*** THE OFFICIAL HOME THEATER & AUDIO THREAD**

[crazybalhead]

Pioneer, so far, there has been dips to 108 Volts on the input, and the output voltage (measured with a multimeter) has been 119.3-120 volts.

[bushwakka]

i wud lay off the 3D for a while if i were you.....u wud just be paying premiums on equipment which they still working out the kinks in

by nex yr so

[ru$$ell]

duane,that case is great,my bro had one since last year sometime,even come with software something like WMC,a bit laggy,but i guess a update should fix that,i love that case cause it looks like a receiver.

*heads back over to Audiogon *

[ru$$ell]

they should if your paying direct,i use paypal though.

[Swisha]

i used google checkout for monoprice

[bushwakka]

but damn...Saw 3D yo...

sure is not de porn u want it for?

[Duane 3NE 2NR]

^ looks noisy and creaky

ru$$el I plan to use XBMC on it


I think it's safer to buy a 3D receiver now than it is to buy a 3D TV
I'd definitely wait until they decide which tech they will keep as standard on 3D tvs and also with no glasses required coming out at the end of this year - I'd definitely wait

[Soundwave]

I playin wid them in my hand...they not noisey

stop that, you'll go blind...

[ru$$ell]

Duane,you keep spelling my god damn name wrong

anyways,you should also check out mediaportal

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1092168

it requires alot of tweaking,but its suppose to be on of the best out there,unfortunately for me,i got through 3/4 of the tweaking process and never really bothered to finish it (patience isnt my strong point)

[SnipeR]

That Tt case looks sweet!
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6811133061

OH gad! @ price!
Check out these items Duane. Should work well for an HTPC setup and they're easy on the pocket.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6813131629
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6819116347
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6814150492

As for the speaker mounts, if the arrangement of your setup allows, you can check these out
http://www.amazon.com/Pinpoint-AM10-Uni ... 746&sr=1-4

[Duane 3NE 2NR]

^ I wanna try a mobo with built in HDMI alone at first

if it cant handle the transcoding or output of full 1080p and HD audio without dropping frames then I'll get a HDMI video card with a good GPU

[ru$$ell]

^ I wanna try a mobo with built in HDMI alone at first

if it cant handle the transcoding or output of full 1080p and HD audio without dropping frames then I'll get a HDMI video card with a good GPU

let me burst your bubble from now then,most onboard vid cards strain @ 720p,farless proper 1080p. They drop frames like crazy @ 720p. Research the new ati 58xx series.

[Duane 3NE 2NR]

^ ok then - well now I know I need a video card

[HCCA]

^ ok then - well now I know I need a video card

You can check out the new AMD Radeon 6xxx models of cards.

They have these capabilities:

'HDMI 1.4a support with Deep Color, 7.1 High Bitrate Audio and 3D Stereoscopic support'

[Duane 3NE 2NR]

^ bessss

[crazybalhead]

Nice man. I had them mounted high too and they performed quite nicely.

[Chiney]

REAR
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdet ... er=300-652

front...

http://www.amazon.com/Monster-Theater-S ... =de_a_smtd

amp??
logitech z5500..rebuilt sub enclosure and new sub
ID CTX 12"

[Duane 3NE 2NR]

^ what you using as the source? a receiver?

no center channel?

[Chiney]

^ what you using as the source? a receiver?

no center channel?

yeh duane

center:
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdet ... er=300-674


i mentioned i`m using the logitech z5500 amp.
rebuildin the sub enclosure and using this sub


this is the 4th time i am doin a system like that

all sounding better everytime!!

talk about low end..i`m a bass head!!

all in my room supporting this 42" LG



pricesmart has them for 6700
i didnt pay that for mine..

then i got a 720p projector for a bigger project later!

[crazybalhead]

Radio shack?

[silent_riot]

Anyone have any experience with DACs?
Looking to get one for Christmas. i.e. toslink to analog conversion

[Tired Accord]

So on the issue of power supply conditioning - what would be the recommendation for best budget conditioner for an AV system that draws ~500W of AC power? I know that computer grade UPS is not ideal - but I can't fork out for a multi-thousand dollar HT power supply. So I'm trying to get middle-of-the-road here. Do I need to get a line conditioner and a UPS? Based on some basic reading I've done, it seems that the UPS is preferred, as with voltage fluctuations, some of the higher end UPS switches to battery supply?

Additionally, where between PoS and central do you recommend to shop around for this?

[Chiney]

i use a regular 750VA APC on everything and it works just fine...not one problem

[crazybalhead]

So on the issue of power supply conditioning - what would be the recommendation for best budget conditioner for an AV system that draws ~500W of AC power? I know that computer grade UPS is not ideal - but I can't fork out for a multi-thousand dollar HT power supply. So I'm trying to get middle-of-the-road here. Do I need to get a line conditioner and a UPS? Based on some basic reading I've done, it seems that the UPS is preferred, as with voltage fluctuations, some of the higher end UPS switches to battery supply?

Additionally, where between PoS and central do you recommend to shop around for this?

Look two pages back. Bought it in Pricesmart, working good so far.

[Duane 3NE 2NR]

Do I need to get a line conditioner and a UPS?

for home theater setups the line conditioner is more important than the UPS. Most PC grade UPSs will not be able to run the amp/reeciver/player and big TV for long during a power failure so the UPS part of it is kinda pointless.

The UPS might only be useful for devices with hard drives that need to be shut down like a HTPC or maybe a PS3 or Xbox

Sound and Security has a Panamax M5400PM in stock. That is an excellent power supply conditioner and noise filter. This unit is on the higher end though.

