusion of wireless networking is a big mistake in my view, how many people would have their ISP drop right next to their stereo system? I overcame this easily with the purchase of a "Wireless Gaming Adapter" which attaches to the Ethernet port on the receiver and connects it to my wireless network, this solution has worked well and runs about 50-100 dollars.
My biggest concern with the unit has been the adaptive sound leveling. This is a great feature to make sure you don't get blasted out of the room when commercials come on at twice the volume of your show. Usually this feature mutes the sound and makes the adjustment very quickly but every now and then it has difficulty setting the volume accordingly and drops the audio for as much as 10-20 seconds, very annoying when using DVR functions to skip commercials then having to go back 2-3 times to get the audio enabled again at the end of the commercials. Once the unit could not seem to set the audio at all and it required selecting a different source before sound was enabled again.
Overall I am quite happy with the unit and hope that a software/firmware upgrade may alleviate the audio level drop issues at some point in the future, while sometimes annoying this issue comes nowhere close to outweighing the great benefits of this receiver.
Pros:
Exceptional sound quality
Great video upscaling
Extensive features listing
Amazing array of device connections
Cons:
Not in everyones pricing range
Initial configuration not for the inexperienced
No built-in wireless networking (could have been a design decision to reduce potential degration of the audio signal)
Infrequent extended audio drop outs when relevelling the audio between programing and commercials or when changing stations
Some CDs visible through Rhapdosy cannot be played

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Yamaha's next generation 7.1-channel Network AV receiver offers unsurpassed versatility, access to today's most popular music sources including Internet Radio, Rhapsody online music service, music streaming from PC, HD Radio with iTunes tagging, XM and SIRIUS Satellite Radio ready, USB, iPod and Bluetooth compatibility, as well as extensive multi-zone custom installation and convenience features, plus a Web Browser Control.

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Yamaha YMC-S21BL NeoHD Home Theater Media Control System (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)I first heard of Yamaha's NeoHD when cruising the web looking for a receiver that my family would enjoy with my new Sony Bravia 46 inch flat panel and Sony Blu Ray player. I wanted better surround sound to go with our new Hi-Def Blu Ray movies, but I needed an easy to use system that everyone in my family could utilize. My wife (and youngest son at 6 years of age) could NOT work our `three remote' system, and changing inputs from 1 source component to another was a nightmare for her and the family. From what I could tell from the Yamaha website, neoHD solves this problem which makes it the perfect product for me and my `remote challenged' family.
I purchased the Yamaha neoHD, model YMC-S21, and once it arrived, I jumped on it quickly to get it set up. My teenage son helped me with the Yamaha setup guide - which although initially intimidating looking, was actually pretty easy to use. Within 45 minutes, I had connected my flat panel, Blu Ray player, Time Warner DVR (Motorola), and the 2 Yamaha speakers and subwoofer with color coded speaker cable that came with the package. Once connected, everything was operational with the one simple neoHD remote control in the neoHD box!
The setup was actually pretty fun. But, I had to connect 3 IR flashers that came in the Yamaha box. I had never connected IR flashers before, but it wasn't too hard. The trick was finding the IR sensor on each component, but I had the users manuals and found the IR sensor quickly on the two Sony's. The neoHD menu walked me through setting up my system by answering a few simple questions, and then I calibrated my room w/Yamaha's YPAO microphone. Cool!
The neo had the remote codes already built in for the Sony's, but I had to teach neo the remote codes for my DVR. I called Yamaha service for some help, and they suggested I utilize the Motorola Set Top Box code set first (right off of the on-screen menu), then learn the rest of the codes simply using the neoHD onscreen menu. Actually kind of fun - I liked the way neoHD walked me through the system setup! Not intimidating at all.
Now that neoHD is set up and working, my family really loves it - the surround sound while playing Blu Ray movies or watching sporting events is fantastic, but I am really happy with the simple onscreen menu for operating our entire system. My wife and all of my sons can select 'Watch, Listen, or Play', and using the simple up and down arrow keys, make their selections without my help. No more `Input' selections, no more complicated remote controls that my family can't use, and no more frustration!
Finally, my kids showed the neighbor kids how the system works, and now my neighbors told me they may get a neoHD also for their new flat panel! Yamaha has made something that solves a real need!


