Audio and video receivers have recently been raised to prominence, along with the popularity of home theater systems. However, the audio and video receiver as a concept has been around since the first radio and television sets were mass-produced. Audio and video receivers serve in the same capacity as a receiver and amplifier of signals in any stereo or television setup, which means it interprets and amplifies the audio and/or video signals it receives, and sends it to an output appliance, such as a TV or a sound system.

What make audio and video receivers indispensable, in spite of the receiver and amplifier built into most entertainment devices, are their convenience and functionality. For instance, as far as convenience goes, a dedicated audio and video receiver will serve as a focal point for all of the multimedia appliances. This is because an audio and video receiver will accommodate all of the input from the appliances as well as all the output, acting as a switch so that one will not need to remove his music player from the 5.1 setup if one wants to connect the TV instead. All of the devices will connect to the A/V receiver and one only needs to switch from there.

When it comes to functionality, a dedicated audio and video receiver also has a lot to offer. Some audio and video receivers have decent media or movie players built in, which means one can save money that would have been used to buy a separate device, not to mention the savings on electricity that an additional multimedia device would consume. This makes audio and video receivers the most cost effective entertainment investment.

With endless A/V options one can read in customer reviews, compare audio and video receivers and find them from the top brands such as Pioneer and Denon.

The Pioneer’s VSX-1012-K is an excellent A/V receiver with built-in AirPlay and top-notch sound quality.
Specs: AV receiver, 120 Watt -, 8 Ohm – 7 channel(s) (Surround), 6 Ohm – 7 channel(s) (Surround), 8 Ohm – 20 – 20000 Hz – THD0.08 % – 7 channel(s) (Surround), Dolby True HD, Dolby Digital Plus, DTS-HD Master Audio

The Denon AVR-1912 gets the top score in the midrange A/V receiver category, with built-in AirPlay, outstanding sound quality, and six HDMI inputs.
Specs: A/V network receiver, 90 Watt – 8 Ohm – 20 – 20000 Hz – THD0.08 % – 7 channel(s) (Surround), 125 Watt – 6 Ohm – THD0.7 % – 7 channel(s) (Surround), Dolby Digital Plus, DTS-HD High Resolution, DTS-HD Master Audio, DTS-ES Matrix 6.1, DTS Neo:6, Dolby Pro Logic IIz, DTS-ES Discrete 6.1, Dolby Digital EX, Dolby TrueHD, DTS 96/24

Audio and video receivers deservingly come with bells and whistles when it comes to entertainment satisfaction, usually in the form of extra features designed to improve the auditory and visual experience. Such features include additional sound processors, video output filters and converters that will enhance what is being heard or seen beyond what was intended, making them an ideal investment.

In order for speakers to execute at their finest, one has to use audio and video receivers. An audio and video receiver is one of the various customer electronics machinery usually set up within a home theater system. Its main purpose is to amplify sound from a several various potential audio starting places, as well as to route video signals to TV’s from differing sources. For the full home theater experience, one needs an audio and video receiver. A sound bar or HTIB might get close, but a true home theater enthusiast won’t settle for less than a 5.1 speaker system and component-style audio and video receivers. The term audio and video receiver is used to distinguish the multi-channel audio video receiver from the simple stereo receiver.

The term receiver originally referred to a component, which included a tuner, a pre- amplifier and a power amplifier. These were generally called stereo receivers. The built in tuner in these devices gave them the name receivers. As the options for home entertainment stretched out, so did the features of the receiver. The capability to handle a multitude of digital audio signals was added. More powerful and more efficient amplifiers were added for surround sound playback. Video switching was included to accommodate visual playback options. Within the last few years, even video processing has been added to many receivers, like the Yamaha RX-A2000.

Packed with features but often more affordable than the audio and video preamps and multi- channel power amps, audio and video receivers have become the heart of many home theater systems. Receivers, on a basic level, have both the switching and processing of an audio and video preamp and power for as many as 7.1 channels, sometimes more. Today’s receivers tend to have HDMI Inputs and outputs for copy protected content from Blu-ray, satellite, cable and beyond.

Modern receivers also offer top of the line audio playback such as DTS HD Master Audio and Dolby TrueHD, Many receivers offer video up-conversion so users can take video from legacy formats like DVD-Video at 480i and up-convert it to the native resolution of their HDTV’s which is likely at 1080p. Without question, audio and video receivers offer a lot of functionalities. The following is a list of the top branded HDMI and 7.1 receivers in the world of home theater systems: Denon, Yamaha, Onkyo, NAD, Integra, Sherwood Newcastle, Sony, Sony ES as well as many others.

The audio and video receiver is the heart of a home’s theater system, the control center that decodes signals from the audio and video components and sends instructions to the speakers.

Going to the movies today is a very different experience from going to the movies 70 years ago — the picture is clearer, the movies are in high definition color and the admission price is a lot higher. But the biggest change is probably the sound experience. The same is true now for enjoying movies at home. A complete cinema experience in the comfort and convenience of the home is made possible by today’s generation of audio and video receivers.

For you to totally enjoy the entire home theater experience, you would need audio and video receivers. Audio and video receivers are some of the consumer electronics components you would expect to find within a home theater system. Their primary purpose is to amplify sound from a multitude of possible audio sources as well as route video signals to the television from various sources.

You may program and configure a unit to take inputs from devices such as DVD players, VCRs etc. and easily select which source you may want to route to your TV for sound and visual output.

The term receiver originally referred to a component, which included a tuner, a pre-amplifier and a power amplifier. These were generally called stereo receivers. The built in tuner in these devices gave them the name receivers.

