My TV is a Sony KD-34XBR960, I have an XBOX 360 with HD DVD player. I'm looking to get a sound system, but don't want to blow anyone away. I just want great sound for games and movies.
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Depending on what you want to spend you have quite a few options. You've got a good TV and good source with the XBOX and HD DVD add on. Option #1 - Look at a component Home Theater System - Receiver, Surround Speaker Package, and Subwoofer. With this you'll be looking around $1000 and up. Keep an eye on the adds at Best Buy and they constantly advertise the Klipsch Quintet III surround System, with Sub and Receiver for $1000. You will be hard pressed to find a better deal. The Quintet surround package is the number one selling system in the entire country and has been rated very high by pretty much everyone.Option #2 - Home Theater in A Box (HTIB). This will save you a lot of money, and will give you a complete system for a great value. You can get a pretty good system starting at $400, and a very good HTIB for $700. Look into Yamaha, Denon, and Onkyo for HTIBs as they offer quite a few. These will come with a receiver, speakers, subwoofer, and a few even come with a DVD player that you could use in another room or as a CD player. Can get 5.1 to 7.1 surround sound out of these for movies and games.Option #3 - a 2.1 Speaker system. Samsung, LG, Philips, Denon and others offer 2.1 speaker systems. These will be a receiver, 2 speakers and subwoofer that will simulate surround sound using only 2 speakers and a subwoofer. These are great for small rooms, and sound great. I've got a Denon S101 in my bedroom, and use it for my PS2, DVDs, and Satellite. The cost on these however will be similar to an HTIB.I train home theater for a living, and educate consumers as wel as sales people on how to purchase and sell Home Theater.
Showing posts with label Home Theater. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Home Theater. Show all posts
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Saturday, December 2, 2006
How do I connect my Television to my Surround Sound System?
Hopefully this isn't as complicated as you feared. This depends on your TV and what else you will be connecting to the system. Here's a few options for what you are trying to do.1) Direct TV Connection Option: If your television offers an audio output this will be the easiest of the connections, all you do is connect an audio cable from the TV's audio output (white and red jacks), to the input of your choice on your receiver (TV/SAT, Video 1, AUX, etc). When you want to watch your TV through surround, you turn on your receiver to the correct input and trun on your TV, and you're good to go. There may be an option in your TV menu as well to leave the audio output as fixed - choose this option if available, this means that as you adjust the volume on your TV, it won't mess with the sound through the receiver.2) Using a Cable or Satellite Box: If you have a cable or satellite box connected to the TV, the sound quality will be better than coming directly from the TV. For this you will utilize the audio outputs on the back of the boxes, either Analog Audio (red and white), or a digital output (optical or digital coax). From the back of the box, connect one of the cables from the audio out (analog or digital) to your receiver to whichever input you choose, and now when you watch your cable or satellite, you will have sound from your receiver and/or your TV. (This is my preferred choice).3) Using a VCR: If your TV doesn't have an audio output, and you're not using a cable or satellite box this is pretty much the only other option (if you have a VCR that is). If you have a stereo VCR and your TV signal (basic cable/antenna) is running through the VCR, you will connect an Audio cable from the Audio output on the back of the VCR to whatever jack you prefer on your receiver. All you do is leave your VCR on when you want to listen to the stereo, and whatever channel the VCR is on, that sound will come through the Stereo as well.
I hope this helps in your quest, I know its a lot of information, but I like being thorough.
I hope this helps in your quest, I know its a lot of information, but I like being thorough.
Monday, November 27, 2006
What is Philips Ambilight and why would I want it?
This question was posted on an Answer site:
What is this Philips Ambilight gimmick and why would I want it?
My Response:
The Abilight is a nice feature to have for people who wear glasses or contacts especially because the purpose of Ambilight is to make TV viewing less stressful on the eyes, that's exactly why when you go to a movie theater they have the small sconces on the walls that produce just a little bit of diffused light, because watching TV in total darkness is bad for the eyes. So Philips saw this and put it inside their sets, most people think its a joke, but its a nice feature to have, especially for anything with a lot of moving action like sports, specifically racing. It also makes the picture look bigger too. I personally like it and think that is has made watching movies and sports more enjoyable.
What is this Philips Ambilight gimmick and why would I want it?
My Response:
The Abilight is a nice feature to have for people who wear glasses or contacts especially because the purpose of Ambilight is to make TV viewing less stressful on the eyes, that's exactly why when you go to a movie theater they have the small sconces on the walls that produce just a little bit of diffused light, because watching TV in total darkness is bad for the eyes. So Philips saw this and put it inside their sets, most people think its a joke, but its a nice feature to have, especially for anything with a lot of moving action like sports, specifically racing. It also makes the picture look bigger too. I personally like it and think that is has made watching movies and sports more enjoyable.
What is a QAM Tuner and do I need it?
