Is this on the market or a pipe dream of mine?

[admin_exported]

Hi everybody,

I'm hoping you can help out a total noob My friends and family have been onto me for years about updating my AV set-up so, what with the Olympics coming up I thought I'd dip my toes in. I've spent a bit of time on this excellent website looking for answers and noticed you like as much info as possible so here goes:

My TV is a Panasonic TX-28PL1 which has given fantastic service over the years and I'll be sorry to get rid of the hefty beast. I think I'll replace it with the Samsung UE46ES8000 (any thoughts on my choice?).

I currently have a standard Virgin V-box (will get a V HD box) connected by scart into a Panasonic HDD/DVD recorder DMR-E85H with the audio going to a Technics SC-EH760 hi-fi system with 5(.1) speaker set-up but no integrated decoder so the sound I get is not true 5.1 but is room filling and rich and I really don't want to get rid of it. I have L+R cables running audio from both TV and HDD recorder to the Technics and just swap the cables depending if I have the HDD on or not. I also have an Archos 5 connected to the TV via scart to play stuff I've got on my PC and to listen to my music via the Technics. Whew!

Finally made it to my question Is there a DVD recorder (BluRay would be asking too much!) with HDD that I can feed my Virgin HD box into that also has 5.1 analogue outputs (fully decoded) so I can have a decent audio experience as well as visual?

I note that the telly of my choice only has digital audio out so I'd be stuck with the internal speakers or get a soundbar (what's the best one?) if I just turn the telly on. If I can't use my Technics to play audio what would be the next best solution for a budget (up to a grand)? Which A/V receiver and speakers would you recommend? Do any of the packaged home cinema set-ups out there allow incoming signals via Virgin or Freeview HD to a HDD or are they just for playing discs?

I want to listen to my TV in as close to 5.1 as I can, whether I'm playing a disc or not - is this unreasonable?

As you guys seem to be big on room dimensions: 10' x 18' with chair opposite TV on narrow width 8' from one edge OK?

Sorry for writing War & Peace but I hope you can help

 

[bigboss]

First things first: What's your budget?

Why do you need a DVD recorder with HDD? Do you want to record programmes from Virgin? You can get the 500GB or 1GB TiVo box for recording duties, & go for a separates system (AV receiver with 5.1 speakers). The Tivo box & blu ray player will all connect to the AV receiver via HDMI, & the AV receiver in turn will connect to your TV via HDMI.

 

[f1only]

First things first: What's your budget?

Why do you need a DVD recorder with HDD? Do you want to record programmes from Virgin? You can get the 500GB or 1GB TiVo box for recording duties, & go for a separates system (AV receiver with 5.1 speakers). The Tivo box & blu ray player will all connect to the AV receiver via HDMI, & the AV receiver in turn will connect to your TV via HDMI.

+1 to BB's answer, a good choice of TV too.

You haven’t stated your total budget for everything, which would help greatly in your quest for better sound, picture, recording & playing options.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Bigboss, thanks for the reply

,

My budget is £1000. I've thought about Tivo but most of the reviews of it says it sucks and I'd like to keep the number of boxes under the TV to a minimum hence my wish for an all-in-one as stated. If I do as you suggest, what would your choice of AV receiver and speakers be (my Technics already has 5 but I can't use the main front left and right speakers as they are tri-wired and far too difficult for me to convert to use in a new AV receiver

but I should be able to use the other 3 so saving some cash there at least

)?

 

[Anonymous]

Total budget is £3000 so with the cost of the TV being around £1800, I have up to £1200 to spend on the rest but would prefer not to

 

[John Duncan]

I've thought about Tivo but most of the reviews of it says it sucks

Oh great, mine arrives on Friday...

 

[Son_of_SJ]

My TV is a Panasonic TX-28PL1 which has given fantastic service over the years and I'll be sorry to get rid of the hefty beast. I think I'll replace it with the Samsung UE46ES8000 (any thoughts on my choice?).

I've not seen any of the new season's TVs, so I am going on only published specifications and magazine reviews, but to me £1800 for a 46" TV sounds quite expensive. For exactly that money you could get a 55" Panasonic TX-P55ST50B or a Sony KDL-55HX853 (albeit without Freesat, only Freeview HD). You can quickly see warm reviews of both of these if you put the manufacturer and model number and "review" into google.

 

[Lee H]

Total budget is £3000 so with the cost of the TV being around £1800, I have up to £1200 to spend on the rest but would prefer not to

Personally, I'd trim the TV budget a bit and rebalance it in to the rest of the set-up. Key word there is "personally". I have a 46 inch Panny Plasma that I love (and cost only a third of your TV budget), but others prefer LCD.

 

[Anonymous]

I've thought about Tivo but most of the reviews of it says it sucks

Oh great, mine arrives on Friday...

I am getting one on the 23rd after 5 years of loyal service with sky.

I had a play with it at the virgin shop and it was super responsive and some cool aps, inc spotify, and they are in talks with netflix and lovefilm for aps.

I cant wait, was quite impressed with the 20 min I had with it.

 

[Son_of_SJ]

canada16, hello to a fellow SVS owner! Since you are obviously impressed with your SVS PC-13 Ultra subwoofer, perhaps you might care to join the forum discussions (look under main topic "Home cinema") about "Am I making the right choice of subwoofer - MA GXW15 ! !" and "£2.5k for sub, but what?".