As home entertainment options expanded, so did the role of the receiver. The ability to handle a variety of digital audio signals was added. More amplifiers were added for surround sound playback. Video switching was added to simplify switching. The term audio and video receiver is used to distinguish the simpler stereo receivers from the multi-channel audio and video receivers.

Important Features

Radio reception
Audio and video receivers usually have a built in tuner for AM and FM radio reception. Satellite radio tuners are also found in many modern receivers, allowing reception with just an external antenna (and a satellite radio subscription, if necessary).

Decoders
Audio and video receivers usually provide one or more decoders for sources with more than two channels of audio information. This is most common with movie soundtracks, which use one of a variety of different types of encoding formats.

DSP effects
Most receivers offer specialized Digital Signal Processors (DSP) made for handling various presets and audio effects. Some may offer simple equalizers and balance adjustments to complex DSP audio field simulations such as “Hall”, “Arena”, “Opera”, etc. that simulate the audio being played in the places through use of surround sound and echo effects.

Amplification
Stereo receivers have two channels of amplification, while audio and video receivers may have more than two. The best av receivers five channels of amplification. These are in most cases referred to as 5.1 receivers.

There is a wide range of standards for rating the output power of receivers. Different countries have different rules on the way that manufacturers specify the output ratings. It is not always possible to use these ratings to compare two products. Because of a number of factors such as real world behavior of speakers and dynamic headroom, it is possible for an amplifier with a lower rated power to play more loudly than one with a higher rated power.

AV inputs/outputs
There is a variety of possible connections on audio and video receivers. Standard connectors include analog audio, Digital audio, S- Video, SCART, Component video, HDMI.

Video conversion and up scaling
Some receivers can convert from one video format to another. This is commonly called up conversion or transcoding. A smaller number of audio and video receivers provide for de- interlacing of video signals.

Audio and video receivers are designed to simplify the media center, while enhancing the entertainment experience. They are the intermediaries for the surrounding sound system as well as your television set, cable/satellite programming, DVD player, computer and many other media devices. They are the intermediaries because they act as a central hub. They separate incoming digital A/V signals from media sources and reroute them to the corresponding channel. In other words, audio and video receivers allow you to have everything connected to them and, at the push of a button, are able to switch between devices without unplugging and switching cables.

As with most electronics purchases, the key to getting the right audio and video receiver is finding one that is suitable. There are basic things needed no matter what but aside from those, it is your choice. For that reason, the products reviewed are rated based on how broad and functional they are. Audio and video receivers that are around the same price range have the most options and capabilities that will cater to the majority of people considering to buy one.

Together these make up the most important things to look for on in audio and video receivers. The Pioneer VSX-1020-K, the Yamaha RX-V667 and the Sony STR-DN1010 are great examples of such with all-around high performance, cost efficiency and competent receiver capabilities. As with most electronics, there is rarely a perfect device for everyone but for around the same price there are some that are better than others for what you need them for. Those ones will usually be ideal for the majority and are a good place to start.
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Audio and video receivers are one of the many consumer electronics components typically found within a home theater system. Their primary purpose is to amplify sound from a multitude of possible audio sources as well as route video signals to your TV from a range of sources.

The user may decide to program and configure a unit to acquire inputs from equipment such as DVD players and VCRs. A ‘component’ was the name that was originally meant to be for receivers, which included a tuner.

The audio and video receivers and amplifier assembly in a home theater does the same job as the receiver and amplifier assembly in any stereo system. It receives signals from a variety of input devices, like a VCR, DVD player or satellite dish. It then decodes those signals and amplifies them when outputting to appropriate devices – the sound system and the television.

A home theater, audio and video receivers and amplifier assembly, actually combines several different components. Some even have a DVD or other media player built in. You can generally assemble a superior home theater system by buying the components independently, though many people buy one unit that is capable of doing all these jobs because it is more cost effective.

The receiver’s components are:
Audio/video inputs for video sources (DVD player, DVR)
Preamplifier
Surround-sound decoder (aka signal processor)
Power amplifiers for each sound channel
Outputs for speakers and television

The path of the audio and video receiver is straightforward. The source component (DVD or VCRs) feeds a signal to the receiver unit. A selection is made regarding which of the input components is to be fed into the output unit. The preamplifier picks up this signal and amplifies the line level as desired.

The video receiver sends the visual signals on to the television while it sends the audio component to the decoder. This decoder classifies the various sound channels from the video signal, and sends these information to the amplifiers for each of the audio-channel outputs. The amplifiers are connected to the appropriate speakers.

There is a difference between the digital decoders and analog decoders in handling the job of outputting to the sound channels. Digital surround sound is quite simple: When a company is producing a Dolby Digital program, for example, they encode six separate audio channels, specifically balanced for a Dolby Digital speaker setup. A Dolby Digital surround-sound decoder recognizes these different channels and sends them to the most appropriate speakers.

The analog version of surround sound is a completely different thing altogether. The different analog surround-sound channels are extracted from the two standard audio channels that make up any ordinary stereo signal. This is called 4-2-4 processing because the encoder essentially takes the rear and front channels and works them into the normal stereo channels, and a surround-sound decoder is used to separate the four channels out again.

One of the most prominent differences among the models of audio and video receivers is the particular surround-sound formats they support.

There is a wide range of audio and video receivers available. You can purchase these receivers together with all the required speakers, as an entire home theater system. These systems go for approximately $250 and can go as high as $2,500.

Systems like the Yamaha RX-A2000 are mid ranged and mid priced but offer amazing features and quality.