how should i move forward...blu-ray etc...?

chad i am comfortable with wires! that used to be such a big part of all this. i suppose i was under the impression that the quality would not be as high with this type of set up...

also have dtv hd dvr and not as significant to this topic a thiel sw1 sub.

wonder everyday how i can get the most out of all this stuff...

that seems to be what i am reading guys. i am not exactly sure how that works or if the theta is capable. any further detail out there would be appreciated. thanks for the input so far.
finally posted my stuff in the systems forum (opinions)...feel free to have at it! it's kind of a crazy way to rig it up but works for us.

pardon my ignorance but i am having a hard time thinking this through. so if i do that, what will i be missing from actually having the true hdmi connections from player-proc-tv...
great input guy's and thanks for the comments on my stuff too!

the analog input card is 6 stereo rca inputs for line level analog output devices, one pair of analog tape outs for recording and one pair to route to a 2nd zone which is controlled separately from the main analog output levels.

there is also a video card with 6 composite rca inputs that can be switched with any audio inputs and fed to the main video out. 4 svideo inputs, also mapable.

???

guys thanks for the discussion first of all!

mine is configured as i wrote...here is how the manual reads describeing that portion of the rear panel layout:

analog input card. six stereo rca inputs are provided for any line level analog aoutput device such as vcr, laserdisc, cd and dat players, phono preamp, eternal d/a converters, tape deck, am fm tuner etc. there is one pair of analog tape outs for recording purposes and one pair to route to another area (zone 2). the zone 2 output is controlled seperatley from the main analog output levels.

goes on about video input card and digital input card...

i also emailed theta this morning to see what they suggest...i will post what they say as well..

great discussion so far!

oh and yes, it is a casanova, not casablanca but sounds like the same configuration...

if you go to theta's site and library, product manuals, casanova, owners manual pdf page 16 shows the exact rear panel layout i have.

johnnyb thanks, what i was afraid of. i'm pretty sure that is correct. was not sure if the digital input formats would work but i guess not. oh well!
it really is hard for me to imagine things sounding that much better anyway. i have yet to hear movies sound better than they do in my home with the exception of a demo theater room the old store i used to haunt had with all the best gear they had and it was just dolby digital/dts 5.1.
i cannot believe some of the setups guys on here have!! but most of them are still the same old formats too, just monster gear to play through. fortunately, i don't know any of them so i do not have to hear them and come home thinking mine sounds bad.
it is just that damn bug inside that tells me i can get better. then sometimes i wonder if i should just get a damn current receiver, 5 or 7 $1000 speakers, a nice little sub and sell all my gear...AAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

johnnyb you really have been a great help along with the rest of you guys. certainly a pleasant welcome to this forum. i never realized such an incredible resource like this existed! i always just used audiogon to buy/sell/browse and lust.

it would be interesting to hear how one of those receivers sounded as a pre pro with not just blu ray but standard dvd and 2 chan audio. i may play around and compare and see if there is a difference...maybe the old casanova has just been out grown...?

so that sounds pretty simple johnny, just run 1 toslink from blu-ray to digital input on the casanova...what would i use to run video then to the runco. the vivix has only one pass through and i use it for the hd dtv box..?

johhny not sure what the format of the pass through is, they call it hdx looks like rs-232, may be proprietary.
the only output on the vivix is component. inputs are composite, component, svideo and an rs232 for controllers.
there is a dvi input on the panel which they describe as...use to connect a computer. does not support the display of copyguard-protected video signals.