Plz help a receiver noob
 

I'm looking for a new receiver, but would like someone to educate me first, considering that I know next to nothing.

I have a projector (BENQ W5000), and need a receiver to handle the audio.
I already have a basic set of 5.1 speakers.
I plan to hook up hd tv (shaw box), ps3, maybe wii, and maybe a pc.
I'm not looking for anything fancy, and i dont need crazy sound quality.
i just need something that can actually play (manage?) the audio, since, obviously, my projector doesnt do that.

My price range is semi flexible, only because i dont really know what I need. I'm *hoping* that I can get away with 3/400 or less?

Can anyone suggest a receiver for me? are used receivers ok? is there another setup that would fit my needs?

edit: is something like the Sony STRDH500 any good for me?

I wouldn't bother with a used receiver unless it's less than a couple years old. There's alot in the <$400 range on the market depending what you want it to do.

The trend now is 7.1, so whether you potentially want to buy for the future is up to you. Next thing you may want is video switching. Some receivers upconvert to 1080P, some just do video pass through (no upconvert), others have no video switching at all. Another thing is HDMI switching, alot of receivers that have HDMI inputs only do Video and NOT Audio (which is kinda weird). So if you want HDMI switching make sure to check that it does HDMI Audio also (If you need it). I'm not sure how many inputs your TV has, or whether it's 1080P or not.

I do suggest buying a slightly better receiver because it really does make a big diff in sound quality. People always buy whats in budget but not buy what they want/need for their setup. A good receiver will last you a long time. So you don't have to keep upgrading.

If you don't need bells and whistles and only care about the audio side of life, Denon, Onkyo, and Yamaha make a decent entry level receiver.

If you need video switching, upconversion, etc than maybe try a Pioneer. Sony's are alright but I find they kind of lack power, but they have a tons of features for the price.

Thanks for the info cman.
I almost picked up a Pioneer VSX 1019, it was on sale for 399 (USD).. but i missed it.

I'm leaning towards getting an upscaling receiver now, due in part to the fact i would only need to run a single hdmi cable to my projector. Are there any decent upscaling receivers to look at in my price point? (400 or less)

VSX1019 is a very good choice for the price. Tons of good reviews on that reciever. I'm using the Elite version which is pretty much identical. You'll be happy with that reciever. Has most of the bells and whistles and don't break the bank too badly.

It's not an audiophile reciever, but still sounds very nice for your average users. Has lots of power.

What speakers are you running?