| Author | Message | ||
     Xl1200r |
Can anyone offer some assistance? I have a 1080i 42" TV, an HD cable box, and a PS3 (which doubles as a BlueRay player). I'm looking for a fairly-priced (under $500) system that has at least 2 HDMI inputs, an HDMI output and wireless rear speakers. Does such a thing exsist? I'm having trouble finding anything. | ||
| Buellinachinashop |
You're looking for a sound system? | ||
| Xl1200r |
yes | ||
| Spiderman |
I just bought a Sony 5.1 reciever that has what you are looking for minus the wireless rear speakers. It was under 300 at Sears and so far has been pretty rockin! I can post the info later on tonight if the wireless is not a major factor... | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
It's a pretty tall order for $500. You are looking at some pretty high end features. | ||
| Xl1200r |
I did a quick look at best buy's website and found ahndful that meet the specs, though some don't have the wireless speakers. Those are needed, but would make life much easier for the room we have. I was trying to do some looking on cnet and it was just a pain to find out how many HDMI ins and outs there were. If it helps anything, I don't need a built-in DVD player (though it seems they all have CD/DVD changers included). | ||
| Seanp |
I bought a Sony STR-DG910 a little while ago for less than $400. It has 3 HDMI inputs, and does 7.1 surround. It's certainly not top of the line or anything, but I wouldn't call myself some audiophile. I just like simplicity, and this is my third Sony receiver. I have an Apple TV, my XBox 360, and my satellite receiver all hooked into it, as well as a turntable and a plasma TV. As far as wireless speakers, I'd think that's something you might have to get apart from the receiver. They'd probably hook some sort of transmitter into the speaker terminals on the back of the receiver. | ||
| Xl1200r |
As far as wireless speakers, I'd think that's something you might have to get apart from the receiver. They'd probably hook some sort of transmitter into the speaker terminals on the back of the receiver. I do think that's the case, but many systems seem to come with them. I am kind of audiophile, but my stereo system is all on it's own - all vintage stuff (which sounds SO much better), so this will only be for TV, movies and gaming. | ||
| Xb12mel |
http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Products/Ho meEntertainment/AV-Receivers/PioneerReceivers/VSX- 917-K%7CS $399.00 per their website. Good Luck!  | ||
| Theshue |
not wireless rear but meets your other requirements. http://www.crutchfield.com/App/Product/Item/Main.a spx?g=316050&i=580HTS800B&c=4&tp=6452&avf=N | ||
| U4euh |
Best Buy does sale a wireless rear speaker unit. I believe it is 99.00 for the transmitting unit and two speakrs. They simply plug into your rear ports on the head unit. | ||
| Xl1200r |
The Onkyo looks nice - I've seent eh brand mentioned before - but something bugs me about it... It says the HDMI is pass-through only and you still need a seperate cable connection for audio. This makes no sense to me. Are there recievers out there that will take an HDMI input, keep the audio for itself, and then pass the video to the HDMI ouput? The PS3 doesn't have regular audio jacks, so I can only go with HDMI -OR- component cables, but not both. | ||
| G234146 |
Xl1200r: GET THE ONKYO. your system will be as good as its weakest link. http://www.onkyousa.com/model.cfm?m=HT-S990THX&cla ss=Systems&p=i | ||
| Pwnzor |
+1 on Onkyo. I used to be stuck on Sony and/or Vector Research until I got my first Onkyo receiver. Far and away better than the Sony ES line for a much better price. Of course I still have my Sony 400-disc DVD and 400-disc CD carousels, nobody else makes those that I know of. | ||
| Seanp |
The audio works via HDMI on the Sony I have. I have one cable going from each component to the receiver, and one cable from the receiver to the TV. It's too easy. | ||
| Xl1200r |
Hey, i really like the Onkyo, but if the friggin' thing can't bring in the audio via the HDMI cable, it's no good to me. | ||
| Pammy |
There is a wireless connection for speakers at Best buy for $99.00. YOu could add that to Spidey's system and you are at your goal price. (Message edited by pammy on April 15, 2008) | ||
| Trac95ker |
another +1 on the Onkyo 705. Totally happy with it. I'm using HDMI 1.3 for my audio and video. It also has optical ports for audio. If your PS does not decode, the Onkyo does. It's easy to setup also. http://www.avsforum.com/ has a lot of good info, check it out. | ||
| Xl1200r |
Well, I talked to a buddy and he says running the audio through the HDMI isn't as good as using an optical digital audio cable, so that Onkyo set up might be the ticket. In fact, he offered to help me pick out and set up a system and suggested the Onkyo, and that if I wanted anything else then he woudln't help, lol - so he's pretty much into them as much as some on here. I like that they don't have the DVD player built in... So the big question - What will provide the best audio and video quality? Sending everything over HDMI? HDMI doing video and audio through an optical cable? Compentent video and optical audio? I was told that doing audio and video over HDMI was coonvienent, but the mix of signals can cause noise in the other and lower the overall quality... Too confusing... | ||
| G234146 |
