GolfHos

Alright, just spent my first two hours researching HDTV, etc.  My mind is mush.  I expect I'll have to invest 100+ hours just to learn the basics.  It's gonna get ugly.

Damn you aske.

lol

We expect a 1500 word essay when you're done or a 5 page report - whichever you prefer. ;)

 8)


you haven't lived till you've tried V for Vendetta with TrueHD soundtrack on a new AVR and a good quality  5.1 set

OMFG.

ps, my consulting fee is $100/post.

pps  if you haven't done that much research yet i might can save you at least $200-$300 before you even step foot in the stores.

Thanks.  I'll take you up on that.  At this point I'm trying to figure out the questions.  When I have those I'll start working on answers.  Perhaps if you have on offer the traditional GolfHos discount (99.9% off) I'll engage you for your services.   ;)

Interesting, related story.

http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/07/10/10/study_hdtvs_windows_pcs_crowd_out_apple_on_holiday_wish_lists.html


Why would you shell out big bucks for a HDTV and settle for nothing but SD programming?  Seriously, that's crazy isn't it?  Maybe I'm missing something.

ppl = stupid.

Then they stretch the SD signals to fill the wide screen, throwing off the aspect ratio.  I hate that.

most of the buyers only budget for the tv, not content and peripherals.  they want to be 'in'.  then they see other similar buyers watching SD on an HDTV, and think that's as good as it needs to be.
 [sm_disgust]

probably doesnt help that all those 'hd upconverting dvd players' confuse people

Will my rabbit ears work on one?

yes to pick up free OTA local HD channels

yup, you could can get your local network affiliates free OTA

I would suggest that he doesn't need The McNeil - Lehrer Hour at any higher resolution.

Yeah, but  :airquotes: Monty :airquotes: is hooked on Barney reruns.

i wonder if ric romero's station broadcasts news in HD yet.  that toupee must be amazing.

:airquotes: He :airquotes: prefers Dora the Explorer.

so anyways... i hope you've already at least decided: ummm.. room size, ratio of movies to tv expected, budget, amount of 'futureproofing' etc?    [sm_devil]

I've absolutely decided that those are things that must be decided.

Room size: check
Ratio of movies to TV expected: deliberating/researching
Budget: check
Amount of futureproofing: deliberating/researching
Programming source: deliberating/researching (why do they all suck in some way?)
HDV format: check (you've talked me into it)
Display size: deliberating/researching
Resolution: deliberating/researching
Deadline: deliberating/researching

I don't want to buy a new AVR right now.  I have a 8 year old Marantz SR7200 that may or may not be up to the task.  I'm concerned that I'll get myself in a catch-22 situation between futureproofing and trying to use the old unit.

<noted>

not the worst in the world even by modern standards but you'll definitely want to upgrade it . it would 'work' {via downres/downsampling} but you wouldn't get ANY of the hd-audio benefit you get from cable/sat/ota and hd-dvd/blowray

just running 1 wire into the display is nice also hehehehe

That's good news (right??)  I'd upgrade within a year but I'd hate to have to step down on the display and/or HDV just to granddaddy the Marantz into play.  If I can "get by" for a year on the audio side but still be able go all out on the video side I'll be happy. 

* All out does not mean $20k.   ;)

fair enough.   ;D

Alright then, if this isn't too presumptuous of me...

Room is 18x18.  Display will be centered on "outside" wall between two windows.  I'd like to wall-mount unless that has inherent problems of some sort.  Currently running 5.1 with the four corners of the room hosting the front L/R and rear surrounds.  Seating is angled at about 25 degrees from center rear (love seat and couch).

Budget is roughly $5k.  I can swing more if necessary but I'd rather not. 

Currently on DISH.  I've been researching Comcast to get away from HD-Lite but those bastards don't seem to have FSC nor Setanta in my area (haven't explicitly called yet).  I'm not sure I can live that way.  OTA doesn't work in my neighborhood.  I have the fanciest antenna made and it's so much metal in the attic.

Leaning toward LCD only because I like the picture better in the stores.  Totally open to being convinced otherwise.

Leaning toward 46" display as it fits the space between the windows nicely.

Leaning toward 1080p just 'cuz. 

Usage will be as follows:

• Soccer/Rugby/GAA (SD unfortunately AFAIK) - no more than 4-6 hours per week
• NFL - no more than 6 hours per week
• Golf - heavy on the majors and Ryder Cup; 1 hour here and there otherwise
• Children's programming (Nick/Disney) - about 1 hour a day but ramps up a bit in winter
• Mind-numbingly boring wifey shows (DIY/Food/Other *feces*e) - God only knows
• Animal Planet/Biography/Discovery/History/etc. - 4-5 hours per week but also ramps up in winter
• SD movies - 1 per week maybe
• HD movies - 2 per week probably and maybe more as I ramp up
• Stewart/Colbert - about 2 hours per week (rest of week watched upstairs)
• Gaming - zippo

No wide angle viewing.  We'll be in front of the display or not watching it.

