Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with hometheater

Help me bring my living room into the future!

COBRA! — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:14:04 -0800

My wife and I are finally getting around to getting an HDTV soon. When we do that, we want to adjust the setup in our living room to reflect the way we consume entertainment these days. Part of this means the VCR gets chucked, of course. But more
importantly, we're trying to figure out the most cost-effective way to
get content from our 2 main online sources, iTunes and NetFlix, onto
the screen. And be able to run DVDs, and have a
basic-cable-for-the-broadcast-channels hookup.

The options, as I see them (and part of the reason I'm asking this
question is that I assume I'm missing something):

- Roku + basic cable. Great, except we can't buy shows from iTunes.

- AppleTV + basic cable. Opposite problem. Can't stream from Netflix.

- Cheap, web-connected computer + basic cable. Seems like a winner,
but involves more of an outlay (this is more or less what we do now,
except that it's my wife's laptop that gets laboriously hooked up
every time we want to watch something). Plus then there's a desktop
box sitting in our living room. And, assuming the setup wound up like
our current laptop hookup, we don't have remote control of the sound.

Is there an angle I'm missing? A way to optimize one of these options? Help!

how to get sound from tv's built-in speakers

anonymice — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:51:54 -0800

How do I set up my home theater to let me use my tv's built-in speakers? I normally use a Bose 5.1 surround speaker system, but would sometimes like to use my tv's internal speakers instead.

My main home theater components -- all connected by HDMI -- are:
-- Onkyo TX-SR674 Receiver
-- Tivo Series 3 HD, and
-- Panasonic TH-42PX60U Plasma TV

The tv's speakers definitely work. I've tested them by connecting a VCR directly. But I've never been able to get any sound from them when I use the receiver. So I figure either the receiver or the tv is cutting off the audio signal.

The TV automatically shuts off its speakers when it detects that external speakers are connected. But the TV's set-up menu has a setting to turn the speakers on. I've done that, but no success.

I've also screwed around with the receiver settings, like turning on HDMI audio out. I've even tried running composite audio cables from the receiver to the tv. Still no luck.

Any suggestions?

A real Apple TV.

malaprohibita — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:14:10 -0800

Is it crazy and/or overkill to consider getting a 27 inch imac to replace my tv? I have a 10 year old 27 inch Sony CRT that still works well, but I'm running into its limits for adding peripherals (DVD player, xbox, etc.). I know I can probably get a mac mini or other small form factor pc plus an HDTV for less, but I'm really intrigued by the imac's possibilities. What little tv watching I do is usually Hulu, streaming Netflix, and dvds. I am not interested in Blu-Ray capabilities, as I see the format becoming obsolete sooner rather than later.

Pros:
--2560 x 1440 resolution led lcd.
--can add a tv tuner via usb if I really wanted to.
--a built-in computer and dvd player (convergence!)

Cons:
--may not be able to connect the xbox without some kind of adapter voodoo (although Crossover+Steam is possible).
--there are some issues reported regarding flash playback( = Hulu problems), which may be indicative of other system issues.
--diy repairs and upgrades may be difficult.

I don't really need a bigger display. My wife and I will be sitting > 8ft away, but not by much, and any HD resolution will be better than what I have now.

I'm looking forward to your pros, cons, and even any alternatives you might have.

Receive me.

wordsmith — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 10:38:59 -0800

I'm looking for a home audio receiver + speakers to serve a few different purposes. Can you help me find a good one? I'm piecing together my home theater, and need to buy a decent receiver that will do the following:

1) At least 5.1 audio -- including support for a (powered?) sub.
2) Multiple speaker selection; I have outdoor speakers that I'd like to hook into this as well. Ideally, I'd be able to listen to whatever either indoors only, outdoors only, or both. Do receivers ever support three channels? Eventually, I'd like to hook up a third set of speakers in the basement, and be able to switch between all of them.

What brands should I be looking at? Links to specific receivers that do what I need it to do would be appreciated.

Budget: under $250.

Sounds Good...

madeinitaly — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 09:34:33 -0800

[Hi-Fi / HT filter] Help me find the right front speakers for my receiver, so that both music and movies sound good ! Hello.

I have a Harman Kardon AV 145 which i always used with the standard JBL 5.1 speaker set it came with (little and probably not so good satellites, but i really like the subwoofer).

