New user who has no idea

[tommo]

Hi guys Im real new to all this so bear iwth me and I applogise if all ny questions have been asked before.

I have just purchased a projector and i wnat to set up my theater/games room.
first question..is it worth setting the room up as a 7.1 theater or stay with 5.1 ? or are the blue ray movies now being encoded with 7.1 ?

also I have a ps3 as a blue ray player...do I need a better player ? and for the rear speakers do these need to be top quality? or just resonable ?
when I listen to music that will just be stereo with the subby.
my projector is a 1080p.....epson.

[tommyboy81]

Well first off, Hello. Your name looks just as good as mine. For the 7.1 question, for me I do not have it set up yet because of the size of the room. The back speakers will be right behind my head. But if there's a good distance then I say go for it. What do you have to lose. For 7.1 movies theres New Line, Lionsgate, and I'm trying to remember if there's another one.

Edit: KEEP YOUR PS3 AS YOUR BLU-RAY PLAYER! Sorry for yelling

[Sonny]

do 7.1 if you can, if not you can add later. The PS3 is 1 of--if not the BEST blu-ray players out so your good. what A/V are you using or plan on using? welcome to the board

[crackinhedz]

tommo, do you have a receiver yet?

[sokrman14]

It honestly wont really matter that much. Most people can't even tell the difference. Most DVD's have only 5.1, blurays have a mixture of 5.1 and 7.1. A 7.1 receiver will turn 5.1 into 7.1, but it isnt truly 7.1 unless the movie has it. Hopefully more blurays will continue recording their discs in 7.1 though.

[cpgator]

What equipment do you already have, beside a PS3 and projector?

[tommo]

Originally Posted by cpgator

What equipment do you already have, beside a PS3 and projector?

gee guys thanks for the quick response....
the room is 7 metres by 5 metres and Ill be having the screen on the 5 metre wall,
I supose the only reason Id not go for the 7.1 is that added cost fo the gear needed, if its just not needed then no need to dig deep in the old pockets

the AV is an Onkyo 605 . I have a yamaha sub and a couple of choices for my mains, either a pair of whafedale two 100 watt or a pair floor stander sony 100 watt three ways.
these speakers i allready have kicking around...plus i have a yamaha 250 watt sub so i guess I need a center and rears..any ideas on these?

Im trying to keep the cost down a bit and use the speakers I allready have in the system. or is this not a good idea?

I wont be listening to music much and i aint an audiofile either....but i dont want to balls it up either by being too cheap..lol

[quest88]

Originally Posted by sokrman14

It honestly wont really matter that much. Most people can't even tell the difference. Most DVD's have only 5.1, blurays have a mixture of 5.1 and 7.1. A 7.1 receiver will turn 5.1 into 7.1, but it isnt truly 7.1 unless the movie has it. Hopefully more blurays will continue recording their discs in 7.1 though.

If you are going to buy a receiver that has a 7.1 setup why not use it. There are only a few 7.1 blu titles and if they are your favorite ones then you're selling yourself short.

[scragham]

Originally Posted by tommo

Hi guys Im real new to all this so bear iwth me and I applogise if all ny questions have been asked before.

I have just purchased a projector and i wnat to set up my theater/games room.
first question..is it worth setting the room up as a 7.1 theater or stay with 5.1 ? or are the blue ray movies now being encoded with 7.1 ?

also I have a ps3 as a blue ray player...do I need a better player ? and for the rear speakers do these need to be top quality? or just resonable ?
when I listen to music that will just be stereo with the subby.
my projector is a 1080p.....epson.

welcome to the club.

if your budget is not that big an issue, you may as well set up for a 7.1 system, even if you don't buy the last 2 speakers yet. this way at least the wiring etc are in place. there are very few movies and games (shoot 'em up and uncharted: drakes fortune come to mind) that are 7.1, but they are out there and presumably more will come.

as to the ps3 as a BD player, if you already have the onkyo 605 as a receiver, you are probably fine. some purists will claim that some standalones output a better video image than the ps3; some purists believe that bitstreaming lossless audio and having the receiver decode it (which some standalones will do, but the ps3 won't) is better; and some purists just outright don't believe the ps3 belongs in a home theater rack. regardless, the ps3 is an outstanding and very full featured player if you have an HDMI receiver.

as to the speakers question, i can't answer that. i don't know what effect cheaper speakers may or may not have.

(nice setup... but of course i'd say that, it's so similar to mine...)

