Just placed a Nice big fat order at Newegg and Monoprice

[FendersRule]

I am now broke. Hopefully, I didn't screw up.

Newegg:

82-120-146 RECEIVER ONKYO | HT-RC160 RT
1
$379.99

82-290-013 HA SPE POLK AUDIO MONITOR 50 B R
2
$119.99
$239.98

82-290-022 HA SPE POLK AUDIO CS1 B R
1
$99.99
$99.99

82-290-094 HA SPE POLK AUDIO MONITOR 30 B R
1
$99.99
$99.99

Monoprice:

3022 Speaker Stand - Black (SS-01) - Set of 2 $14.40

2791 14AWG Enhanced Loud Oxygen-Free Copper Speaker Wire Cable - 100ft 1 $19.89

3992 High Speed HDMI 1.3a Category 2 Certified Cable 28AWG - 6ft w/Ferrite Cores (Gold Plated Connectors) - BLACK 1 $3.56

2764 PREMIUM 6FT Optical Toslink Cable w/ Metal Fancy Connector 2 $4.37 $8.74

I am using a PS3 + Xbox 360 w/ HD-DVD Drive going through a Toshiba Rezga 42" LCD

I am upgrading from a Panasonic CD Player system...haha.

Big difference? Before:

[ZIPPO]

The only problem I can see, is that you're going to need different speaker stands. The monoprice speaker stands only hold up to 5lbs & are made for satellite speakers not bookshelf speakers. The Polk Monitor 30s weigh 9lbs each.
These type would work better:
http://www.edesignaudio.com/product_...roducts_id=429
http://www.wood-tech.com/catalog/31/...h_black_finish
http://www.sanus.com/world/en/produc.../sp-basic/BF31

Check around online for best prices.

[FendersRule]

Dang! Thanks for finding that. Have you tried using the Monoprice stands for the 30s, or for anything that weighed more than 5lbs?

Dang dang! I thought I could get away cheap with the stands!

[crazyBLUE]

You can always build you're stands yourself .
It wouldn't be that hard !!!

[ZIPPO]

I helped a friend install his speakers on monoprice stands, "for satellite speakers only"
https://www.blu-ray.com/community/ga...&folderid=861#

The Polk Monitor 30s will topple these stands.

[FendersRule]

Thanks Zippo for the Feedback.

I'm planning on putting these speakers behind the couch, but bookshelf stands look to be too bulky and stuff (behind that couch is a bit of the walkway)

The reason I liked the Monoprice stands, is they are smaller and skinny, and wouldn't protrude into the walkway much. However, some of these other stands I am seeing look very large (especially for small bookshelf speakers).

I'll have to build, or just buy something online that looks favorable. I wish there were something like the Monoprice stands, just thicker and keeping the same thin profile to allow for larger weight. I'll probably just get something like in the first link you posted.

It seems that I would need speaker stands that are around 40" tall. Another option is setting the stands on my end tables, and lowering them down all the way, then "trying" the Polks on them with the lowered height.

[brettallica]

I got a "you might be interested" type of e-mail from Amazon this morning, and in it was the same Onkyo HT-RC160 receiver you've just purchased. That thing is a nice little buy at $379.99 from Newegg. I'm looking for a receiver for my master bedroom mini theater, and I think I might go with something like this. Heck, I might even take the Sony from my main HT and replace it with this one, since this one also has the killer upscaling like my Sony does and I need that for my analog sources (Wii, camcorder, DVD recorder).

Anyway, your new setup is going to rock so hard with all the new gear added to it. Good luck!

[FendersRule]

Yeah, the Onkyo HT-RC160 is basically a 607 lite (it has all the main features that you would need...IIz, lossless, PCM, 720p upscaling, 7.2 audio, etc). At a $379 price-point (shipped), it's really hard to beat!

I do plan on hooking some legacy consoles up to it (Xbox, PS2). However, I do worry about lag with receivers though...

What are your guys' experiences with lag during upscaling? Also, if there is lag, I do hope there is a cross-over or a "pass-through" mode. If not, I can just split the video and audio via Optical Audio.

[Driver_King]

Did you get two HDMI cables? I only see you ordered one HDMI cable. You will need at least two from your PS3 to receiver and then receiver to TV. If your Xbox has HDMI, I'd get two more HDMI cables too. If you have any other devices that use HDMI, please get what you will need.

