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My Home Cinema Kit - Finally
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AfterDawn Addict
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9. March 2004 @ 08:11 |
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Well folks, in case anyone is starting from scratch and wanting to know a good home cinema kit to get, i can recommend one for less than £2000 which will make your home cinema look and sound absolutely amazing.
Firstly, you will need a projector. If you are in the US, then you have it great as the prices are really cheap comapred to Europe. Europeans can get a great Panasonic PT-AE500/L500 for £1100 sterling from a company in Germany. This is the system to get, great contrast and amazing picture.
Next you need a DVD player, Home Cinema Amplifier and speakers. Don't scimp on these items as they are as equally important as the projector.
Marantz is my equipment of choice for the amazing technology, extremely high quality, great looks na d good prices. You will need to get a Home Cinema receiver. I purchased the Marantz SR5400 (www.richersounds.com) for only £299, considering it sells for £449 in most places, this is a great price. It is a 6.1 channel system with support for all the movie formats (its not THX certified, but that doesnt matter). You could go for the slightly cheaper SR4400, or the more expensive SR7400, but generally, the only differences are the amplification per channel and with teh SR5400 having 90 Watts RMS per channel, its more than enough.
A DVD player is needed. Since you are using a big screen and need big screen quality, a unit that has progressive scanning (see progressive scanning explained: http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/74567) will be the best option. The Marantz DV4300 is this model. As well as Component Video connections, needed for connection to your Big Screen projector, it also supports DVD-/+R, which as anyone on this forum knows, is important.
Next is speakers. If you have a better budget, i highly recommend the Monitor Audio Silver range (Gold if you can afford it). Go for the Silver 6's front left / right, the Silver CFX centre and 2 / 3 silver SRFX Surround sound speakers (depending whether you want 5.1 or 6.1). Get yourself a good Active Subwoofer (essential for home cinema). However, if you are on a tighter budget, like myself, I highly recommend the Gale 3040 Front Left / Right, Gale 3050 centre, and 3060 surround sound speakers. Again a subwoofer is essential.
For more information visit:
http://www.marantz.com
http://www.gale.co.uk
http://www.monitoraudio.com
Hope this helps
Chris
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 10. March 2004 @ 04:25
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Prisoner
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10. March 2004 @ 13:39 |
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Why would I need a projector? I am surprised that you are hung up on them. I do agree that they can be used to get 200inch image, and that they are faily cheap. But for some people a TV is better. I have a 20 foot long by 15 foot apartment. And that as you know is full of junk, so the the projection distance is very limited as is space. So an actual TV would be better.
I am not a number
I am a Free Man
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AfterDawn Addict
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11. March 2004 @ 02:37 |
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I only project a 60" image onto a screen on a stand. Its perfect. My room is more cluttered than anyones i've ever seen, you can barely see my carpet. Everyone who has seen my projector thinks it is so cinema like and with the Home Cinema system, it really does make it amazing...
Oh...and i lost everything on my system with a big crash that wouldnt load up windows Xp Pro again. Still got the Hard Drive intact (both of them), but my files stored in received and my documents are all gone + all my internet bookmarks and Outlook and everything.
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 11. March 2004 @ 02:38
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Prisoner
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11. March 2004 @ 12:22 |
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Crazy, I hate full system crashes. Did you backup every thing. I am so paronid I back up all new files and data at the end of every week. I would have to kill some one if I lost my thesis reclass paper right now.
Some questions then about the projector, How loud is it compared to the audio. I have heard some that are really bad with the cooling fans. Do you have the projector mounted on the ceiling or on the floor stand. I was unclear if the screen was on the stand or the projector. My only option would be for celing mount if I went that way. As no room at all for a stand. I only have about two feet clearance and I know I would nock a stand over. Also my floors aren`t the most stable. Does the projector get in the way of the image or do you have it in reverse. Also what was the best type of screen have you used. I have seen some for really pricey, the coolest I have seen was just an 4 by 8 painted white with non gloss or semigloss paint.
I am not a number
I am a Free Man
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AfterDawn Addict
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11. March 2004 @ 12:46 |
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Yeah, i hate computer crashes, nah i didnt back up that much, anything important is on my other hard drive which isnt affected.
I'll answer each question seperately.
