With the current economic crisis getting my down, I was inspired by thesethreads to start fantasizing about gadget pr0n - what next big shiny item I will add to my home theater system.
Then I got to wondering what other Dopers’ home theater setups were like, and what future plans you have.
Mine’s okay, but not stellar - I’ve currently got the following:
[ul]
[li]a PS3, also serving as my DVD/Blu-Ray player[/li][li]AppleTV 40GB[/li][li]Comcast Motorola DVR[/li][li]homebrew HTPC (not a proper HTPC - it has no optical drive, and only serves as a Netflix/streaming/browsing device)[/li][li]all this* goes into an ExtremeMac HDMI switch that matches the AppleTV[/li][li]into a Sony HTD-DW995 Home theater-in-a-box (no DVD - bundled receiver/speakers)[/li][li]displayed on the crown jewel of the setup, a 46" Samsung LCD[/li][li]all controlled by a Logitech Harmony 550 remote[/li][/ul]
*everything goes into the HDMI switch but the HTPC - for some reason, the HDMI out won’t play nice with the receiver and can’t pass Netflix DHCP info, so it goes into the TV, with analog audio out to the receiver. Luckily, the Harmony remote handily switches it all with one button.
As for next steps: I will likely upgrade the speakers first, as the receiver is fairly decent for what it is. It’s got some limitations, but the speakers are definitely the weak spot in the system.
Anyway, tell us what ya got, and what your getting.
A dedicated Mac Mini + EyeTV Hybrid, which acts as our DVD / Audio / TV / DVR.
Yamaha A3 Amplifier, fed optically from the Mini.
Optoma H27 projector, with direct DVI connection to the Mini. Projected onto a 70" Daylite screen.
Rocket ELT 5-channel + center speakers + powered subwoofer.
The beauty of this system is that it can be controlled with Apple’s 5-button remote, eliminating the pile of remotes we used to have.
Sanyo PLV-Z5 projector throwing against a 138-inch (diagonal) painted screen.
Yamaha VSX-816-K receiver (I’ll probably get an Onkyo 607 or 707 later this year).
Klipsch RF-3 main speakers, with similar-series center and surrounds; KSW-12 subwoofer.
XBox 360 w/ Netflix account.
Comcast HD box for football games/Discovery HD.
Sony Bravia 46" 120Hz LCD
Pioneer 5.1 Surround System
Playstation 3 (Blu-Ray, Media)
24" iMac (Media Server)
Don’t have any model numbers right now… it’s all the way on the other side of the room… It’s a pretty low-cost setup, except for the TV. I think all together we paid around $2500 for the gear.
42" RCA LCD HDTV 1080i (wall mounted)
Comcast HD Box (to TV via HDMI)
PS3 with a 320GB HD for DVD’s/Blu-Ray/movies/music/games (to TV via HDMI)
700 Watt Kenwood 5.1 Surround Sound (from TV via optical cable)
All the wiring is run through the walls so the room is nice and clean. With my Playstation connected to the internet through my router (wired) I can also surf the internet and stream media from my upstairs PC right on my TV. All I need to do now is paint the walls, get a new couch/recliner and a mini-fridge. Then I’ll never leave the basement.
The SA8300HD has HDMI handshake issues with the Onkyo, so I route it directly to the TV via component, with optical audio for surround. It works better that way, imo, because I don’t always want the receiver on at all times, and don’t need surround for casual TV viewing.
I’m so old-school it isn’t funny. My home theater is a fairly acronym-free zone.
TV is a 50" Panasonic plasma.
A Dish Network DVR handles TV programming.
The DVD player is a Pioneer model that does HD upconversion.
There’s an elderly Squeezebox to bring MP3s in from my desktop PC.
Despite my protests, there’s still a VHS deck. I keep threatening to pack it up with the Christmas decorations as it only seems to get used to play two or three Christmas programs that are not available on DVD.
Audio is handled by an aging Onkyo receiver, Velodyne 12" subwoofer and NHT speakers. Think I’ve got model 1.5s up front and Super Zeros on the back with a “Super Center” for the center channel.
