Jess, that's what ours does, and from what I can tell, HDMI pass-through means that the A/V receiver isn't doing any video conversion at all on that port. So 720p will go straight through as 720p, 1080i will stay 1080i, etc.

I don't know about the highest resolution question, since that's the highest resolution our TV can do anyway...

bonny, that's a standard DVI connector. Many monitors only come with VGA, but you can get an adapter at any electronics joint (and included with some Apple models, but I have no idea about the mini -- one came with my laptop, for instance.)

from what I can tell, HDMI pass-through means that the A/V receiver isn't doing any video conversion at all on that port. So 720p will go straight through as 720p, 1080i will stay 1080i, etc.

Excellent, that's what I was hoping - that "1080i" in that context really means "up to 1080i" (which, as I said, is perfectly fine for a 32" set).

Ah, crap - I'm just now noticing that the under-$200 receivers I've been looking at have video-only HDMI passthrough. Which if I understand correctly, can cause some kinds of DRM-ed content not to work (if you split up the audio and video).

Hooray, more money.

As long as I'm still in research mode- how much of a problem IS HDCP, in the real world? What are the chances that I'm going to have a problem displaying HD content on my TV if I split up the audio and video signals? Since I don't have a 3rd-gen gaming system, we're only talking upconverting DVDs and cable TV.

PC, the NYT did a review of cameras under $300 and recommended the Canon Powershot SD880 IS.

Ooh, neat, thanks. Weirdly enough, though, I was looking at the SD890 IS last night, which is $40 cheaper and has 5x zoom instead of 4x. Why would that be so? It's only a smidge bigger. It seems like a much better value and deal.

Unfortunately, almost all of these cameras do terribly in low light. You inevitably wind up with blur, grain or both — unless you use the flash, which produces a totally different kind of photo.

Balls, this is my whole problem! I guess you have to spend more to get more. Except it says the SD880 does well in any kind of light, which is promising. But how does it differ from the SD890? Because that one is looking pretty sweet with a 5x zoom.

Hm, it looks like there's a lot of praise for the SD880 but less for the SD890 (which is the next model of the SD850, which is the camera my friend has that is pretty awesome but appears to cost $600 so...no).

It looks like all the best cameras have a lithium battery. How do you deal with those? How much do spares cost? How long do they last?

It looks like all the best cameras have a lithium battery. How do you deal with those? How much do spares cost? How long do they last?

honestly? i wouldn't have my camera any other way. i don't want to pay $10+ for batteries every couple of months. i have two lithium batteries. that way when one dies, i'll have the extra. i've had one since i got my first Pentax and that was back in 2003 or 2004. then i got my new Pentax in 2007 and it came with the same kind of battery.

I got a third party spare battery for my Canon camera and it was both fairly inexpensive and frankly better than the Canon battery.

I've also used AA powered cameras with good rechargeable AAs and have been pretty happy as well. There is also the extra security of knowing you can also pop into a store and get batteries if you forget to recharge and leave the spare or the charger at home.

For trips I'd also recommend an inverter for the car, so you can charge up anything while traveling.

i don't want to pay $10+ for batteries every couple of months.

I finally bought some rechargeable batteries, but it was around that time that my camera went kerflooey, as it now eats battery power like nothing else.

Do they last long enough that if you're taking, say, fifty or so pictures with flash all day, they'll be okay? I'm very conservative about taking pictures, even with a digital camera, but I found that AA wouldn't last too long if you were taking a lot of flash pictures, which is what happens indoors.

There is also the extra security of knowing you can also pop into a store and get batteries if you forget to recharge and leave the spare or the charger at home.

I like security! But it doesn't look like I'll get it. Very few of the decent cameras I looked at use AAs. They seem to be moving away from that.

I can only speak for my Canon SLR, but we can easily take a hundred flash pictures on a fully charged battery.