1). Screens:
In terms of the best screen i have see its a ClearPix THX approved screen. I'd love one, but for an 80" wall mounted screen, its over £2000 and a bit out of my range. My screen is a simple jessops tripod mounted screen, about 90" Diagonal in a square format. I project a 62" diagonal screen in 16:9 format on the Silver/Grey side of it.
2). Projector Noise:
My old Sony VPL CX5 was a noisier projector (37db), but at 2000 Lumens with dual fans, that was to be expected. The Panasonic is only 27db in normal mode, however, for home cinema in a darkened room, i turn the lumens right down so i can get the best colour/contrast ratios and virtually no noise. Even in a quiet part of a movie, you would not notice it even though its less than a foot from my ear.
3). Projector Mounting:
My projector is sitting on my bedside cabinet at the minute. Its a great place for it as i never used my alarm clock anyway, though i could set it on top of it if i wanted. You can esily mount these projectors on the ceiling if you wanted.
Quote:
Does the projector get in the way of the image or do you have it in reverse
I dont follow you on that one im afraid.
In relation to the email i sent you, I think im going to get the Cambridge Audio DAB500 Tuner. It looks fantastic. Im only really getting it for the looks though lol.
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AfterDawn Addict
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11. March 2004 @ 12:47 |
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Which looks better?
Or
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Prisoner
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11. March 2004 @ 13:00 |
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I don`t know I would save the $70 and go with the other one. Isn`t your reciver Black? I don't think looks should count. But the Cambrige does look more like a player. What ever, But with extra 70 pounds you can save up for a nice screen. I love that comment "THX approved" I lot of sound comes from the screen.
The reverse comment ment is the screen infront of the projector or the projector infront of the sceen. but you answered that one with the bed side coment. But that is a good point. My alarm clock is ontop of my speaker, I could but a projector on top of the speaker and the clock on top of that. I only use the clock as a clock, so no worries about hiting it over in the morning.
I am not a number
I am a Free Man
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AfterDawn Addict
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11. March 2004 @ 13:11 |
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No, my whole kit is silver. I think both look really good, but i really like the blue screen on the Cambridge Audio (and of course the quality). But at the end of the day, i probably wont use it that much, so maybe it would make more sense to go with the £79 or even £99 Accoustic Solutions one...
I'll go down tomorrow and see which one best matches my Amplifier and DVD player and choose that way. I might also get myself a dirt cheap Freeview Digital box (only a UK thing), but im not sure if i need an outside aerial or if it will play through the normal one.
Hmm...credit card now passing £1100, oh dear....
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Prisoner
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11. March 2004 @ 13:16 |
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I know its not digial, but take a look at short wave. I thing the web link you gave me calls it LW, then you could pick up tones of odd signals. Its good here to get BBC and german radio (the english one), but the USA churches have bought up most of the bands. Every other station is all about God.
I am not a number
I am a Free Man
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AfterDawn Addict
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11. March 2004 @ 14:10 |
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lol - yeah - i know what you mean. There is a lot of that in America, all that God TV and stuff, who actaully watches it?
I have LW/MW/FM/AM on normal tuner, but want the LCD Colour display and fancy looking unit more for asthetics than the DAB, though it will be nice to play a quality digital radio signal for once. Can't wait to see what it sounds like...
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Prisoner
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11. March 2004 @ 15:42 |
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I thought you only had AM/FM on the reciever?
http://www.onecall.com/PID_21540.htm
The short wave range is 1.5 to 30MHz after AM and it looks like LW is 0.1 to 0.4MHz from a web search. I am not too sure about MW but one site said it is 0.5 to 1.6MHz which is just AM. But I could be wrong. I have heard some digital radio, and is really nice but living in Toronto directly near the tallest radio tower in the world I don't notice too much of a difference.
I am not a number
I am a Free Man
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Prisoner
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11. March 2004 @ 15:48 |
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Home cinema kit not yet finished:
Kenwood VR-7070 reciever
JVC XL-MC334 200 disc Cd player
Sony DVP-CX985V 400 disc DVD and SACD player
JVC XV-S40 single disc DVD
Techniques direct drive Record player
Quest Movies 2 surround sound speakers (5.1)
KLH stereo speakers
Zenith 2, 20inch (18inch viewable) TV (the second one released from Zenith with colour) 1974.
The bottle neck is the TV.
