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Community weekly poll: What kind of home-theater setup do you have?
- 4/18/06 5:19 PM
Me too
by dolbyg - 4/19/06 7:50 PM In reply to: Jumped in to HD in 2001. by bunkey91405I started with an RCA MM36100 36" CRT HDTV, RCA DTC-100 HD receiver for broadcast, cable and DirecTV, JVC VCR, Toshiba DVD player, Kenwood 5.1 Dolby surround sound and 6 Radio Shack speakers. The HDTV has always been my computer's only monitor, too. I use long-range radio wireless keyboard and mouse.
Then my VCR died. I never replaced or fixed it.
In moving, I upgraded to 6 wired Bose speakers and dropped DirecTV. My antenna picks up more Los Angeles HDTV broadcasts.
Adelphia gave me an HD DVR free for a year. I rent or lease it now.
Then my DVD player died. I put a DVD burner in my Dell computer and play my DVDs that way, now.
I am an electronics engineer working avionics and worked to make LCDs viable for cockpit applications since 1988. I learned all their shortcomings, so I don't want to watch one for entertainment.
I went for the high end HDTV First
by ashish7522 - 4/19/06 2:13 PM In reply to: What kind of home-theater setup do you have? by Marc Bennett
My home theatre sound system is a Samsung 5.1 surround and it is adequate for now. It works fine and will suffice until I can afford something more top of the line.
I opted for a top shelf Samsung 32'' LCD HDTV with HDMI inputs. It was worth it and I'm very happy with the HD picture I get from my cable provider. This TV will end up in another room and then I'll get a larger screen plasma or LCD screen later on. That's when I'll get a great home theatre sound system with a separate DVD player.
I know there are many ways to go with home theatre and dozens of choices on how to proceed, but for my lifestyle, this setup will be best for me.
I'm one of those wives who hates the wiring so...
by drudesai - 4/19/06 2:18 PM In reply to: What kind of home-theater setup do you have? by Marc Bennett
...we decided to go with the Denon S101 virtual surround. It sounds great! The system comes with a subwoofer and 2 front speakers as well as a DVD player (including an IPOD connection). I'm sure the 5.1 systems would sound better because you get real sound from behind.
But, I don't like to see wires or the actual speaker boxes. I prefer the speakers which are set into the walls and I wasn't ready to shell out that much cash...so, until we get our dream home, the Denon sounds awesome! We also got the Sony 50" Grand Wega Projection LCD and man is it nice to watch HD on this thing...it's like you're looking through a window.
Alternatives are available
by Steve Gly - 4/19/06 3:09 PM In reply to: I'm one of those wives who hates the wiring so... by drudesaiMy wife and I don't like the wire thing either.
Take a look at the Kenwood RFU 6100 wireless rear speaker transmitter/receiver. Transmitter hooks up to A/V receiver where rear speakers get connected; box is about 4 inches square by 1-1/2 inches high, looks great. Receiver is about 6 inches square, same height, connects to rear speakers' wires. Don't need direct line of sight between trans and rcvr.
Works great and allows great rear surround sound without wires running from A/V receiver to surround speakers. Cost around $150 from Crutchfield's.
MY home theater setup
by 6pkguy - 4/19/06 2:29 PM In reply to: What kind of home-theater setup do you have? by Marc Bennett
I have a tube tv with VCR/DVD combo. I have the stereo sound patched into a 15 year old McIntosh Receiver and a big old pair of 30 year old Radio Shack tower speakers with genuine walnut veneer!!! The sound is awesome!!!
Types of setup
by fmowry - 4/19/06 2:32 PM In reply to: What kind of home-theater setup do you have? by Marc Bennett
Being a former Navy journalist, who spent most of my career forward deployed to either Italy and Sicily or Japan I have a variety of systems.
I own four A/V surround sound systems and am fully capable of setting up no less then three fully functional home theatre systems. As for media presentations, of course I have a computer system, which also has a surround 5.1 speaker arrangement. I have the old Betamax players, Video Disc players, VHS players, and DVD players. This is the reason why I selected other to the poll.