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Yamaha YMC-S21BL NeoHD Controller, 2.1 Channel Surround System

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Yamaha YHT-693BL 5.1 Channel 525 Watt HTiB System (Each, Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)As someone who previously did not consider themselves an audiophile, I am very happy to find that my lack of caring about audio was simply because I'd never had a good sound system before.
You see, this is my first surround sound system, and I'm now converted for life.
Installing this system was pretty straightforward but each component had its own instruction set which made things slightly confusing and hard to keep track of. Going methodically kept everything clear, but for someone used to breezing through electronics setup, this took a painfully long time. In the end, I was able to successfully install the system on my own, having never installed a surround system before, and without any errors.
The sound on this system is outstanding, and the volume level is very nice. I have been listening to music, blu-rays, and video games for a couple months now on this system and everything is clear, beautiful, and aurally compelling. The receiver has lots of great options for customizing your sound to your own preferences and is quite straightforward to use.
The build quality of all the components feels very solid and high quality. Nothing feels cheap or skimpy and I was pleasantly surprised to find out just how hefty the speakers are. The front speakers are actually quite large, and the rear speakers are of decent size as well. This is not meant to scare anyone off that is concerned about massive speakers, but mearly to point out that they're not some tiny speakers that you're afraid you'll blow out on the next Michael Bay movie but are instead nice and solid and capable of outputting big sound. The receiver is capable of turning your stereo mp3 (or other format) audio files into an excellent full surround by using a number of output options, most notably the 7-channel surround which will send the audio to the rear speakers as well.
One thing I read in other reviews was that the screen on the receiver was "too small" and hard to read. This is not the case. The folks who have issues seeing the display must be hard-of-sight, because if the display was any larger it would be obtrusive and ugly. From my couch I can read the display just fine and once you get your system set up, there is little need to read the display anyways.
The remote control is quite complicated and a mass of buttons, but once you read through some of the documentation to figure out what everything does, it is very straightforward and very powerful. The only thing it cannot do is turn on my Playstation because it is not a bluetooth remote (but almost no remotes are). It remembers settings based upon which input you're set to and this is very useful!
Unlike most HTIB systems, the Receiver that comes in this system seems extremely good and looks like it would be well worth keeping while upgrading other components of the system to high-end pieces (if one feels inclined to upgrade to expensive equipment). I can't really fathom what a more expensive receiver would provide that this one does not, unless you are running some extremely complicated setup or have an actual theatre installed in your house or something. Comparing this receiver to my brother's HTIB limited-option cruddy one, I am very please with the power output, quality, and feature set of this receiver. The large amounts of inputs also ensures that you are highly unlikely to run out of places to plug in your electronics. I have more things plugged into this than most people probably will and I still have room for more.
Overall, for extreme audiophiles who complain about this little thing or that little thing on this system, to you I say "why are you down in the lower price range equipment anyways?" For the rest of us, this system is awesome and I highly recommend it. If you're using your TV speakers, or little 1.5" speakers that come in most HTIB systems... it's time for an upgrade to this excellent system.
Lastly, the speakers are all equipped properly for wall installation. I had much more difficulty with the installation of the wall mounts that I purchased than I did with the installation of the speakers themselves. I was initially concerned that a HTIB system might have some non-standard installation components/mounts but luckily that wasn't the case, and everything in this sytem appears to be forward thinking in terms of usability with other equipment and/or upgrading components piece by piece down the line.
A++.


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Yamaha's YHT-693BL 5.1-Channel HTiB System is the easy way to enjoy the cinema experience at home. Featuring 525 watts of power, the latest HDMI specifications, and popular Yamaha technologies like SCENE and CINEMA DSP, you'll be sure to get the most out of your high-definition movies and music.

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Yamaha BD-S1065BL Blu-Ray Disc Player Review