Need a good universal remote to handle existing Marantz AVR and SD-DVD plus HDV and display.

Will spend for cabling, power protection, etc. but only as necessary.  No need to go overboard IMO.

TV isn't used as white noise in our house.  If nobody is actively watching it's turned off.

I'm sure there's much more as I get to thinking about it.  If the good doctor and/or any others have opinions they'd be most welcome.  I'm your beeyatch.  Tell me what to do.   ;)

I have to  :sad3:.  I have FSC, but no Setana on Charter cable.  Cannot bring myself to switch to sat over one channel, even though I would really like to have it.  If you get HDNET you will get some MLS games in very nice 1080i  :)


Size - bigger is almost always better.  You have the room size to support a larger display (I have a 50" in a slightly smaller room), but if it doesn't fit where you need it...

I already had a stand that was perfect, so I didn't wall mount and have been very happy.  My stand has a rotating top that allows me to angle it if I'm on the loveseat or sofa, even though the viewing angle is quite good (plasma).

Don't splurge on digital cables - its a high or its a low, don't bring old analog concerns about cable into the digital world.

Power protection - I would suggest it.  I'm looking at upgrading mine right now - our local power company has not been kind over the years  >:(


PS - you're gunna want to upgrade the AVR if you get into HD-DVD or Blue-Ray  ;)

Thanks Rick.  I guess I'll look at 50" although the price bumps a fair bit.  But hey, if I stay on budget it doesn't matter, right? 

18x18 is definitely about right for a 5.1, it could later squeeze 7.1 but it would be tight and probably not necessary.  wall mount saves space but costs more.  how far from the wall is the seating ?  10 feet ?

definitely enough to get started (and an avr  ;))

dish sucks total balls on hdtv (ultimate downres hd-lite experience).   directv is going to go to mpeg4 which will in theory put them in the lead with the most possible high quality hd channels, but whether they will downres them to hd-lite is yet to be seen  .commiecast doesn't downres, but until they implement SDV they can't offer as many channels yet.

tough call to make based on 'in the store' they're all on 'shop mode' and it depends on what they're playing.  for sports, unless its an 120hz display,  most lcd will motion blur some at fast action even if the signal is great.

if you stay at 46" you'll definitely stay under budget. optimum viewing distance here is 7-10 feet.

good idea. futureproof. and better quality.   however, you won't see the differnece without great great eyesight on 46" past 10 feet.       46" lcd 1080p  shouldn't be more than $2500 (that's now... they'll be $2000 at thanksgiving/xmas) max....     however, to really maximize 1080p at 10 feet you really should probably be 55-65" .  you'll "see" the detail the most.   sometimes bigger is better. this is one time.  assuming you don't mind blocking a window a bit, or rearranging somewhat

not recommended for  plasma with that much SD, kids high color,  and and potential black bar movies 

dlp probably better than lcd  with that much sports desired. (assuming you aren't rainbow sensitive) 

then anything would pretty much work except maybe sitting on the floor from right under it.

logitech 880 suits me well, about $150.  there are cheaper and more expensive models.  depends how big of a screen you want and how many devices to control.  beware, the software may be windows only. i can't remember!

power protection probably a good idea.  $200 at most needed (battery backup, surge, power cleaning)  rest of the cabling can be had for $100 at most total (3-4 sets of video and audio cables)   do not buy a/v cables in the store! ever!

then you definitely don't want a conventional bulk rear projector.  on/off cycling kills the bulb in those units. ($300-$400 every 2 years probably).  either flat panel or slim led microdisplay


gimme $.  ;)


anyways, you could easily , without even going bigger TV, get the tv(plus warranty), hd-dvd player (hda20 , hda35, or xa1 recommended) , onkyo thx hdmi1.3 avr (plus warranty), logitech remote ,  **and** 30-40 (plus 7-9 free with purchase) hd-dvds (to start with on day 1) for $5000 if you did it at buttbuy or circuit*feces*ty you'd also get about $250 worth of reward gift certificates.

one other thing, stay with name brands.  while olevia, vizio, etc  generally work just fine, if something does go wrong, you have to pay to ship it to and back from them (say $300) for repairs if it's even still under warranty. ... whereas name brands will offer house based service calls (probably even in utah!! lol)

again its your $, your decision, take my advice for what it's worth.  once you buy that 46" and sit down, you'll enjoy it.  but then you'll say, i wish it were bigger. keep in mind that viewing area ratio (or screen size) goes as (d1/d2)^2.  for example 50/46 has about a 20% bigger screen and 55/46 has about a 40% bigger screen ... which makes a huge difference....  if you plan to watch a lot of hd-dvds especially. (as most are proper OAR 2.35:1)  your vertical screen height used on a 46" would be ...  a whopping 17"

 

Nice.   [sm_thumbsup]

I have a feeling I'll be buying dinner/drinks before all is said and done here.  Assuming you roll out to SLC in the near future that is.   ;)

I have 50-55" of usable horizontal room between the windows.  Based on what I'm seeing that takes me up into most 50-56" displays.  Both of you used the "bigger is better" line so I'd better consider it strongly.

