Need HDTV and Sat advice!

[Tah2oe]

Go here for a ton of good info.

http://www.avsforum.com/

[NJ H2]

Originally Posted by dеiтайожни

After my first plasma died, I picked up a 42" Vizio LCD...

What I mentioned before was 37+ Plasma is better. So a 42 Vizio LCD most likely will be worse than a Plasma.
When I mentioned Vizio LCD I was talkiing about >37 (for the money)
http://www99.shopping.com/xPR-Vizio-L37

[f5fstop]

Originally Posted by dеiтайожни

No, no, no! Vizio's are pieces of shit. Their picture sucks, if there is even the slightest bit of sunlight in the room you can't see it. The viewing angle sucks, you practically have to be directly in front of it. Lastly, the speakers on them are horrible.

After my first plasma died, I picked up a 42" Vizio LCD... I don't remember why. But I ended up taking it back and getting a 46" Sony Bravia LCD, it was 3x more expensive but you get what you pay for.

Yes, the Pioneer is the way to go... I'm picking another one up for the bedroom shortly. That a/v setup sounds cool, I want!

I will have to disagree with that. I find they are excellent. But as you had a dead Plasma, your luck may have had you purchase a bad LCD. In my opinion, I would go back to an Orthacon screen before allowing a Sony in my house.

[NJ H2]

Originally Posted by BKLYNH2

Thats some good info on the av receiver as i'd like to minimize the cables that run to the tv. Does that thing do the surround sound as well? It's good to here a lot of praise for the Pioneer it is definitely a top contender and the price is at 2 grand now, not too bad.

The HDMI Cable won't support Surround Sound but if you get a 5.1 or 7.1 Surround Sound Receiver it will. Since everything is running from the receiver it should be no problem to run surround sound speakers from the Receiver's location. I also did in-wall speakers for the 5.1 Dolby Surround Sound and it sounds great. It's not the best set-up out there but I have no speaker wire to deal with and since the speakers are in the walls no speaker stands. I used a JBL Dual in wall Subwoofer for the .1 with Hometech in wall speakers for the rest (5)
Onkyo makes a real good Receiver the TX-SR674 Somewhere between $600.00 and $700.00
You plug in all your equipment to the Onkyo and run 1 HDMI Cable to the TV.
Just don't forget you need the Infrared eye or Wall box if you do this. I have the Wall box with cat 5 wire running to a brain located in my basement. The brain distributes the individual remote controls signal to the appropriate equipment and now you can control everything from the location of the Infrared eye with ZERO CLUTTER!. I have a Logitech Universal remote control (as KenP mentioned) and it works great except I have the LOGITECH HARMONY 890. 1 Remote works everything!

[dеiтайожни]

Originally Posted by f5fstop

I will have to disagree with that. I find they are excellent. But as you had a dead Plasma, your luck may have had you purchase a bad LCD. In my opinion, I would go back to an Orthacon screen before allowing a Sony in my house.

What is your previous experience with flat panels? It wasn't a bad LCD, my eyes and ears were just too well adjusted to good TVs. The Bravia is on same level as the Pioneer. You get what you pay for, no way around it. I always see at least 1 Vizio at the return counter every time I'm at Sams, so I'm not the only person who didn't find them to be any good.

[MarineHawk]

Originally Posted by NJ H2

I have the Wall box with cat 5 wire running to a brain located in my basement. The brain distributes ... signal to the appropriate equipment and now you can control everything

Sounds like a James Bond villain gone awry. It kinda freaks me out that you have a brain in your basement.

On a serious note, your setup sounds great, but over my head. How much time would it take a normal mortal to figure out how to configure all that stuff if I don't have a brain in my basement and the one in my head is only marginally useful?

[NJ H2]

Originally Posted by MarineHawk

Sounds like a James Bond villain gone awry. It kinda freaks me out that you have a brain in your basement.

On a serious note, your setup sounds great, but over my head. How much time would it take a normal mortal to figure out how to configure all that stuff if I don't have a brain in my basement and the one in my head is only marginally useful?

