WAAAY over my head :'(

[JiJi]

We're moving to our new home hopefully by the end of January and I want to make the absolute best entertainment system in the basement. It's a pretty big space, which contains a swimming pool, sauna, bar, small dining table, and 2 seating areas (one of them is in a closed area, kind of indoor so it takes away from the outside space ... sorry I can't figure out how to explain it better. Maybe I'll post a picture later.)

So anyway, I read up a lot on this site and others trying to figure out how to put this thing together, but I can't come out with a clear answer as to what TV or systems I should get.

Ok, first of all, the Blu-ray player. I've read up A LOT and have been here a few times in the past. People here have been very helpful, but I decided to not buy a player until we were close to moving so I can buy the absolute best one that is available now. It seems like the Sony BDP-S350 is the best choice, but to be honest I am beyond confused I don't understand any of that technical talk and I don't want to do any updates because chances are I won't know how. I just want an excellent player that I can just set up and enjoy for a long time without having troubles with it.

As for the TV, I remember I saw a Panasonic one last summer and it was beautiful. It was about 100'' probably. It wasn't a flat tv. It was one of those that don't need a stand you just place them anywhere (SO sorry, I honestly do not know any of these technical names ) so anyway, I went to the Panasonic website to try and find it and I saw a lot of options (Flat-Panel, Plasma, and LCD). I tried to research to find out which is best, but I ended up being even more confused

I also have no idea which speakers I should get

I feel like I'm way over my head and I was hoping someone here might take pity on me and help me find the best player, tv, speakers, etc... to make the entertainment system I want.
I honestly tried to figure this out on my own before asking for help, but I couldn't

[joegs300]

i was in the same boat. just wait till crackinhedz and all the pro advice givers find your thread. im still a noob myself.

[JJ]

You need speakers, subwoofer, a receiver - and all the necessary cabling and whatnot!

Shoot us a budget first.

[JiJi]

There is no budget, money is not an issue. Of course I don't want to spend money like crazy, but if it's worth it then I'll gladly pay. I just want the best entertainment system that would last for a long time and look good too.

[DrrnHarr]

At some point you probably will have to get an update. If an update is a big concern for you possibly the easiest Blu-ray player to update is a good ol' regular PS3.

I have no problen with my PS3 and have been very happy with it but I am sure there are more expensive players out there with more bells and whistles.

[katharsis]

Blu-ray player-

Most players should be pretty much up to date right now, but there might be some new features available in the future, which will need a firmware upgrade.
You can either hook the player up to the internet or in most cases you can download the upgrade on the manufacturers website and put it onto a cd, then load it on the player. It's really not hard to do.

TV-

The one you are talking about is probably a rear projection tv. Those are usually quite bulky compared to LCDs or Plasmas. I've had one for about 6 years and it just burnt out last December. It has done an excellent job over the years though. You should go to the stores and have a look at what you like.
If size is not an issue you can go with DLP. Have a look at the differences between 60 and 120 hertz tvs. Or maybe even a projector?
I would try and do some side by side comparison.
If you already know what size tv you would like, it will trim it down to less choices already.

Sound system-

Would you rather want a 5.1 or a 7.1 system?
Looking for speakers- again how much space is available. There are pretty good sized, oversized or small ones...


Now from the description of the place you are giving, will the home theater be in a separate room or in the same area where the pool etc is ?
It would definitely be best to have it set up in a separate room for sound quality alone.

Hope this will help you a little bit...

[ixlegitballinxl]

put some thought into speaker placement.. 5.1 vs 7.1

i'd recommend 50+ tv screen size ( plasma or lcd depending on your preference )

I'm a fan of floorstanding Left/Right speakers. Many good brands to choice from.. just make sure they are all timbre matched ( l,r,c and both surround speakers )

If you go with the Sony 350 bdp, you'll need a receiver that decodes hd codecs.. popular brands here are onkyo,yamaha,pioneer,marantz,denon, and sony.

