Need your help urgently!

[spuddy]

Buying a new TV, and there's a discount with a blu-ray player.
Choice of either a Sony BDP-S350 or S550.

Obviously the S350 is cheaper, but I know the S550 does DTS-HD Master Audio and 7.1 output.

To have a home cinema set up, would it be best to pay the extra for the S550, buy separate speakers, and hook it up directly to the player.

Or save the money on the S350, and put it towards an amp and speaker set.

I would think the first option should work out the best value, but as you can probably tell by now, I'm a complete newbie to all this!

Thanks!

[Midnightsailor]

Welcome to Blu-ray. If you don't want to spend as much money on the S550, the S350 will do 7.1 over HDMI. It wont internally decode DTS-HD MA but you can bitstream it over HDMI to a capable receiver, which will decode it instead. If you want every option, the S550 is a good player. There are a few threads on this already. You can search them and make a decision based on more information there. You can't go wrong either way.

[VinnAY]

Originally Posted by spuddy

Buying a new TV, and there's a discount with a blu-ray player.
Choice of either a Sony BDP-S350 or S550.

Obviously the S350 is cheaper, but I know the S550 does DTS-HD Master Audio and 7.1 output.

To have a home cinema set up, would it be best to pay the extra for the S550, buy separate speakers, and hook it up directly to the player.

Or save the money on the S350, and put it towards an amp and speaker set.

I would think the first option should work out the best value, but as you can probably tell by now, I'm a complete newbie to all this!

Thanks!

Before you buy on impulse you should educate yourself because it appears that you have little clue to what you're doing. No offense.
You'll need an amp, technically called a receiver to connect the 550 (my recommendation of the two). You can't connect speakers to a player...you must have a receiver unless you plan to use the two tiny little craptastic speakers in the tv. Which is a waste of hd audio.

[spuddy]

Originally Posted by Midnightsailor

Welcome to Blu-ray. If you don't want to spend as much money on the S550, the S350 will do 7.1 over HDMI. It wont internally decode DTS-HD MA but you can bitstream it over HDMI to a capable receiver, which will decode it instead. If you want every option, the S550 is a good player. There are a few threads on this already. You can search them and make a decision based on more information there. You can't go wrong either way.

Wow you're fast
Could I hook up a set of speakers directly to the S550, thus avoiding needing a separate receiver?

[Midnightsailor]

Here's a great thread to get you started on a home theater.

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=71252

[spuddy]

Originally Posted by VinnAY

Before you buy on impulse you should educate yourself because it appears that you have little clue to what you're doing. No offense.
You'll need an amp, technically called a receiver to connect the 550 (my recommendation of the two). You can't connect speakers to a player...you must have a receiver unless you plan to use the two tiny little craptastic speakers in the tv. Which is a waste of hd audio.

ok you've answered my main question! (no offence taken)
so as I'm starting a fresh with this, what should I get.
I'm not interested in high-end, looking for the best value/performance option.

[Midnightsailor]

Originally Posted by spuddy

ok you've answered my main question! (no offence taken)
so as I'm starting a fresh with this, what should I get.
I'm not interested in high-end, looking for the best value/performance option.

Look in the thread I posted and take a look at the $500 home theater option. It's great equipment at an affordable price. Here's the link again:

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=71252

[VinnAY]

Originally Posted by spuddy

ok you've answered my main question! (no offence taken)
so as I'm starting a fresh with this, what should I get.
I'm not interested in high-end, looking for the best value/performance option.

I would go with an item called an HTIB, or "Home Theater in a box". Comes with a receiver and set of speakers including a subwoofer, most likely a 5.1 system. A 5.1 HTIB should be perfect for value/performance. $250-$500 (or more, there are some basic systems out there and some pretty elaborate ones). $500 would grab a damn nice little system for you, but stay on the mid to upper echelon brand names like Yamaha. RCA/Panasonic/etc., are bottom tier stuff.

