How many you need depends on how you want to hook it up. I have an SXRD also, and it has several HDMI inputs. You could connect your DVD player and your HD-DVR directly to the SXRD using 2 of the HDMI cables. I have tried both the composite and HDMI inputs and can't tell any difference in picture quality. What I have noticed is that the HDMI "handshake" takes longer on the HDMI inputs when switching to them. The composite inputs don't have this issue. I don't see any particular advantage in running the HDMI inputs through the Onkyo, unless you have more HDMI devices than HDMI jacks on the TV. My Onkyo only switches two HDMI inputs. It has I think 4 or 5 component inputs.

Thanks for the info! I think the literature on the 70" says it has 3 HDMI inputs. I picked up 2 more HDMI cables to have on-hand....guess I'll let them decide on the best configuration for it all.....at least I'll have them if needed.

Congratulation on your new TV. I just purchased the same 70" Sony XBR2 TV. It is absolutely amazing.

The down side to such a big TV it is very hard to find an off the selve Entertainment unit that this TV will fit into. Instead of purchasing a custom entertainment unit at $6000, I ended up building my own with IKEA kitchen cabinets for around $1500.

I know what you mean. Since this was a "new" space (basement), we used built-in cabinets (desk-height kitchen cabinets) all across a 12-ft wall and boy does that TV fill up the space. Watching High Def TV on this thing is fantastic! Although, there are some things that don't need to be seen larger and in more detail (some CSI moments, for example!).

I used IKEA's over the refrigerator cabinets for the TV base, because the standard base cabinets were too high.

Make sure there are ventilation for the equipment you have. I had to install a thermostat and 4 cased computer type fans to keep the entertainment unit ventilated.

Here is a link that might be useful: Picture of Entertainment unit.

Hmmmm....I didn't think of using kitchen *wall* cabinets, but the desk-height has worked out just fine for us....they're 4 or 5 inches shorter than standard kitchen base cabinets, which for sure would've been too high.

We haven't installed glass on the 2 center doors where our components are yet, but when we do, I'll have to check on the over-heating issues when it gets closed off. Thanks for the tip on computer-type fans! We've already decided to remove each drawer above each of those 2 doors and install a mesh to allow more ventilation.

Back to the original post:

Why are you using HDMI cables?

You appear to have nothing that outputs 1080P, so there is NO need for HDMI cabling.

Thank, ktkelly, but it's too late now. Guess it's marketing to a "newbie". However, don't HDMI cables offer the highest quality w/ fewest cables?

Do you want me to make you feel good about your HDMI purchases....?

OKAY. Yes indeed, the HDMI cables will make the picture better than anything else....

Truth?

Not so much... And in many cases those things will make it worse. Too much upconversion/downconversion along the route makes for funky picture.