When multizone video first popped onto the home theater scene, everyone thought it was uber cool. Now, home theater gurus Denon and Marantz are bringing it to a whole new cool level by packing it into their newest receivers.

These new receivers will have an extra HDMI output that provides video in another zone and chances are, users will get multi-channel audio and upscaling, amongst many other features too.

Look out for this multizone video in Denon’s upcoming In-Command line of receivers and the new Marantz SR series.

Looking to upgrade your AV receiver? AV receivers today certainly have a whole chunk more of features that will sweep any user off their feet. So here is a look at some of the these amazing features that you will want to have in your next av receiver.

1) Network Capability – Most folks would want to be able to access video-based services such as Netflix, Amazon VOD and YouTube, and even Internet radio stations and streaming music services such as Pandora or Spotify throughout their av receivers. Hence, keep a look out for that Ethernet port.

2) Dual HDMI Outputs with ARC – This will prove to be extremely convenient for your home theater. ARC (Audio Return Channel) is also great for folks who wish to send audio from their TV back to the receiver over HDMI.

3) Beautiful Onscreen User Interface – A user interface that is not only a breeze to use but also easy on the eyes.

4) High Quality Volume Leveling – Consider having Dolby Volume or Audyssey Dynamic Volume so you will not always have to grab the remote control to deal with volume discrepancies.

Onkyo recently announced a pair of brand new features that its av receivers will boast this year – InstaPrevue and MHL connectivity.

With InstaPrevue, users will be able to enjoy a picture-in-picture preview of what is happening on any of your other inputs. For instance, while you are watching NetFlix, InstaPrevue will allow you to check on your favorite sports channel to see if your football game has started, without flipping back and forth.

InstaPrevue only works with HDMI and MHL inputs, which is the other brand new feature Onkyo has introduced. MHL connectivity is the HD connection method that is currently being used by mobile phones and tablets, allowing users to hook up their devices to the receiver with much ease.

AV receivers can cost from $150 to well above $2000. It depends on what features your ideal receiver encompasses. In fact, most folks pay between $200 and $600 for a decent AV receiver.

Entry level receivers generally cost between $150 to $300 and usually spot these characteristics :

  • Basic 5.1-channel surround decoding (Dolby Digital and DTS)
  • Power ratings : 50 – 100 watts with single frequency, limited bandwidth or full bandwidth power ratings
  • Connectivity features such as several component video, S-video, and digital audio inputs

Mid-range receivers cost between $300-$600 and would boast more features than their entry level counterparts and spot these characteristics :

  • Additional surround modes with 6.1 or 7.1-channel modes
  • Onscreen setup throughout your TV for easy control
  • More simulated sound fields (also known as DSP modes)
  • More connectivity inputs, including front-panel digital inputs

High-end receivers, on the other hand, cost $600 and upwards and offer the most features along with a cleaner, more powerful and sophisticated sound. They usually also offer multi-room functionality, allowing users to power their living room, bedroom, and patio speakers all at once, and sometimes even listen to different audio sources simultaneously. Some of their characteristics include :

  • A/B speaker switching or multi-room amplification
  • Highly accurate power ratings and pure sound quality
  • Superior bass management options
  • Automatic room tuning and setup