GolfHos

As you know, we have HDTV.  Need to upgrade the receiver.  I have been out at the stores and I see receivers that say they have either hdmi 1.2 or hdmi 1.3 outs.  I have no idea what the difference is and all the salesman say that there is none????  Then why are they numbered different?  no answer.

The HDTV I have has 3 hdmi inputs along with a bunch of other things.  What the wife wants to do now, is to have one cable to the TV and all the others hidden away if possible.  That means new receiver.  She also says that I didn't understand what she said about the hd dvd players.  What she meant was that back then we had to make a choice because we didn't have the funds.  She told me that we will probably make the wrong choice but we can afford to do that.  So, we are getting the dvd player too.

She also wants to hook up her puter to the TV when it is needed for dinner guests and parties etc.  I know that can be done via one of the extra hdmi inputs.  It also has a pc input on the TV.  The sound will need to be wired into the new receiver.

Given what I have just stated, are the Onkyo line tx-sr705,805,875's mentioned in RH thread suitable for my TV?  What about the hdmi 1.2 vs 1.2 outs or ins for that matter?

Reading the AVforums was not helpful.  Those folks talk in a language that is foreign to me.

Advice as to what I should be looking for would be helpful.

well, i'm an onkyo 705 owner (and couldnt be happier, other than wishing i had the flagship model $$$ to spend LOL)

i know rickhicks wasn't pleased with some compatibility issues he had with his and his tv,  but i think thats really an issue with his provider, and the whole process of trying to go  hdmi-dvi  with HDCP  enabled (ugh)


I'll chime in a bit more later tonight or tomorrow,  (about hdmi 1.3 etc) sorry I'm in a busy crunch at the moment.

btw, here's a great look at hd-dvd   vs. blowray  from a pretty neutral perspective

http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/the-state-of-hd-dvd/the-state-of-hd-dvd-330684.php

And the horrid component video processing.  Perhaps just a bad unit, but I wanted something different after I was uncomfortable with the clearance for heat.

geo1...It might be too late.  However, Wal-Mart has the Toshiba A-3 HD-DVD player on sale for 298.00.  Sale ends today.

It will most likely be far cheaper than that between now and  new years.

I was hoping they would put the A-2 back on sale for $98.00.

well, LOL. that would be great.

anyways, if you're gonna spend $300, spend $400 instead and get the a35

Assumption here - Since the TV is Toshiba (52 inch, model 52lx177), I won't go wrong by getting the Toshiba dvd player.  Will all 3 of the machines mentioned also play SD dvd's?

As to hdmi 1.3, (a little research can be damning), if the receiver/amp uses 1.3, will it support 1, 1.1 and 1.2?  If the receiver is 1.2 or less, I am assuming that it won't support device that is higher?  Am I making too much of a concern here?

correct, the higher the 1.x  number (example x=3) the better in terms of bandwidth, and hence future proofing.   1.3  can handle all 1.1 data streams,  not vice versa.

i would persoanlly go 1.3  just for the future.  1.3 receivers should be good for at least 6-7 years (unless you run out of inputs on them!!!!  LOL).

3-4  1.3  hdmi inputs on a receiver is a good starting point I think.    a35 will pass the absolute best audio to the receiver  natively.

This info helps greatly!

Us old guys know that eyes and ears tend to suffer with age.  Need all the help they can get.

In addition to supporting higher bandwidth 1.3 supports more codecs (i.e TrueHD). 

It's a tough call to make.  I had to figure out which side of the equation I was on.  Did I want best of (upper middle range) breed with future proofing or did I want excellent quality at about half the price?  I choose the former but I certainly wouldn't think it poor form to go the other way.  Whatever floats your boat.

What sort of speaker setup do you have?

I got front, center, rear and sub woofer.

so 5.1  ?   with a good hd-dvd player, good hdmi receiver, you'll get awesome surround sound whether it's passed natively (true hd, dts-ma) or converted internally (advanced 5.1 pcm).

just be sure you cover the full freq. range with as little nonlinearity as possible.   especially for movies an awesome center is needed.

