Home theater system

[nametag]

Hi there,
I am new to this particular forum, but have been to the other forums and found them very helpful. Anyway, I a home theater system for my new basement that I am finishing. I have a 61" samsung DLP. I am planing on buying a speaker system that I can mount on the walls. The system will have a tuner, DVD player and 5 speakers with a subwoofer. My question is, what do I need to buy or do in order to get the most out of my DLP and speakers. I also do not wish to spend too much since I am planning on moving in three years and will be leaving the speakers and wires in the house when I sell it. Do I need special hook ups from the DLP to the tuner/reciever and DVD. I just wan to know what I need to go buy.
Thanks

[SafeWatch]

Well, the first and most important thing (debatable) is a good surround processor/receiver. You'll want something with component video switching and preferrably video up-converting. I like the Denon AVR-1905 or better.

Secondly, you'll want to make sure you have a DVD player with DTS decoding, component video output, and optical and coaxial audio outputs.

Make sure you get some good cables to connect everything - Blue Line has some nice (inexpensive) cables.

Then, you may want to get a nice universal remote - like the Logitech Harmony remote, or even better the MX-3000 remote.

Good luck!

[stereoguy]

Post your budget and I tell you what I'd buy.

[nametag]

my budget is about $300

[SafeWatch]

You're not going to get much for $300. I wouldn't count on a nice surround receiver (actually, for $300, you couldn't get a nice surround receiver, much less speakers and DVD.)

You may want to start searching eBay now. I highly doubt you're going to find everything you are wanting for $300 retail.

Actually, I'm not sure I could get it myself at dealer cost.

Good luck! Consider raiding the piggy bank.

[BobF]

To match the TV, you really should consider a $2000 system. Add another $500 for cable. Thats $500 for a decent rcvr, $1500 for speakers. A $4000-5000 tv deserves a good surround system. Take the hardware with you when you move.
However, since that is out of the budget, go with a system that is upgradable. Look at the Onkyo home theater in a box. You will need to add a DVD player, but those are cheap. Better yet, get an Onkyo rvcr (model 502) for $300. Add a speaker package for $300. Upgrade as you can afford it. At $300, leave the speakers when you move.

[stereoguy]

You can buy garbage for $300 or you can try and find something used, but it will probably still suck. The cheapest way to do a respectable home theater used is this:

http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Onkyo-Home-Theater-System--HTS-770-/sem/rpsm/oid/90794/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do

it also comes in silver

http://www.vanns.com/shop/servlet/item/features/502499734

The amp and speakers in this system are exceptional for the price and better than any I know of in a HT system under $1000.

Add to that a $100 dvd player and you're set for just over $500. If you watch www.slickdeals.net the Onkyo system will go on sale from time to time for under $400.

[stereoguy]

You don't need to spend $2k like Bob said to match your tv, but I know what he is getting at. If your total budget for the system was $2000, and you spent $1700 on the tv, you put an inordinate amount of your budget into your tv. If you can up your budget a little to get the Onkyo I showed you, I think you'll be very happy.

[BobF]

I second the Onyo 770 system. You will be happy with that receiver for years to come.
I was a little high on the tv cost. At least where I live, that TV is around $3500 on sale. My point, as stereoguy understands, is that one shouldn't buy an expensive TV and match it with a cheap surround system. Thats akin to putting cheapo tires on a porsche. It works, but you aren't getting the performance.

[stereoguy]

Thats akin to putting cheapo tires on a porsche.

Good analogy.
:thumbup:

With a $3500 I'd say a good amount to spend on the audio would be around $10k. But I'm an audio junky. I'd break a budget down like this:

25% - TV
30-35% - Speakers
15-20% - Subwoofer
15% - Receiver
5%+ - Sources (DVD/CD/etc)
5% - Cable

[nametag]

Thanks guys, I will take everything into consideration.

[Habs11]

any good links to purchase cables? i hear monster cables that are in every freaking store are way over price for what they do - opinions?

i'm getting a 51 inch rear projection sony tv and maybe compliment it with sony's packached surround soun system w/ 510 watts total output - not the best but in my price range and had dvd/vcr in oine unit - see here:
http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Sony-Home-Theater-System-HT-V2000DP-/sem/rpsm/oid/90865/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do

comments on that system?

[BobF]

Cables - I use monster cables. Are they over-priced? There is a difference as musicians can tell a difference. But consider the rest of the system. For your needs, monster may be over-kill because the extra quality they deliver is lost on your proposed system. No offense meant here, just general observations. If you were connecting to an Onkyo 602 or better receiver with infinity, klipsch, polk, or better speakers, then I would recommend monster cables. If the TV was a plasma or lcd or dlp or HD tube, then I would recommend monster cables for the video.

The sony you propose buying - its a decent system for what you want and your budget.

[Habs11]

thanks for the reply. i am getting an hdtv and at first i'm going to try to use my existing old receiver and bose speakers - it's just 10 years old and is not easy to use since i have dvd, vcr equalizer and cd player. yes it's a mess.

for ease of family use i separated the dvd and vcr directly to the tv w/o using the speaker system and the cd player and equalizer are used with the receiver.

really the only reason i wanted to above system was i though it would make things easier for the family to use (and others when they visit). i wanted to run the audio and video through a receiver but i think to do that with a dvd and vcr i'd need a high end receiver with the correct inputs/outputs (compnent) so as not to lose video quality (i will have hd feed at somepoint from Dish Network).