[spuddy]

Originally Posted by Midnightsailor

Look in the thread I posted and take a look at the $500 home theater option. It's great equipment at an affordable price. Here's the link again:

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=71252

Just seen it, thanks!

[spuddy]

Originally Posted by Midnightsailor

Look in the thread I posted and take a look at the $500 home theater option. It's great equipment at an affordable price. Here's the link again:

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=71252

That receiver really looks great, $289.99 (€225) is unbelievable value.
Alas I'm living in Europe where a quick search reveals prices in the €600-€700 bracket

If I'm right in thinking, I could pick up a second hand receiver, if I went with the S550, as all the processing happens in the player itself. Do I have that right?

[ADRiiAN`]

It depends how much your saving to be honest.
Posting prices would be great, because this can go 2 ways.

Getting the S350, you can splurge more on the receiver (Getting one that does HD audio) and speakers.

Getting the S550, you can spend less on a receiver (one that doesn't have HDMI/An older model) and still get good speakers.

The S350 does give more of a value it seems.

Either way, your still getting the FULL blu experience.

[Midnightsailor]

Originally Posted by spuddy

That receiver really looks great, $289.99 (€225) is unbelievable value.
Alas I'm living in Europe where a quick search reveals prices in the €600-€700 bracket

If I'm right in thinking, I could pick up a second hand receiver, if I went with the S550, as all the processing happens in the player itself. Do I have that right?

Well, the S550 can and will take care of all the HD audio, internally. It's one of the best Blu-ray players around. Just make sure that a receiver you choose is HDMI 1.3a capable if you decide you want all options. The Onkyo 606 listed in the thread I posted is a great receiver. If you decide to upgrade your speakers, you wont have to upgrade the receiver. So, you might as well get a good one now.

[callas01]

my recomendation would be to get either the Sony 550 or one of the Panasonics the 35 or 55, and since you will thus need a A/V receiver let me suggest finding the Onkyo 605 or the Sony 820, they will both be inexpensive and can decode the HD audios. Then for speakers you will want to find something suitable for your tastes.

I would suggest if you are buying all of this at once, to give some indication of a budget you have in mind. If you are not buying this all at once then I would suggest saving a bit and getting things slowly so that you can do it right the first time.

I just got a Panasonic BD35K, it is equal to the Sony 350, as a BDP it is awesome. It does a little more then the 350, because it decodes DTS HD and is BD-Live out of the box, but I would be hard pressed to thinks that one has a superior PQ difference.

[spuddy]

Originally Posted by callas01

my recomendation would be to get either the Sony 550 or one of the Panasonics the 35 or 55, and since you will thus need a A/V receiver let me suggest finding the Onkyo 605 or the Sony 820, they will both be inexpensive and can decode the HD audios. Then for speakers you will want to find something suitable for your tastes.

I would suggest if you are buying all of this at once, to give some indication of a budget you have in mind. If you are not buying this all at once then I would suggest saving a bit and getting things slowly so that you can do it right the first time.

I just got a Panasonic BD35K, it is equal to the Sony 350, as a BDP it is awesome. It does a little more then the 350, because it decodes DTS HD and is BD-Live out of the box, but I would be hard pressed to thinks that one has a superior PQ difference.

The plan is to do this piece by piece. The only thing which has precipitated the need to think ahead is the blu-ray player offer.
My first reaction was to go for the S350, I get it for €90 with the TV, which is very good for Europe. (The S550 would be €180). However I didn't want to buy the S350 and then regret it later if it meant shelling out more than if I'd spent a little more now on the better model.

Now that I understand the basics (thanks to you good people ) I think the S350 makes the most sense for me at this point in time.

[callas01]

in that case yes buy the 350 use and hdmi cable to hook it up directly to your TV.

Then you can come back and see what receiver and speaker set up you want later. It is a very good idea to do it piece by piece. Also, let me suggest that you can usually pick up rear surround and center channels for not too much money, you can start auditioning them now and buying them to hold onto until you have enough to get the receiver and front speakers and the sub.


Good luck, hope you enjoy the Blu...