I got my hands on a Mission m7c1 center speaker (got for almost free) and recently replaced the left and right front speaker (which previously were just little boxes) with some TEAC coming out of a compact system a friend was throwing away.

The difference since i put those left/right (sorry i don't have name or characteristics, but just imagine your typical 2 ways system from a 90s compact system) is amazing: music sounds much better - and i guess it's because now the left/right sound can manage some bass and the subwoofer just gives it a final touch.

The issue is that now when i watch a movie, i think the right/left sound too powerful compared to the middle - so you hear all the background noised much louder than the speech... and that's less than optimal. My receiver has the option to select if each speaker is "large" or "small", option that basically cross-overs the bass to the subwoofer or to the speakers themselves.

now... i think i might need to set the speakers as "small" in order to not overpower the middle... but then i miss the improvement i gained in the music listening area....

does this make sense? What would you do and/or what tests would you do ?

Secondly... I have now the chance to do two things

1) replace those TEAC speakers with the speakers that come from this Panasonic SC-DP1 system which actually sound _amazing_ and i would like to keep. Problem... these speakers have 4 wires coming out of them and my HK AVR 145 only has 2 plugs for each speaker... how do i connect them ?

2) someone is selling these amazing Mission 733 speakers for a very low price... i really like the idea of professional speakers but... will they be alright for the rest of my system or would i just add to the problem of left/right overpowering the middle ?

thank you all for your help!

Help me hook up a new HDTV to an old(ish) stereo receiver?

Dr. Wu — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 15:03:39 -0800

Can you help me connect my optical-out DVD players to my new HDMI-in HDTV? This is the kind of thing that drives me bananas.

Just got a nice, brand-new Sony HDTV, with several HDMI-in ports. I would like to get the highest resolution I possibly can out of my video components -- generally DVD. In the past, when I had an older, analog TV, I just used the stereo receiver as an A/V switcher, for which purpose it works very well. But now this functionality has been compromised by the new array of input/output jacks.

Here's the setup:
- The two DVD players I have (one "regular" and one multistandard) both have optical-out ports. I have an old laserdisc and an even older VHS player hooked up to the system, too, but I'm not terribly concerned about them right now.

- I have all audio and video components running through a good, but eight-year-old, Sony A/V receiver. LP/tape/VHS/LD are connected via regular old component RCA plugs, which are just fine. The CD player and the two DVD players can connect to the receiver with optical cables -- which I prefer to use whenever I can. They work well and provide good sound.

- The problem is that the new HDTV does not have any optical-in ports. (If it did, I'd just run the sound from the DVD players through the receiver, and the picture, via optical cable, right to the TV. But I can't do this.) It does have composite-in and component-in, but no optical-in. And the receiver has only composite-out.

The receiver I have is a Sony STR-DA 333 ES. The manual, in PDF form, is available on this page; click "primary user manual" and go to Page 5.

The HDTV I have is a Sony Bravia KDL-46VE5. The manual doesn't seem to be online, but you can find the details here by clicking on "Specifications." (The site will not allow me to access that page directly.)

- The upshot of all this (if you're still with me) is that my only current option is to run all video components into the receiver, and thence to the TV via a crappy composite video cable. Which would sort of defeat the purpose of the 1080p set that I just bought. (We don't have any sort of cable, satellite, or other TV, so this new HDTV is really just going to be used as a monitor for movies on the DVD players.)

What I would like to do is get the highest possible resolution (the HDTV can handle 1080p/24f) when I watch DVDs. Is there a simple, inexpensive way to convert the optical signal to HDMI?

I can imagine several options:
1. I find a magical converter device that can handle multiple optical inputs and output HDMI. This device would be a switcher, so I could run optical cables from both DVD players into it, and then a single HDMI cable from the switcher to the HDTV.

2. If it's cheaper, I certainly don't mind eschewing with the idea of the switcher box and just getting two separate optical-to-HDMI cables, one for each DVD player.

HOWEVER: the problem I foresee: What about the audio??
I want to run the audio from the DVD players through my stereo system, which has a nice 5.1 setup. HDMI handles both video and audio, right? So if I choose either option above, will I be locked into using the speakers built into the HDTV? Or would I then just add another cable, so that the setup would look something like this:

DVD optical out --> HDMI cable --> HDMI in to HDTV --> TV audio out --> receiver. (In which case the audio running from the HDTV to the receiver would be component, yes? Which would be a step downwards, yes?)