A few starter questions and I'll head off on my research:

1.  How do you know if you're rainbow-sensitive?  Drag the whole family down to a shop and watch some closing credits?

2.  Assuming I'll go with either LCD or DLP in the 50-56" range, which brands/models should I start to research per technology?

3.  DIRECTV v. Comcast.  Which is a better bet moving down the road?  If it's even close I'm going with the one that gets me channels I need.  Currently that seems to be DIRECTV.

Woah.  Big pic.  It does help.

I didn't answer that question.  For wall mount the seating would be a good 15'.  With a table top stand it'd be closer to 10-13' depending on which end of which piece of furniture you're on.  By the way, the furniture is likely to change down the road too.  It can't be further away than it already is... that's for sure.

goddamn, that was too big.  i just changed it.

i also added info on expected unit width (if you have 55" horizontal space)   :)

ps, although it's not necessarily common, you can build wall mount shelving for microdisplays.
just not 'hangable'

(http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/7863/hdtvinfowz8.th.jpg) (http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/7863/hdtvinfowz8.jpg)

1. impossible to know. just have to check in store (ask them to play different sources.... )
(led dlp is not rainbow possible)

2. i personally could not be happier with my samsung LED dlp (lifetime bulb, no rainbows, etc).  however, just about all hdtv's are a crapshoot, just be sure to check yours extensively (white screen, black screen, screen geometry , etc) before the return period expires.  a lot of hdtvs are packaged rather poorly in transit for how fragile they are.  the light engine and case/frames  can 'shift' .  in general, most major brands have either 3lcd or dlp  microdisplays.

3. impossible to know.  directtv as mentioned earlier will probably take the lead this winter , at least for a while. they will have more 'hd' channels for certain.  whether they are high quality hd, we will see.  comcast will offer high quality hd channels, how many remains to be seen.  (we get 24 here right now, including locals).  if you want DVR functions, commiecast is definitely an advantage over the satellites because you can lease the dvr for $5 a month instead of buying it.  comcast usually isnt commitment limiting either, so if you decide later directtv is better you can switch out for no penalty. not the case vice versa.   directtv has way more soccer channels though.   you will get your local FSN on commiecast to at least break in on the MOJO/INHD channel for local HD games  as commiecast doesn't distribute dedicated FSNHD channels yet.

I'm struggling to find good info on the net.  Reviews are horribly written, most are years old, etc.  I think I'll have to stroll on down to BestBuy this weekend with a pen/paper and start taking notes.  Go from there.

The Samsung site blows hard.

Thanks for the specific advice on models.  Gives me a great place to start.

Hicks, what do you have?

just fyi:
my gear  hlt6187s, hda20, tx-sr705
...at current bigbox store prices with warranties and tax, would leave about $800-900 for remaining stuff (power, remote, cables, directtv dvr, hd-dvd software, etc) at your budget

ps, i hope that plot proves useful to anyone else considering moving into hdtv this holiday season
 8)

Well, between that, and the condom size deal........My plate is full.

you needed that condom chart to find out 'extra small' ?  [sm_devil]




 [sm_beertoast] [sm_laughing]

 ;D
(http://www.accidentalcruiser.com/images/oldsalt.gif)

I got the Panasonic TH-50PX50U in early '05.  At the time it had great reviews and was the best bang for the buck in plasma (spent a LOT of time on the AVS Forum doing research) - and I have been extremely happy with it.  Newer models of the same line are most likely 1080p now, but mine is 1080i.  I choose plasma after originally looking for DLP projection units and seeing a noticeable difference in picture quality.  I knew the moment I looked at it I had just added over 60% to my planned purchase (~$4000 vs. ~$2500)  :-[  [sm_shock]  ;)

I still have my old(er) Harmon Kardon AVR 510 - worked great for component video switching, but HDMI wasn't available at the time and I'm looking at new ones now (as you well know).  If it wasn't for HDMI I would be more than happy to keep the H/K - its been great driving my 5.1 speakers (Cambridge Soundworks - now owned by Creative).  Given my room size I don't see a need to go beyond 5.1 and will be sticking with the same speakers.  The sound quality has been great with them.  I bought the AVR and speakers in early '01 if I recall correctly.

