New Home Theater Help

W

Will013

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Oct 3, 2003
Messages
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Hi Everone,
I am not too shabby with home theaters and the likings so im in need of yall who are :)
Come July 24th I will be moving into a townhousewith 2 buds from school and we need a home theater system.
Here and the requirements we need:
-5.1 or better surround sound
-3 CD or better MP3 Compatible CD Changer
-Ability to hook up CD Changer, XBOX, DVD, and possibly 1 or 2 other devices to 5.1 surround sound w/o having to unplug and replug
-Abilitiy to hook PC up and play audio/video thru 5.1

That is all I can think of right now.
I am looking to spend about $500-600 for all of this so please suggest products in that price range or lower. High quality sound with good bass is crucial. I prefer the HT in a box (even if they arent as great) because I work 60+ hours a week and dont have the time to pickup each part individual and would like the simplicity of almost everything in one package.
Thanks in advance for the help!

Will
 
I don't have time to hunt it down right now but I know Onkyo has some decent systems with 5.1 or 6.1 setups in the $500-$600 range. I'm not talking about the cutesy ones but they've got some that have real speakers (not itsy bitsy satellites) and a DVD player/changer too I think. Either that or you can pick up a DVD player fairly cheap.
 
Hi,
Thanks for the feedback. I will look for that system when I get back from work. I do not need a DVD player as I could either use my xbox or I have a Pansonic DVD-RV30 around here somewhere. The one I was looking at was the Yahama YHT-150 if any of you have any feedback about that as well.

Thanks!
 
Ok thanks for the info! I quickly browsed over them and they do look pretty nice! Anyone have any comments on those speakers or any others? I want to bes sure im getting the best set I can for my hard earned $$'s :p

Thanks,
Will
 
or get that samsung htib that uses the klipsch quintet. make sure you get the quintet version because they have one that comes with the promedia's. you don't want that one
 
I would still say the onkyo is a better choice, being that if you ever wanna upgrade your speakers, the amplifer is WAY better than what you would be getting from any of the other companys competing products. Plus at $ 500 its a damn good deal.
 
I JUST picked up the newer version of the one above, the HTS770..they sounded INCREDIBLE in store..Too bad I cant take em out and use them for two weeks :mad: :p

One quesiton,
I am going to have an HTPC for audio and music.
Right now I am only running onboard (VGA) video and onboard audio. What is my BEST option and what is my CHEAPEST option for getting 6.1 audio from computer for music and video as well as good quality video (I know it depends on the video I play, but the best type of cable, etc)

Thanks a bunch!
Will
 
Thanks for the advice..

The guy @ CC said the receiver only has 2 optical inputs..which are being used by xbox and dvd player..

Is there any other good way to send audio from computer other then the digital optical?

Thanks
WIll
 
thanks...heard good things about that sound card!

is there a cheaper option with the same output that would let me use 6.1 sound from audio?
 
Ok, I guess ill go for that one..
Now let me get this right...
I run the digital coax to receiver (one cable) yet I still get mp3s/videos played in 6.1 surrsound sound just as if I had 6.1 speakers hooked up?

One last question..will be running to a ~38" TV..is svideo the best option to run video out of computer, or is there a better way (composite?)

Thanks for the help its deeply appreciated.

Will
 
I updated my post with something new :)
As for your questions,
Yes
Yes, S-Video or Component. Composite tend to look bad (washed out colors and such) Svideo gives a sharper picture and less noise in the image.
 
Thanks!!
that xitel product looks interesting!
How does the PC hook up to it? Does it require a digital optical/coaxial connection? Or can you hook it up via the minijack connections..
Since it says it can hook to laptops..seems it uses minijack but??
***Edit: I see it seems to connect to PC thru USB...interesting...****


and a question taht i just thought..I am currently running Windows MCE and I like it. Is there a remote that typically comes with this :confused: :p It seems to mention one..Is there a place I can buy one..or will any remote work with its software? Any recommendations

Thanks a bunch, again!
 
haha, thanks!

I think MCE can be really nice once I set it up, tweak it, and modify it a little!

That thing seems to be $99...

Would that be better then geting the maudio for $80?

Thanks,
Will
 
Well of your building it from scratch and go with an nForce2 MCP-T board and your Reciever is alittle old yet you don't want to upgrade (possibly from lack of extra cash) then I'd atleast think about getting this even if it is $99. If I was going to go Intel I'd just get the Rev card. But it does hookup via USB so that would take the MCP-T out of the equation....
If it can hookup via Digital from the PC then it might be worth it.....
If it can work like the Creative thing then it might be worth it, I'll have to check it out.
 
i JUST got the system today..its the new Oknyo HTS770 (defintely not old/cheap :p )
The system is a Chaintech 7NIF2 nforce2 board w/ XP 2400+ inside a Monarch Computer hornet!!

Im contemplating which to go with..I am also trying to figure out which tv tuner card I want to go with..will do SOME recording..but mainly just watching tv..
 
Okay I figured out that that thing does, it by passes the sound card and outputs the audio over USB and then to whatever you want. Since it just takes the clean audio signal I think it might be interesting for laptops and such but pales in comparison to something the "Soundstorm". In my living room I have an old reciever that has no digital inputs so something like this would be perfect for that but for a modern digital reciever I'm sure there are better ways to hook it up.

If you just want to mainly watch TV then something like ATI's E-Home Wonder (the one with FM) would be perfect, I have two Hauppauge 250MCEs (one for recording the other for watching TV/ recording) that makes TV view just amazing.
 
Radio Shack has a Digital Audio convertor, it can take either a Optical or Digital Coax input and output an Optical or Digital Coax output. I have been using one for my xbox for almost a year now and it works great. Its only about $25 also.
 
Damn, that Onkyo setup is 400 bucks after rebate right now. I have had my eye on it for a while. If I had a tv to compliment it, I would be all over it, but as it is my sony towers are far more speaker than is needed for my 19 inch tv.
 
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