My brother Bob and I recently had a conversation about upgrading consumer electronics. We both felt our discussion was worthy of an article. Bob was expressing some valid complaints about his wanting to upgrade his surround processor. He was concerned about investing $6000 in a product whose v1.1 HDMI ports would likely be soon obsolete. Naturally a future product upgrade would ensue. Unfortunately, Bob would be left with no upgrade path. Hey, I hear you big guy!

While Bob focused on the substantial technical improvements in the evolution from HDMI v1.1 to v1.3a, the issue was really much bigger. When you step back, you can see we are in a huge upgrade cycle, moving from an analog world to a digital world. If we take the sound processor as an example, consider some of the more common things we expect:

• Connect various traditional components to the A/V processor, i.e., DVD player, cable or satellite box, CD player, etc.
• Process multiple audio formats: DTS, Dolby Digital, EX, etc.
• Switch multiple analog ports, i.e., composite a/v, S video, component video (Y Pb Pr) for 480p, 720p and 1080i.
• Switch multiple digital ports, i.e., TOSLINK (optical audio), COAX digital audio, HDMI (digital a/v, 480p-1080i and1080p capable)
• Up and down conversion of video formats: i.e., take a lower resolution analog signal and re-package it so it is clearly rendered on your digital TV screen using digital circuits. An example would be taking an analog 480i input on a composite cable and processing it and sending it out on a component (analog) or HDMI (digital) cable. Most people would expect that the output in this situation would be at least as good as if it was rendered on an analog TV. Bad assumption.
• Connect to the home network or internet, play MP-3s, download software, etc.
• Process and play Sirius and or XM radio programming.
• Process and play AM/FM or HD radio programming
• Automatically configure your speaker setup (adjust sound levels, hi and low frequencies equalization, balances, etc.).
• Provide an on screen setup menu that doesn’t require hiring a PHD from Georgia Tech to interpret and configure.
• Integrated units may have amplifiers, or just a pre-amp out.
• Etc, etc, etc.

But, the big question is, are we asking too much out of this equipment? Well, in two words, HELL NO!

This convergence has been in the works, well, forever. I wrote an article for Amateur Home Theater about 4 years ago. My rant covered this very subject. While the term “convergence” is somewhat passé, the reality is, it is here. But, what we’re witnessing is various manufacturers’ inability to manage this change. They’re leaving the consumer in the dust, broke, confused and sitting on the fence.

The solution is fairly straight forward. We can see it implemented in various progressive networking and consumer companies. Let me give you some examples. During the last 6 years I worked as the lead network technical manager for BellSouth’s (Note: now AT&T) IPTV project. Change was the only thing you could depend on. In the networking world, typically when you buy a piece of gear whether it is a switch, router, server or whatever, you select that piece of gear based on a number of factors. One factor includes the probability that additional capacity will be needed at some point. Other future considerations include additional, faster and smarter ports, functionality, software upgrades, etc.

If the client industry had to change their box out every time it needed to expand or change some aspect of the technology, well, it would go broke. So, what the manufacturers typically do is relatively future proof their products as best they can. They modulized the chassis for easy component swaps rather than wholesale change-out.

Cisco, Redback, Juniper, etc. all take this approach. You typically have to change out the whole box only when there are major capacity or technical considerations that cannot be managed by the component upgrade, which companies avoid like the plague due to the cost.

Another example is the home computer and software industry. Consider your desktop at home. Now, when you buy that new desktop, you know it is good for about 4 to 6 years if you use it primarily for mundane stuff other than hard core gaming.

Consider what you can do with your home computer from an entertainment standpoint:

• Play movies from the internet or DVD, listen to stored or online music, record (DVR) movies or TV shows, watch TV, play MP-3s, burn CDs, rip CDs, copy any media, etc.

Consider what you can easily do to expand functionality, extend the life and keep your machine up to date:

• Upgrade computer hardware including the video card or ports, monitors and TVs, add USB ports, add memory either RAM or HD capacity…easily, upgrade the sound card, add drives, MP-3 players, printers, scanners, etc, etc. The motherboard can also be replaced by the owner.
• Computer Software: applications, utilities, games, etc., download it online or via some media (i.e., CD, DVD or other drive). The operating system can be changed, updated or totally replaced by the owner.

Getting the picture? Now let’s come back to the A/V processor. Consider the earlier A/V list above and compare it to the computing environment. If you think about it the parallels are glaring. They almost fall in line tit for tat, hardware and software, function for function.

The A/V processor is basically a computer (it has a CPU) with a BUS, and a bunch of hardwired circuits that allow the functionality I listed. Connect some ports to the BUS and you have an A/V processor. Add in an amplifier and you have an integrated A/V processor. But somehow, the A/V processor manufacturers managed to con you into thinking they are different. In the previous all analog world, they had a point. But, they have perpetuated the look and feel…that this gear is something different. I mean, hey, it doesn’t look like a computer. Smart, very smart.

Why do we have to buy a whole new A/V unit every time we run out of ports, a new software feature is added, etc. Well, if these boxes were built like the rest of the real worlds’ ever changing components, everyone would be happier. You could pull out the old, slide in the new, download the software upgrade from the internet, and yes, it should be that easy. Instead, you are forced into a situation of frustration, lack of information and poor timing for your choices. Sound like a good deal for the manufacturers? I think so. The economics may not be there for a $199 A/V processor yet, but unless I missed something, Dell sells computers for as little as $399, that yes, are expandable and upgradeable.

Consider that if they built their A.V chasses with modules, it would put you into a manageable upgrade cycle with them at first and possibly open up a market for third party vendors, once the buses were standardized, like in computing. They could engender customer loyalty and create a new revenue stream instead of putting you in a position of having to make a choice for a new vendor on a semi regular basis. Now, there are some companies that are starting to nibble at this concept, NAD is an example. Some other high end manufacturers are also playing with it. But, I hear every excuse in the book from them why they don’t want to. So the question is, why does it work for the rest of the world, but not for your home entertainment gear? It’s simple, when you the consumer makes the connection that your A/V gear is nothing but a computer and demand it should be treated as such, well then look out!