I just purchased a Pioneer PDP-5051HD plasma tv, and am looking to upgrade my home theater system as well. My budget is relatively limited (under $1,200) so I was looking at HTIB systems. I knew that HDMI was the new thing as far as connectivity goes, and that my TV had two HDMI connections, so I figured that's what I'd look for. However, I've noticed that none of the HTIB systems offer HDMI connections, and I can't find many stand-alone receivers under $3,000 that do either.
My question then is firstly, are there any lower priced receivers (or HTIB) that offer HDMI connections (other than the Panasonic SA-XR70S which only has one input; I need two) and if not, is the difference in quality between HDMI and other connectivity options like component and digital-audio really that big a deal?
If I can't find a system with HDMI, what's the next best thing?
Thanks for the help.
P.S. I'm a home electronics rookie, so if my questions seem silly, that's why.