What Do You Need to have a COMPLETE Home Theater System/Setup

[CassilineKnight]

I'm a supporter of Bluray and I want to make sure that I'm experiencing it in a way that gives the most value for my money.

Now of course I know I need an HDTV and a Bluray Player.

However all this stuff regarding Receivers and Audio is confusing me. Are these things necessary.

[crackinhedz]

Originally Posted by CassilineKnight

Are these things necessary.

Audiowise YES.

But to enjoy a great high definition movie? not really. You just need a Bluray player and TV.

The receiver Audio adds a whole 'nother element to the movie experience which is well worth it...but not a necessity.

[Colglizity]

Originally Posted by CassilineKnight

I'm a supporter of Bluray and I want to make sure that I'm experiencing it in a way that gives the most value for my money.

Now of course I know I need an HDTV and a Bluray Player.

However all this stuff regarding Receivers and Audio is confusing me. Are these things necessary.

Sounds like you haven't ever been over to someone's house who has a premium setup for their home theater to give you a demonstration, where an action scene comes up and the sound that immerses you causes an outbreak of goosebumps and the hair on the back of your neck to raise up... OH God... that's livin'. Go to a home theater store and ask the clerks to give you a demo, you'll enjoy it!!!!! (sorry for the run-on sentence)

[Crème Blu-ray]

Originally Posted by Colglizity

Sounds like you haven't ever been over to someone's house who has a premium setup for their home theater to give you a demonstration, where an action scene comes up and the sound that immerses you causes an outbreak of goosebumps and the hair on the back of your neck to raise up... OH God... that's livin'. Go to a home theater store and ask the clerks to give you a demo, you'll enjoy it!!!!! (sorry for the run-on sentence)

If you ever see POTC 2 in full surround when they're in the hanging cages, you'll hear a creepy crawly sound behind you and say, "What the @*?! was that?!" Great stuff!

[CassilineKnight]

Originally Posted by Colglizity

Sounds like you haven't ever been over to someone's house who has a premium setup for their home theater to give you a demonstration, where an action scene comes up and the sound that immerses you causes an outbreak of goosebumps and the hair on the back of your neck to raise up... OH God... that's livin'. Go to a home theater store and ask the clerks to give you a demo, you'll enjoy it!!!!! (sorry for the run-on sentence)

Sounds great.

But what exactly would I need?

The receiver right...and then a surround system? The receiver itself is useless right UNLESS I have the whole speaker setup connected to it right?

And what companies sell these things? I keep hearing about Onkyo and Denon? Does Samsung or Panasonic make and offer packages that contain both the receiver and the speaker system?

Also what are some upcoming speaker setups?

Lol I probably just need a link to a good website that offers the latest news regarding that stuff. Sorry for all the questions in advance.

[musicman1999]

For me audio and video are equally important, if you only have good video you are only getting half of the experience, you need a full set of high quality speakers and ample power to drive them. To not do so would be like buying a high performance sports car and not taking it out of first gear.

bill

[richteer]

Originally Posted by CassilineKnight

Sounds great.

But what exactly would I need?

The receiver right...and then a surround system? The receiver itself is useless right UNLESS I have the whole speaker setup connected to it right?

And what companies sell these things? I keep hearing about Onkyo and Denon? Does Samsung or Panasonic make and offer packages that contain both the receiver and the speaker system?

Also what are some upcoming speaker setups?

Lol I probably just need a link to a good website that offers the latest news regarding that stuff. Sorry for all the questions in advance.

To get the most out of your movie watching experience you'll need:

* An HDTV (or projector and screen). As good and as big as you can afford/have space for. For TVs, that means a big Pioneer or Panasonic plasma.

* A Blu-ray player (take your pick).

* A surround sound system, consisting of speakers and amplification. For amps, you can go the separates route (usually more expensive, but more flexible and better sounding), or get a receiver. Well respected names here include Onkyo, Denon, Marantz, and Pioneer.

* For speakers you'll want either a 5.1 or 7.1 setup. This means 5 or 7 main speakers, plus a sub (the .1). Most movies are 5.1, so that's a good start, and most receivers are 7.1 capable. There are many reasonable speaker brands to chose from (again, your budget will help dictate what to look at here), but avoid the HTIB and anything made by Bose.

* For better results, add tweaks such as a power conditioner and decent cables.

* A selection of your favourite movies on Blu, plus your choice of beverage and snack.

Enjoy!

[richteer]

Originally Posted by musicman1999

For me audio and video are equally important, if you only have good video you are only getting half of the experience, you need a full set of high quality speakers and ample power to drive them. To not do so would be like buying a high performance sports car and not taking it out of first gear.

QFT!

[Crème Blu-ray]

Originally Posted by CassilineKnight

Sounds great.

But what exactly would I need?

The receiver right...and then a surround system? The receiver itself is useless right UNLESS I have the whole speaker setup connected to it right?