I am reasonably good with stuff like this, but the age disparity between the new HDTV and the older stereo system is giving me a headache.

What's the best, cheapest, most reliable way for me to get the highest-quality picture from the DVD players onto the TV, and still get the room-shaking audio through the stereo?

Should I just buy a new multistandard, HDMI-out DVD player? If I did, I could connect it right to the HDTV, but I'd still have the audio problem that I detail above.

*****
Related questions, for masochists and/or AV geeks:

- Let's say I solve this problem above. I'm still left with an LD and a VHS, both of which I still use occasionally, that will be unconnected. Is my best bet with these just to run A/V to the receiver, and thence to the HDTV via component cables?

- I'd like to minimize the number of A/V component switchers. Ideally, I'd still like my receiver to be the one and only device that switches between ALL a/v components. And what's nice is that I can split the audio and the video signals -- that is, I can listen to the CD player while watching the signal from the VHS, if I so desire. Is there some way I can use this functionality to refrain from buying any further switchers?

Budget home theater

bove — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 15:07:16 -0800

Help me design a budget HD home theater. I am planning on upgrading to HD. I have a small room and a few constraints. The size of the room dictates a 42" TV. I have about $2000 to spend on everything (this is slightly flexible). I currently have a Tivo (Series 2) and love it. I have Cox cable and will probably switch to their digital/HD service. Help me figure out where to best spend my money. Possible components:

HDTV (no preference for plasma or LCD currently)
HD DVR. Preference is Tivo (or is it worth living with the Cox box?) I am under the impression that with HD Tivo is the only option, I can't build a media center PC
Blu-ray player. I have Netflix and could switch to their Blu-ray plan. Although I am also considering relying primarily on services like Amazon on Demand, Cinemanow, etc.
Speakers/Sound. Major constraint here is I cannot have a full surround sound system. I can't run wires and I can't mount rear speakers. I am thinking about a "virtual" surround sound system.
Universal Remote

Any components I have forgotten? Anything I should do without? Can I build a good setup and stay close to my budget?

Zero to HTPC in 700?

itesser — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 05:59:47 -0800

Going crazy trying to figure out my HTPC/media server options from scratch. Yes, I've been reading other threads but I'm a unique snowflake so there's My husband and I are a couple of nomads with a handful of computers (desktops and laptops, 3 Win and 1 Mac) who will be getting our first real TV/stereo/etc when we move into a new apartment late next month.

I want to...
- Stream Netflix to our TV
- Watch other internet video on the TV (and stream Pandora?)
- Play locally stored video / music on the TV/stereo
- Have all our music (~200 gigs) in one place, plus long-term expandability
- Keep important files in one location for frequent backing up to/from multiple computers
- I don't care to watch network or cable tv

My budget is somewhat flexible, but I'm aiming for solutions around $700 for the media-serving part of the set up.

After several hours considering my options (though I admit I'm not experienced at this, plus it's way past my bedtime), I think my current best bet is: xbox360 + XBMC on an XP system* + (Free)NAS. Would 3 machines be overkill?

* I like the iphone remote! and for a few other reasons

Or ditch the NAS and put a bunch of HDs in the XBMC system?
Or ditch the XBMC and stream directly from NAS to 360?
Or replace the XBMC with a MacMini+Plex?

How do I add media to an XBMC PC

midwestguy — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 07:50:56 -0800

How do I add content to the hard drive running XBMC live on my new media center PC? I recently scored an older HP media center PC for free. The hard drive was wiped, so I installed live XBMC (the version that can boot from a CD, or be installed to the drive). It runs great--recognizes and plays thumb drives, portable hard drives, and DVDs. BUT...I can't for the life of me figure out how to add more stuff onto the hard drive that is inside the machine. Its not huge--200 GB, but that is enough room for all my music files and pictures, and I'd love to get them in there so that I wouldn't have to use the external drives all the time. How do I add music, pictures, or DVD rips onto the drive? Can it be done within this software?

Mac Mini as centerpiece of home theater?

xmutex — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 18:46:05 -0800

Mac Mini as centerpiece of home theater, driving a HDTV? Wanted to buy a new Mac Mini to serve as the centerpiece of the home theater. Need it to play DVDs, downloads, and stream stuff from Hulu/MLB.tv/etc. Would the machine work well? How could I get 5.1 sound from DVDs? Would the Mini drive 1080p on an HDTV well?