I've pretty much settled on the Onkyo TX-SR805 at the moment, but am waiting a few more weeks before pulling the trigger - want to see how the Myth install works out for audio.

onkyo!  onkyo!

ps, rick, did you see the onkyo tx-nr905?  $2k. networking. http://www.onkyousa.com/model.cfm?m=TX-NR905&class=Receiver&p=i  [sm_shock]

At $2k I'm afraid to click  :fear:

 ;)

 8)

monoprice.com for your a/v cables.

The reviews on the TX-SR805 are very positive other than some complaints about the lack of up-converting to 1080p.  Is that something to worry about?  Is up-converting viable technology - i.e. does it work?

('cuz there's always the 875  ;))

Thanks Teed.  That's  [sm_thumbsup2] [sm_thumbsup2] on monoprice.com so far.   :)

for upconversion your hd-dvd or blu-ray player will handle the old sd-dvds

SD TV won't upconvert worth a *feces* anyways.  if you have vhs,  the nicer upscalers can do a bit with it, but not much.

unless you really plan to watch a ton of SD material, i wouldn't worry about it.

Yep.  When upscaling I'm of the opinion that just getting it to HDMI is good enough, as you cannot create resolution out of nothing and SD->1080 would likely look pretty crappy if you tried.

Fair enough.

Might have to skip out early this afternoon and hit Riverdale Road (BB & CC within walking distance of each other).   ;)

HL-T5687S on sale for $18c at both BB & CC through tomorrow.  Very tempting but I'll wait for Black Friday (actually, I'll wait for 30 days prior to Black Friday and maybe even get 10% back).  I need to do more research.

No Onkyo at either location.  Selection of AVR and HDV was pitiful. 

wouldnt surprise me if the 6187s  is $2k or less for black friday.   tried the circuit city store locator
http://www.circuitcity.com/ccd/howToGetIt.do?userClick=&zip=84104&oid=184107

says the onkyo is in stock somewhere in SLC.
 

Interesting.  Says they have it at the store I was just in.  They didn't even have one on display.  When I asked if they carry it the guy told me no.  But, after an evening's research I think I'm more up-to-speed than him anyway.   ;)

Here is how the conversation goes regarding a future HD set-up with my wife?


me:  So my bonus is about here, how about that HDtv?

wife:  Well the kitchen still sucks donkey balls how about new cabinets, countertops and flooring?  Our bathroom could use some updating as well.  Oh yeah, I decided what color I want our bedroom painted, when are you starting on that?

me:   :sad3: :'( 

wife:  That's what I thought.  You can get the TV after the kitchen is remodeled.  Besides our TV (Sony Wega Trinitron) is perfectly fine.

me:   ::) :P

I'll bet to you the bathroom is just fine and the TV viewing sucks donkey balls.  So....

Time in the bathroom = ~30 minutes a day.  Time on front of the TV = ~3+ hours a day??  Tell me again where the bang for the buck is?  ;)

Rick, I think you've inadvertently identified the crux of the matter.

hmmmmm  :-[.

I'm not married and forget these things  ;)

After one day of edumacation under my belt I can't really understand why you guys didn't laugh your arses off at this statement.   :-[ :-\

It rarely helps to tell someone the stovetop is hot - you need to touch it for yourself to learn.

Reminds me of getting my previous new TV.  All I wanted was a bigger TV, but then it was stereo... hmmmm, need an AV receiver to hear good sound..... and hell if I'm getting speakers may as well get a full 5.1 surround set.... oh, and now I need a progressive scan DVD player with component video to really see good DVD quality.......  All I wanted was a bigger TV  [sm_shock] :D

I just returned from the "Did your TX-SR805 catch fire?" thread to read your post.  LOL.

If he said it was in his pants while he was jogging, he's full of *feces*.

they usually aren't on display.  just a box on the floor mixed in the other onkyos.

i doubt the employees even know how to connect them properly
 [sm_devil]

yup.  rick nailed it with his reply to you. 

Hi, me again.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=11845649

What does this mean to me?  I'm trying to figure out this frame rate stuff and it's rather confusing. 

films are made at 24 frames/second.  tv is made at 30/60.    most hdtvs are made with a 60 frames/second (60 hz) refresh rate.  1080i , 1080p, 720p  display without 'pulldown'   24 frame/seconds material would need pulldown.  120 hz displays (rare) solve this issue avoiding pulldown.   basically a bunch of elitist snobs claims they can visually see differences between 24 fps native and 60 fps 'pulled down' .  maybe you can too.  i personally can't see it, and don't care.  my hda20 plays everything just fine, with no visible moire, or 'jitters'

Thanks aske.