And what companies sell these things? I keep hearing about Onkyo and Denon? Does Samsung or Panasonic make and offer packages that contain both the receiver and the speaker system?

Also what are some upcoming speaker setups?

Lol I probably just need a link to a good website that offers the latest news regarding that stuff. Sorry for all the questions in advance.

Onkyo, Denon, Yamaha and Pioneer are probably biggest receiver manufacturers. You can get an HTiB (home theater in a box) that includes both the receiver and a 5.1 speaker system from just about any component manufacturer, although this is an entry-level solution for people with a total audio budget of $500-$1,000. If you have a larger budget, a good mid-level audio system will go about $1,500-$3,000 (combined receiver and speakers). Be aware that the big-name speaker makers are not the same as the big-name component makers.

[CassilineKnight]

Originally Posted by Crème Blu-ray

Onkyo, Denon, Yamaha and Pioneer are probably biggest receiver manufacturers. You can get an HTiB (home theater in a box) that includes both the receiver and a 5.1 speaker system from just about any component manufacturer, although this is an entry-level solution for people with a total audio budget of $500-$1,000. If you have a larger budget, a good mid-level audio system will go about $1,500-$3,000 (combined receiver and speakers). Be aware that the big-name speaker makers are not the same as the big-name component makers.

Whats the difference between the speakers and the component? It sounds like you're suggesting I buy the receiver separately from the sound system. If thats the case what companies should I look at for each?

And when the studios release movies that have 7,1 sound that means that if you have a 7.1 system that it will direct 7 different sound sources to each speaker? What does that mean if you have only a 5.1 system?

Thanks for all the info. As for TV I'm pretty much set on a the Samsung LN52A650. I think that should be big enough to enjoy both my gaming and video needs. Also all the reviews out there seem to indicate that its a great LCD HDTV.

I know a lot of people on here like Plasma but LCD looks awesome to me and I've never really seen the big difference between the two.

Thanks for all the info. I've definitely got a lot of research to do but this is really helping me out.

[Crème Blu-ray]

Originally Posted by CassilineKnight

Whats the difference between the speakers and the component? It sounds like you're suggesting I buy the receiver separately from the sound system. If thats the case what companies should I look at for each?

And when the studios release movies that have 7,1 sound that means that if you have a 7.1 system that it will direct 7 different sound sources to each speaker? What does that mean if you have only a 5.1 system?

"Component" means what normally goes on the rack: Blu-ray player, receiver, cable or satellite box, etc., i.e., whatever devices source or process the audio/video. My (very fuzzy) forum radar tells me the majority of members have Onkyo, Denon and Yamaha receivers, with a smattering of Pioneer and to a lesser extent Sony. I was raised on Yamaha - just so you understand that I'm a little biased.

I've found at least one web page that lists most of the big-name speaker manufacturers:

http://www.intellexual.net/speaker5.html

This is a very old list (even though the date will show as today) as far as speaker models go, but it's still a good run-down of the makes available.

If you send a 7.1 soundtrack to a 5.1 system, most receivers will overlay the extra two sound sources to the two existing surround speakers. Conversely, a mid- to high-end receiver can take a 5.1 soundtrack and extrapolate it to 7.1 if it features sound-processing circuitry like Dolby Pro Logic IIx. The thread "A Guide to Home Theater Audio CODECs" is a good read and has much more information.

Originally Posted by CassilineKnight

I know a lot of people on here like Plasma but LCD looks awesome to me and I've never really seen the big difference between the two.

There are advantages to each technology. Plasmas are generally considered better for night viewing while LCDs are better in more lighted viewing conditions. I believe this is because LCDs are backlit with each pixel cell filtering out unwanted color, while in plasmas the light source is the pixel cell itself. On the other hand, this gives plasma its generally higher contrast ratio - a measure of how dark a black it can display ("blackest black" vs. "whitest white") - because it's easier to make black by not emitting any light at all (plasma) than preventing light from shining through (LCD).

Originally Posted by CassilineKnight

Thanks for all the info. I've definitely got a lot of research to do but this is really helping me out.

Any time.

[Lucy Diamond]

Man...just turn back now while you still have all your money!!!


Ha ha...welcome to the greatest sub culture ever!!!

Start off with your Blu Ray player and a decent Tv. When you wanna get deeper...come see us.

At this point, just make sure your blu ray player can decode everything (audiowise) so you only need to buy one.

If you don't want to get into audio...then nothing is lost. If you DO...then you will be ready.

Amen..

Good luck


Have the BEST time!!!

WELCOME!!!

[m_tyson]

The surround sound system won't be complete until you add a buttkicker.