Looking at subs, I base my picks on how low the frequency hits on it.. ( human ears can't hear below 15hzish )


If your area is big, a projector setup might be idle ( depending if you watch a lot of tv or not, or if your more movie based )

few questions, what kind of seating?

and what is your budget, you must have one.. even if its a big one..

With a given set of $$$, you can get far more recommendations.


Also, what's more important to you? video or audio?

need more info!

[JiJi]

Originally Posted by katharsis

Blu-ray player-

Most players should be pretty much up to date right now, but there might be some new features available in the future, which will need a firmware upgrade.
You can either hook the player up to the internet or in most cases you can download the upgrade on the manufacturers website and put it onto a cd, then load it on the player. It's really not hard to do.

I guess I'm ok with that. I just don't want a player that would need an update every few weeks or something. I would be ok with having to do an update every few months. But you know what, the update isn't even an issue anymore, I can deal with it.

TV-

If size is not an issue you can go with DLP. Have a look at the differences between 60 and 120 hertz tvs. Or maybe even a projector?

Since the area is packed, the seating will be relatively close to the TV so I don't want something that would be too big. I think I would like a 70'' or 80'' would be great. Also, I definitely don't want a projector.

Sound system-

Would you rather want a 5.1 or a 7.1 system?
Looking for speakers- again how much space is available. There are pretty good sized, oversized or small ones...

I read up a little on these systems and I think it's better to go with the 5.1 (If you think I'm wrong please say so). As for speakers, I would prefer small ones that are at the top of stands. I think they look nice and easy to move around, but of course you guys are the experts and that's why I'm here. I want to know if they're good enough or if I need something bigger. As for the space, I'll go to the house either tomorrow or the day after and post pictures of the area, maybe that'll help.

will the home theater be in a separate room or in the same area where the pool etc is ?

No, it's going to be in the same area because the inside room doesn't have space for setting up all of this.


Thank you SOOO MUCH for taking the time to help me out. I really appreciate it.

[Driver_King]

Originally Posted by JiJi

There is no budget, money is not an issue. Of course I don't want to spend money like crazy, but if it's worth it then I'll gladly pay. I just want the best entertainment system that would last for a long time and look good too.

So around 15-20k is alright? I could set you up with one of the best movie experiences of your life with that. (If it's less, that's okay too. You can still have a great movie experience for less)

[ryoohki]

Why not a projector? IMHO they are much more impressive than LCD TV. If you have the room (15feet Deep +) and the Light control of that room it's the perfect match. The AE3000 or 6500UB are excellent machine. Actually i prefer my screen using my new Ae3000 to the 40' inch that my friend have, lot more detail. Remember 1080p loose it's meaning at 7 feet from a 40' and at 15 feet from at 92' inch screen...

[witheygull]

Originally Posted by JiJi

There is no budget, money is not an issue. Of course I don't want to spend money like crazy, but if it's worth it then I'll gladly pay. I just want the best entertainment system that would last for a long time and look good too.

If money really isn't much of an issue, it may very well be worth it to you to hire a reputable local home theater installer and custom design the entire room for an ideal setup.

[Mr. HiDef]

Originally Posted by witheygull

If money really isn't much of an issue, it may very well be worth it to you to hire a reputable local home theater installer and custom design the entire room for an ideal setup.

hah that's what I was thinking

[DiverSpear]

BD player I recommend the Sony 5000ES

Receiver either the Sony 5400ES or the 6400ES. Is the receiver going to integrated into a whole house system?

Speakers: Martin Logan

TV: Sony 70" XBR

Being in Saudi Arabia you wil be able to get that equipment real easy.

There is about $40k US dollars there. You said money isn't an issue and you would pay for quality.

If you want what I think you want stay away from the 350 and PS3 they are tinker toys compared to what is available. If you want even better replace the Sony ES receiver with high end Denon and McIntosh tube amps.

[Purplegrasshopper]

Originally Posted by witheygull

If money really isn't much of an issue, it may very well be worth it to you to hire a reputable local home theater installer and custom design the entire room for an ideal setup.

