Here is a great Christmas or Holiday gift idea for that special someone who might be a potential home theater fan. With the TX-SR507, Onkyo has incorporated solid features and performance in a reasonably priced home theater receiver. First off, this is a full 5.1 Channel-capable receiver that delivers 75 Watts-per-Channel, combined with Dolby TrueHD/DTS-HD Master Audio surround sound processing options, as well as DTS Surround Sensation. In addition, HDMI 1080p pass through and switching (4 in/1 out), Zone 2 speaker connections, and iPod/HD Radio connectivity via optional docking stations and universal port plug-in provide additional flexibility. The 507 also includes a "music optimizer" to enhance the quality of MP3 music files. In addition, you don't have to worry about setting up your speakers properly as the TX-SR507 also incoporates the Audyssey 2EQ automatic speaker setup system. The Onkyo TX-SR507 certainly deserves a listen and a look.

Are you looking for an inexpensive home theater gadget gift this holiday season? If so, check out my selection of great budget-priced home theater accessories and gadgets most priced less than $99.

HDMI stands for High Definition Multi-media Interface. To transfer the digital video signal from a source to a TV, the source must convert the signal from digital to analog, this results in some information loss.

However, an HDMI output, can transfer a digital video source signal (such as from a DVD player) digitally, without conversion to analog. This results in a pure transfer of all of video information from the digital video source to a HDMI or DVI (via a connection adapter) equipped TV. In addition, HDMI can transfer both video and audio signals.

Also check out my visual look at an HDMI Connector.

For additional terms and definitions, check out my Home Theater Glossary

Despite the current economic downturn there are still some bright spots. According to the latest sales figures, Blu-ray has made significant inroads in market share this holiday season, so far. Although DVD, as expected, still has the "lion's share" of the market, the fact that DVD sales have been experiencing a slow decline this year, while Blu-ray is experiencing big year-over-year growth, is worth noting. For more details, check out the report from Electronista.

Related Story: Consumer Alert: Movie Studios Ripping Off Blu-ray Disc Rental Customers (Audioholics)