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Home theater under 300$

post #1 of 18
2/10/09 at 4:42am
Thread Starter 
Hello all,
I just bought(still in the mail) a 46" samsung LCd TV(LN46A550). I want to hook up AV receiver to this through which I will connect DVD player, Wii, Dish cable box, 2 speakers.

The reason I am goign with 2 speakers is I am mounting the TV on the fireplace and thought the simplest installation with decent sound would to go with 2 speakers. If I went for more It will involve lot of dry wall work and not ready for it yet.

I want to but the speakers/AV receiver/cables all for under 300$. I want the AV receiver to have atleast 2 HDMI inputs and 1 HDMI output.

Can you all suggest some decent product that I can buy.

All the package systems i checked out either had 5.1 syetems. Any 2.1 I checked out does not have a good receiver- So I thought it might be better to buy the receiver and the speakers separately.

Your help will be greatey appriciated.
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post #2 of 18
2/10/09 at 8:27am

Re: Home theater under 300$

Buying separates is usually a better option than buying a HTiB. That said, at the $300 point you may have to go the HTiB route. Still there are good and bad combo packages. Try and get one that is effectively separates packaged together. Onkyo offers some good choices along these lines.

You can usually configure a 5.1 system to be 2.0 (definitely true for the Onkyo's). This will allow you to expand later. And maybe even sooner, as you could go with a 2.1 and place the sub anywhere.

Installing over a fireplace has drawbacks (heat and height), but even if you go that way you should try and sneak in a center channel, it will give you a more realistic movie experience.
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post #3 of 18
2/10/09 at 8:54am

Re: Home theater under 300$

I don't believe you'll find a decent receiver (especially with HDMI), speakers, and cables, with enough inputs, for less than $300. You might find something used on Craig's List, but that will even be hard.

I agree with Al, that over the fireplace is not the ideal place for a television. Especially a working fireplace. Ideally, the center of the tv screen should be eye level when sitting down.
Good luck.
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post #4 of 18
2/10/09 at 10:32am
Thread Starter 

Re: Home theater under 300$

Thank you for all your suggestions. What do you think about Sony STRDG520 model. Please post your commments.
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post #5 of 18
2/10/09 at 10:34am

Re: Home theater under 300$

Look at some of the HK receivers, like the 146, which has HDMI video pass through, easily handles 2 channel and allows you to upgrade later. It will also handle all of your connectivity.

If you want to pass audio through the HDMI you are going to need to look at used or refurb units I would guess.
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post #6 of 18
2/10/09 at 10:49am

Re: Home theater under 300$

Quote:
Originally Posted by 123audiovideo
Thank you for all your suggestions. What do you think about Sony STRDG520 model. Please post your commments.

HDMI pass-through models like that don't really give you much benefit at all because they don't process audio off of the HDMI. You still have to run another cable for the audio, which kind of defeats the purpose of running the cable through the receiver. You might as well run HDMI straight to the TV and audio to the receiver, don't need HDMI on the receiver. I wouldn't bother with such models, they are of no use when your TV already has enough HDMI inputs by itself.

At $300 you have to give up on HDMI IMO if you also want to buy speakers also. Any HDMI receivers worth having for the long run are $300 minimum by themselves.

You can get one of the cheaper Onkyo HTIB without HDMI (HTS-3100) for under $300. Onkyo w/ HDMI (HTS-6100) is ~$550.

For separate receiver + speakers, with HDMI, even if you are limiting yourself to just stereo bookshelves & no sub, you'd need at least $400-450 IMO.
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post #7 of 18
2/10/09 at 10:57am

Re: Home theater under 300$

Life is filled with compromises. I think you would be hard pressed to find a HT system that would fit your requirements for under $300.

Since you say you only want two speakers why not shop around for a used Stereo receiver and a good set of used stereo speakers, just place the speakers close to right and left sides of the TV, and or use the built in speakers on the TV for your centers.