Those forums will scare you into buying... absolutely nothing.  I'm trying to get my head around what's real and what's over the top. 

So... Samsung DLP and bending?   [sm_devil]

Seriously, I really am leaning toward the 5687 and this is my last concern.  I don't think "hot spot" is going to bother me and I think bending would have to be severe.  What's your take on the latter?

bending- absolutely nothing you can do to 'prevent it' out of the box.  like i said, sometimes transiting these things from across the world in the packaging they are in just can't prevent it.  that said, you can try to bend it back if it does happen, or you can simply return it for another one.    i also suspect a lot of people just aren't careful enough when its out of the box and they pick it up to position it on its stand. it has a sturdy base for a reason!

mine: out of the box (and it's 61" so it's an even bigger unit so more bend susceptible)  .4 cm l/r off center, .2 cm t/b off center, and 1-2* clockwise tilt. just pushing the frame a bit on the top right fixed the tilt   

i can't detect a hot spot. i tried all kinds of test patterns from my PC.  i think it's more of an issue with the 56. 

did you take your family to the store to see it too? or do you get to make the decision and surprise them ?

i would suspect the people that can really see 24fps pulldown stutter either have f'd up displays or they actually have enough visual acuity that they could watch an old PC  CRT monitor line cycle in front of them.

Man, you'd think it was severely messed up based on the comments.

Remember how I just got Rx glasses for the first time?  They're sunglasses for golf/driving/etc.  I'm going to have to get an indoor pair so I can take full advantage of the HD.  LOL.

My wife will have to approve the display.  It's "furniture" to her and therefore her domain.  But I basically get to choose what I want.  She doesn't care as long as it looks good.  Hence 50 or 56" instead of 61".  Fits the space better.

My son's interested but doesn't understand how much better it's going to be.  He's focused on how much bigger it's going to be. 

My daughter doesn't give a toss.

that's cool. 
 ;D

will you be buying the samsung stand or something else?  keep in mind the height of your sofa/seats/ whatever.  the screen center should be at your head height when seated.

Undecided.  I'm thinking about retrofitting an existing piece of furniture.  It matches the room well and could work nicely.  I have to investigate replacing wood doors with some sort of screen for ventilation and IR.  It's a bit high though.  I saw the purpose-designed stands in the store yesterday.  Nothing really fits our furniture (Mexican wormwood with black iron, pots, earth tones, so forth).

lol, well i will take the 'dealer' guy's comments that there is a problem to be accurate-  however, whether you can perceive it ... i doubt,  and the fact he says a firmware patch is coming... so who cares. it will fix what you probably can't even see!  LOL. 

hmm, that could be tough. 

if nothing else works and money is not that* sensitive to you  i bet salamander designs (no, not that salamander lol)  would have something to meet your needs (thin black metal and earthy wood colors)

Here's what I need.  I don't think the shelves are the right fit and the back would need to be opened for ventilation but it generally suits.

(http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/santana_1969_7725053)

24" H x 50" L x 23" D

There's a place down in Provo which custom builds this sort of stuff.  We had our old cabinet/amour thing for our old AV gear custom built.  Reasonable prices too.  Perhaps that's the way to go.

custom built is definitely the best if you have the connection and funds.
 :)      :sad3: (we don't lol)

The place in Provo is actually pretty cheap.  We paid $800 for a unit about four times the size of the one in the photo.  I think we might be able to get it built for sub-$300 which is the price of all the ready-made stuff.  Problem is, you have to wait for it to be built and delivered from Mexico.   

[sm_smoking]

Everything for sale out there is so modern.  It's as if your TV room has to be the deck of the Enterprise.

Now come on UB, your just talking plain dirty to the boys now, saying things like that to get them excited!!!!!! :o :o :o ;D ;D ;D

OK, this notion that I'm talking dirty to the boys needs the brakes applied and quick.   :-X

http://www.panamax.com/products.cfm?group=1&sec=detail&id=273&ly=h

$250 everywhere online although the $5 million insurance/guarantee seems to be in play only if you pay MSRP at one of their "authorized dealers".  I'm not worried about that to be honest.  If the product is good it'll do what it's supposed to.

Any opinions?  Overkill?  Is UPS necessary?

Wow, Panamax has really expanded their product line since I put my home theater together 5 years ago.  I went with one of these back then:
(http://www.audiotubes.com/PMXM8DBS5.jpg)

Hehe, when I was shopping around, I was complaining that things weren't Star Trekky enough. ;D

I went with this rack and front speaker stands.
(http://www.standsonline.com/images/products/bello/Bello-AT-484-medium.jpg)(http://www.standsandmounts.com/ProductImages/bello/sp-200.jpg)

Dys, my wife took one look at stuff like that (modern designs) and said "no way".  Shot down in flames. 