Remember too folks that not all UPSs have line conditioners or voltage regulators or noise filters to filter out all that AC wall current noise. A UPS will only go to battery power when there is no AC power.

whatever you are buying make sure it has a line conditioner and voltage regulator. The noise filter is a plus.

some good features to look for in a home theater power supply:

Clean Power
Power filtration plus voltage regulation ensure components receive a consistent level of clean power. Improves picture and sound quality by eliminating noise across the entire AC bandwidth.

Voltage Regulation
Improve system performance and prolong equipment life by providing a consistent level of optimal power to your equipment. (boosts power during lower voltage and reduces it during a power surge)

Prioritized High Current Outlets
Outlets for equipment with high power demands (Amps/Subwoofers).

Power Sequencing
Guards against blown fuses and potentially damaging speaker thump by automatically powering outlets on and off in sequence.

Isolated Outlet Banks
Isolating outlet banks from one another prevents noise contamination between components.

12 Volt Trigger
Allows source equipment to activate or deactivate the switched outlets

[AYE_SOLDIER]

Firstly from reading everything being posted on the thread was a great help to me.
Now I finally want to put together my first HT system for my room.
As u can see from the attached image I decided on some of the stuff, feel free to give comments as I just made choices nothing was purchased as yet. (I choose this equipment based on online reviews, personal preference and price)


I also need help in purchasing all the necessary cables/wires for my system. (I don’t have a clue about this)
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Tired Accord]

CBH - I saw you bought the PriceSmart speshy. I not sure if they still have it. I will have to check. Chiney - what sort of load do you have on that? Duane Thanks for the info. You're right on the UPS battery back-up deal - battery back-up is useless for an AV set up.

[Duane 3NE 2NR]

Firstly from reading everything being posted on the thread was a great help to me.
Now I finally want to put together my first HT system for my room.
As u can see from the attached image I decided on some of the stuff, feel free to give comments as I just made choices nothing was purchased as yet. (I choose this equipment based on online reviews, personal preference and price)


I also need help in purchasing all the necessary cables/wires for my system. (I don’t have a clue about this)
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

why is the PS3 and the receiver so close to the couch? is that a cabinet they are in? If so that will cause some serious audio issues as it is directly inbetween your front speakers and you!

I take it the TV is a 1080p TV. Recommended viewing distance for 1080p is much closer than 720p. The recommended viewing distance for a 1080p 40" TV is ~6.3 feet for theater quality. You want about a 30degree viewing angle for that theater experience.

If you are sitting 8 feet away, the recommended TV size is a 50".

ALso that is a 5.1 setup. the rear speakers are in a good spot on the side of the sofa, but the back wall is not in a good spot.

At the end of the day once you are comfortable then that is all that matters

WRT to cables, I can't suggest lenghts as I dont know if you are running them surface or in the walls or around the room.
You will need one HDMI cable from the receiver OUT to the TV IN.
You will need one HDMI cable from the receiver IN to the PS3 OUT.
You will need a LFE or Subwoofer cable from the receiver sub/LFE OUT to the sub IN.
You will need 5 pairs (+/-) 12-16ga speaker wire from the receiver OUT to each speaker IN
If you are planning to connect FLOW cable TV, You will need one composite cable from the receiver IN to the digital FLOW box OUT. The receiver should upscale this analog signal to 720 or 1080 before sending it to the TV.

[AYE_SOLDIER]

why is the PS3 and the receiver so close to the couch? is that a cabinet they are in? If so that will cause some serious audio issues as it is directly inbetween your front speakers and you! .

yes was planning to put it in a cabinet (custom built), an i wanted to put it closer to the couch so it can act like a coffee table/ foot rest
but seriously why would it affect the audio?

I take it the TV is a 1080p TV. Recommended viewing distance for 1080p is much closer than 720p. The recommended viewing distance for a 1080p 40" TV is ~6.3 feet for theater quality. You want about a 30degree viewing angle for that theater experience.

well do u think i should go with a 720p because of the distance?
or i could just move the sofa closer when veiwing movies?

If you are sitting 8 feet away, the recommended TV size is a 50"..

a 50" tv will be out of my price range

ALso that is a 5.1 setup. the rear speakers are in a good spot on the side of the sofa, but the back wall is not in a good spot..

what do recommend to achive this?
floor stands on either side of the sofa?

At the end of the day once you are comfortable then that is all that matters ..

trust that i will!, once i can make up my mind on what to buy

WRT to cables, I can't suggest lenghts as I dont know if you are running them surface or in the walls or around the room.
You will need one HDMI cable from the receiver OUT to the TV IN.
You will need one HDMI cable from the receiver IN to the PS3 OUT.
You will need a LFE or Subwoofer cable from the receiver sub/LFE OUT to the sub IN.
You will need 5 pairs (+/-) 12-16ga speaker wire from the receiver OUT to each speaker IN
If you are planning to connect FLOW cable TV, You will need one composite cable from the receiver IN to the digital FLOW box OUT. The receiver should upscale this analog signal to 720 or 1080 before sending it to the TV.

i will install cable (flow digital) later on because i wont be home alot to watch regular tv.

hope this image helps with averaging cable lenghts.


i was planning to rout all cables in the floor/ walls using conduits
because the room is still being renovated.

also i'm guessing raptor or amazon will be the best source to buy HDMI cables?

[Chiney]

bought 2 35ft HDMI cables from amazon
paid 15US for it and 75 to clear skybox