Absolute newbie, very basic recommendations needed (1 Viewer)

[pickin_grinnin]

I currently have a:

- TV (of course)
- Blu-ray player
- Roku 3
- older generation Verizon DVR
- XBox 360 (though I may be getting rid of that)

I do not have

- a receiver
- speakers or other sound equipment

I have never had a home theater setup of any kind, and am still doing a lot of reading to learn more about everything. My needs are very simple, though. I want to connect my equipment (listed above) to a receiver and improve the quality of the sound.

Caveats:

I am not an audio conossieur, by any stretch of the imagination. I can't hear the difference between an mp3 or a CD, for example, even on decent equipment. I'm not looking for the absolute best sound quality out there - I just want something a step or two above what I have now.

I have about $500 to spend, which I know is barely anything in the world of home theaters. I know I will be buying cheap components, but want to maximize the value I get for the money. Knowing me, it is unlikely that I would look to upgrade any of this in less than 5 years.

Any suggestions for brands or models of equipment to look at would be appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[schan1269]

You are probably a prime candidate for the Denon DHT1513BA. A4L has returns for less than $500.

 

[schan1269]

In case you don't know what A4L is...here is another choice...

http://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/ONKHTS5500/Onkyo-HT-S5500-7.1-Home-Theater-Package-w/USB-for-iPod/iPhone/1.html

The Denon I mentioned before also has 4 HDMI. The Onkyo, they are all in the back, the Denon, one of the 4 is on the front.

 

[Al.Anderson]

They are both steals, but the Onyko has additional analog connections giving more flexibility to add components, and if the older generation Verizon DVR doesn't use HDMI you'll need the analog inputs.