I have mounted my 52" Sony over my fireplace as it was the best fit for viewing and speaker placement in our family room, and also allowed us to a view of the TV from our Kitchen. Since we never used the fireplace this was not a problem for us. I was able to mount it with the bottom of the screen 32" off the floor. This is a bit higher than recommended but is better than any other alternative I had. I would also never build a fire with this arrangement even with a glass fireplace screen.

Also mounting a TV above a fireplace is tricky because you must consider the material that you will be attaching the mount. Do you have studs or bricks and mortar?
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post #8 of 18
2/10/09 at 11:00am

Re: Home theater under 300$

I don't have any experience with the STRDG520, but looking at the specs it looks like a fine extry level receiver.

Note that even though some sites talk about it handling all the HD sources, in looking at the manual I don't believe that's true. The HDMI is passthrough, so audio is processed by the optical input. I don't have any problem with this (it's all the audio I have); I mention it just so you know what you're getting. (E.g., you can use a BR, but you won't get the super HD audio.)

The trouble you're going to have coming in under $300 is with the speakers. If you can go to $500-600, I still say go with a good HTiB with satellites. You can use 2 speakers and a sub for now, and you'll have the other 3 (that match) for when you're in the mood for a mini project.
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post #9 of 18
2/11/09 at 4:31am
Thread Starter 

Re: Home theater under 300$

Thanks agian for the responses. we have stud and dry wall above our fireplace.
what do you folks think about JVC TH-L1.
Can I connect DVD player, cable box, wii, speakers to the receiver and take one HDMI cable out to the TV.

Also, cn I use speakers for all the above hardware?
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post #10 of 18
2/11/09 at 6:00am

Re: Home theater under 300$

Quote:
Originally Posted by 123audiovideo
Thanks agian for the responses. we have stud and dry wall above our fireplace.
what do you folks think about JVC TH-L1.
Can I connect DVD player, cable box, wii, speakers to the receiver and take one HDMI cable out to the TV.

Also, cn I use speakers for all the above hardware?

For $300, you aren't going to get a receiver that upconverts component video to HDMI, which is what you need to connect a Wii and have it be HDMI to the TV. You budget is quite low, and rules out even minor luxuries like HDMI upconvert. I'm afraid you are probably going to end up with all video going directly to the TV, with no switching at the receiver, except audio.
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post #11 of 18
2/11/09 at 10:33am

Re: Home theater under 300$

Quote:
HDMI pass-through models like that don't really give you much benefit at all because they don't process audio off of the HDMI. You still have to run another cable for the audio, which kind of defeats the purpose of running the cable through the receiver. You might as well run HDMI straight to the TV and audio to the receiver, don't need HDMI on the receiver.

Well, it does simplify remote use. (no need to set the TV and receiver to the same source.) But I agree, not a big deal.
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post #12 of 18
2/11/09 at 3:23pm

Re: Home theater under 300$

Quote:
Originally Posted by Al.Anderson
Well, it does simplify remote use. (no need to set the TV and receiver to the same source.) But I agree, not a big deal.

Only if all your sources are HDMI. Otherwise, with no conversion of other signals to HDMI, you still have to switch the source on the TV anyway. Universal remote w/ macros is the right solution for simplifying remote use.
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post #13 of 18
2/12/09 at 6:14pm

Re: Home theater under 300$

I have a Sony 5.1 HTiB (Sony HT-DDW900) that isn't even a year old that I'm selling. I was about to put it on eBay. I paid $350 for it, and it's listed as a 900watt package (all at 60hms, 140x5 + 200watt powered sub), has HDMI pass through (2in 1 out) and is in perfect working condition.

Here is a link to it on Amazon...not sure what's it's worth: Sony HT-DDW900
It's nothing fancy, but it got me by up until a month ago when I built my new speakers and plopped down $900 for my Yamaha receiver.

