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Is this a well thought out budget home theater? (1 Viewer)

Elphaba

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Gilda
The room the HT is going to go in is the living room, with the section it will be going in roughly 10 x 12, open on one end. Seating will be seven feet from the tv.

I've been reading and researching and come to the conclusion that I want a 42" HDTV, LCD, a Blu-Ray player, a surround sound reciever, and a basic entry level set of speakers. I'm going to get the TV and player first, make sure everything is working well there, then get the surround sound equipment later.

Here is what I'm tentatively planning to get:

HDTV: Westinghouse TX-42F430S -- $1169

I played with the picture on this one at the store and liked what I was able to get there about as well as the Samsung next to it. I'm aware that the black levels aren't going to be quite as good as a Samsung/Sony/Sharp/Panasonic, but I'm not sure that they're going to be $500-$600 better.

DVD Player: I'm flexible on this, and have narrowed it down to three possibilities, each with it's strengths and witnesses. I've already decided on getting a Blu-Ray player, so please no suggestions for a SD or HD-DVD player.

Panasonic DMP-BD10AK--$600. The big advantage here is the five free movies in the box. I'll be getting the two Pirates of the Caribbean movies anyway, and I wouldn't mind owning the other three, all of which I enjoyed in the theater. Along with the five free discs mail in, that's a ten movie library to start. Very appealing.

PS3--$500: It plays games, and is backwards compatible with hundreds of PS2 games to tide me over until there are some really good ones for the PS3. It has regular firmware updates to add functionality. It's $100 less than the Panasonic, meaning I could still get the two POTC movies and pick another two.

Sony BDP-S300--$487: It's less than the Panasonic, enough so that I can pick out five movies I want. It's a dedicated player that's going to run more quietly than the PS3. I'm not sure how much time I'll have for game playing once school starts again.

I'm not sure which is going to upscale my current DVDs best; that would be a factor in my decision making.

Reciever: I'd like to keep this at $500 or less. I've been looking at these three:

Pioneer VSX-1016TX--$499
Sony STR-DG810--$399
Yamaha RX-V661BL--$499

All of these seem to have the major surround sound modes I'm looking for, plenty of power, and automatic setup, which I like because I'm not the most technically oriented person in the world.

Speakers:

JBL SCS300.5--$450
JBL SUB10--about $300

This is where I'm least sure of my choice. I picked those because they sounded fantastic at Best Buy when I listened to them and the system is five identical speakers (the center channel is the same as the satellites, but turned sideways), which I've read can be an advantage. And they look cool, though that's probably the least important part of it.

But I'm not sure if it wouldn't be better to get the Klipsch Synergy Quintet and add a subwoofer for about the same, or even go for a few hundred more and get the Klipsch Quintet and a sub.

I even considered buying Klipsch floor standing speakers, center channel, and surrounds separately rather than a pre-matched system. That came to about $1200, which is more than I wanted to spend initially, but their being in pieces would mean that I could start with the three front speakers and use the simulated Dolby (I forget the name) for a few months and add surrounds later when I can afford it, and then a sub if I decide I need one. If I get the bigger floor standing speakers, would a sub even be needed?

Add in a stand for the TV, DVD player, and receiver from Wal Mart for about $100, speaker wire, interconnect cables, surger suppressor, and a universal remote (Harmony 520, a little under $100), and I'm coming in at a total of just over $3000 with tax for everything, with money being split about evenly between video and audio, or actually about 50-40 in favor of video, with ten percent on cables, wires, stand, and remote.

None of this is set in stone, so critique away if you see any glaring flaws. Any feedback will be greatly appreciated.
 

adam613

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Regarding your choice of DVD players:

I've been quite happy with the PS3 as a DVD/Blu-Ray player. The upscaler does a great job on standard DVDs. Don't buy one unless you're a gamer, though; it won't work with the Harmony remote because it doesn't have an IR input, and it isn't really worthwhile JUST as a Blu-ray player.

Receivers - Add the Onkyo TX-SR605 to your list. Onkyo receivers generally provide a lot of features for the price. Make sure the receiver you get can actually process audio from an HDMI connection; some (such as, I believe, the Sony you listed) do HDMI pass-through, which means you need to run a seperate audio cable from HDMI-connected sources. But from what I've seen, the models you listed are all similar and good.

Speakers - You ALWAYS need a subwoofer. There are those who would consider it more important than a center channel. Others on this board can give better advice on specific models than I can, but I thought the same thing you did about subs before I actually set up my system...now I'm a sub believer :)
 

Al.Anderson

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I'll echo Adam on the PS3, if you're playing games, great; but it doesn't allow for a universal remote and only does upscaling over HDMI (which isn't a big problem anymore, but something to consider).

I haven't demo'd the Westinghouse, but going on name alone I'm not crazy about it for the price. Costco has a 42 inch visio for $999; and that wasn't on sale. I think you can do a couple hundred better and get the same quality/features.