[FendersRule]

Yeah Driver. The PS3 and the 360 are hooked up Via HDMI straight to the TV currently. I'll just shift em over to the Onkyo, and use the HDMI cable I ordered to go from the Onkyo to the TV.

Already thought of that in advance my good friend! I totally have no clue on the speakers though. I just sort of pieced them all together on the fly.

I was wondering, with my original Xbox and PS2 hooked into the Onkyo via component, could I cross over the signal to the Onkyo's HDMI out, or does it have to be fed component out? When I mean cross over, I mean not upscaled (if I do in-fact find the lag or the upscaling to not be good).

Also, I'm guessing that the Polk 50s have Bi-Wiring?

Another speaker wire question. Does it matter the lengths when I cut them (The rear's being of longer length than the fronts)?.

The only thing I need is some good, cheap, small, and tall speaker stands.

BTW- I was in Miami 2 months ago, and stayed with a friend for two weeks.

[Driver_King]

Originally Posted by FendersRule

Yeah Driver. The PS3 and the 360 are hooked up Via HDMI straight to the TV currently. I'll just shift em over to the Onkyo, and use the HDMI cable I ordered to go from the Onkyo to the TV.

Already thought of that in advance my good friend! I totally have no clue on the speakers though. I just sort of pieced them all together on the fly.

I was wondering, with my original Xbox and PS2 hooked into the Onkyo via component, could I cross over the signal to the Onkyo's HDMI out, or does it have to be fed component out? When I mean cross over, I mean not upscaled (if I do in-fact find the lag or the upscaling to not be good).

Also, I'm guessing that the Polk 50s have Bi-Wiring?

Another speaker wire question. Does it matter the lengths when I cut them (The rear's being of longer length than the fronts)?.

The only thing I need is some good, cheap, small, and tall speaker stands.

BTW- I was in Miami 2 months ago, and stayed with a friend for two weeks.

You will certainly like your speakers. They are indeed bi-ampable. I don't believe you can have component inputs sent out through HDMI outputs but you may be able to check the Onkyo manual to see if it is. The length of the speaker wire shouldn't matter much. You will definitely see a big improvement over your current system ( ).

[LastDitchEffort]

Its gonna be a nice setup but you should have waited for a newegg sale on Polk, would have saved prob about 100 on the speakers alone. Infact the 160 receiver was onsale refurbed for like 230 at shoponkyo.com last week.

Oh well, the price we pay right?

[brettallica]

From what I can tell, anything that goes into this Onkyo (whether it's analog or digital) will be processed accordingly if applicable and sent out over the HDMI out. It's one of the main reasons this receiver was/is so enticing to me. It utilizes that Faroudja technology, with which I've been pleasantly satisfied in my own experience with the Sony STRDG920 in my home theater. I've got all kinds of miscellaneous signals going to it, but only the HDMI to my TV going out. It's made for a very clean wire setup.

For the record, I've experienced zero lag in my devices that use analog, which is a concern of the author of this thread. In the event that there is lag, though, that can all be adjusted in the GUI...at least I think that would be the case with this unit, as it is with mine.

[FendersRule]

I do understand that signals are to processed to go out via HDMI upscaled, but I also question whether the upscaling can be turned off, and that it can just act as a cross-over. Otherwise, if upscaling is not that great (or the GUI doesn't do the trick), I'd have to run component out from my Onkyo to the TV, which is another set of wires and connections.

I guess I'll find out when it gets here.

[brettallica]

Originally Posted by FendersRule

I do understand that signals are to processed to go out via HDMI upscaled, but I also question whether the upscaling can be turned off, and that it can just act as a cross-over. Otherwise, if upscaling is not that great (or the GUI doesn't do the trick), I'd have to run component out from my Onkyo to the TV, which is another set of wires and connections.

I guess I'll find out when it gets here.

My guess is that you wouldn't be able to use it that way, if for no other reason than you're taking an analog signal and converting it to digital so it can be output over the HDMI. I think a pass-through type setup will only work if you're going analog in to analog out...and as you're aware that will require more cables (and in a certain respect, will be defeating one of the main purposes of this great receiver).

If I were you, I wouldn't trip. You're going to love it.