F. Mowry
I've got it an inexpensive version, and it rocks...
by nbponder - 4/19/06 2:35 PM In reply to: What kind of home-theater setup do you have? by Marc Bennett
Here's what's in my small den:
Syntax 26" LCD HD tv hooked up to HD cable with DVR
Zenith digital combo unit: 5.1 surround sound, progressive scan dvd, vcr, am/fm tuner. The 5 small speakers + subwoofer give me all the home theatre I want and need. The Syntax tv cost $700 from amazon (still waiting on a $200 rebate), and the Zenith unit was under $250. The most expensive part is the cable bill, but the DVR and on demand are worth it.
Home entertainment centre
by ilinsky - 4/19/06 2:39 PM In reply to: What kind of home-theater setup do you have? by Marc Bennett
You should have a category including Sterio. ie TV/VCR/DVD/Sterio
conservative approach
by nickrusso - 4/19/06 2:40 PM In reply to: What kind of home-theater setup do you have? by Marc Bennett
Everything I read about HD and and Blu-ray and DRM schemes that will make it so nothing works makes buying any of this ridiculous to me at this point.
I run my video on an Athlon XP 1700+ home-built system--1.5 GB, with Logitech Z-680s (bought new on clearance--still rated the best 5.1 system ever), 17'' LCD monitor, DVD RW.
The LCD reproduces DVD as well as I need for now, wish I could have afforded a bigger one.
The rear speakers are de rigeur but the center channel may be even more helpful as dialogue is impossible to hear in the mixes these days.
We have no cable and virtually no TV reception. Anything I would want to watch on ''the tube'' is eventually on DVD, and I can watch it anytime w/o ads.
Got a 9-inch portable TV/VCR for times we're stuck with VHS. May get an adapter that will allow me to use my Hi-fi VCR/DVD through the computer.
A few years after the fights are over and DRM is outlawed, I may buy some dedicated equipment, but I can't see messing with it for a while.
BTW, I got rid of my stereo as all my music plays better and easier on my PC using lossless WMA. Got a really nice tiny boom box instead of a ton of stereo components for radio and cassettes.
Hope WMP 11 isn't the disaster 10 is. 9 is still the best, 10 is just an advertising platform with a media player in it!
Viva la rear speakers!!!!
by dgtlmn - 4/19/06 3:12 PM In reply to: What kind of home-theater setup do you have? by Marc Bennett
Every since the Phantom Menace was released showcasing Dobly 6.1 I knew oh yeah I'll be seeing you somewhere down the road.
I must admit I've always been involved with surround even in the early Pro Logic days. Anyways ...here's my system:
Sony Wega "60 LCD rear projection tv
Definitive Pro Cinema 80,100 satellites,Pro 80 sub
Denon 3806 AV reciever I have four of the speakers
behind my sofa
LG LDA-511 upconversion DVD player
XBOX 360
SONY Minidisc player JB 940
Oh yeah could add an additional set of speakers for a 9.1 setup but I....ahem ...don't have anywhere to put them at the moment!
One night I put in War of the Worlds and it sounds like i have another right behind the sofa and I don't!
....really I don't!
Sound is at least as, and maybe more important than picture.
by slemenda - 4/19/06 3:29 PM In reply to: What kind of home-theater setup do you have? by Marc Bennett
From the moment I powered up my little Memorex surround box and two little Radio Shack rear speakers to get surround sound from my VCR instead of just stereo some 15 years or so ago, I realized that sound made all the difference in movie viewing. It added believability to the experience. Over the years I've kept adding to my system and upgrading components on a gradual and somewhat sporadic basis until I have a Denon 3803 driving a Mitsubishi 52" DLP HD TV(1080i, not p) through an eclectic 5.1 speaker set. The brands represented in just the speakers are BIC, Athena, Yamaha, and Wharfdale. I have two DVD players: a Cambridge and a Phillips, a Panasonic VCR, a Dish standard def DVR, a Polk XM tuner, a Goldring turntable, and a Nakamichi cassette deck dating from 1987. (That's my main legacy piece of gear.) While the picture is superb, especially when watching over-the-air HD programming, I still think that the sound adds more to the experience. Plus, when I don't feel like sitting around, I can listen to music through most of the house from the sound components. The sound system is used much more for music than it is to provide sound for video. My only problem is that the house we moved into a little over a year ago has a two-story great room, and I've had to put the rear speakers on stands out in the middle of the floor, because there's no way to wall mount them. I still won't give them up, though.
