I've been listening and researching for a new AVR and I've come to believe the Harmon Kardon AVR-7200 may be the best value under $1000. I am building out my media room, starting with a Toshiba LCOS projection TV and a home-built HTPC so I'm looking for a system with a lot of flexibility in connectivity. I'd like to hear other's viewpoints on the HK 7200.
I wish the AVR 7200 was at the $1000 price point when I bought my AVR 525! I don't believe there is ANY receiver in that class with that price point that can outperform the 7200. It's just a massive audio device with GREAT power reserves. Even at it's MSRP the 7200 is still tough to beat... although I would spring $1K more and get teh B&K 507.
Check out my profile... I am doing front projection as well and needed a good receiver to tame the room that I have the home theater in. Coupled with DVRs all over the house now (thank you ReplayTV), I think I have almost rounded out my A/V (media) capabilities.
I originally had a home theater PC that I built when DVD players first came out. I have looked at Gateway's Media Center... which is interesting too. Right now, I have a Media Server running DVArchive (a ReplayTV clone on a Windows 2K Server) and just a regular laptop in the home theater room. With all the ReplayTV boxes and Media Server, I figure I have enough streaming and storage to handle most of what I want to record. (I have 3 ReplayTV boxes in the house... 2 ReplayTV 5040 and 1 ReplayTV 5504... I got the last one with a gift card from CircuitCity from a rebate, so it was like FREE!)
I'm gonna try to burn a couple of DVDs today from programs I recorded on the ReplayTV... wish me luck.
I completely agree that the 7200 is the best unit currently available for under $1000. That's assumming it's rather skimpy number of analog inputs is enough for you. Unfortunately for me , it's not.