This question was posted on an answer site:
What is a QAM cable tuner and do I need it in my HDTV?
My Response:
A QAM tuner is basically your HD Cable Tuner, similar to that of a cable card, but if you are going to be using an antenna for reception of your local channels, or satellite then you will not be using the QAM tuner. You're not paying for it in the sets anymore, its pretty much a requirement now to be in there, but the funny thing about the QAM tuner is that most cable companies won't broadcast in a way to allow them to be used, you've got to go through their box or cable card. Cable card and QAM tuners are nice options to have down the road, as the regulations on cable are lifted, if you happen to select a TV with those features then you'll be ok, and you're not paying extra for them like you would have 2 years ago. Hope this helps.
What is a QAM cable tuner and do I need it in my HDTV?
My Response:
A QAM tuner is basically your HD Cable Tuner, similar to that of a cable card, but if you are going to be using an antenna for reception of your local channels, or satellite then you will not be using the QAM tuner. You're not paying for it in the sets anymore, its pretty much a requirement now to be in there, but the funny thing about the QAM tuner is that most cable companies won't broadcast in a way to allow them to be used, you've got to go through their box or cable card. Cable card and QAM tuners are nice options to have down the road, as the regulations on cable are lifted, if you happen to select a TV with those features then you'll be ok, and you're not paying extra for them like you would have 2 years ago. Hope this helps.
What are Jewel Cube/Direct Reflecting Speakers
This question was posted on an Answer site:
Bose Lifestyle Series system. What's the difference between Jewel Cube and Direct/Reflecting cube speakers?
My Response:
Jewel Cube and Direct Reflecting are basically the same thing. Its just what Bose calls their small "cube-like" speakers. The cubes were designed to be virtually invisible and utilize a Bose technology called Direct Reflecting technology, which is great if you are going to be in a solid room, and not so great in an open area. The purpose behind the Reflecting technology is that sound bounce off of walls to make the room sound bigger, but if you have windows with drapes, or an open wall to another room, then the effect is lost. If you haven't purchased yet, and are looking at speakers, take a look at the Klipsch Quintet III available at Best Buy, add in a subwoofer and for $1000 you can have a much better sound system, without worrying about reflected sound, plus they do specials all the time, where you get the speakers, subwoofer and high power receiver for $1000, so essentially you get the receiver for free. Hope this helps.
Bose Lifestyle Series system. What's the difference between Jewel Cube and Direct/Reflecting cube speakers?
My Response:
Jewel Cube and Direct Reflecting are basically the same thing. Its just what Bose calls their small "cube-like" speakers. The cubes were designed to be virtually invisible and utilize a Bose technology called Direct Reflecting technology, which is great if you are going to be in a solid room, and not so great in an open area. The purpose behind the Reflecting technology is that sound bounce off of walls to make the room sound bigger, but if you have windows with drapes, or an open wall to another room, then the effect is lost. If you haven't purchased yet, and are looking at speakers, take a look at the Klipsch Quintet III available at Best Buy, add in a subwoofer and for $1000 you can have a much better sound system, without worrying about reflected sound, plus they do specials all the time, where you get the speakers, subwoofer and high power receiver for $1000, so essentially you get the receiver for free. Hope this helps.
Is it really necessary to use the Video In jacks on my surround receiver?
This question was posted on an Answers site:
Is it really necessary to use the Video inputs on the back of my Surround Receiver?
My Response:
It entirely depends on the components which you are connecting and the type of operation that you want. For instance, if you have a DVD player, Satellite, VCR, and a Video Game system your TV more than likely couldn't handle all that, so this is where the receiver comes in. If you run everything through the receivers A/V inputs then you could in a sense have one cable going to your television, making operation easy. Depending on the brand of receiver, it may convert lower video inputs out to higher outputs (example - Composite (yellow) in from VCR, but send out S-Video or Component to your TV). I travel for a living and I have most of the equipment I listed above, and I have everything running through the receiver, and now when my wife and son want to watch a movie or play games all they do is select the input on the receiver for the device they are going to use, and there it is right on the TV.
Is it really necessary to use the Video inputs on the back of my Surround Receiver?
My Response:
It entirely depends on the components which you are connecting and the type of operation that you want. For instance, if you have a DVD player, Satellite, VCR, and a Video Game system your TV more than likely couldn't handle all that, so this is where the receiver comes in. If you run everything through the receivers A/V inputs then you could in a sense have one cable going to your television, making operation easy. Depending on the brand of receiver, it may convert lower video inputs out to higher outputs (example - Composite (yellow) in from VCR, but send out S-Video or Component to your TV). I travel for a living and I have most of the equipment I listed above, and I have everything running through the receiver, and now when my wife and son want to watch a movie or play games all they do is select the input on the receiver for the device they are going to use, and there it is right on the TV.
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