May have been a bit silly, what do you think?

[Alec]

Today, a friend brought round his PS3 for me to see bluray on my tv. We looked at The Dark Knight and Hancock. I thought with Hancock that the sound was better, even through just my TV's speakers, and the picture a little sharper. Thought TDK was just OK in both repects really, but then it is generally darker than Hancock, so i find it hard to tell. I also concluded that the ps3 was slightly better with DVD pics than my Panny S52.

I was holding out for the new Panny BD80, but I thought, "meh, at the price it isnt really worth it to me as im less of a HC buff than a mucic/2 channel fan, and i want more stereo kit this year too". I then thought i could get a better DVD player, such as the Oppo, for under £200, and be happy. However...i found the BD35 for under £200 including p&p so Ive ordered one. Amazon, BTW.

Now, I'm only really considering two audio setups:

1) Active speakers plugged into my TV (i want to boost the TV sound too) - the Audioengine A5s or A2s, not sure yet.

2) An AV amp, kept totally separate from my hifi setup (none of that pre-out connection stuff, utilising a separate set of front speakers, and a centre - just those 3 channels for starters). This would require a drastic room change, but can be done i think.

So, if i go with method 1, as the BDP decodes HD audio, will it come out of the active speakers as HD? (im guessing the answer is no, but i could live with this as it would be a relatively inexpensive way of getting better TV, movie and radio - via sky - sound).

And have i shot myself in the foot getting a bdp without multi-channel inputs, which the bd55 has (and it too decodes all hd formats doesnt it?)? I mean, i have possibly cost myself an extra £400 or so to get something like the Onkyo 606 later on. But couldnt i simply have connected traditional speakers and speaker cable to the bd55...?

Phew. Sorry. Bit lost.

EDIT - Sorry. What I really mean is, I realise that the answer re: active speakers is probably "no" to HD sound, but, as i say i could forego it if it gets me improved sound through the Tv too. even the 55 wouldnt do that would it? Can it be left on and used in that way, as an AV amp can?

Anyway, the crucial elements are that i only want to go with one of the above options if possible, and would like improved sound through the TV aswell as when watching disks - HD is unessential but preferable.

EDIT - Mind, the active speaker thing is a possible holding position anyway, but I'd like to have a longer term plan in mind, even if they are it.

 

[Anonymous]

Al, you sound very similar to me. I play all my movie content streamed through my 360. I don't have a HD sound capable receiver but the HD pictures looks great. I'm still struggling in investing in it though (BD) because on my 40" full HD screen it doesn't seem to do it for me.

If I was you I would spend all your available money on the best stereo set up you can afford. You won't look back.ÿ

 

[nads]

breath,

your TV is 1080p and has HDMI input? got a well made HDMI cable? Plug it in to both and enjoy.

the

BD35 and 55 are the same other than the analogue outs, in that they do all the same decoding etc...

my next step would be speakers and an Amp. the amp does not need to decode the HD sound as the player can do it all you really need is HDMI(s) in and out.

 

[Anonymous]

nads:
the amp does not need to decode the HD sound as the player can do it all you really need is HDMI(s) in and out.ÿ

Though it would be silly not to at todays prices.ÿ

 

[Alec]

nads:

breath,

your TV is 1080p and has HDMI input? got a well made HDMI cable? Plug it in to both and enjoy.

the

BD35 and 55 are the same other than the analogue outs, in that they do all the same decoding etc...

my next step would be speakers and an Amp. the amp does not need to decode the HD sound as the player can do it all you really need is HDMI(s) in and out.

Thanks fellas.

My TV is just 37" and only HD ready (Panny PX80B), but being as id pay up to 200 for a good DVD player, i thought the BD35 was a bit of a bargain, and i do think i see a slight improvement with BDs. And afterall, Bluray quality is inconsistent anyway, even on TVs that are huge and full HD, i gather...

Sorry, I'm still not sure how the 2 methods i mentioned above would affect me?

Nads - plug it into both what? Yes, i have a hdmi cable and an in on the TV. 3, in fact, i think.

EDIT - and im still not sure whether i can get away with plugging active speakers into the back of my telly or the front headphone socket. Tho someone did say here a while ago that they thought it would have to be the headphone socket.

 

[nads]

just plug the 35 in and enjoy the movies. dont worry about amps/speakers or anything else yet. whatever you do you will only habe stereo untill you get an AV amp.

Octopo personally I often wonder if all this decoding and upscaling is really needed? and how good the Amps would be for the same money if they did not do everything, but did what their name sugests and that is just to amplfy the sound?

 

[Anonymous]

Gubbins are inessential to the experience.

 

[Alec]

nads:

just plug the 35 in and enjoy the movies. dont worry about amps/speakers or anything else yet. whatever you do you will only habe stereo untill you get an AV amp.