It sounds alot harder than it is. It's actually pretty easy
1. Put Cable Box, DVD Player, CD Player, VCR etc. in Basement or other area away from TV
2. Run Cat five wire from the IR eye (location near TV) to Receiver area where "The Brain is"
(The Brain comes with the IR Receiver)
3. Plug in all Components to Receiver
4. Attached to "The Brain" are wires that attach to the IR eyes on each Component. Simply Attach wires to IR eyes on Components.
5. Run HDMI Cable from Receiver to TV (HDMI will handle VIDIO and SOUND but not 5.1 DDS. You will need 5 speakers and a Subwoofer for DDS.
6. Turn on and enjoy!
7. If you want 5.1 DDS Run Speaker wire to Speakers from Receiver

[lennyrebel]

Originally Posted by BKLYNH2

I am in the market for a full video upgrade. A new TV for the bedroom (probably 32-37") and one for the entertainment/ living room (probably 42" -50") I have direct TV presently, but I will have to upgrade all equipment and so far it seems like they don't make any grand efforts to keep you as a client so a change may be the better route. Anyway I figured this is probably a good group to ask for some advice on flat panel tv's (no room for dlp, rear projection in my teeny city apartment anymore) and for comments pro's, cons on different services. By the way cable tv here is Time Warner and I didn't care much for them in the pre digital days. Your help is much appreciated.

How do you feel about free to air satellite ? PM me if you want any info. Regards The Rebel

[dеiтайожни]

NJ H2 -- Is there any delay using that type of system? Like when changing channels/volume/etc? I've used a similar thing back in the day (to control a cable box through a dvr) and the delay was annoying. I would put up with it for a system like what you described though now, so just wondering.

[f5fstop]

Originally Posted by dеiтайожни

What is your previous experience with flat panels? It wasn't a bad LCD, (It wasn't, you stated it was a piece of sh&t! What was it, not a bad TV, just an eye problem, or a POS?) my eyes and ears were just too well adjusted to good TVs. The Bravia is on same level as the Pioneer. You get what you pay for, no way around it. (True most of the time, but not all of the time. However, there are people who have spend five times more than you, but they don't say your TV is a POS) I always see at least 1 Vizio at the return counter every time I'm at Sams, so I'm not the only person who didn't find them to be any good.

And, everytime I'm at Sam's, I go to the return merchandise in the back of the store, and I see EVERY type of TV they sell returned at least once a month. Does that tell me all are bad? NO.
I honestly believe that you can purchase ANY brand of TV and find at least 10% that are not acceptable. So, enjoy your Brava, and I'll enjoy my Vizio POS (which was rated extremely high via an magazine article I read in the Hospital a half year ago). Then again, I watch TV primarily for news, History and Discovery channel, so my experience with any TV is limited.

[NJ H2]

Originally Posted by dеiтайожни

NJ H2 -- Is there any delay using that type of system? Like when changing channels/volume/etc? I've used a similar thing back in the day (to control a cable box through a dvr) and the delay was annoying. I would put up with it for a system like what you described though now, so just wondering.

No Delay at all. Everything is instant. A delay would drive me nutz also. It truly is a great set-up. Even working the DVR part of the Cable box is a breeze. It's like all the Components are in front of you ... except ... there not

[MarineHawk]

Originally Posted by NJ H2

It sounds alot harder than it is. It's actually pretty easy
1. Put Cable Box, DVD Player, CD Player, VCR etc. in Basement or other area away from TV
2. Run Cat five wire from the IR eye (location near TV) to Receiver area where "The Brain is"
(The Brain comes with the IR Receiver)
3. Plug in all Components to Receiver
4. Attached to "The Brain" are wires that attach to the IR eyes on each Component. Simply Attach wires to IR eyes on Components.
5. Run HDMI Cable from Receiver to TV (HDMI will handle VIDIO and SOUND but not 5.1 DDS. You will need 5 speakers and a Subwoofer for DDS.
6. Turn on and enjoy!
7. If you want 5.1 DDS Run Speaker wire to Speakers from Receiver

Thanks NJ. I might try it out when my mother in law moves out fairly soon and we can move the Pioneer and the pool table into the basement.

[RubHer Yellow Ducky]

Which TV (Plasma, LCD, CRT, DLP etc etc) plays back the best PORN?

[dеiтайожни]

Originally Posted by RubHer Yellow Ducky

Which TV (Plasma, LCD, CRT, DLP etc etc) plays back the best PORN?

Depends... what size screen? Do you like your porn to be life size? What kind of conditions will you mostly be viewing your porn in? Daytime, night time? Are there any windows in the room facing east or west? Do you like to watch in a manor that requires a wide viewing angle, aka the peeping angle? Are you an exhibitionist? Do you typically have the urge to pickup your television while watching porn?

[KenP]

The image that brings up...

[bparker]

[RubHer Yellow Ducky]

Originally Posted by bparker

Is that a Dumont ???