[Beta Man]

My T.V. is a piece of crap, my audio equipment are loved and cared for as if they were my children

[RUR]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

My T.V. is a piece of crap, my audio equipment are loved and cared for as if they were my children

LOL, I won't say my TV is a piece of crap, but I share your priorities. I do enjoy watching film, but music on a fine system can be a religious experience.

[damonous]

Originally Posted by CassilineKnight

I'm a supporter of Bluray and I want to make sure that I'm experiencing it in a way that gives the most value for my money.

Now of course I know I need an HDTV and a Bluray Player.

However all this stuff regarding Receivers and Audio is confusing me. Are these things necessary.

I'm surprised that no one's mentioned it yet, but before you plunk down your cash on a NEW receiver....you should really consider the "HDMI" aspect.

Yes, you will get a lot of "value" with a receiver or HTIB that gives you plain-Jane DTS & Dolby processing ... but just like buying Blu-ray and then watching it on only an EDTV or a 720p 'HD'TV, ---you'll be missing out on all the format has to offer.

Onkyo probably makes the most-affordable well-equipped HDMI 7.1 channel AV receiver (for $500; or if you act quick you can still get last year's just-as-good model for $400 like I did). Although, I believe that even the $300-400 newest Sony receivers will accept an HDMI input AND process audio. The $300 model only does 5.1, I believe ...while the $400 model does 7.1. If you have lots of existing AV components, the Onkyo is much better. But, if you're just 'getting in to the game', then the Sony is probably the best value currently on the market.

Be careful, though: not all "HDMI" receivers process audio. Some are ONLY "pass-through" (basically, they're capable of being an HDMI video-switcher: an infernal designation that the manufacturers should spend a day or two in H#$@ for, because of how misleading it is). Yamaha receivers are pretty much pass-through only until you spend about $900. Same for Denon. And Pioneer. And LAST year's models of Sony.


...So, what do you get with HDMI? The ability to not only SEE in High Definition, but also to HEAR in high definition. If you've heard of DVD-Audio or SACD, then HDMI decoding for audio is like that level of quality (above that of regular DTS & Dolby) along with your movie. To me, it's noticeable AND worth it. (I have some old 6 1/2" bookshelf speakers, and some Infinity HTIB speakers for the rest of channels that I got on a deal a few years back. Nothing extraordinary; but still enough to appreciate the difference lossless HDMI audio can make.)

My suggestion (if on a budget): get the $300 Sony AV receiver, as long as it does HDMI audio like I think, and spend $300 or so on a set of '6-in-one+sub' speakers. I think BestBuy or CircuitCity have a sale on a Polk speaker-only set for around that price.

Also, make sure that your BD player can internally decode and send out the audio as PCM to the receiver. (PS3 can do this for both DTS & Dolby lossless formats.) If the player would only send bitstream lossless audio on HDMI, then you'd have to start with the Onkyo (which is a safe bet that can basically 'handle any audio format' on the market today).


(Oh, and I've already blathered-on long enough; but a 5.1 or 6.1 setup is probably ideal. There are some real quirks in how 7.1 is recorded vs how people traditionally place 7.1 speakers that make it more trouble than it's worth.)

[crackinhedz]

Originally Posted by damonous

Yamaha receivers are pretty much pass-through only until you spend about $900.

Yamaha RX-V661 and 663 are both 7.1PCM.

~$400-$500

[damonous]

Originally Posted by crackinhedz

Yamaha RX-V661 and 663 are both 7.1PCM.

~$400-$500

--Just read Yamaha's site. Thanks for the correction. I know I had been looking at a lot of different receivers, and somehow mistakenly lumped them into the "low-functionality pile". What is true (still) is that there are few in the $400-500 range that can provide what Onkyo does (DTS-HD MA & TrueHD bitstream decoding as well as PCM HDMI audio) until the $800+ range. And, certainly for last-year's models of receivers (for many brands, still on the shelves), there are surprisingly many under $500 that do only "HDMI pass-through", but not "HDMI audio".

Yes, the Yamaha is actually not a bad HDMI-audio capable unit, at a somewhat-reasonable price.
http://www.yamaha.com/yec/products/p...ETYP=ATTRIBUTE

[moviefan]

Originally Posted by m_tyson

The surround sound system won't be complete until you add a buttkicker.

Amen to that!
We have the full Buttkicker setup and love it!
Try to find a dealer who has a demo setup.

[wes]

Originally Posted by CassilineKnight

I'm a supporter of Bluray and I want to make sure that I'm experiencing it in a way that gives the most value for my money. Now of course I know I need an HDTV and a Bluray Player. However all this stuff regarding Receivers and Audio is confusing me. Are these things necessary.

If you want a simple way check this out: Panasonic SC-BT100

http://www2.panasonic.com/consumer-e...00000000005702

or Samsung HT-AS720ST

http://www.samsung.com/us/consumer/d...HT-AS720ST/XAA

for more elaborate you can put up some thing a bit more expensive
- B&W & Classé