Octopo personally I often wonder if all this decoding and upscaling is really needed? and how good the Amps would be for the same money if they did not do everything, but did what their name sugests and that is just to amplfy the sound?

But wouldnt the BD55 let me have HD sound through 2 fronts and a centre without an amp?

By the by, Amazon wont let me cancel it while i think some more. Blub. Think thats coz i got express delivery and its due friday. Oh well.

 

[nads]

not really as you would then have volume control issues and you would miss lots of the sound as you can not mix to just the front speakers just to stereo.

I guess you are thinking about a direct conection from the line level audio outs to the active speakers?

 

[Alec]

nads:

not really as you would then have volume control issues and you would miss lots of the sound as you can not mix to just the front speakers just to stereo.

I guess you are thinking about a direct conection from the line level audio outs to the active speakers?

OK, could i mix it for just 3 channels if i had an amp?

Im not sure of the terminolgy with the active speakers - "line level" and all that, but it has L & R audio outs on the back, and the headphone socket hidden away on the front. Ah yes - sorry ive misled you. The clincher is that i still want to control the volume off my sky remote and not the volume control on the speakers. Thats why someone said the "line out" i think, works in such a way that id need to go into the headphone socket. Less neat, but tolerable.

 

[Alec]

Emailed Panny about the actives, so here's hoping. Came across someone yesterday who had tried going in the back but couldnt change the volume, but the headphone jack may be a goer. Also found out about some gizmo one can attach to make things work. Sort of small amp i think which bypasses the TVs line out or something. I'll try find it again.

 

[Andrew Everard]

Yes, the line-out on TVs will be at a fixed level. And the sound going down the HDMI to the TV will almost certainly be standard-definition stereo at best, as the TV will 'tell' the BD player, via the HDMI link, that this is all it can handle.

And as for the sound quality out through the headphone socket, IME is this is almost universally dreadful when fed out into any external amplification. Not to mention being prone to hum, ground loops and the like - it's really only designed to be used into passive devices, such as - well - headphones.

 

[Alec]

Ah. Damn. But many thanks for the nice clear answer before i waste money on the Audioengines. So i need to look for some with their own remote, or get a wee stereo amp and speakers (very wee speakers), or move the room around so i can get a rack in for a proper HC amp and 3 channels (which would be ok with a decent HC amp wouldnt it)?

So, did i waste me money on the BD35? Just checked with my local dealer who have the 35 and 55 still, but at much higher prices.

 

[Anonymous]

AudioEngines not have volume control?

Unfortunately most actives do not, but there are a couple out there - just look.

 

[Andrew Everard]

Eddie Pound:AudioEngines not have volume control?

Yes, they do

but the OP wanted remote volume control, which I think is the problem...

 

[Anonymous]

At Bristol HiFi show Quad showed some USB active speakers that were apparently remote-controlled, and had an analogue input too.

 

[Alec]

Andrew Everard:

Eddie Pound:AudioEngines not have volume control?

Yes, they do

but the OP wanted remote volume control, which I think is the problem...

Thats the one sir! So, it seems id need to go with the Aktimates, tho i havent tried to find others yet.

Just by the by, would i really notice that much degradation if i just used 3 channels of something like the bd55?

Also, if i got an amp, could one be set up to give me just 3 channels quite well...?

 

[Alec]

Eddie Pound:At Bristol HiFi show Quad showed some USB active speakers that were apparently remote-controlled, and had an analogue input too.

Cheers, I'll investigate.

 

[Andrew Everard]

Why three channels? I'd just stick with stereo.

 

[Alec]

Andrew Everard:Why three channels? I'd just stick with stereo.

I just have an idea that it would handle voices better with a centre*, but im willing to hear any ideas. Do you mean through a surround amp tho, with the benefit of HD sound...?

* EDIT as much of my viewing would be fairly minimal audio wise, much more voices than gun play and music or whatever (tho would like music to sound good through the TV, for such viewing as that Elvis Costello Spectacles thing).

 

[Alec]

Well its here, tho it not plumbed in yet.

Excuse for a bump re my last post, really.

 

[Alec]

Very first impressions based on very brief viewing are that its fine. Not outstanding, but maybe i dont have a big enough screen for that. Thats with blurays. the only DVD ive looked at is cloverfield, which isnt an ideal film for such a purpose, so ill reserve judgment until i try soemthing a bit more appropriate.

Glad i didnt wait for the bd80 in a way. in fact, i thought maybe the "live" functionality of the bd35 would slow things down (with the recent WHF site news article in mind), but couldnt find a bd30 online at waht i considereda reasonable price (i.e. less than the £180 i paid for the '35. Demanding i know, but it is almost 3 generations old!).