Our system is in the daylight basement.  Room is about 60 ft long and about 20 ft wide.  System is located so that there is about 15 ft to the right and about 30 to the left.  Wife absolutely states no more speakers.  She uses the 15 ft area as work area.  Only way to add more speakers is to hang from ceiling and that is a definite no from her.  I understand that and even agree.  Heck, it wasn't until I started this process couple of weeks ago that I learned the simple explanation of 5.1 vs 6.1 and 7.1  That is how new to this I am.

Google tells me that "Nonlinearity is the behavior of a circuit, particularly an amplifier, in which the output signal strength does not vary in direct proportion to the input signal strength. In a nonlinear device, the output-to-input amplitude ratio (also called the gain) depends on the strength of the input signal."  It seems to me that these 2 sentences contradict each other.Now I can guarantee you that I am not sure what that really means plus there ain't a salesman out there will know about that also.  So, can I assume that a decent receiver will have this pretty much covered?  I am looking at the Onkyo devices mentioned.  Are there other brands, I know you switched from Denon to Onkyo, that produce suitable products for receiver?  Just for clarification - When I use word receiver that is the machine that controls the sound and I am pretty sure that the hdmi will go from it to TV.

Purchased the Onkyo TX 805 receiver and the Toshiba HDA35.  Total price with tax was 1388.  They threw in 2 hdmi cables and 2 optical cables and said that is what I would need to hook everything up.

I resemble that.   ;)

Why do you need the optical cables?

What the Aske man is referring to here, is the speakers should be compilmentary to each other in terms of tonal quality.  Basically, you want your front, rear, & center speakers to sound as identical as possible.

[sm_dontknow] That is exactly what I thought.  So, I asked and he explained that the optical cables will take sound from DVR box to receiver and DVD player to Receiver.  Won't know for sure until I get the 2 devices.  Should be received within the next 5 work days.

The (HD-)DVD player has HDMI and you'll definitely want to use one of the cables there.  You might need optical for the DVR.

Anything else in the mix besides the A35, SR805, DVR and display?

(http://online.tvguide.com/magazine/covers/newimages/67030401.jpg)

lol, yeh,   hdmi from  hd-dvd and  your cable hd settop  will carry the audio just fine.  no need for optical there.    8)

sorry i didn't notice your post about my linearity post.
 :o

Well, I got the info I needed here.  Also thought that hdmi carried both video and sound, so I was perplexed with the optical cables.  But what the hey, he didn't charge me for any of them, so I figured - don't fight it.

Right now, I'm feeling that I got what I need. [sm_thumbsup]

Won't be surprised to read later that there is more for me to get to add to this collection.  ;D

on 12/26  worst buy will have a BOGO sale on select hd-dvd's  you might keep your eyes open to that for feeding your new toys
 [sm_devil]

I'm looking at the same set-up thanks to all the feedback from Aske and rickhicks, though I have to spend a lot more to get the basement finished first.  If I buy the stuff now, my wife will just think I'm adding to the clutter...

I have really been trying to figure out how to make the media room a play room for me with an indoor golf simulator (12' ceilings in the basement, with a dedicated 15'W x 24'L x 12'H media room space), but can't find a good solution for < $10k for the simulator package...

ENJOY!!!

 [sm_shock] [sm_stretch]  Jealous.

look on Ebay.  Typically always a Dead Solid simulator on there to be had for well less than 10 k.
I've played on one, and it's decent.  I'd own one if I had room, and the ceiling height.  :sad3:

www.deadsolidgolf.com

Damn you, Stroh!!  I had resigned myself to keep from pursuing the course, so to speak, though will have to check with ebay.  After seeing the bid on the basement (primarily living space for my folks when they retire, and some office space), I might have to hold off on that room for now.  12' ceilings will be cool, but the framing and sheet rock will cost a ton.

I've seen the Dead Solid Golf stuff, though never played on one.  I tried getting my wife and parents to consider something like this (check through all of the slides):  http://www.golfdigest.com/magazine/2007/08/golfroom?slide=1.  They did not see the vision - and we all saw the price tag.

I was also looking at Tru Golf (former guys from Links Golf Software, down in Utah), http://www.trugolf.com/entertainment_rooms/index.php, but their set-up for a combo home theater and simulator is in the $40k range.  The call ended rather abruptly upon hearing that price.