A Harmony 880 remote makes it all simple enough for guests to turn it on and get sound and picture.
The amp is starting to show its age - performance is as good as ever, but now and then, the display blanks out and needs a whack to come back on and there’s a dead spot on the volume control where the right channel goes scratchy. It “only” does Dolby Pro Logic - no THX, no 5.1 channel, no digital audio. Heck, it’s so old that it has a phono input.
I want to replace the Squeezebox with an AppleTV as the Squeeze’s user interface is fairly crappy compared to AppleTV’s integration with iTunes on my desktop Mac, and the amp is beginning to irritate. I probably won’t replace it until it gets to the point that the occasional percussive maintenance doesn’t bring it back. No immediate plans to get a Blu-Ray player.
I haven’t got a home theatre as such (but a man can dream ), but I do have a 52" TV with 4 speakers.
My DVD is all-region, so I can watch excellent US TV and films (West Wing, CSI Vegas, Nero Wolfe* etc.)
*technically Canadian!
I don’t have a TV. I wanted to be able to listen to the radio/mp3s in my bedroom, living room, and kitchen, so I bought a set of speakers and put some in the living room and some in the kitchen, with the speakers that came with my old stereo in my bedroom, and ran cable into my office where I keep my computer and stereo.
The CD and cassette players on my stereo are now broken – it’s like 12 years old – so I just use it as an amplifier now and have it hooked up to my computer.
If I want to watch a DVD or whatever, I put my laptop on the coffee table and use an adaptor cable to hook it up to the speakers in the living room.
Sony 60" LCD
Yamaha 7.1 w/ I think 100 per.
Klipsch Chorus II mains, Klipsch surrounds and center and Velodyne sub.
Dish HD sat. but need to get DVR
JBL DVD but need to go HD
Marantz CD
Line conditioners, etc.
Harmony remote. 4 plus years old, a couple of the buttons have been depressed so many times they don’t work anymore. Need to replace.
One thing that’s kinda cool is a wireless feed from the closed circuit security cameras that I can PIP via an input and see the cameras cycle through while I watch a show. One of 'em gives me a shot of the grill, so no chance of burning the steaks outside even though you’re being entertained in the living room, can see when the pizza’s arrived, etc.
52" Sharp Aquous SE94
yamaha 5.1 amp
motorola pvr
PS3 (tversity streaming mp3, photos and vids from computers)
Polk surrounds and center
diy 15" sub (very nice)
The setup is being enjoyed by some warehouse storage crew somewhere (I hope not) 'cause most of it’s 120v as I didn’t anticipate going back to Europe and I’m stuck in Iraq now anyway.
Yamaha 7.1 receiver, forget model, 130wx7 channels.
Yamaha 5-disc DVD changer, generally with music/video CDs/DVDs in it.
Pioneer Elite single DVD/SCAD player for the movies and some surround audio.
Yes, a JVC S-VHS tape machine for some oldies.
A Yamaha turntable, more vinyl oldies, straight/direct drive tonearm for $14.00 new from the CID evidence room sale (been kept for 15 years as “evidence”) must have hit statute of limitations.
Samsung 56" LCD does 1080, multiple Hi-Def, optical, etc… inputs.
Definitive Technologies BP-2001 tower fronts. POWERED. 1200w for the sub/passive radiator in each speaker. Recommended to be on separate AC power circuits. Not feasible at my last house so I had a large UPS with automatic voltage control on each speaker. Things were cranking when you heard the UPSs clicking in for more juice on the heavy bass/drum hits and the low frequency special effects. At those levels, the room was alive as in things not tied down were mobile. Definitive Tech powered center speaker, surrounds, and small Polks in the way-back position.
Be sure to listen and spend some good money on the audio side. Adds impact to movies, videos, and plain music. You what to come closer to (or exceed :):)) a good theater’s dynamic range. Please don’t pay attention to folks who think the audio from I-Pods/MP3s is good enough so any cheap speaker box will do.
When I get “home”, where ever that ends up, integration with the cable/satellite/computer/internet will begin. I see ideas up above. An integrated remote will also be on the list.
), but I do have a 52" TV with 4 speakers.