Sony STR-V444ES 5.1 Channels Receiver

Pros: Powerful, easy-to-use receiver with crisp sound.
Cons: Its durability is suspect.

When I was shopping for a receiver, I was searching for something that could not only switch audio, but could switch video as well. I was also going to buy something with a 5.1 decoder built in. After a somewhat extensive research period, I decided to...

Pros: ES quality, not too expensive
Cons: only 2 component video in.

Why the STRV444ES?
I recently moved into my new house about 6 months ago. I moved out to the silicon valley after graduation to work. Of course, i was in the market to buy a new entertainment system, since my new house was bare. There are...

Pros: GREAT sound and great features. Nice looking piece. ES quality.
Cons: The shutdown about 3 times a year kinda sux.

I bought this piece about 6 years ago and have used it ever since. I have gotten the error mentioned above but an unplug and re-plug into the wall socket fixed it. It does this about 3 times a year, so not too often. Sometimes I will get a thermal shutdown too, but that is ALWAYS due to my wife closing the glass door to the entertainment center and blocking off all the air flow.

Pros: Well it works every now and again. Just don't turn it up past '1'
Cons: Lemon

As one of the other reviewers noted from the time of purchase I would get a message that read "PROTECTOR Please power off." As it got older it happened more and more often. Because it was wired into a large rack I never got the energy to send it to be repaired. I eventually just started listening to music in other rooms of the house.I now realize that like most current Sony products of the past few years this is a boat anchor along with many of my other Sony Products.