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Customer Reviews of Home Theater Receiver

Sounds like a dream, but acts like a nightmare
These are the problems I have had with the STR-DA7100ES. <
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>PROBLEM 1: HDMI AUDIO doesn't work when your TV (LCD, PLASMA Display) is on. In other words, before I turn on my 65" Plasma Display HDMI Audio is playing through the speakers attached to this Sony receiver, but once I turn on the my Plasma monitor, the HDMI Audio is off. (There is no combination of choices that will get this to work). I am able to work around this by running optical audio through a Toslink cable (still the reason for HDMI Audio is to carry both audio and video - this negates that convenience). <
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>PROBLEM 2: This Sony receiver's big selling point is the HDMI Throughput, but this is impossible with a DVD player with an HDMI connection. Why? Because when you play a rented or bought DVD, running it through the Sony receiver activates the HDCP (Copy Protection), and this stops the DVD from playing. The answer to this is to plug the DVD's HDMI connector to your display and then run a digital output audio Toslink cable to the Sony unit. Why is this a problem --- most displays have only one HDMI input and I have two HDMI components (a Samsung DVD Player and a DirecTV TiVo HD receiver). At least I have Sony's stellar support, BUT WAIT read "Problem 3" <
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>PROBLEM 3: Sony's Second Layer of Support "The Product Specialist." Sony's first layer of technical support is a modern marvel. Their ability to answer any known issue question with a phenomenal software program that will allow them to solve the caller's issue swiftly and with good detail. BUT GOD FORBID YOU DON'T GET YOUR ANSWER RESOLVED THERE. Going behind the curtain to the second level is a trip on the Hades I wish I had never encountered. I spoke with a product specialist - ANDY EMPLOYEE # CV1Z . This guy was a prize - he actually told me to "Shutup" at one point. <
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>My journey so far - bought my unit on August 16th, spent two weeks on the phone with Customer Support, then took the unit to three shops here in Corpus Christi who said they couldn't repair, then Sony had me drive the unit 150 miles to San Antonio for repair, they (Soundcom) held it for 30 days then said they wouldn't repair because ... get this "We don't have an HDMI Cable", then the unit was sent to Sony's Laredo Service Center. Before asking us what was wrong with the unit, the Laredo Service Center returned it because "nothing found to be wrong", after calling them tonight they put me in a queue to speak to a product specialist, after 2 hours in this queue, I called them on my second phone line to see if anyone would ever pickup and was told by this person that product specialist weren't in on Sundays. Now, they are sending me a FedEx label to send it back to Laredo, but they told me if the unit works with Sony brand products at their service center, they will return it and will refuse to further address the matter. So, 90 days later after purchase it still doesn't work and it is looking like a $2000 doorstop. I wish I had bought at Amazon because at least Amazon would be responsive to this issue. AVOID SONY LIKE THE PLAGUE, DECENT PRODUCTS BUT PRAY YOU NEVER HAVE A PROBLEM OR YOU MIGHT WIND UP WITH ANDY (employee id# CV1Z).