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(More customer reviews)When Dorothy and crew approached the castle of the infamous Wicked Witch of the West, she encountered a old, dilapidated wooden sign that read . . . "I'd go back if I were you", and this expresses my sentiments perfectly for anyone considering the Yamaha BD-S1065 Blu-Ray Player. As a diehard Yamaha fan, I truly wish that I could offer prospective buyers of the Yamaha BD-S1065 something 'positive' about this particular player, because I've been a staunch supporter/consumer of all things 'Yamaha' for many years. The fact is, they make some of the finest home "audio" components available anywhere, but I'm afraid the same cannot be said of their "video" gear including the BD-S1065.
Let me say at the outset that I own the Yamaha RX-V863BL A/V (home theatre) receiver ($600) and its an awesome unit! I also own a full line-up of Yamaha home theatre speakers including the Yamaha NS-C444 center speaker ($150), two Yamaha NS-B750 bookshelf speakers ($1200/pair), and a Yamaha YST-SW315 sub-woofer ($250), all of which operate flawlessly for me. So it seemed to make perfect sense to trust in the purchase of a new Yamaha BD-S1065 blu-ray player ($400) for our developing home theatre system. But unfortunately, that trust was completely shattered when I connected and evaluated the BD-S1065.
The first unit I received had more problems than I care to articulate (right out of the box), but the single most troublesome flaw was that it took the player "eons" to load a new (standard issue) blu-ray disc. I mean it took literally 4-5 continuous minutes of scanning the disc before anything at all appeared on the television screen, and even then, it would re-enter yet another secondary "reading" phase that made the unit completely unusable in practical terms. I tried it on multiple discs of variable manufacture, and it misbehaved the same on each and every one of them. However, it also had a grossly outdated version of firmware, so being the optimist that I am (i.e., thinking that this might be the source of the problems), I foolishly went to the trouble of downloading the newest version of firmware from the Yamaha website to a CD/R disc via home computer and then transferring the new firmware to the BD-1065. Unfortunately, despite the firmware update, the problems all continued. In fact, some additional issues arose after the update including completely random stoppage of blu-ray discs right smack in the middle of viewing a movie (almost like a screensaver event)! Weird! Very-very weird. And significantly, the faulty behavior could not be duplicated using the same discs with a PlayStation 3 (PS3) or other (Samsung) blu-ray player.
Fortunately, Amazon has always been great about returns, so I sent the unit back for a replacement. A week later, the second (new replacement) BD-S1065 arrived, so I plugged it in (just as before). To my utter dismay, all of the same issues or problems with the first unit were present with the 2nd (replacement) unit including protracted load times, excessive and multiple disc readings, random stoppage of the disc in the middle of playback, etc., etc. And believe me, the list of headaches goes on from there! In each instance, I used brand new blu-ray discs all of which played without incident on a blu-ray equipped PS3 and similar Samsung unit, and in each instance, I was able to repeat the problem by returning the disc to the Yamaha BD-S1065. End of story.
Bottom line? This unit is NOT worth considering for your blu-ray needs. Sorry Yamaha, but I'd recommend that people look elsewhere for their blu-ray needs.

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Yamaha BD-S1065BL Blu-Ray Disc Player

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Yamaha RX-V367BL 5.1 Channel 500 Watt AV Receiver (Each, Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)We had a very old audio only receiver and were looking to replace it (almost 10 year old technics). We picked up the Yamaha RX-V367, even though there were no reviews, since the receiver was just released, and it was in our price range (200 to 300). So far we are happy with the new receiver; it is connected to the satellite box, xbox, and blu ray.
Speaker set up: Set of Polk Rti8 (left right and center), and klipsch Klipsch Synergy Series SS.5 rear surround (left and right). The sound coming from the speakers was MUCH better than from our ancient receiver.
Not a fan of the Sound Field Programs, seems too much like a gimmick, and only adds an echo depending on what setting (one setting might effect the vocals more, or another setting might effect the music), but I imagine some people would enjoy that. Has many audio processing options, works great with Netflix streaming, set it to 5ch stereo and it will work great; can clearly listen to what's playing (netflix only streams in 2ch stereo). Mainly use the "Straight" audio processing setting (for xbox and blu ray), I assume the receiver doesn't add any extra "audio goo", and plays direct from the source.
Good video quality, no noticeable video deterioration. Yamaha says it's compatible with HDMI 1.4 and will support 3D (with a firmware upgrade). Not that interested in 3d TVs anyways.
Clear and easy to use menu system (compared to my old technics receiver), competent directions, fairly user friendly.
Has 4 HDMI inputs which was much better than many of the competitors in the same price range. We didn't test the FM/AM tuner, and only connected HDMI and RCA from computer. We were also swayed by the extra bluetooth adapter so we can listen to music (and hopefully stream Hulu audio) wirelessly from the computer (and get rid of the airport express). Will update review after getting bluetooth.

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The Yamaha RX-V367BL 5.1-Channel AV Receiver is a great value-priced receiver to help take your home theater experience further. It features the latest HDMI specifications (4 inputs/1 output) with 3D-readiness (with firmware upgrade), 1080p HDMI repeating, and renowned Yamaha technologies like SCENE and CINEMA DSP. Expand your options even further with optional docks (sold separately) to add your iPod, iPhone, or Bluetooth sources.