EDIT: I actually paid $299.99 plus tax for it. Found the receipt for it.
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post #14 of 18
2/16/09 at 4:46am
Thread Starter 

Re: Home theater under 300$

Hello all,
thanks for all your valuable suggestions. For now, I have deceided I will not buy a receiver and will directly hook up my speakers to my TV. Will buy the reciever in the next 1 year or so, as my budget allows.

Can you comment on using the below speakers in the arrangement below:

I plan to mount my 46" TV on a bare wall. Plan to mount Polk Audio RC80i 2-Way on either side of the TV.

Plan to mount another Polk Audio RC6s In-Ceiling Stereo Speaker (Single, White) above the Tv( use this one as center speaker).

I will also have 100 more dollars left. Should I buy a sub woofer for this money - Where do I place the sub woofer.

Also, please remember, my plan is not to get top notch product...I want to get decent sound for my living room with a minimal budget.

Thanks again for all your responses
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post #15 of 18
2/16/09 at 5:19am

Re: Home theater under 300$

Quote:
For now, I have deceided I will not buy a receiver and will directly hook up my speakers to my TV.

????? How? Most TVs do not have connections for external speaker, nor do they have amplifiers powerful enough to drive them.

In-ceiling speakers are always a bad idea for home theater. Where to you see in-cieling speakers in real-life? Movie theaters? Never. Supermarkets? Yeah. Which are you trying to imitate?

An in-cieling center will make all of the dialogue in all of your movies sound like the voice of God coming down from Heaven, and will do truly strange things whenever sound pans across your front sound stage. Is there any reason you can't mount this speaker in the wall, directly below the TV? (Paintable grilles for many speakers are available, so it would easily blend into the wall.)

Sub-woofer placement depends on room size, shape, furniture placement and a whole bunch of other factors. You can really determine the best placement by trial and error. And yes, you can get an entry-level sub for $100.

Given your desires and your limitations, I think your best bet is to live with the TV's built in speakers and wait to upgrade until you've saved a more realistic amount of money.

Regards,

Joe
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post #16 of 18
2/16/09 at 7:09am

Re: Home theater under 300$

You said: I want to but the speakers/AV receiver/cables all for under 300$. I want the AV receiver to have atleast 2 HDMI inputs and 1 HDMI output.

You could have my Sony receiver, with 2 HDMI inputs/1 output, 200watt powered sub, 5 satellite/surround cube speakers, programmable remote, all with wires and 2 HDMI cables included. It's a great entry level system, IMO. I'm only asking $200 for it all since it's only 9 or 10 months old. If you're interested, I'll list it on eBay and send you the link or we could work something out. I wouldn't try to hook external speakers to the TV. That simply won't work and would probably sound worse than the TV speakers.

Good luck,
Chad
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post #17 of 18
2/19/09 at 9:08am
Thread Starter 

Re: Home theater under 300$

Chad,
Can you tell me the model of your receiver.

All,
Please let me know what you think about the following

right/left speakers: Polk Audio RC65i 2-Way In-Wall Speakers (Pair, White)
center speaker: Yamaha NS-IW760 6.5" 2-Way In-Wall Speaker System (White)
sub woofer: Onkyo SKW204 Bass Reflex Powered Subwoofer (Black)

By the way I was able to up my budget to 600$.

thanks,
Chuck
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post #18 of 18
2/19/09 at 10:27am

Re: Home theater under 300$

Quote:
right/left speakers: Polk Audio RC65i 2-Way In-Wall Speakers (Pair, White)
center speaker: Yamaha NS-IW760 6.5" 2-Way In-Wall Speaker System (White)

I would not mix-and-match the front three speakers. Ideally the LF, C and RF should all be timbre-matched which, as a practical matter, means that they should all be of the same make and at the very least the same series, preferably the exact same model. Do anything else and the sound is going to change audibly every time it pans from one side of the screen to the other.

Regards,

Joe
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