Guess who just got back from Provo ~$450 lighter in the wallet (so much for under $300).  Ah well, it's custom designed to exactly the specs I want and matches the room perfectly.  It'll look good and get the job done perfectly.

Plus it's that step that gets me past the point of no return.   ;) ;D

heh, the point of no return. ;D

Back to the Panamax power conditioner, how many spaces are you going to have in your custom rack/cabinet dealie?  That is, is space a premium for components in the furniture?

And how many components are you currently looking at? Two spots are taken by the Receiver and DVD player, I assume.  What about a DVR or sat/cable box?  Any plans to expand and add anything down the road?  How about a Legacy VCR or any game systems?

There's plenty of space.  Three 24" W x 7" H shelves.  One 24" W x 15" H shelf for the AVR.  I don't want anything above it and it's almost 8" tall.  Two sat receivers will stack within one of the 7" shelves (I'm not sure if I'll need one or two at this point).  Space is reserved for the DVD player which obviously could stack if necessary as it's very slim.  I do have an old VCR but I'm probably going to put that in my daughter's room with the old TV as pretty much all the movies are Disney. 

No gaming really.  Probably just use the convenience jacks for my son's PS2 every now and again.  He doesn't seem interested in a PS3 or Xbox at least for now.

There's room to expand with no real plans to expand.

Unless of course I change my mind.   ;)

Many thanks to all for your input - especially what's his name and the other guy.  I have to admit I'm a big fan of jumping off the recommendations of others, especially when I have a good feeling about their diligence, and trying to find something to beat those recommendations.  That's what I've done here and it's been tough to find anything at all to make me go another direction.  The SR805 is especially impressive and is the easiest choice of the bunch.

Display:
Samsung HL-T5687S

AVR:
Onkyo TX-SR805

HD-DVD:
Toshiba HD-A35

Programming:
DIRECTV Ultimate HD & DVR Package + Sports Package + Setanta

Receiver / DVR:
DIRECTV Plus® HD DVR

Power Conditioner: 
Panamax MAX® 5300-EX

Cables:
Monoprice.com

Stand:
Custom built by La Hacienda

Research continues as I have a couple of weeks before the 30-day window prior to Black Friday.  There's a great Samsung/DIRECTV deal right now at Circuit City but it's been there for a while and I'm hoping it'll continue.  The reviews of the sat. receiver / DVR aren't great but I don't see that I have much choice.  Comcast is crap for me, they have a very limited channel selection in my area, and Dish isn't going to cut it on the HD end. Oh, by the way, FSC will soon be HD according to the very helpful girl I called at DIRECTV.

So... talk me out of any or all of it.   :D

Well, I'm a fan of plasma (or anything non-projection really) right now - but I'm sure the Samsung will look great.

Jealous of Setana  :'(

The Panamax Looks like a lot of money for power, but I'd love to hear feedback as I am looking to upgrade my setup.

Nice setup all around though - I'm sure there are some jealous hos just drooling right now  :D

My cat's breath smells like cat food.

Rick, the display is a tough thing.  I honestly am not sure what format I prefer as I've not sat in front of them for enough cycles.  They all look fantastic in the stores.  I might make a different decision next time around or I might be as delighted with it as aske.  Hard to say right now.  Good value for the money though unless it completely craps out on me.

On power you have the choice of a jumped-up power strip or a unit like the Panamax.  I figure for $250 I'll take a chance.  Besides, ye bollocks didn't respond when I asked. :o Dys did but only to ask questions. ;)

Once you've had Setanta you can't live without Setanta.   [sm_love]

The thing about this is there's really no point skimping by < $1000 when you're spending five times that amount.  I know I'd just sit there and regret it.  Since I only do this sort of thing once a decade I figure I'll go all out (relatively) and future proof as much as I can.

Sniff its ass.  Compare and contrast.  Due third period tomorrow.

 [sm_laughatyou]

tx-sr705 on sale for $649, and 6187s for $2300  @ circuit city this week   ;)

61" is tempting but the 56" really does fit the space better.

It's all about the audio baby.  The reviews of the 805 make me think it'll be worth the extra $$$.  ;)

just posting what i saw in the store today  [sm_shock]  (and be sure to check your PM's)

Message received.   [sm_thumbsup]

I figure no matter which way I go there will be a good sale within 30 days on every piece of equipment.  Of course, there will be a better one within 60 days.  Life in the big, bad world of consumer electronics.

yup, thats why you hang onto the receipt and search online for price match options until that 30/60 day window is over!

