First serious home system, budget probably max of about $10k (1 Viewer)

[aw113sgte]

Obviously I need monster cables for everything right?
Okay just kidding.

Serious stuff
General info: Mainly for movies, using DVD/Bluray, Plex(running on my desktop computer), Netflix (using Roku 3 currently but want the best method for this system). Possibly gaming in the future. I probably haven't included a lot of info you might need to make a suggestion, please let me know what info would help!

Room dimensions: 15'x20'
I think the TV will be on one of the 20" long walls because there is a fireplace on one and a sliding door on each of 15" walls. This means the seating will pretty much have to be against the wall so it's not too close to the TV.

Speakers
Does 5.1 still work well when it's not some distance behind you? Or should I go with 2.1 in this scenario?
I don't need to rattle the house, good quality is more important than absolute power.
Suggestions?

TV
I'm guessing 4k is the best option right now? We want it to be large, I'm not sure the optimal size for about 13' sight distance?
Smart TV?
EDIT: How about this TV (Panasonic) AX850 4K ULTRA HDTV Series - 85" Class (84.5" Diag.) TC-85AX850U

Amplifier
Seems to be a ton of variety here and about a billion different features I'm not familiar with. Sound quality is important but don't need audiophile level stuff. Maybe this would handle all the netflix/plex/etc instead of a roku or TV?

Remote...I would like just one. Don't need something super fancy though, I had a lot of frustrations with a friends "smart remote" that would turn on all the various parts with one button click. Problem was, it sometimes missed one. Ideally, a remote that had a lot of buttons that I could program by pointing the remote at it so I could have just the controls I wanted.

Blueray player
Not sure exactly what too look for here. If everything else is doing the "smart" features, seems all I need is a plain player. Or is there something to be gained by different ones?

 

[Jeff S in NJ]

Does 5.1 still work well when it's not some distance behind you? Or should I go with 2.1 in this scenario?

I will be interested in hearing the reply to this question as I have a similar setup with the viewing couch directly against the wall opposite the screen. So the surrounds would be to the sides of the couch, not behind. I'm using 3.0 in the front currently.

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

I will be interested in hearing the reply to this question as I have a similar setup with the viewing couch directly against the wall opposite the screen. So the surrounds would be to the sides of the couch, not behind. I'm using 3.0 in the front currently.

My setup in the old house was similar and 5.1 worked pretty well with speakers directly to the sides of the couch and high on the wall.

 

[Al.Anderson]

5.1 with your couch against the wall is fine (if not ideal), since the surround is placed to the side and slightly behind the listener, not behind (that would be the location for 7.1). So instead of to the side and slightly behind, you'd put them to the side, and probably raised a bit.

I've had great success with Netflix on the Roku 3. I have Plex running on a desktop, but have the actual media on a NAS. Putting everything on the desktop would obviously work just as well or better, but I like have the redundant drives on the NAS. (I don't back anything up, but I like having the redundant drives as a lesser safety net. I rationalize this because my NAS file don't change very often, I just add to them.)

There's a thread in the 'Displays' forum that talks about 4k. It's mixed, with many saying it's too soon. But you should check it out because I've not kept up.

 

[RolandL]

I have 5.1 with the Definitive Technology BP2X bipolar surrounds on the side. My couch is about a foot from the back wall. They sound great matched with the three Definitive Technology Mythos 2 speakers on the front wall, below the 138 inch wide image from the Panasonic AE8000 projector. The couch is about 14 feet from the front wall.

 

[ArmSC]

So you want a 5.1 setup, monster TV, BRP and one remote (to rule them all) and high quality for 10k.

Is this something that you're going to install yourself?
Do you have any space constraints?
Are you looking for something wall mount, stand mount or floorstanders?

 

[Jeff S in NJ]

5.1 with your couch against the wall is fine (if not ideal), since the surround is placed to the side and slightly behind the listener, not behind (that would be the location for 7.1). So instead of to the side and slightly behind, you'd put them to the side, and probably raised a bit.

Here's the situation. The couch has been changed since this photo was taken, but is the same size and position. The Panasonic AE8000 is mounted where the neon sign in this photo was. So I have limited location and space for speakers. The plan was to use small surrounds placed at the door frame on the left and above the thermostat on the right facing downward and inward. The shelf on the right will not be there, as the neon sign is moving to that location.

Not ideal, but should work, right?

35mm projector is on the other side of wall, behind glass portal. 35mm "rear" surround (4 channel sound) is above couch center in ceiling. That has been removed and won't be replaced.

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

Yes, that'll work. Not perfect, but workable. I think it would be better if you moved them at least a couple of feet further away - on the opposite side of the door and on the flat wall.

 

[Jeff S in NJ]

You can't see in this photo, but in this shot, the opposite side of the door is the same paneling as is behind the couch. Now, it's tile that looks like brick, so it would be hard to mount there (I'd rather not drill into the new tiles). I could put onto a stand, or maybe suspend from ceiling rail. I'll know more once room is completed.