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New to all of this. Looking for advice/info

post #1 of 4
8/18/09 at 9:28pm
Thread Starter 
Hey all, I am new to the forum. Hope I am posting this in the right section.

I joined because I have little knowledge of home theatres. I am however a computer geek so I am sure I already know the basics without having done anything before.

Anyways I am setting up a home theatre for my parents and I would like to pass my ideas to you guys before I go and buy everything. I am looking for modifications, suggestions, or complete overhauls of what my basic idea is....

The TV which has already been purchased is a 1080p bravia. A little bit in the future after I have learned what is good and how to properly do it I am going to set up 5.1 or 7.1 sound. As for right now the plan is to get a bluray player. The one I have in mind is the Sharp BDHP22U. I believe this will allow me to connect the audio/video over HDMI to the TV, and to a receiver doing 7.1 in the future. So is this a good player?

Now to get 7.1 audio I am going to need to purchase a receiver? As far as I understand it, I connect the bluray player's HDMI output to the receiver's HDMI input and from there it takes out the audio and passes it to the speakers. It also takes the video and passes it to the TV from it's HDMI output with audio stripped out.

Now I imagine so far I am good, but that's where it all falls apart. I don't know what receivers or speakers are good, or even how to set up the speakers optimally. While budget is a factor, I am looking for quality stuff. I don't have an exact budget since I don't know how much is needed for a good setup. I suppose something in the higher end of the "sweet spot"? Any suggestions?

Thanks
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post #2 of 4
8/18/09 at 10:00pm
Quote:
As for right now the plan is to get a bluray player. The one I have in mind is the Sharp BDHP22U. I believe this will allow me to connect the audio/video over HDMI to the TV, and to a receiver doing 7.1 in the future. So is this a good player?

I would definitely avoid Sharp BD players for now, having observed the ultra-slowness of my mother's freebie she got with the set, and continued limitations found by other forum posters on newer models.  Try an LG model IMO, fast load times + Netflix capability.  370 for ~$225, 390 for a hundred more if you need built-in wi-fi.

Quote:
Now to get 7.1 audio I am going to need to purchase a receiver? As far as I understand it, I connect the bluray player's HDMI output to the receiver's HDMI input and from there it takes out the audio and passes it to the speakers. It also takes the video and passes it to the TV from it's HDMI output with audio stripped out.

Yes, you'll need a receiver + a set of speakers.  Whether to go 7.1 or 5.1 depends on room layout, is there plenty of room behind the seating position?  A lot of rooms just don't have the space for it, there isn't a lot of 7.1 material anyway, and you have to pay for a couple extra speakers.  5.1 is more cost effective for most people, though I would go 7.1 if the space + budget allows.

Quote:
I don't have an exact budget since I don't know how much is needed for a good setup. I suppose something in the higher end of the "sweet spot"? Any suggestions?

Good 5.1 receivers are in the $300-400 range.  7.1s are about a hundred more.  Little need to go higher than that IMO.  Speakers, you can get decent quality from anywhere between ~$600-1100 to much more, with 7.1 running $100-200 more than 5.1.  A lot depends on room size, whether very loud bass levels are desired, speaker size & mounting constraints, and importance of aesthetics (fancy shiny wood finishes etc. vs. plain paint).
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post #3 of 4
8/19/09 at 1:28pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks for the suggestions :)

I ended up getting the 390 and it seems good. Obviously I haven't had much time with it but it seems to work perfectly.

So all that is left are the speakers and the receiver to run it. I did a little more research and it seems that a 5.1 setup would be optimal for the room.

Which brands are of good quality? Any specific models that are particularly good?
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post #4 of 4
8/19/09 at 8:30pm
For the receivers look at Onkyo and Denon.  Other good choices are Yamaha, Pioneer, and Harmon Kardon.  Avoid middle of the road Sony's and everything from BOSE.

For speakers, start with the sub.  A good internet direct company like SVS and HSU are better then B&M brands.  The rest of the speakers are really a matter of budget and personal preference.  You have to listen and decide.  Don't rule out internet direct brands since most give you 30 days in your home to decide if you like them.
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