over budget
by barrysal7 - 4/19/06 3:54 PM In reply to: What kind of home-theater setup do you have? by Marc Bennett
I have a Mitsubishi WD73727 DLP hooked up to a Dish Network HD receiver-DVI to HDMI. I have a Marantz SR9600 receiver with the matching DVD the DV9600 this HDMI to HDMI. The sound is heard thu the DALI Hellicon series speakers - in 5.1. All this is protected by the top line Monster filter/regulator/surge protector hooked up to a dedicated supply.
Simple until I can afford better...
by Aimee - 4/19/06 4:02 PM In reply to: What kind of home-theater setup do you have? by Marc Bennett
When I came into a bit of money several years ago I got a huge (back then) 35" JVC tv and vcr, and added a dvd player after they became reasonably affordable. I have digital cable from Comcast, and have managed to string a pair of rear speakers to sit on the back of my couch. I love them, my boyfriend finds them annoying because he likes to sit in the corner of the couch and gets one in his ear. The next time I redo my system I will opt for wall mounted IR rear speakers and perhaps add a subwoofer, which I don't currently have, and get a larger tv. I'll take a really close look at what kind of TV at that point and decide if I want HD or LCD or whatever else they come up with by then. I'll need a new tuner too, all I have is a basic 5 channel right now.
Live performance
by Claptrap - 4/19/06 4:08 PM In reply to: What kind of home-theater setup do you have? by Marc Bennett
I wouldn't say that I hate films or even TV, but lets put it that way: I practically HATE opera on TV whereas I actually enjoyed going to see the same on live and I wish I could go to opera regularly. The difference is not quite as extreme between a play and a film, but the balance is still very much in favour of live performance.
I don't know what makes live performance that much better, but I guess its the atmosphere - there's communication between the performers and audience: you are kind of IN the act/story or watever. Live performance is also 3D, and sometimes the performers jump of the stage and interact with the audience even make them a part of the act, and each performance is never exactly same. It will take a long time before the film technology will manage that.
The other reason is kind of tribal thing I guess: you are ''sharing'' the experience with other audience. In theory, it should be the same if you saw a film in threatre but the impersonal performance doesn't seem to create as deep bond.
If watching a film, the best place to forget your surroundings and get sucked into the story, would be in a movie threatre, where there are no other objects to distract you. However, I prefer the home comforts: there's no-one else rattling sweet papers on the worst possible moment or giggling and chatting behind your back. goodies are cheaper to buy from a supermarket and can be set on a table - wrappers of sweets are taken off in advance and packet of crisps has been emptied into a bowl. (Personally, I find the need distraction of food only if the film isn't any good). At home you can also wear whatever you find comfortable- or not wear anything at all!
If I had a home theatre system at home, I'm sure I would like to have back speakers; afterall, I want to surround myself with music. Speaker wires are not very thick and in most cases can be run behind skirting boards most of the way. If you are really fussy and know you won't change the position of your speakers, then a channel could be made into the wall to hide the bits of wire running up to the speaker shelves (this is best done when putting up new wallpaper, unless you can cut the existing one so neatly that it isn't noticeable afer you have put it carefully back. ) Wireless system is an ideal solution, as long as the quality is acceptable and you don't mind yet more radiation in your environment. Is there any chance of interference from other gadgets in the house?
In my case, it all hypothetical anyway: I don't have a media PC, I don't even have a TV. The five or so DVDs are hardly worth the cost of any rig but all I need is a good set of headphones with a long lead (or wireless ones, if they do the for PC)
Home theater- The works!
by Ultrafast - 4/19/06 4:39 PM In reply to: What kind of home-theater setup do you have? by Marc Bennett
Hello
My home theater consists of the following:
Epson PowerLite XGA projector filling a 180" dalite screen
Apple Mac Mini Intel Core Duo
Sony DVD Player
Sony VCR
Sony 5.1 Channel DTS Dolby 5.1 etc. 575watt sound system
100 (200?) Watt subwoofer
Nice couch
Dark Room
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