Again, like Dave I'm a big fanof the Onkyo's for the price/performace (I have 2 of them). And the 605 is a good entry point.

As far as the speakers go, if you say you loved the sound and the price was right, I'd look no futher - the sound to your ears is the key. You will definitely want a subwoofer, no doubt about it; but you can add that later.
 

joseph westcott

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I second the Onkyo suggestion.
Don't forget to budget for broadcast quality cables like Blue Jeans.
Surge Protection is a must and Tripp Lite Isobars gets high marks at a fair price.
A quality remote is also important. Harmony series are very popular for their easy programming and component versatility.
As for Blu Ray players, the BD P1200 is a top performer in SD and HD with the Silicon Optix video processor. See attached link for detail.
I prefer plasma displays and the Panasonics are always top performers due to their black levels and attention to video processing. See attached link for details. I helped a buddy but a Panasonic 42" at Circuit City for $1200.

The best advice I can give you is to maybe consider restricting your speaker purchase to a 2.1 or 3.1 system for now. Nothing makes or breaks a great sounding system than to skimp on speakers andor subwoofer. I would even wait on the BR player if it means more money for speakers. Components come and go but quality speakers can last generations and nothing has a bigger impact on sound then the latter.

You can always add surrounds or a center channel later as your budget recovers.

http://www.plasmatvbuyingguide.com/p...re-reviews.php

http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/cgi-b...h&articles=all
 

drobbins

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I started out my first theater (12' x 14') with JBL SCS145.5 that is similar to the JBL SCS300.5--$450 speakers you are looking into. I upgraded the front 3 speakers with in a year, but I also doubled the size of the theater at the same time also. The system sounded great in the small room, except I did have issues hearing the dialogue out of the center. By the way Google your prices. Amazon has the SCS300.5 speakers for $298 including a 10" sub. You may be able to get better speakers for the same budget.
 

Elphaba

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Drobbins: Thank you for the suggestion. The Amazon listing for the set without the subwoofer is about half what Best Buy wanted, and their floorstanding speakers are also about half what Best Buy charges for the same ones.

Joseph: I want an LCD. I'm not sure exactly what it is about the picture, but I just like the LCD's I've been looking at better than the plasmas. It might be my imagination, but the pixels seem to stand out a bit more on the 42" plasmas I looked at, and blend together a bit more on the LCDs.

A surge suppressor is on the list of extras, but thank you for the reminder. I do want to get a full set of surround sound speakers, good enough to get by with for now, and upgrade later. The Amazon listing Drobbins referred to at $300 looks good to me; it's inexpensive enough that I won't mind replacing it in a year, but will get me by until then.

Al: I don't have a Costco in reasonable distance, but they do have a 42" Vizio at Wal Mart for $947. I've looked at Vizio's site, and the Wal Mart version appears to be the same as the Costco with cosmetic changes and a part number different. It's a 1366 x 768, though, and I wasn't quite sure whether the Westinghouse's 1080p resolution would be better for me at a viewing distance of 7 feet.

Adam: Thanks, I'll keep a sub in there as part of the basic setup.

I wasn't planning to go HDMI to the receiver from the DVD player. I was going to be HDMI from the DVD player to the TV and digital audio from the DVD player to the receiver. Is this a bad way to do it?

Everyone: I'll add the Onkyo to the list, and if I get the PS3, I'll forgo the universal remote. One for the TV set and one for the PS3 isn't too much to manage.

One more question: If I do get the JBL SCS300.5 system, and later want to upgrade a bit at a time, am I going to be able to upgrade just the front three and keep the two surrounds? I've read that having "voice matched" speakers is important for a surround sound system. Could I, for example, replace the three front satellites with two floor standing speakers, a center that matches the floorstanding speakers, and then move the center or the right and left front satellites to the rear for a 6.1 setup (using the center) or a 7.1 setup (by retasking the R & L fronts to the rear). I hope that doesn't sound like a stupid question, but this is kinda new for me.

I really don't need anything very high end in terms of audio--I have chronic tinnitus which makes anything subtle musically, especially in the higher frequencies, difficult for me to hear--and music performance is less important than HT performance for me.

I apologize if I'm asking too many questions or a bunch of stupid ones. When I'm spending this much, I don't want to screw it up.
 

Bob McElfresh

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Ideally all 5 speakers are the same make/model and installed with the tweeters roughly the same height so things sound the same as they swirl around.

In reality - the front 3 are critical that they be the same, and you can get away with different rears.

As long as you start with a set of matched speakers, I think you are making a good purchase. I would protest if you tried buying 'better' speakers for the front and cheaper/different for the rear. I usually suggest people buy cheaper speakers, but get them tone-matched.

And by the way - we have all asked these same questions, had the same fears, had other help us out. Dont be afraid to ask - it gives us a chance to share our hobby. :)
 

Elphaba

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Thank you, Bob. I think I'll stay with the JBL SCS300.5 system to start; it has the five identical speakers, which I assume means that they're tone matched. I'll enjoy the system like that for a year and upgrade my speakers with my summer pay next year.

