I have a dvdo iScan VP30 hooked to my PC rig. I have my sat receiver into the dvdo and coax audio out to a dac. It works fine. I only use it for 2 channel but I could connect the coax out to a surround sound processsor and that would also work.
video processor & hdmi
Here's the issue. I'm getting a new pre/pro that is absolutely awesome, but it lacks hdmi inputs (which at this moment doesn't matter much). I was thinking about getting an external video processor and do all the video switching through that. Probably something like a DVDO iScan VP50Pro. Can I take the HDMI input into that processor, output video at 1080i through the component and get the sound output through the digital output? Reading the manual on the DVDO website made me no smarter...