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Yamaha RX-V1065BL 7.2-Channel Digital Home Theater Receiver (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)I needed to replace a couple of old receivers so I found a great deal on the RX-V1065 and RX-V765 on Amazon. I ended up getting both of them for aboout what 2 V665's would have cost me a a Big Box store. I first setup my Main Theate Room with the 1065, I thought it was somewhat difficult to get everything the way I wanted it but the automatic speaker setup was slick and the sound is fantastic compared to my old Sony I had previously. The Menu system takes some getting use to but once you do it's not bad to navigate. All in all I was pretty darn happy with my purchase, My JBL's sounded much better then before and although I didn't really notice any difference in video quality, it was as good as before and now I had everything coming thru the same box. Surround sound was a huge step up from my old receiver also, you are almost looking behind you now because you'd swear someone is behind you, where on my old Sony it was more or less a quieter front speaker.
I then went to hook up my 765 in my cave TV room, first thing that I noticed was that is basically identical to the 1065, sure the menu system is not as polished but as far as the functionality that I need it is the same. I have a few year old Bose surround sound in this room with a JBL center chanel speaker and what a HUGE difference this receiver made over my old Onkyo, the Onkyo was really good for music but surround sound was sub par, but it was 10 years old I guess. Granted I'm only hooking up a Xbox 360, blue ray and TV in this room but watching Vikes beat up the the Packers in surround sound with this receiver was great, I haven't figured out which sound field I like best but there are a couple perfect for sports.
One of the coolest things was when I grabbed the TV remote from my Samsung LCD by mistake to turn the volume down and it says RX-V765 un the upper corner and starts to tun down the volume of the receiver from the TV, displaying the volume the whole time it's changing. I guess that Anynet capability on the Samsung TV's with a HDMI reciever gives you a few more bells and whistles. Also really cool is when I turn on the Xbox or turn off the TV the receiver will come on or off accordingly. I haven't setup the remote for additionaly devices yet, but it seems to be easy to use and is exactly the same for the 765 and 1065, I actually expected the remote to be better for the 1065 so i was a little disapointed when I saw it, but in using it it seems OK/
One thing I do not like is the Zone 2 ability on the 1065, I almost wish is was more or less a A/B speaker selector, I have a normal 5 speaker surround setup, in addition to that I have 2 speakers in the kitchen, right behind the TV room which are connect to Zone 2 that when I'm listening to music we like to have on so that you have more sound. The problem is that Zone 2 running the same input as the Main Room is off by a few fractions of a second and if you stand right between the 2 rooms, it sounds like the song is a half a second behind in the kitchen, I tried the lipsync thing, which only made it worse, I haven't given up on it yet, but it's not obvious how to fix this.
Bottom Line -
Both the 1065 and the 765 have more inputs than I know what to do with.
Neither have HDMI on the front, I didn't want it anyway, as I think it looks stupid to set all your equipment up and then have a big cable hanging off the front of your system anyway. That's why the put the jacks on the back, right???
May not have quite as many sound fields as some others out there, but I pick the 2 or 3 I like for movies, sports and music anyway and don't care about the rest.
The YPAO is cool and works great to setup the speakers.
The onscreen Menu is better on the 1065 but adequate on the 765.
HI-DEF Radio sounds amazing on both.
Don't think I will ever use the remotes as universal remotes, but they are adequate for running the receivers.
I cannot comment much on the video conversion, as everything I am running is HDMI and looks the same as it die running straight into the TV.
Sound on both of these is fantastic, even at volumes that start to hurt, the sound is clear, the bass is crisp not slow and there is no distortion, my old receivers would make my speakers start to hiss at a much lower volume, and these receivers never do.
Save yourself some money though get the 765, once it's all setup and you don't need to go into the menu anymore, you'll never notice the difference.
I read a lot of reviews and narrowed it down to Onkyo and Yamaha, at last second I pulled the trigger on Yamaha and for what I paid on Amazon for the 2 of them I am thrilled with my purchase

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Yamaha RX-V1065BL 7.2-Channel Digital Home Theater Receiver

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Yamaha RX-V665BL 630 Watt 7-Channel Home Theater Receiver Review

