- Joined: August 2003
- Location: SF Bay Area
- Post Count: 2,346
These are factory refurbished items that come with an Onkyo warranty. With shipping the 6100 might blow your budget. Onkyo-6100, Onkyo-5200 Onkyo-506 This PartsExpress speaker/sub package is said to be pretty good for the price (I've never heard it though), ships for free and with a $200-250 receiver should be all right. PartsExpress.com-5.1-HomeTheater The Energy-Take-Classic-5 is pretty good (I have heard it), and with PartsExpress $100 sub and a cheap receiver might not be too bad either. The Polk-RM6750 is another option. The Fluance-AV-HTB
looks impressive and those that have owned it are willing to admit it so it must be better than the price suggests. But finding a sub and receiver with what you have left might be kinda tricky. With that budget I wouldn't discount the used market (CraigsList?). Bargains are abound if you're patient, but be careful.
"Everyday room": Mitsubishi 52631 RPTV, H/K 520, H/K dvd-5, H/K 8380, H/K CDR 20, OPPO BDP-83 BluRay player, Dish-HD, Infinity Beta 20's-C250-OWS1's, Dayton HSU10.
"Movie/Music room": Toshiba 65HM167 RPTV, Pioneer Elite 59txi, Elite DV59avi, Elite CD-59, Pioneer PD-51FD BR, Dish-DVR, Swan Diva...
- Joined: August 2003
- Location: SF Bay Area
- Post Count: 2,346
The 6100 is last years model (there is now a 6200) but it is still a step up from the 5200. The 6100 decodes the new Dolby TrueHD and DTS Master Audio sound formats found on BluRay players and also up-scales composite/s-video to HDMI. It includes On Screen Display and also has multi channel inputs which you may or may not need, usually for a universal dvd player (SACD/DVD-Audio).
The speakers in both systems (and most all htib's) are the weak points. The Fluances would probably be much better but they wouldn't leave much for the receiver and sub.
With the dvd player you have the 5200 would be just fine.
"Everyday room": Mitsubishi 52631 RPTV, H/K 520, H/K dvd-5, H/K 8380, H/K CDR 20, OPPO BDP-83 BluRay player, Dish-HD, Infinity Beta 20's-C250-OWS1's, Dayton HSU10.
"Movie/Music room": Toshiba 65HM167 RPTV, Pioneer Elite 59txi, Elite DV59avi, Elite CD-59, Pioneer PD-51FD BR, Dish-DVR, Swan Diva...
- Joined: August 2003
- Location: SF Bay Area
- Post Count: 2,346
As far as the cables and connections go, the 6100 sends both audio and video thru a single hdmi cable. And it can take advantage of the new DolbyTrueHD and DTS-MA high definition sound formats on the PS3 should you get one.
On the video side, you can hook a device with an s-video or composite connection, like a vcr, and the 6100's receiver will convert it to a digital signal and send it out the hdmi cable. Bottom line is however you connect your components to your receiver you only need one hdmi cable from the receiver to the display.
With the 5200, if you hook a dvd player to the receiver via hdmi the receiver will only accept the video, not the audio, so you would still need a seperate audio connection. Also, if you hook a vcr to the 5200's receiver via an s-video or composite cable you would then need to hook an s-video/composite cable from the receiver to the display and switch inputs on that display. The 6100 would do that for you. You wouldn't have to switch inputs on the display.
With the 6100 you get audio and video thru hdmi, video up-scaling, TrueHD and DTS-MA processing, On Screen Display, and multi-channel inputs. That's more than enough to justify the extra $75.
Bottom line is the 5200 would work fine with what you have now but if you get that PS3 you'll wish you had bought the 6100 instead.
"Everyday room": Mitsubishi 52631 RPTV, H/K 520, H/K dvd-5, H/K 8380, H/K CDR 20, OPPO BDP-83 BluRay player, Dish-HD, Infinity Beta 20's-C250-OWS1's, Dayton HSU10.
"Movie/Music room": Toshiba 65HM167 RPTV, Pioneer Elite 59txi, Elite DV59avi, Elite CD-59, Pioneer PD-51FD BR, Dish-DVR, Swan Diva...
- Joined: August 2003
- Location: SF Bay Area
- Post Count: 2,346
I'd call in the order instead of doing it online. Explain the situation and see if they can accommodate. Some sellers balk at the buyers address not matching the shipping address. Shipping to a hotel will give them reason to be suspicious.
I imagine the box will be pretty large. Will "Mom" be able to handle it? 
"Everyday room": Mitsubishi 52631 RPTV, H/K 520, H/K dvd-5, H/K 8380, H/K CDR 20, OPPO BDP-83 BluRay player, Dish-HD, Infinity Beta 20's-C250-OWS1's, Dayton HSU10.
"Movie/Music room": Toshiba 65HM167 RPTV, Pioneer Elite 59txi, Elite DV59avi, Elite CD-59, Pioneer PD-51FD BR, Dish-DVR, Swan Diva...