I think the type of connection is not as important as the type of speaker/receiver. Check this: http://www.highdefforum.com/showthread.php?t=26157 | ||
| New12r |
If you want it to sound good dont buy wireless. You will have better sound from two good front speakers than 5 crappy ones. How good do you want this to sound. Anything you get from any of the big box stores all sound pretty much the same. If you want you system to sound like your buell rides look into a company called NAD. I sold Hi Fi for a number of years and have sold systems from $500 to $500k. | ||
| Seanp |
Man, I don't know if I could buy from a company whose name is short for gonads... New12r has a good point though - you have to find the happy medium between price, convenience, and sound quality. You can have a super expensive system with great sound quality, a cheap system that's convenient, a convenient system with imperfect sound quality... That's why I stick with simplicity. Heck, I only watch TV about three or four hours a week and play my XBox maybe 5 hours. I spend a lot more time reading and in front of a computer. | ||
| Pwnzor |
So the big question - What will provide the best audio and video quality? Sending everything over HDMI? HDMI doing video and audio through an optical cable? Compentent video and optical audio? The big answer - Video through HDMI or Digital DVI, depending on your set. Sound through AC-3 Digital (requires a special cable but looks like a thick RCA-style) or TosLink (optical). The audio coming through the HDMI cable is ok if you run the speakers on your TV, but for amplification through an audio receiver, it's sub-par. edit: I agree whole-heartedly with what's being said about wireless speakers, they tend to suck. When I remodeled my house, I wired my speakers through the walls and put gold-terminal wall plates everywhere I mounted speakers. Also, CAT-6 to every room, because wireless internet also tends to bite. (Message edited by pwnzor on April 16, 2008) | ||
| Xl1200r |
If you want it to sound good dont buy wireless. You will have better sound from two good front speakers than 5 crappy ones. I'll concede to this - I'll probably just end up getting a spool for 14 or 16 gauge speaker wire to set up the room. The big answer - Video through HDMI or Digital DVI, depending on your set. Sound through AC-3 Digital (requires a special cable but looks like a thick RCA-style) or TosLink (optical). This is exactly what my buddy was saying to do - HDMI for the video and Toslink digital fiber optic something-or-other to handle the audio. In an apartment, so I can't rewire the thing, lol. Maybe in a couple years though ;) I think that Onkyo is going to be my best bet - it really covers everything I was looking for and then some. It's not top of the line, but it's not bottom basement either. My TV is about the same - pretty good, but no where near the best. I'm not huge into gadgets and gizoms, but the shelf-system I'm using is pretty sorry considering the picture quality I have. Plus, we're moving into a new place and will be dealing with a much larger room - 17' x 22' with 14' ceilings - so something to fill the room will be in order. Thanks for all the help guys - made this decision MUCH easier. (Message edited by xl1200r on April 16, 2008) | ||
| Bads1 |
In my experience in the last 9 years I've went through 4 recievers. First one was a Pro Logic Fisher unit. Which I still use and have but just for a Stereo nothing special and it still does the job.It lost the use of the surround sound so it nolonger get used for the TV. Then I bought a middle of the road Sony unit. Worked awesome but it started to hiss real bad through the speakers. It was on a extended warranty at Best Buy and they fixed it twice but it would return in short time. They replaced it with new but no longer had that model left. They gave me Sony's best that they carried. It was a store model but gave me 3 years extended on it. It Rocked until right after the 3 years. It would either not power up or it would power off while listening to it awhile. I had it looked at but Sony puts so many fail safe modes on them that it couldn't be found. Didn't want to spend a fortune trying to fix something that could cost me almost 1/2 as much as I spent. My lesson was to buy better quality and save over the long haul. I now have a Marantz unit. ran me 850. 3 years from the factory it built like a rock....heavy. I've had it about 3 years now and its really nice. I'm not saying you'll have the issues I had but it was very upsetting when I added up what I spent. | ||
| Loki |
Since my latest upgrades have occurred...... I am now down to: 2 HDMI cables 1 DVI to HDMI 2 TOSLINK opticals 1 coaxial digital and a boat load of 14g going to all the speakers. Two of which are a pair of Cerwin Vega D3E bought in '86 My Sony just died this jan, replaced it with a mid-line Yamaha(XM ready). The Sony lasted 8 yrs. My original Kenwood(1986) is still alive and well in the parents house. | ||
| Xl1200r |
I love the "less is more" stuff... it's about time this home theater stuff eliminated a lot of the wires. Aside from speakers and power, I should have 5 cables total to hook up the system. 3 HDMI and 2 Toslink. | ||
| Dbird29 |
Get your cables at www.monoprice.com | ||
| Xl1200r |
Get your cables at www.monoprice.com Dude, HDMI cab;es for $5? What's the catch???? | ||
| Dbird29 |
There is no catch. I think they go to China directly and there are no packaging costs just plastic bags. I order from them all the time. |
