Home Cinema advice for a newbie please !

[admin_exported]

Hmmm, I hope my sig will give some idea of what I 'don't' have at the mo - not strictly true as we do have:

- 28' Philips CRT telly with pseudo 5.1, freeview and a Humax PVR, and that is it....

What I do want is:

- new LCD 32' 1080p

- some kind of home cinema system (5.1) to drive telly with BluRay + speakers

- it must be able to: upscale DVDs; accept HD from Xbox360; connect wirelessly with router to play MP3s from NAS; access online content (BBC iplayer) wirelessly.

- i'd like it to: connect with IPODs; play CDs, SACDs; show pics from SD cards/cameras;

- I don't care for: 3D (at all)

- we will use it for viewing standard TV via Freeview, moving to Freeview/Freesat HD at some point; DVDs; iplayer; music; and Bluray - probably in that order. Music will be mostly MP3s on squeezecenter - no audiophile requirements.

- and my budget for all is around £1200

I have previous audio history with [8-|] Dual, NAD amp and B&W DM22 speakers, so am not a total duffer, just older than some......

I've searched the forums, but as I suspect each persons need is very specifc, so there are few leads in other threads, which leads me to my request - can anyone suggest a suitable set up, as when I read the press (WhatHIFI of course), and read forums/reviews, I find that thngs have moved on a little in the TV, amp, speaker space...

Hoping that someone out there has been in this position, with these exact needs [^o)], and can offer advice.

TIA

yorkie2

 

[grdunn123]

Don't tell me....you forgot to mention your budget was £100???

 

[dirtydean]

Hi Yorkie

You want alot for your £1200 budget but have a look at these..

TV. Sony KDL32Ex401 £349.95

http://www.richersounds.com/product/lcd-tv/sony/kdl32ex401/sony-kdl32ex401

AV Amp ONKYO TXSR508 £269.95

http://www.richersounds.com/product/av-receivers/onkyo/txsr508/onky-txsr508-blk

Speakers JAMO A102 HCS5 £179.95

http://www.richersounds.com/product/speaker-packages/jamo/a102-hcs5/jamo-a102-blk

Blu-Ray player look at the specks on this, it will do almost everything you want.

Denon DBP1611 £399.95

http://www.superfi.co.uk/index.cfm/page/moreinfo.cfm/Product_ID/6945

Total spend 1199.80

But dont forget you will need HDMI cables and speaker wire, about £50 to £100 more

Hope this helps

Dean

 

[Anonymous]

HI Dean - thanks for the very full response ! It'll take me a while to look through all that - but that's what the BH weekend is for isn't it ?

A hundred or so on wire etc isn't a deal breaker.

I have looked at the latest WHF mag, and see a good review of the Sony BDV-E370 - an all in one that certainly comes within price - or at least seems to. I appreciate that the Sony is new, so few real life experiences to report on, but what the view on all-in-ones ? Given I'm not in Naim/B&W land, would one of those packages work for me - particularly if they are 2009 versions ?

Thanks again, and I'll let you know what I think of the long list.

Yorkie2

 

[Anonymous]

Twas in the original post - but if you know where I can for that money

Yk2

 

[dirtydean]

Hi depends what you want I had a all in one for 4 years and was happy with it, but you can not add to it, or upgrade certain parts so would you won't to upgrade in the near future, Plus the sound from the kit I posted will sound a lot better the a all in one. Have you seen a all in one that plays SACD?
Dean

 

[Anonymous]

Hi - re. SACD on all-in-one, the aforementioned new Sony says it does.....

I'm not fussed about upgrading, and as it's taken me this long to go from built in speakers on CRT, to thinking about a 5.1 system, I will be happy with what the 5.1 brings for a good few years (and no 3D plans at all - call me a late adopter)

Had a quick look at the specs for what you said, speakers look great, but some questions on the receiver/Bluray player:

- would it be better for the Xbox360 HD output to go to the receiver first, then to TV ? I see that mentioned a number of times, and I see that the onkyo has 4in/1out HDMI. Is that the 'preferred' routing ? source -> receiver -> TV ?

- given I'm not planning on freeview box upgrade yet (i hope), I guess my connection will be Humax to TV by scart. What happens with the sound, chow can I get it to go to the receiver ?

Thanks for conversation...

Yk2

 

[dirtydean]

yorkie2:
Hi - re. SACD on all-in-one, the aforementioned new Sony says it does.....

I'm not fussed about upgrading, and as it's taken me this long to go from built in speakers on CRT, to thinking about a 5.1 system, I will be happy with what the 5.1 brings for a good few years (and no 3D plans at all - call me a late adopter)

Had a quick look at the specs for what you said, speakers look great, but some questions on the receiver/Bluray player:

- would it be better for the Xbox360 HD output to go to the receiver first, then to TV ? I see that mentioned a number of times, and I see that the onkyo has 4in/1out HDMI. Is that the 'preferred' routing ? source -> receiver -> TV ?

