Well I had to try it [EDIT]

OK, while I was in town I got a combo S-Video cable from GameStop that works on the PS2, PS3, Wii, and X-Box 360. I figured I could let the PS2 and Wii share an input and that would help things out when I upgraded but I can’t do that. It seems that even in standby mode the PS2 puts out enough of an audio signal to keep the Wii from getting through. Dang it all. So now I have an S-video cable for the Wii but no S-video port free on the receiver. It wouldn’t be such a big deal except I pretty well destroyed the package getting the cable out so I can’t really return it now can I?

And Critter had a friend check out her Wii for me, it seems I was mistaken and there is no optical audio out on her console either. That’s a little weird to me, but whatever.

Aha! I followed a link my dad sent me and found an AWESOME component video AND optical audio switcher. It’s a Cables To Go product and got excellent reviews on Amazon. I think my input problem has finally been solved. Now I can use almost any of the A/V receivers Sony has, saving me tons of money. Of course none of the flipping things have a regular 480i output, so I’ll still need a new TV. No big though, I had planned on getting one anyway.

So even the smallest of the receivers has four inputs, the switcher can handle component input from the PS2, Wii, DVD, and if necessary the PS3 and my future XBox 360. It will also handle the audio (L/R Stereo, digital optical, and digital coax). That ties up one input on the receiver for more than half of my components. Burn another input on the VCR (maybe), one on a new TiVo HD box and I’ll still have one left over. Yep. I’m set. Of course I’ll probably talk myself into getting a receiver with more inputs so that’s even better since I can take the XBox 360 and PS3 off the component switch and use their native HDMI outputs for even better quality. Yay me!