# Home cinema etc etc



## jamest (Apr 8, 2008)

AV Forums is slow and doesn't seem to have a general area to ask questions for people who aren't all knowing.

I am looking at getting a Panasonic TH-42PZ80B (42" plasma, full HD).

I know the sound is going to be pretty poor from the speakers that are included in the set so I am going to need some new speakers, preferably 5.1.

I also have a lot of DVDs which I would like to have upscaled to look better on the TV.

I don't really want to spend any more that £300 on the sound system and DVD upscaler, although I can wait off the DVD upscaling for the time being.

I will have Sky+HD, Xbox 360, Wii and possibly PS3 in the future, so would need quite a few connections in to the back of the amplifier or receiver (I don't know which one comes with most sound systems).


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## specks (Jun 8, 2007)

sainsburys were selling a cheap dvd player which did upscaling,think it was about £50ish


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## specks (Jun 8, 2007)

also for my 5.1 i just bought some new stuff and some second hand.

my mission 702e towers were £100 used
my mordand short alumni rears were £140 new from www.ritchersounds.co.uk
also bought a sherwood digital amp for £50,much better than the philips one i had before.
my mission centre speaker was £10 used

so i got a decent set up for not a lot of cash really,just got to find a decent sub cheap now.

my


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## jamest (Apr 8, 2008)

Forgot to add would like support for USB and to be able to play DivX/Xvid files off it.


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## silver bmw z3 (Apr 30, 2007)

My home cinema supplier brought an upscaling dvd player out to me and I couldn't tell the difference. I wouldn't get too excited about upscaling and get into blu-ray instead.

I've always found avforums pretty good, if it is slow is it permanently slow or just today?

I think the link specks meant to post would be: www.richersounds.co.uk

I think you've done the right thing in getting decent telly, I'm not sure if you'll get speakers, dvd and sound system for £300 that matches up to that telly but I might be wrong.


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## S63 (Jan 5, 2007)

silver bmw z3 said:


> My home cinema supplier brought an upscaling dvd player out to me and I couldn't tell the difference. I wouldn't get too excited about upscaling and get into blu-ray instead.
> 
> I've always found avforums pretty good, if it is slow is it permanently slow or just today?
> 
> ...


Av Forums is slow a lot of the time.bit of a joke seeing it's all about High Tech. When it slows right up I switch to the Google Chrome browser which does speed it up a bit.


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## jamest (Apr 8, 2008)

silver bmw z3 said:


> My home cinema supplier brought an upscaling dvd player out to me and I couldn't tell the difference. I wouldn't get too excited about upscaling and get into blu-ray instead.
> 
> I've always found avforums pretty good, if it is slow is it permanently slow or just today?
> 
> ...


The site itself is fine, it's just the responses are slow. There aren't as far as I can see any generic sections for questions which means you have to post in a specific section which then turns out to be the wrong one.

Richersounds seems rather expensive, the TV I am looking at is nearly £300 more.

The upscaling isn't too important but I know SD on a HD TV can be poor and I don't want to rely completely on the TVs upscaling of sharpening etc.

The 5.1 with enough inputs from all devices is the most important.

I have high quality 2.1 on my computer and as such crave good quality sound.


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## [email protected] (Jan 9, 2006)

i have a yamada dvd player that plays xvids and divxs and a dts yamaha amp and speeker package thats under my bed till i run the wires through the coving, that works ok for


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## RP84 (Sep 3, 2007)

Ive just been to richer sounds my self earlier,

They have this set up on a discount,

£270

Av

http://www.richersounds.com/showproduct.php?cda=showproduct&pid=YAMA-RXV363

Speakers

http://www.richersounds.com/showproduct.php?cda=accessories&pid=YAMA-NSP110-BLK&pr=0

Dvd player - not 100% sure if its this one, but it is a samsung one

http://www.richersounds.com/showproduct.php?cda=showproduct&pid=SAMS-DVDHD870


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## specks (Jun 8, 2007)

it says it does upscaling,can`t complain for under £70


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## bjoern5878 (Jun 19, 2008)

Hi,
may you can take a look at teufel deutschland. they are great proffessionals in making great speakers! they only sell direct you can not buy the speakers at a normal store!

i have 2 systems from teufel and i only can sayt it was the greates thing i ever bought for money for my home cinema

http://www.teufel.de


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## JasonRS (Aug 8, 2006)

jamest said:


> Forgot to add would like support for USB and to be able to play DivX/Xvid files off it.


Your Xbox360 does this already.


