I was all set to by the Denon AVR-889, as it met all my criteria:
4 HDMI inputs (for my HDDVR, X360, PS3, and one future proof slot) Strong output (90 per channel or better) Full 1080p upres capabilites Audyssey EQ iPod compatible Ideally < $1,000
Then I realized its not Wi-Fi certified or Network ready, so started looking at the Yamaha RX-2700.
I have my laptop in front of my home theatre system at all time so was hoping to play my PC MP3s directly to my Receiver. Also like the idea of the ethernet radio stations. But wireless is not an audiofile friendly format, and in the past i've just plugged my latop directly into the receiver via headphone jack anyway.
Is Network Capable worth all the fuss, and if so, which models should I be looking at that still fit my criteria above? Thx.
Where do you get the notion that wireless is not audiophile friendly? What really destroys your music is conversion to MP3. Beyond that wireless is simply another medium that with bitloss protection will probably do as good a job in carrying digital signals than any other medium.
It is true that if your wireless setup is unable to maintain the state of connectivity to the router, then you will have a hard time playing music all the way through (it will get broken up), but that will be an issue with your wireless router and setup not with the technology itself.
As to your other question regarding network capable, I don't have a network capable receiver, but I do have a squeezebox for my secondary setup in the bedroom. I like it a lot because i can shuffle back and forth from all my CD's to internet radio to local radios to sometimes just backdrop music using one device and menu system. It's really effortless.