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(More customer reviews)I chose the Yamaha V665 after careful comparison with other units, and was very impressed with ease of setup and features. The sound quality is excellent, and while I had initial concerns with power output, at 90 watts it demonstrates more useable power than my previous NAD unit at 100 watts. I particularly like the four "Scene" buttons which allow linked input sources and sound fields and switch the unit on with one action. Contrary to other reviews on Amazon you can easily assign whatever input you wish together with a preferred sound field and assign it to any of these buttons. On the downside, you cannot assign different tone adjustments to these four "Scenes" which means I have to manually attenuate the bass to listen to spoken radio broadcasts which tend to create disturbing bass reverberations at times.
However the one big disappointment, which because of its nature I only discovered too late to return the unit (and I would not have purchased this unit had I known beforehand) is evident when a TV input from some (possibly all?) cable boxes is connected to the unit and passed through using the receiver as a switching unit (one of the key features of any modern receiver after all). In this mode the signal is subject to frequent dropouts of sound and video. Some days these dropouts are hardly evident and only for a fraction of a second, other days they are frequent and last long enough to leave the screen blank for a second or two or to delete entire words on the audio track. This happens with every possible connection I have tried, whether HDMI or component video (I have also tried monster cables to no avail). I have since seen other reviews reporting this same problem on other Yamaha units. My cable box is Time Warner but there are similar reports with Verizon Fios, so the problem seems endemic. Updating the current Yamaha firmware seems to have no effect.
There are always so many variables that it is difficult to track down the source of the problem, and I would hate to criticize Yamaha unfairly, but as the problem apparently occurs throughout the Yamaha product range, it would seem wise to hesitate on purchasing Yamaha until this problem is resolved.

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Yamaha RX-V665BL 630 Watt 7-Channel Home Theater Receiver

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Yamaha BD-S1900BL Blu-ray Disc Player Review

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(More customer reviews)This Blu-ray Player looks good on paper but our copy was a major disappointment. It is my impression that Yamaha was a little slow to the Blu-ray player market. I had hoped for better. Now I question their commitment to Blu-ray and their firmware support in general. It is quite poor. I expected the player to measure up equally to the other high end Yamaha products we own. Not true. Despite installing the available firmware (6 months old) the player could not deliver a pleasing picture. Playing Avatar, the image was filled with pixalization such that we have never seen. While the movie kept playing the bars of pixals were jsut plain terrible. Other discs were a disappointment as well. The player was returned and, as expected, Amazon.com customer service was superb. We purchased an Oppo BDP-83 Blu-ray Player instead and could not be happier. Everything about that player is awesome. Live and learn. Yamaha needs to take notice!

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Yamaha BD-S1900BL Blu-ray Disc Player

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Yamaha YHT-S400BL Front Surround Unique Home Theater Package (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)Just received from Amazon today... My primary requirements were a low profile, black unobtrusive sound bar to go in the 3 inches of space I have under my wall mounted Panasonic TCP-65S1. Other options from Samsung and other manufacturers that fit my space requirement had fewer features, only 2.1 channels, and reviews indicating sound quality not quite up to snuff. It is replacing a Yamaha YSP-800 that works fine but simply takes up too much space.
I understand there is some doubt out there about the sub combined with the receiver but so far it sounds fine.
In fact the whole setup sounds better than good... very crisp clean surround 7.1ch emulation, louder and better quality/separation than the 5ch YSP-800 it is replacing.
Time (and a bunch of Blu Ray movies) will tell, and I will update this review with further observations as I further evaluate the unit.
Very easy to install and setup, the setup menus are easy to use. I am not a huge picky audiophile so the minimal setup options are plenty for me... and if I were an audiophile I probably wouldn't be getting a soundbar.
I was curious to see how the HDMI-CEC would work with my VieraLink panny, and this was the one area I was disappointed... First off it loses the VieraLink "HD Theater sound control" setting when the TV turns off and back on. Secondly while the input button works to change inputs on the receiver, it doesn't change it to the right HDMI input to match the panny onscreen display. Not sure how much these are the panny's fault and how much the receiver.
On the plus side for controls, since my DVR control can turn the TV power off and on, using the HDMI inputs on the receiver instead of the TV does the trick... I control inputs and volume with the receiver control and am able to eliminate one control (the TV remote) from my coffee table. I know, I know, I should just get a universal/programmable remote but I haven't had good experiences with them, and two remotes is fine for me.
Since the HDMI-CEC wasn't a requirement for me and the HDMI input handling solves my needs, and everything else is great, I'll tip over the edge from four stars and make it five... since this is a subjective review and I am not rating it against higher end solutions, just $500 or lower sound bars.
Anyways, I hope this account helps anyone with similar needs considering this product.
UPDATE 2.11.2010
Still love it, happy with the sound quality but I really like the little remote... just enough buttons not too many, HDMI passthrough works well and let me ditch my TV remote. So the HDMI-CEC complaint is less now, the only reason I cared about that was to ditch a remote... mission accomplished.

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Yamaha YHT-S400BL Front Surround Unique Home Theater Package In Black

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