[tommo]

Originally Posted by scragham

welcome to the club.

if your budget is not that big an issue, you may as well set up for a 7.1 system, even if you don't buy the last 2 speakers yet. this way at least the wiring etc are in place. there are very few movies and games (shoot 'em up and uncharted: drakes fortune come to mind) that are 7.1, but they are out there and presumably more will come.

as to the ps3 as a BD player, if you already have the onkyo 605 as a receiver, you are probably fine. some purists will claim that some standalones output a better video image than the ps3; some purists believe that bitstreaming lossless audio and having the receiver decode it (which some standalones will do, but the ps3 won't) is better; and some purists just outright don't believe the ps3 belongs in a home theater rack. regardless, the ps3 is an outstanding and very full featured player if you have an HDMI receiver.

as to the speakers question, i can't answer that. i don't know what effect cheaper speakers may or may not have.

(nice setup... but of course i'd say that, it's so similar to mine...)

thats good advise about runing the wires...as its a dirty job in the wall cavity and ceiling space!.

my rears will be dome ceiling mount speakers. as the wife dont want em on the wall so i guess I will have to make me mind up soon before I cut holes in the ceiling board !.

I will say im not even near being a purist, but having said that I like the equipment to do its job the best it can.....

Iv got all the gear in boxes in the games room unopened. and found out i could have had the onkyo for $150 au less...but the salesman said he would help out on the hdmi cable..

so the AV is good yes ?, as i bought it all in a mad rush { as I do }
and thought later perhaps i should have got the 705 or 805..but in reality I doubt i will ever use the features of the bigger amps. i will only ever have the P3 and paytv conected to it anyway and the only sacrifice will perhaps be the odd home movie played through the camera.

will the p3 still upsacle dvds through the amp?

also the projector is the emp TW 1000. they are runing them out over here as the EMP TW 2000 is about to hit the shelves at $1000 more on the ticket price..I payed $3000 au for the Tw 1000. should i have waited for the 2000, again I like a good picture but if the 2000 is only a bit better at blacks I dont think it would faze me too much and the $1000 is better spent on speakers ?

the screen size I want is at least 100 to 130 inch and I will mount the projector at its optimal distance ...whatever that is LOL

i just thought of another question...what material can I use for a screen ? it will be a fixed screen and was think perhaps matt white laminex would do the job as I can get that in 3.6 m x 1.8 m sheets and stick in on a MDF backing board with a nice oak frame ? Laminex is kitcen bench top material

see I knew Id keep you all busy LOL

keep the advice rolling in guys as its what I need

[scragham]

Originally Posted by tommo

I will say im not even near being a purist, but having said that I like the equipment to do its job the best it can.....

so the AV is good yes ?, as i bought it all in a mad rush { as I do }
and thought later perhaps i should have got the 705 or 805..but in reality I doubt i will ever use the features of the bigger amps. i will only ever have the P3 and paytv conected to it anyway and the only sacrifice will perhaps be the odd home movie played through the camera.

the only part of your setup i'm unfamiliar with is the projector (i have the epson home cinema 1080) and whatever speakers you have. other than that, you're going to be very pleased with the onkyo 605 and your ps3.

will the p3 still upsacle dvds through the amp?

yes

also the projector is the emp TW 1000. they are runing them out over here as the EMP TW 2000 is about to hit the shelves at $1000 more on the ticket price..I payed $3000 au for the Tw 1000. should i have waited for the 2000, again I like a good picture but if the 2000 is only a bit better at blacks I dont think it would faze me too much and the $1000 is better spent on speakers ?

again, i'm not familiar with this projector...

i just thought of another question...what material can I use for a screen ? it will be a fixed screen and was think perhaps matt white laminex would do the job as I can get that in 3.6 m x 1.8 m sheets and stick in on a MDF backing board with a nice oak frame ? Laminex is kitcen bench top material

see I knew Id keep you all busy LOL

keep the advice rolling in guys as its what I need

i just bought an actual projector screen. prior to having my screen come in, i was actual just projecting it onto a white wall, which worked reasonably well (although obviously the actual screen was heads and tails better).

[CptGreedle]

Welcome tommo,
First off, before you get bombarded for the typo, remember it is called "Blu-ray" and not "blue ray", its a copyright thing.
Yes many Blu-ray discs have 7.1. 5.1 is fine for most things, and the size of your room is also important here, as others have said.
Keep the PS3 as a BD player, since it is the most upgradable ("future-proof"), and is the most popular one. Just remember to buy the remote.
Hope this helps a little but with so many others on here posting, you prolly heard it all by now.