Another question:

What gauge speaker wire do I need to use? They have big spools of 18, 16, and 14 gauge wire. Are the thicker, more expensive wires better, or just more expensive? Also, do the banana plugs offer any improvement over using just bare wires? I don't mind spending a little extra on the little things, but I'd prefer not to spend more than I need to.
 

Bob McElfresh

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Thicker wires are recommended for long runs (12 ga for 20+ ft). There is a slight roll-off issue with long runs, but this is more for music than a HT system.

You can use thinner wires for shorter runs, but I usually recommend buying a spool of 12 ga and using it everywhere. www.partsexpress.com has decent prices.

Note: If you are running wires in-wall, get wire that is CL3 or "in-wall" rated. Some fire codes require this.


I love banana plugs as they make it easy to do a neat wire job. This is critical in the tight spaces behind a receiver.

Radio Shack (and parts express) sell a nice dual plug that takes up to 10 ga wire on the side. But buy 1 plug and see if it fits your equipment. The spacing on binding posts is NOT standardized.

I use the dual plugs for behind my speakers, but they stick out a bit far for behind the receiver and the side-attach design is not the best. Radio Shack sells some nice single plug that un-screws into 2 parts. Thread the wire up through the back end and fan the copper strands in a "U" shape over the top. Screw down the banana part and you have a nice, neat banana plug on the end of your wire.

Dual plug: 278-308 Single plug: 278-306


You can find similar plugs on PartsExpress.

Other Cables: www.bluejeanscables.com

This site is a favorite. The owner is a member, the site has lots of good information and there are many happy BlueJeans customers on this forum. The stuff is not fancy - but it's what the professionals use and it's a lot less than retail.
 

Elphaba

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Thanks, this has been a big help.

The front speakers will be only two or three feet at the most.

I have a drop ceiling with styrofoam ceiling panels; I'm going to be running the rear speaker wires over the ceiling, which should be something like 20 feet total for each run.

I'm so excited right now. I can't wait to get my summer paycheck so I can get started. :)
 

Al.Anderson

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The advantage of routing everything through the receiver is you can use one remote to control the switching. That and slightly less cabling. Some people don't like to do that because of possible signal degradation; but most say it's negligible.
 

Elphaba

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Al, thanks.

I checked Costco's website, and it's about a 2 1/2 hour drive there. They have a Vizio VU42LF for a similar price to the Westinghouse I was considering (about $1200), with similar features. I have a Sam's Club a bit closer with the Vizio VX42L for a little under $900, but it's a 720p model.

This resolution chart:

http://www.carltonbale.com/wp-conten...tion_chart.png

doesn't really clear things up for me as to whether I'd benefit from a 1080p set over 720p. Checking 42" and 7' viewing distance comes a little bit into the pink "benefits of 1080 start to become apparent" zone, about halfway between the green "full benefits of 720p" and red "full benefits of 1080p". I thought I'd try to play it safe and get the 1080p, under the assumption that if that's too much it won't hurt, but if 720p is too little I'll later regret it.

But in the TV reviews at CNET, they say you actually need to be about 5 feet away on a 42" set to see the benefits of 1080p.

It would be nice to be able to save a few hundred if I'm not going to see a difference when watching things, and spend that on, say a nice subwoofer or a good set of BD movies to get me started. Heck, getting the $900 Vizio at Sam's Club over the $1200 one at Costco, the cost difference buys the speaker package I have picked out.

I guess with all the rambling, my question really comes down to whether I'll see any difference between 720p and 1080p at seven to seven and a half feet. If the only 1080p source I have is the BD player, it might not be worth it even if I do see a difference.

Are 1080i sources going to look better downcoverted to 720p or upconverted to 1080p, or is that going to be dependent on the viewing distance? How about all my SD DVDs; will they upconvert to one resolution better than the other? BD discs are going to be 1080p, correct? Does this mean downcoverting to 720p is going to add artifacts?

I know this is a lot of questions, but they all boil down to one: Is it worth the cost to pay a few hundred extra for 1080p, or is that just falling for the hype?

Boy, do I sound like a noob.
 

Elphaba

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Ah, I think I found the answer I was looking for by looking at the CNET resolution guide and reading some of their performance reviews of 1080p vs. 1366 x 768 sets, and they said you can't see a difference unless the screen is very large or you're sitting very close.

In particular, this section of a Sony 40" review:


That's roughly the same size and seating distance I'll be using. They also said to look more at contrast and color accuracy/saturation.

So, I'm tentatively looking at the Vizio VX42LHDTV for my set. It's just under $900 at Sam's Club right now, which saves me close to $300 over the Westinghouse.

Hmmm. I also see a Vizio #GV42LFHDTV10A, which is 1080p for $1139 at Sears, but more importantly, has a much higher listed contrast.

Are there any other 42" LCD sets at around $1000 that I might want to also consider?
 

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