It still actually concerns me just how an external box might be perceived by the press, retailers and potential new customers when the competition are going to be offering less cumbersome/space saving internal solutions (some which just accept LPCM, but most accepting both LPCM and doing internal decoding of DD+, TrueHD and DTS HD MA bitsteam signals). I`m not sure how many will take to being told "well, if you buy this, you`ll need to buy this other box as well” to be honest, and it'd be a shame if it ends up putting potential customers off choosing Meridian components (I hate not even being able to recommend Meridian products to anyone at the moment as we await the conclusion of this transition period with HDMI...etc). It`s interesting Cary abandoned the external box solution for whatever reason.

I suppose price of a Meridian box would have a lot to do with whether it is easily embraced or not should it be limited in some ways (in perhaps only accepting LPCM and possibly not even being able to handle 7.1). As a 568.2 owner keen to move on to a G68 or 861 the direction Meridian take with HDMI and the new codecs will really dictate whether I do or not. I'm certainly intrigued to see what CEDIA might bring.