looking for experienced home theater advice

tabenterprises101 · 10-11-2007, 04:52 PM

hello

my home theater is almost finished. i am begining to shop for equipment but there is so much out there that its hard to narrow it down.

i was hoping that someone has been where i am now and can save me some time and money

my home theater is in my basement with minimal lighting. it will be used mainly for movies but i will watch some sporting events as well with some lighting on.

i am looking for your guys opinions on the best product for the money in these categories:

projector: 1080i under $2500
receiver: 7.1 atleast 2 hdmi in, prefer 3 under $700
speakers: front and center will be inwall rears and surrounds will be wall mounted ( i have been looking at some on partsexpress.com for less than $200/pair)

dvd player will either be toshiba hddvd or sony blu ray or maybe both if im lucky

any opinions or suggestions are greatly appreciated

thanks
tony

JohnRice · 10-11-2007, 05:29 PM

Personally, I think your video>audio budget ratio is WAY out of line, but that is incredibly common these days. I would put a higher percentage into the audio side. I think you can get a perfectly suitable projector for around $1000, which would allow you to put quite a bit more into speakers and a good sub. As for specific models, that is more your decision.

tabenterprises101 · 10-11-2007, 06:07 PM

im not an expert in this field that is why i am asking for advice....i am not opposed to adjusting my budget but some examples of $1000 projectors and a more expensive audio equipment would helpful

Jim Mcc · 10-11-2007, 10:20 PM

You cannot buy a 1080p projector for $2500. And watching a projector with lights on is a bad idea. VERY dim lighting is fine however, and you don't want it shining on the screen(recessed ceiling lights on dimmers are best). First you need to decide if you want a DLP or LCD projector. Will you ceiling mount it, or do you want to mount it on a rear shelf?

tabenterprises101 · 10-12-2007, 12:58 PM

thanks for the reply jim

i have recessed lighting on dimmer switches, so i dont think the lighting will be a problem...i would have it dimmly lit during sporting events.

the projector will be ceiling mounted.

i have seen a few 1080p on ebay for 2300- 2800

epson powerlite

infocus and nec...these were 1080i

as far as dlp or lcd i am not sure.....i am basically looking for the best equipment possible within my budget

i thought i could save some time by asking for opinions on which equipment is the best for the money....but maybe its not that easy

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JohnRice · 10-12-2007, 02:07 PM

No, it's not that easy. particularly when it comes to speakers. There are thousands of speaker manufacturers.

Here is my thought on the whole thing. The reason I suggest spending less on the projector is because that is the ONE area where equipment is not only getting better at a rapid pace, it is also getting cheaper. So, why dive into your first real HT and spend 70% of your budget on the one part which you will be able to get better equipment for less in another 6 months. Also, don't EVER buy a delicate, expensive item like a 2.5K projector on eBay.

I would go far less on the projector. I know there are a lot of surprisingly good projectors for 1K or less, but I am not the one to give advice on specific models.

Now, the audio part, particularly speakers, doesn't change that fast. If you invest in a good set of speakers, you will get a bigger bang for your buck right away, and you can keep them for years. I've had my L/R speakers for almost 14 years now. They were a lot more expensive than what you are looking at, but that is what a good set of speakers will get you.

For the total budget you are looking at, I would look in the area of about 2K for the speakers, including sub, and around $600 for a receiver. Probably about $500 for the sub and $1,500 for the rest of the speakers. My point is, spending 2.5K on a projector and $100 for a pair of speakers is not going to produce an enjoyable HT.

I typically refrain from suggesting brands on equipment, especially speakers. You will find when you ask that, people just recommend what they own. They can't seem to look beyond their own front door, and they are all happy, or they would get rid of them. I would probably look at Denon first for receivers, but the world is open there too.

Jim Mcc · 10-12-2007, 08:47 PM

I would NEVER buy a projector from Ebay. I don't care what the price was. There's no such thing as a 1080i projector, by the way. Projectors are all progressive. I agree with John, and recommend a 720p projector. 1080p projectors are still too expensive. Do you have any special problems such as a very low ceiling? Do you know if you are affected by the rainbow effect of DLP displays? If not, I recommend the Mitsubishi HC1500, it's a 720p DLP and costs about $950. I have the HD1000 that it replaced and it's a great projector. If you want an LCD, I would recommend the new Panasonic AX200.

tabenterprises101 · 10-13-2007, 10:00 AM

thanks fo r the recommendations...my ceiling is 8 ft and i am not sure about the rainbow effect of dlp

thanks