+1

Agreed.

[Mr. HiDef]

Originally Posted by DiverSpear

BD player I recommend the Sony 5000ES

Receiver either the Sony 5400ES or the 6400ES. Is the receiver going to integrated into a whole house system?

Speakers: Martin Logan

TV: Sony 70" XBR

Being in Saudi Arabia you wil be able to get that equipment real easy.

There is about $40k US dollars there. You said money isn't an issue and you would pay for quality.

If you want what I think you want stay away from the 350 and PS3 they are tinker toys compared to what is available. If you want even better replace the Sony ES receiver with high end Denon and McIntosh tube amps.

money is no issue and you are recommending a sony receiver?

[hardcorefrokid]

Go for a 7.1 sound system. I post this all the time, but, it's nice to have those extra two speakers when you come across a 7.1 film. Since your building your HT in your basement buy a 1080p front projector. It's almost limitless when it comes to how big you want your screen. I have mine at 133" . The BDP-350 is a good player, but if you want your player to internally decode all those HD codecs buy the Sony BDP-550, Panny DMP-BD35, or Panny DMP-BD55.

[Mr. HiDef]

Originally Posted by hardcorefrokid

Go for a 7.1 sound system. I post this all the time, but, it's nice to have those extra two speakers when you come across a 7.1 film. Since your building your HT in your basement buy a 1080p front projector. It's almost limitless when it comes to how big you want your screen. I have mine at 133" . The BDP-350 is a good player, but if you want your player to internally decode all those HD codecs buy the Sony BDP-550, Panny DMP-BD35, or Panny DMP-BD55.

he stated that he didnt want a front projector

[JiJi]

Originally Posted by ixlegitballinxl

i'd recommend 50+ tv screen size ( plasma or lcd depending on your preference )

I'm leaning more towards plasma because it has better colors and better tracking motion than LCD but I'm worried about the the screen-burn of static images. I'm sure plasmas have improved greatly now, but it seems like it's still a problem.
I don't intend to use this TV for regular TV watching. Just for DVDs, BDs, and I'm sure my brother would like to play video games on it. Do you think we can avoid the screen burn if we don't watch tv channels with it?

If you go with the Sony 350 bdp, you'll need a receiver that decodes hd codecs.. popular brands here are onkyo,yamaha,pioneer,marantz,denon, and sony.

I'll keep that in mind.

Looking at subs, I base my picks on how low the frequency hits on it.. ( human ears can't hear below 15hzish )

I have no idea what that means lol.

few questions, what kind of seating?

It's a U shaped seating that seats 9 people comfortably.
like this : http://www.superior-seats.com/rv/fur...%20Dinette.jpg

Only mine is more like a couch and is equal in length on all 3 sides (I hope my explanation is clear )

Also, it's kind of an open area, so there is space behind the couch, not a wall.

and what is your budget, you must have one.. even if its a big one..

Well, I guess it'll be between 10-15 thousand dollars.

Also, what's more important to you? video or audio?

Video. But I still want the audio to be good enough to make the whole experience complete.


Thank you so much for being so helpful and for taking the time out to reply.

[JiJi]

Originally Posted by ryoohki

Why not a projector? IMHO they are much more impressive than LCD TV. If you have the room (15feet Deep +) and the Light control of that room it's the perfect match. The AE3000 or 6500UB are excellent machine. Actually i prefer my screen using my new Ae3000 to the 40' inch that my friend have, lot more detail. Remember 1080p loose it's meaning at 7 feet from a 40' and at 15 feet from at 92' inch screen...

Like I said, the seating area will be pretty close to the screen and with a projector I think that would be a problem. The area over all is big (not huge) but it's not wide as it is long.

[JiJi]

Originally Posted by Driver_King

So around 15-20k is alright? I could set you up with one of the best movie experiences of your life with that. (If it's less, that's okay too. You can still have a great movie experience for less)

15k is def. Ok, but not more