- given I'm not planning on freeview box upgrade yet (i hope), I guess my connection will be Humax to TV by scart. What happens with the sound, chow can I get it to go to the receiver ?

Thanks for conversation...

Yk2

For the xbox, for sound yes most games have 5.1 but you can connect to a all in one as well, as for the humax I don't know what connections are on it? But the Sony tv has a free view turner in side so you won't need the humax.
Dean

 

[Anonymous]

Ta- but I think we will still need hummy as it's PVR with 100 hours recording on it - so with only a scart output what's the option ?

Yk2

 

[dirtydean]

yorkie2:

Ta- but I think we will still need hummy as it's PVR with 100 hours recording on it - so with only a scart output what's the option ?

Yk2

Correct me if im wrong anybody... but you can get a scart to 3 x RCA/phone lead http://www.superfi.co.uk/index.cfm/page/moreinfo.cfm/Product_ID/5565

Then connect this to the amp this should upscale the picture and send it to your TV down the HDMI lead.

Dean

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks - good idea - never thought of that.

Possible change of plan -

- no BluRay player - don't have any disks (yet)

- new Humax Freeview HD+ (PVR), which I'm informed has iplayer connectivity and an HDMI output. Just need to confirm that I can reliably receive Freeview HD signals.

In which case the all-in-one solution is no longer and option.

We've also had it decreed from on high (the wife) that we need a 40' TV, so that's the budget gone....but...if the hummy does iplayer, then I don't necesarily need a bang up-to-date TV that also has iplayer. So I'll go looking at 2009/2008 LCD award winners, and if anyone has advice to match, that would be great.

TIA

yk2

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Yorkie

don`t take award winners to be gospel mate, I have a 40" Samsung LCD in my conservatory which when I purchased it with a free bluray player was £699, its a good as you will need i`m sure and it accepts my humax freesat hd pvr hdmi cable as well (answers your question).

PQ is very very good I have to say

Its coupled to an Onkyo AV reciever and a nice little 5.1 setup and jobs a gudden as they say.

cheers from another yorkie (oldie as well )

Al

PS. if you wanna come for a listen your welcome

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks Al,

I see latest humax Freeview HD + has HDMI out - so like you said - connectivity sorted.

Which Samsung do you have ? there are any number out there.......and finall, which speaker setup do you have ?

Mine will be put into a 8m x 6m lounge, and I don't really want to put holes in the walls to mount rear speakers, and I'm worried with something as small as the Jamo rears, they'll get eaten by the dog !

A significant point is not to have too may trailing wires.....

Anyway - thanks again

Yk2

 

[Anonymous]

your very welcome Yorkie

If I remember correctly my Samsung is the LE40756, it was on offer at the time with a free Samsung bluray BD1500 which for the conservatory is very good, it seems to upscale dvd`s very well also. Yes old now models but still more than adequate.

They are coupled to an Onkyo AV reciever,only a lower model one, the TX-NR 576 which was 200 quid but still very good, and some.............dare I say it Bose Acoustimass sub/sats which yes I know they get slated but I got them very cheap and they are sufficient for a glass conservatory.

the total including cables came to around a grand as I remember,which after spending about 18 grand down in my cinema room came as quite a relief

I might say that when I built the conservatory i also took the initiative to flush the tv and front speakers into the wall which I think gives it a really nice appearance and makes it harder for your dog to get his teeth into things

At 8 x 6 mts you have quite a large room to fill so please take that into consideration when choosing amplification and speakers.

please ask if theirs anything else you might want me to answer and i`ll do my best

Al

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks again Al,

No such luck with major redecoration - would be nice but can't do it.

Speakers mentioned before were the Jamos - but like I said - worried about size. I'd be happy to move up-spec, but the systems going into a lounge, not a dedicated HC room, and used for TV, Xbox360 and then films/music.

The Onkyo receivers do get good remarks from others, so I'll probably go with one of them, which one depends a bit on cost of speakers...

I'll definately get a freeview HDR, so TV and recorded stuff sorted. Blueray will have to wait a year or so.

So it's down to which speakers.

Thanks Yk2

 

[Anonymous]

As I said, you have a big room to fill

So how much buget is their left for speakers after you purchase the Onkyo or whatever?

 

[bigboss]

dirtydean:

Denon DBP1611 £399.95

http://www.superfi.co.uk/index.cfm/page/moreinfo.cfm/Product_ID/6945

I wouldn't spend 33% of the budget on a blu-ray player, more so for the blu-ray player to be the most expensive AV equipment. That money is better spent on better speakers / receiver. Sony S370 is adequate for the needs.

 

[Anonymous]

bigboss:I wouldn't spend 33% of the budget on a blu-ray player, more so for the blu-ray player to be the most expensive AV equipment. That money is better spent on better speakers / receiver. Sony S370 is adequate for the needs.

I have to agree 100%