HDMI absence

As mentioned above, the “hand shake” is an issue, and as any real transfer quality it just sucks. I hate HDMI, unreliable connections, poor overall communication etc. nice concept, crap execution. But, it is here to stay so it would seem. If you use it, run good cables, it makes a difference, and check your compatibility with both the cords and the devices. If your cables are cheapies and your run an Apple TV you might get security issues as well. (Won’t run shows from HBO etc)...

geof3, your statements are mainly for video usage. For 2ch Audio, I2S (with a compatible handshake of course), like ethernet, is generally a superior flow of signal compared to coax, XLR or optical.  

jriggy, you bring up an interesting point, namely, is the data flow superior among the various means it can travel from A to B -- HDMI, I2S, coaxial, AES/EBU, or TOSLink?

"generally a superior flow of signal"
What does that mean?
How is it measured?