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New member Username: Rabbit_hutchCentral part of, Texas Post Number: 1 Registered: Jun-06 | We just bought a Samsung 37" LCD and will be buying HDTV decoding from Time Warner. In reading the documentation on the monitor, I found information about taking output from the set to an amplifier to drive other devices which I presume are additional speakers. We are interested in a simple setup for watching movies and whatever programming we get off the cable and in getting a good multi-direction sound experience. I was thinking we could buy an amplifier unit with wireless outputs and speakers that receive the wireless signals. We would locate the amplifier in the cabinet below the TV and arrange small speakers around the room. We want to get the greatest impact for the least cost because we are likely to move into a newly built house in a coupla years in which we plan to have a small theater room. That will be the time to plunk down serious cash -- not on this interim kludge. Is this a reasonable plan for late middle aged occasional movie watchers? We will mostly play rented DVD's, but the occasional home produced VHS might appear on our playbill. Can I low-ball this step and still get worthwhile improvements in the movie experience at home? What components would you recommend and why? If your recommended component is required, please explain why. We are grey headed babes in the woods on this project -- complete noobs with retirement budgets which means we need to spend no more than we have to. Would really appreciate a rowdy discussion of my idea and approach and a set of reasonable suggestions. ('Sod off' might be reasonable from your point of view, but now from ours.) If this has been hashed out too many times to draw any takers, please just point me to other threads here or other sites where I can read and learn. TIA rabbit |
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Bronze Member Username: Mikemv1977Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada Post Number: 23 Registered: Feb-06 | Well now, I love a good challenge. First off, you have to know how much money you would like to spend. The biggest challenge with home theater is being able to set a budget for what you want to spend and just how much further you want to upgrade later. I own to home theater systems, one is in my living room and the other is in my bedroom. My livingroom system is high end costing me 2000$ just for the receiver itself. Its a Denon reciever, very well made and still good for yrs to come. My bedroom system is a Onkyo receiver, cost me 200$ used, but its great as a bedroom PC home theater system. Now the other thing you have to consider is, just where will you be watching tv and how loud would you want the volume to be. Cuz I love all my movies loud. Your tv alone was a great investment, and digital cable is even better now days with the high definition. The world of home theater is constantly growing and having a good system helps. I dont watch tv anymore without my system being on. I havent used my tv volume control in 3yrs. Think about some of the stuff I have written, and get back to me. If your into using msn messenger at all, i can be reached at mikemv@hotmail.com. ttyl. |
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Bronze Member Username: MvanmeterKY USA Post Number: 57 Registered: Jan-06 | absolute minimum - decent 5.1 receiver and the "front part" of a 5.1 surround system - left and right main speakers and the center speaker. You can add a subwoofer ( the .1 part of the five speaker setup ) later, as well as rear speakers, which require the most difficult wiring to support. If your budget is "very tight" I would recommend the following: Pioneer VSX-515 receiver - $200 from Circuit City MCM 5 piece compact speaker set - on sale now for $60 order # 50-6382 www.mcminone.com (catalog source code for sale price is 606103) or upgrade the speakers to another MCM set: 2 each, 50-7640A front speakers, $49.95 each center and rear speaker set, $39.95 total would be $139.85 plus shipping. This will give you a very entry level sound system, but will be noticeable better than any speakers built into the TV. Most people shy away from the full home theater 5.1 stereo speaker setup because of the difficulty in wiring the rear speakers. So, just leave them out, 95% of the sound effects come out of the front speakers anyway. Adding a moderate subwoofer (also available from MCM Electronics for $60 to $80 dollars will add to the theater effect with very low level sounds. Now, before I get severely burned by the flame war which may erupt over the economy components I have recommended, let me say I have used these components in a family member's first home theater set up and they were very adequate for a low budget first time install. You can spend thousands of dollars more, and at some point you may wish to do so. But this will get you started and can be given away to a college kid in the future if you decide to upgrade. 14 gauge "zip cord" will be more than adequate for speaker wiring and www.monoprice.com will have very good, but low priced audio hook up cables to run from your cable set top box and from your DVD player to the Pioneer receiver. |
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New member Username: Rabbit_hutchCentral part of, Texas Post Number: 2 Registered: Jun-06 | Thanks for all the information, folks. I'm gonna wait until the cable guy (not Larry, I hope) hooks up my HDTV box next week before making any further plans. To pile a question on a question, I was at Sam's today and noticed a Sony Home Theater kit that had a 5 cd changer receiver and speakers for about $230. Will this give me entry level home theater experience or will I have to buy other components too? I didn't get a model number on this as Her Ladyship was rushing me along to look at carpet cleaners. |
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Bronze Member Username: Mikemv1977Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada Post Number: 29 Registered: Feb-06 | My advice is stay away from Sony. They have decent products, but home theater isnt one of there specialties. You would be better off going with a Panasonic all in one system, or a JVC, Onkyo system. They are about 300$ american. You get a wide range of inputs and the dvd player is usually included or built into the system itself. Couple of examples for ya: http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Panasonic-Home-Theater-System-SC-HT440-/sem/rpsm/ oid/150031/catOid/-13325/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/JVC-Home-Theater-System-TH-C30-/sem/rpsm/oid/1507 40/catOid/-13325/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Onkyo-Home-Theater-System-HT-S790S-/sem/rpsm/oid/ 150739/catOid/-13325/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do Best bang for your buck, bcuz if you want to upgrade later, you already have a decent powered system to run. All the best in your search. |
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Gold Member Username: ChitownPost Number: 1114 Registered: Apr-05 | Stay away from Sony, unless you plan to go back into Sam's in less than a year. |