I am not a number
I am a Free Man
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AfterDawn Addict
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11. March 2004 @ 16:12 |
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Looking down that list there are some good units, especailly the Sony DVP-CX985V with its Progressive scanning unit, will be great when u upgrade the TV. However, im not really a fan of multi-changers, more things to go wrong with them. I like solid builds with less buttons and features that are for lazy people - lol
Your Kenwood VR-7070 is a nice A/V Receiver/Amplifier as well. I know its getting old, but i believe it was awarded a THX certificate, or am i mistaken. I looked at getting one a while back i think, around £250 ($400)?? Is it 6.1 (it must be if its THX certified - if it is?).
I dont know much about the other units, but the speaker makes are pretty good. Man, you really need to get yourself a projector and screen and you will have a cracking set-up...
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Prisoner
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11. March 2004 @ 16:54 |
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Ya I know I need a good TV, but I said I would wait for this one to die. One of my dad's girlfriens was throwing it out, so I picked it up. It has a one inch cut in the front tube when it was droped. Its actually an amazing Tv as the picture is not bad, the contrast is ok and its almost indistructable. I have droped and moved it a lot of times. But eventually I will upgrade to a projector of Computer monitor, depending on the money situation.
The Kenwood I don't think is that old, its possible for it to be a 7.1, but only using the Pre out connections. The 6.1 works if you have a powered Sub. Its a very nice unit but does get very hot, I needed to make four 2 inch spacers to put under my JVC dvd player to allow for proper cooling.
I also have a Grundig FR-200 crank radio for AM (0.5-1.7), SW (1.5-30), FM (85-108MHz).
I am not a number
I am a Free Man
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 11. March 2004 @ 16:55
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SGDVD
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13. March 2004 @ 08:46 |
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check out my setup all for less than £750 awsome!
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SGDVD
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13. March 2004 @ 08:48 |
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AfterDawn Addict
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13. March 2004 @ 10:41 |
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Your screen looks very impressive for a do-it-yourself job. That looks like a nice set-up. Next step is to get a good 6.1 deconding system, but its not needed for a while if your happy with yours, which im sure you are.
I just added this DAB radio to mine:
Cant wait for it to arrive....
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SGDVD
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14. March 2004 @ 05:16 |
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i used to have seperates but too much clutter also loads of remotes, so went for an all in one instead and personally find the sound quality clearer (definently can't match volume and seperates subwoofer) but my hc room is only 3m x 3m so all in one is definently loud enough for me.
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AfterDawn Addict
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14. March 2004 @ 07:08 |
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If you are worried about remotes, just get yourself one of these brand new one from Marantz:
I just ordered it for £59 in the UK. It will control everything. In terms of Home cinema sound, the seperate systems, if high quality, will always give a far better performance than an all in one unit. Your set-up looks great though...
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 14. March 2004 @ 16:32
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SGDVD
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14. March 2004 @ 14:14 |
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cheers.
i would get an all in one remote, but do they cover projectors aswell ?
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 14. March 2004 @ 14:16
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AfterDawn Addict
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14. March 2004 @ 14:48 |
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Hmm...now there is something im not sure about. I do know what thing though, i will test it as soon as i receive mine during this week sometime. Even if it didnt do the projector, it is still handy for me as i have 3 systems to control...
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AfterDawn Addict
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14. March 2004 @ 16:30 |
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On the remote control RC1400, i presume it does control a projector. The next model up, the RC5400, shows on the screen that it can control a projector, as seen below:
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Prisoner
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15. March 2004 @ 09:57 |
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That remote looks like a PDA. Can you also check e-mail while surfing the tv channels?
SGDVD, I like the setup. Nice and simple. Now that you have the foundation, you can always upgrade with additional componets as well.
I am not a number
I am a Free Man
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AfterDawn Addict
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15. March 2004 @ 10:41 |
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Nah, I think itis just a remote control, dont think you can check emails lol
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mike17032
Newbie
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17. March 2004 @ 05:57 |
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If you get a learning remote (most of the good ones are) and you still have the remote to your projector, then you will be able to control it.
A learning remote can learn any of the controls off an existing remote. Gives you a ton of flexability. I went with the $100 Sony Commander. Very happy with it (i dont like touch screens).
I also want to say that Denon recivers are very good. Cost a bit more than some of the others listed here, but at the higher end are well worth it. Polk makes good speakers too.
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