The surround sound receiver is an important piece of equipment that is more commonly known as the AV receiver. AV in this particular instance refers to audio and video. In other words, the receiver receives all this information and then plays traffic cop directing where it should go. If you buy an all in one sort of AV receiver you will notice that in addition to implementing traffic this particular tool wears many hats when it comes to effectively running your home theater or surround sound system.
The receiver operates as a switch for all audio and visual information coming into your home theater system. This device takes all source information and data and literally switches (or translates if you will) that data into images and sound. Without something to operate in this capacity it would be impossible to have a home theater system because the information could not filtered and translated into the areas that it may go.
Surround decoding is still a task that the AV receiver is acting for grace. Surround sound is encoded onto discs that we play in our theater or sound equipment. The most common form of coding is designed for 5.1 channel surround sound systems such as Dolby Digital or DTS receivers. There are others that exist, but the vast majority of DVDs are designed and coded to the above mentioned 5.1 channel systems.
As if this were not enough, the AV receiver also works in his capacity as a signal processor. Common signals processed by the receiver are the following: THX post-processing, bass management, digital audio decoding, and simulated sound fields. If at all possible, you should really take the effort to find an AV receiver that is THX certified. The requirements to meet the minimal certification standards make a system that meets those standards an excellent investment for your home theater or surround sound needs.
Amplification is yet another of the many tasks performed regularly by your AV receiver. This is an important task to your surround sound and total "theatrical" experience of watching movies on your home. You will probably be wise to check with your dealer about how much amplification you actually need in your home, as there are many extenuating factors that influence this number as ceiling height, square footage of the room, floor material and other things. While more power is good in most situations there are times when it is simply too much for your system to handle. This is one reason why many people choose to buy ready-box kits for their surround sound and home theater need.
Last but certainly not least, the AV receiver actually works as a tuner for AM / FM radio. Do not be too shocked and impressed by all the jobs that this one little device does, just remember this when you see the sticker price and think to themselves how much more you would pay if you buy a separate device for each of these functions. We should all be grateful for the person who invented this particular contraption and be glad to pay the price we pay for the amazing sound produced.