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## Wozza (Mar 3, 2007)

Take a copy of your DivX/Xvid files and any other formats along to the shop with you and test them, Samsung DVD players are not very compatible IIRC with certain types / brand of media.


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## jamest (Apr 8, 2008)

JasonRS said:


> Your Xbox360 does this already.


When was DivX/Xvid support added? If it does, then all I will need is the sound system.


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## jamest (Apr 8, 2008)

The Panasonic SC-PT460EB looks good to me. Any opinions? Can't find a lot on avforums.

Only problem I can forsee is the cable length for the rear speakers. Looks like they are hard wired and can be short. I would think that quality of the cables is pretty poor too and can't be replaced.


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## Mat430uk (Sep 17, 2007)

not sure if this is any use to you a hdmi splitter 
http://www.cabling4less.co.uk/HDMI_Devices.php?referrer=google&gclid=COeXpbn6kpYCFQOuFQodlCTmFA


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## noop (Jan 5, 2007)

jamest said:


> When was DivX/Xvid support added? If it does, then all I will need is the sound system.


You have to get an update from xbox live.

I simply tried to played a movie via a USB stick and it prompted for the update, so no need to search for it


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## Gruffs (Dec 10, 2007)

http://www.superfi.co.uk

These guys do refurb'ed Upscaling DVDs and also have a 'box opened' section that you could get some bargains from.

I bought a refurb'ed DVD player from here mysef last week. So far, it is excellent.


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## PJS (Aug 18, 2007)

jamest said:


> AV Forums is slow and doesn't seem to have a general area to ask questions for people who aren't all knowing.
> 
> I am looking at getting a Panasonic TH-42PZ80B (42" plasma, full HD).
> 
> ...


James, honestly, forget a £300 surround system - it's paying nothing more than lip service to the process. Double your surround budget, and you're starting to get somewhere.
As for upscaling DVDs - your TV already does that, along with SD broadcasts.
If you have the budget, get the PZ85, with the better quality sound in it.

Alternatively, depending on how many sources you need to hook up, look at the Commercial Panasonic PH10 (or is it 11 now?), with the additional source input cards, and their own speakers or a decent surround system.

Will be more than the PZ85, but the up-side is longer warranty (unless you get the 5 year one on the PZ) as standard, and more tweakable to eek out the very best picture you can - especially if you get it professionally ISF'd.
And no, that's nothing to do with a Lexus!

For something you'll have for the next 5 years probably, the small difference initially in outlay, will be pretty insignificant over that timeframe.


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## noop (Jan 5, 2007)

PZ85 seconded, I have it and its a great TV. Got John Lewis to price match Richer sounds (John Lewis free 5 year warrenty) 

At the moment mine is hooked up to my stereo and that sounds good, plan is to get surround sound set up but the sound quality is great from the TV alone. 

I am also using a crappy old LG dvd player, and the picture upscaled by the TV is spot on. I am just making do for the time being but plan to get a better DVD player in the future


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## jamest (Apr 8, 2008)

I can't find the commercial ones anywhere online, the ones I have found have been very expensive.

I am tempted by the PZ85 and if the sound is good enough I will wait and get some more money to get some good surround sound.

Still need to buy the furniture....


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## PJS (Aug 18, 2007)

You're looking at proper AV stores, rather than big chain stores doing these, as they are considered specialised due to low volume of sales/enquiries.

One sponsor member in AVF does them, and has the odd special on - AV Sales is it?
Looks like they're closing down the e-commerce side of things, but still being part of Kent Home Cinema Centre, they'd be worth having a chat with.

Still, in lieu of going the PH10 route, AV Sales have a 46" PZ85 for £1159, which looks to be on the money.

Cheapest 42PH10 is from 1stAudiovisual, at £720 ish. Of course, once you include the various boards to cover your input needs (2x HDMI, 1x Component AV or SCART - £330), lack of tuner, and add on speakers (£150-200), you're sitting not a kick in the pants off the 46PZ85 or a 42PZ800, which is another consumer one I'd forgotten about.
Still, pros and cons for each option - PH for more home cinema, PZ for Full HD and general all roundness.
Can't say which would be more "desirable" in 3-5 years time, if you wanted something newer or just bigger - probably the PZ, as it's Full HD.


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## jamest (Apr 8, 2008)

Think I will get either the PZ80/PZ85. Then get an all in one system. Although it won't be the best, it will be the easiest/best choice for me. Something like the PT460EB. Might save for a bit and get a better all in one after a month or so.

Don't want to be without washing machine and microwave etc.


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## noop (Jan 5, 2007)

If you get the PZ85 turn off the intelligent frame creation - its better without (so the experts say)


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