I'm just counting on Black Friday having the biggest price drops.  If they wait until mid-December or so I'm gonna be screwed.   ;)

I've had DIRECTV HD w/HR-20-700 HD DVR for 3 weeks, here are my impressions thus far:

PLUS
More decent quality HD than any other provider including the whole Discovery line-up, and a few additional channels not available in SD.
NFL Season pass in HD
MLB season pass.
Local Utard stations in HD (though Fox 13 is horrible for some reason)
Single Wire Multiswitching will be available soon, this will be awesome once released.
If DIRECTV incorporates the changes in the most recent "cutting edge" software version, (http://www.dbstalk.com/forumdisplay.php?f=118) it will be a great improvement.
Video on Demand coming soon.  (Limited availability in the recent CE downloads.)
HD content does look pretty damn good to me.

Delta
No TIVO...DIRECTV's DVR sucks compared to TIVO
No 3rd party HD unit support (older MPEG 2 units will soon cease to work)
Clunky software and poor guides/options in the DIRECTV units.
No TIVO

Since I am in the sticks, and cannot receive OTA signals, nor do I have much in the way of non satellite feeds to choose from, I'm unable to comment on the other options available to you. 

Thanks Campy.  Useful info.

I'd consider cable but half my desired viewing options would just disappear.  Not an option.

DIRECTV really do appear to be a couple of years ahead of Dish Network vis-a-vis HD.

So off I go to drop $4k and there's not a HL-T5687S to be had anywhere in the entire state.  Looking at a 10 day max special order.  Not too bad I suppose but I was totally geared to spending this weekend putting it all together.   

Damn.   >:(

;)

Got the Vizio for the bedroom though plus DirecTV is scheduled for a week from Wednesday.  They're wide open so if the Samsumg comes in I'll bump it up.  In the meantime, I'll be watching SD on a 720p display.  Should make the HD all that much better when I finally get it.  :P

Left the AV receiver at the store so as to maximize price match window.  I'll pick it up with the display.

It's not been my night really.  Sound the bell, let the drinking begin. 

 [sm_beertoast] [sm_oops] [sm_thumbsup2] [sm_headbang] [sm_bow] :redcard: [sm_sumo] :tears: :tape: [sm_stretch] [sm_drinking] [sm_fingersx] [sm_banghead]

Please apply whichever smiley, and or combination is appropriate.


ps, congrats, and I'm home now as well, ready to self medicate.

gratz Uisce. And thanks for this thread. Very informative.

They don't have the HL-T5687S in stock here either, but I settled on the HL-3 hundered series.

Seems to fit my needs.

(http://www.bidi.co.uk/images/tensor/TV%20Enlarger.jpg)

A bit more info. 

There's a deal at Circuit City where if you buy a HDTV over $1000 you get $300 back at checkout if you add a DirectTV install.  It's $400 if you buy a Samsung.  You also get $100 off a DirecTV receiver which works out to be free on a HD receiver or $200 v. $300 for a HD-DVR receiver.  Also, you get one year's worth of HD programming for free ($120).  Works out to be roughly $500 discount on a Samsung if you're switching to DirectTV anyway.

None of that DirectTV stuff comes into play on the price match.  I paid $2185 for the display and that's what I'm looking to beat between now and Black Friday.  Assuming the price goes below that (a golden assumption I think) I'll be getting money back down the road. 

Now is so the time if you're in the market.

Wow. I already have DirecTV so I'd be looking at an upgrade. I may have to start the wheels in motion.

Depending on if you have a commitment it's still workable.  A nod's as good as a wink if you want to start over in your wife's name.  You wouldn't want to do that if you have a bunch of months left on a commitment but if you're clear or only have a few months left it's worth it.  The CC guys don't give a flip.  It's all sixes to them.

that's lame.  did they have a 61?  [sm_devil]

Didn't even ask.   ;)

Plenty of 5676s.  I'm trying to figure out if that means anything vis-a-vis new models and phase-outs.   ???

I considered going to BB but the DirecTV deal makes that unworkable.

The Sony SXRD is at a good price right now.  I'm scared to research it too much.  I'll just muddle myself up.

Not sure to post this here or the Do You Believe In Ghosts? thread.

I'm taking down my old TV in the bedroom.  I unplugged the coax which comes from the Dish receiver downstairs.  As I can't reach behind the furniture to unplug the TV I lifted it off still plugged in.  My chest hit the power button and turned the TV on.  And guess what...

I'm picking up the freakin' Golf Channel OTA!!!   :o :o

The picture is crap but the sound is perfect.  Very strange.  By the way, the coax is lying 6-8 feet away from the TV.  I'm kinda scared to touch it.

(http://www.webdesign.org/img_articles/7364/TV-Final.gif)

They're Here.

(http://www.best-horror-movies.com/image-files/poltergeist-theyre-here.jpg)

lol

Samsung is in da house tomorrow.   [sm_buddies]

I'm tellin' aske all of this in chat but he ain't answerin'.

im listening now, beeeyotch.
 :o

Status update.

