Hi there:

You didn't say what your budget was, but I can recommend a few options for you to check out:

Onkyo TXSR-876
Denon AVR 2809CI
Pioneer Elite SC-07

My considerations were similar to yours in some way and my research brought me to these receivers - priced between $1000-$1500 - as my down-selected set. All have multi-room/multi-zone capabilities. You can research these online/in-store and see what features will work the best for you.

I ended up getting the Onkyo because it's the only one with HQV Reon video processing and is also THX Ultra2 certified , ensuring both excellent picture AND sound processing. All are great, though, and should provide you with what you're looking for once you decide.

BTW, the Pioneer is the newest and has some cool features like direct connection with your iPod without an accessory dock. And if you want network connectivity, I think the Pioneeer already has that, but you'll to step up to the Onkyo TXNR-909 and Denon 3808CI. Newer models are expected for the latter two anytime, so you might get some bargains on those.

Hope this helps - good luck.
Vik