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?".