My guess, target is those who mainly use headsets and sometimes simple multi channel for netflix (which means 7.1ch is useless).
Master volume would be nice. Remote will probably have this, but it is slow and frustrating when you can just reach out and turn.
For output, additional 3.5mm jacks would be nice. Target users will have hard time with all the rca.
And done?
If this is intended to be simple and fool-proof. Delay, bass management, and all the dsp will be worse than nothing.
If this is for serious users, complete redesign will be needed... Things like flex ht will leave this in the dust...
Flex HT can't do DD / DTS which will be its undoing. Too many TVs and other devices cannot correctly output eARC 6-channel LPCM. HDMI has always been about supporting the licensing fiefdoms, so this is to be expected. Further it has too few output channels for a DSP when they've been selling on active crossover + EQ 2/3/4 way amplified speaker setups. Honestly, I suspect besides chip shortages the Flex HT release delay is compatibility testing has shown that LPCM only support is a death sentence.
While I think Fosi should be doing an 8-ch / 7.1 box, I'm still interested in an affordable high SINAD 5.1 DAC with eARC (DD+DTS) since I'm going to have to string it into MiniDSP or similar for active crossover and EQ / bi-amped front L/C/R and I don't have a living room large enough / shaped correctly to properly accommodate more than 2 rear speakers. I have zero interest in Atmos / elevation speakers others keep bringing up and I think it's the most odious gimmick the industry has introduced to sell extra channels and speakers. At least 7.1/9.1/9.2 can correctly interpolate surround panning from 5.1/7.1 content properly. I'll be surprised if more than 3 movie titles a year use elevation channels *effectively* by 2025. It will die off in actual use like every reboot of stereoscopic 3D. We're already inundated with Blurays and streaming with crap nearfield compressed multi-channel audio instead of a proper theatrical downmix.
For DSP duties, I'm honestly looking at the C-DSP 8x12 v2 at this point despite the mediocre ADC SINAD. It simply makes the most sense for an affordable home theater active system since the F/OSS community has failed to produce a solid, obtainable, and easy to use multichannel hardware DSP. This Fosi box would be a fine alternative to my current 7.1 AVR to feed a C-DSP or an equivalent setup of DSPs even if it is a bit more limited in codecs and 3rd party matrix surround mixers I never use anyway (Neo et al).
Agree with others saying the volume knobs are useless. Let us adjust levels via remote / PC / phone app and instead let the user set multiple presets.
No clue what the MIC input is there for... streamers or karaoke?? Either way, a waste, but if the added cost is minimal, perhaps it's ignorable.