Everything in place and hooked up.  Left it at that point to watch Steelers v. Ravens on DVR.  So, haven't seen a single frame of HD but the setup sure looks good.   ;)

Tonight.  Probably. 

wussy
 ;D

Did you end up getting the Panamax 5300?

You like so far?

Need to know quickly  ;)

So far, yes.  The thing is about these sort of things, they just sit there and do their job.  Nothing really to like or dislike unless they save your ass or fail when crunch time arrives. 

Looks good, configuration on the back panel is slick, volts display is nice, lights on the front can be dimmed or turned off which I really like, comes with rackmount hardware, switchable zone for DVD player and so forth.  I think I'm going to be happy with it.

Cool.  Just need to get home tonight and measure my center space to see if I should get the 5300 or go down to the 4300/4400.  Found a site with good prices on the Onkyo unit and a Panamax 5300-EX (whatever EX means) and may order both tonight  :D

Link?

I'd love to know how much I overpaid.   ;)

BTW, I have the 4300.  It's eight years old or so.  It looks far different from the current line-up so I didn't even realize it was a Panamax until I tore down the old setup.  I moved it to the bedroom.  While it just sat there (no displays or feedback of any sort) I didn't once have power issues during all that time.  Also, I didn't notice any audio artifacts from bad power but I'm not sure my ears/speakers are good enough for that sort of detail anyway.  Certainly I had a crap display in play for the whole time so video was a non-issue.  With the new display I expect having clean power will be much more important.

Well, it looks like the EX is the 'older' model (doesn't have the new filtration tech. they have) - which is why it may be discounted (a 5300-EX for ~$250 : the PM version is $499).

Both at Onecall.com

The PM has some nice features but none of them added up to twice the price for me.

The SR805 is $90 cheaper than I paid.  No price matching at CC for internet deals.  >:(

Yeah - even with shipping I still save $50 - and the Panamax deal really makes it attractive  ;D

Hope it will fit in my center  [sm_fingersx]

Ah - 3.5" required, 5" available - its all good baby!

One Onkyo TX-SR805 and one Panamax 5300-EX on its way including shipping for $1113  8) ;D

 [sm_thumbsup]

Wow - if this site really pulls this off I may be a customer for life.  Not only did I get a great price, but I ordered at 5pm my time, and got a shipping confirmation at 7:35pm telling me that my 3 day shipping will get it to me Friday.  Granted, I have no idea if they are west coast or not (2 hours behind me), but most places have early afternoon cutoffs for getting an order out - Onecall seems to run a tight shop  :D

Very cool Kapt. Krapkicker.   ;D  Thanks for the link/info.  They do have some sweet stuff and the deals appear to be bueno.

I'm dialing in the new equipment.  I obviously couldn't wait to tune the audio/picture before I threw in a disc.  Watched about 10 scenes of Batman Begins and I think I'm already ruined for life.   :o

DirecTV due first thing in the AM. 

I'll talk to y'all in July or so.   ;)

chuckle.  now watch some of those good flicks you havent seen yet

Q:  Does DirecTV require a phone line?  And does it have to be an old POTS line, or can I use a Broadvoice line?

The docs imply it's required for periodic calls to DirecTV.  I assume for firmware upgrades and so forth.  They explicitly say it's necessary for sports subscriptions and PPV (duh!). 

Upstairs is installed without the line so initial setup at least doesn't need it.

Can't be digital PBX.  Not too sure about VOIP but I'd guess not (is that what Broadvoice is?)

Broadvoice, via the ATA, is analog just* like a POTS line.  *Modem and fax signals are unpredictable though - if they are making a modem call I may have to keep my at&t POTS line  >:(

My cable service used to (not anymore) require it for PPV, but that was it.  Since I didn't use PPV I didn't need the line.  Guess I'd have to talk to a DirecTV tech about it - I'm quite sure the customer service people are going to be clueless about the actual use of the line - they'll default to 'its required' without knowing any better.

You're spot on.  I asked customer service how many coax lines I needed coming in from the dish and they said two.  It's four.  The installer said 'those guys are useless'.

I thought other than on-screen caller ID, it's only purpose was for them to keep tabs on you.

(http://www.swssec.com/brill-treebug.jpg)

$400 price drop on display at CC.  Woot.  $1799 for a HTL-5687S.  Screaming deal.

Who knows, could go even lower next Friday.

$410 plus change in my pocket.   ;D

HL-T5687S for $1799 plus another $400 off if you sign-up for DirecTV (2 year commitment).  I was planning on doing that anyway so I figure I got the display for $1399.   Happy, happy, happy.   

[sm_thankyou]