Need help choosing TV and other parts (1 Viewer)

[Jack Roper]

Hello. I am in the US Navy stationed in Japan and don't have an elaborate system like most of the fella's here... yet. Being in Japan I don't have access to alot of the stores that you might. My only place to shop from is the local Navy Exchange (Kind of like a WALMART) and they don't really carry high end consumer electronics. If I go out in town I face the prospect of ridiculously inflated prices. My current setup is:

JVC 32" TV
Kenwood KRF V7773D receiver
JVC XV-NK58 DVD player
Bose AM10 Speaker system

I finally got off my lazy butt and filed my tax return and I'm glad I did. I'm getting a fat $3900 and I have permission from the wife to spend it any way I want! Well, what I need from the knowledge compendium here is some advice for some upgrades. Should I upgrade my receiver, DVD player or speakers? My number one priority is the TV. I want at least a 65" widescreen. I will be watching alot of 4:3 programming so I am kind of worried about burn in as well. Some models I have been eyeing are:

Hitachi 60VS810, 60V715 or 60V710
Mitsubishi WS-65313
Sony KDF-60WF655 or KDF-60XS955
Toshiba 63HX93

Some of the receivers I have been eyeing are:

Harmon Kardon AV7200
Yamaha RX-V650, HTR-5790 or RX-V1400

Can you guys help me out with some suggestions for other receivers. Also, I must sadly admit that when I bought the Bose speakers I was under the impression that they were the best speakers you could buy. However, since researching home theatre upgrades I have learned that statement is not true. Granted, I do like the speakers but I am wondering if there is something I might be missing out on. Should I upgrade those as well? Sorry about the long thread and thanks ahead of time for any help.

 

[Mort Corey]

Wow, stationed in the homeland of electronics (at least those that aren't off-shored to other parts of Asia) and the only place to purchase them at a reasonable cost is the PX? I wonder if they're purchased by the Navy, sent to the US, then distributed to the various Exchanges worldwide?

If you're happy with the speakers, just run 'em until they die...but that's where I'd put MY money first..JMHO...just maybe not though if your selections are limited. You might also want to check into the Denon 2805....nice unit in the same range as the HK and Yamaha.

Mort

 

[Jack Roper]

How about the TV? I will be here until next September so there is no HD TV as of yet. So that means I will be watching (rather my wife will be watching) mostly 4:3 programming. When I get to the states I will definitely be getting HDTV there. Also, what is your recommendation for speakers. I have two boys ages 3yo and 3 weeks so I need to get speakers that I can mount up out of the way. (One of the driving decisions for the Bose) Are there any speakers that fit this requirement under $1000-1500?

 

[Mort Corey]

I've listened to the Mirage Omni speaker system and it's really quite good for your kid-proof requirements (though you'd still need a sub that sits on the floor) and they really outshine any of the Bose cube systems.
http://miragespeakers.com/index.shtml

Another sub satellite system that I've read pretty good reviews on is Orb Audio, though I've never listened to them personally. They have a package that's right in your price range, and again, out of the way for kids.
http://www.orbaudio.com/index.asp?Pa...TS&Category=14

Are you planing on moving a big screen TV when you return to the States or leaving it behind?

Mort

 

[Jack Briggs]

Jack, welcome aboard.

Have you had a chance to look at Japan's NTSC-based analog high-def broadcasts? If so, how do you think they compare with the U.S.'s ATSC-based digital high-def pictures?

Best of luck on your system.

 

[Jack Roper]

Sorry to say I no longer live off-base and have been living on base since 2000. Let me tell you about our cable service on base. For one, there is only one company (Americable) so that means no competition. We pay $50 a month for 50 channels. About 30 of those are pre-recorded on VHS tapes in the states three to four weeks in advance then shipped here for us to watch. Very substandard picture and service, they know it too. It is kind of weird when your watching TV in OCT and they are talking about football preseason will be starting next week. I have written Americable about other ways of getting us the programming (sending the programming VIA high speed internet, recording to DVD or hard drive) but they say that would cost too much. Myself I think the cost of a DVD and a VHS are almost the same. They won this contract from the US Navy and now they are milking it for everything they can. So I sit and day dream of the day I will be back in the states watching REAL television programming in REAL time.

By the way, any suggestions on a TV?

 

[sina]

Suggestions on a TV, huh? If I were you I'd wait for the new HQV displays/projectors, etc that'll be coming out next year. You ever heard of Teranex? They make the best image processors is the world (for $100k). They collaborated with Silicon Optix (DSP semiconductor company) to create "Teranex on a chip."

While I can go on and on about the technology (I work there) I won't. All I will say is that you might be unhappy if you're going to purchase a TV anytime soon. All the HDTVs look like crap when displaying analog. HQV displays thrive on analog: they make SD look like HD (no joke - our demos include upconverting a 480i DVD to HD side-by-side with a DVHS version of the same movie) and HD looks like WOW!

Ok. Just a couple last shameless plugs for HQV: it's TRUE 10bit processing (helluva difference), fully programmable (new, better alorithms can just be downloaded to the TV), and does more than 1 TRILLION ops per second. No joke.

Soooo, just wait. TVs are too expensive right now. At least they're too expensive for the Picture Quality they produce. HQV. And you might even get this technology sooner than others being that you're in Japan!

 

[Jack Roper]

How long do you think it will take? First/second Quarter 2005? I saw the web page for silicon Optix (by the way my home town is San Jose California) and it looks pretty good but I am not one that likes to wait to long. I understand that HDTV's are getting cheaper but I'm not getting any younger either. I could have waited 8 years for DVD players to get as cheap as they are now, but I would have missed out on all the excellent movies that I have bought and watched over that period of time as well. Catch 22 if you ask me.