Should I buy a home theater in a box, or should I buy speakers and a receiver separately?

Grither — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 10:57:09 -0800

Should I buy a home theater in a box, or should I buy speakers and a receiver separately? My fiancee and I are moving into a new apartment soon, and would like to upgrade our home theater system when we do. I was wondering if anyone had any pros or cons for the home-theater-in-a-box type systems like this one, or should I piece it together myself? Should I avoid certain brands, or are they all basically the same? I'm no audiophile, but I would like a system that is 7.1 channel for some future proofing. If it helps, here is what I will be hooking up to it:
PS3
Sharp Aquos 37" 1080p LCD HDTV (will probably upgrade this soon, too)
Wii
Potentially my PC

Is there anything I should keep in mind? Will there be any compatibility issues if I upgrade to a newer TV of a different brand? Do they have wireless systems so I don't have to mess around with wiring all over the place (though the reason I want to do this now is so I can properly wire it up before we set all our furniture up in the new place). I'm looking to spend less than $1,000 on the receiver and speakers, if that's possible.

Also, how far away do the sofas go? :)

rokusan — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 15:18:36 -0800

Blank slate "home" theater setup needs audio advice. Details of space and existing gear inside. Help! Since everyone I work with seems to be a movie buff, we're recovering some underused storage space in a studio/office by turning it into an as-needed screening room of sorts. We're drowning in capable video minds, due to the nature of the work, but nobody's confident about audio switch and speaker requirements or the right way to do placement of the five (six? eight?) speakers required for good "home" theater audio. Since tomorrow is cheap-electronics day, this seems a good time to buy a present for ourselves. :)

The room is a pretty blank slate: it's a big one, 25 x 25 feet square with high, raftered ceilings that look about 18 feet off the ground to me. Walls are easy to get behind for cable runs as needed, and there's even crawlspace under the floor, so cables will be easy to hide no matter how long.

Existing gear: the screen will be a plasma, probably the 54" Toshiba that's currently hanging behind the reception desk (we'll replace that later, it's underused). It'll be connected to (at minimum) a PS3, an XBox 360, and a Mac Mini or Mac Pro (salvage from someone's desk, they get an upgrade). Other than occasional Blu-Ray on the PS3, we'll use the Mac and Front Row (or XBMC) for movies, mainly from a server full of ripped DVDs we already have.

But how to do audio to handle all of these things reasonably well? The screen has an SVGA input (for the Mac) and two HDMI's (for the games) which is all lovely so I think video is covered already, but I need to get my head around the audio side: What kind of audio switcher/decoder box do we need here, and what type/number/location of speakers to provide a reasonably good movie experience while also being good for big-screen videogaming? (Note: digital cable / television is not a factor. No TV, no need, no thanks.)

Ideally: one switchbox/remote would be better for both A and V, but we can live with "change the screen input with existing remote, change the audio to match with this new remote" too.

Ideally, most/all speakers would be hidden (wall mounted?) or otherwise discreet -- we'd like to avoid "speaker standing in middle of room at precise angle" so that the floorspace of the room remains pretty wide-open for times we need the room for other functions, like when we need to throw together ad-hoc cubicles to gear up for a big short-term project (we've used the room this way before, other times it sits empty.)

Wireless is not necessary since we can hide long runs of cable under the floor or behind the easy-access wall panels. I also don't trust wireless AV stuff much, myself.

What do we need to buy, here, and where do we put it?

MacBook and Home Theater

cmoj — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 12:29:51 -0800

Any ideas about a wireless (or at least fairly elegant) MacBook Pro/1080p projector entertainment system setup? So, I've got a fairly new MacBook pro with a DMI-I hookup and all that. I run the audio through an old-fashioned stereo amplifier into old-fashioned floor speakers, and the video through a new-fangled 1080p projector. I also have a mostly adequate Logitech wireless keyboard/mouse.
How can I use this setup without ensnaring my laptop in a web of cables? Well, only four, but it still takes long enough to connect and disconnect that the point of having a laptop is diminished.

I'm looking for essentially this:
Bluetooth or equivalent audio that will go to RCA connectors... adapters are okay as long as I'm not losing too much quality.
Bluetooth or equivalent 1080p video (maybe the hard part).

What's the best option these days for building a home theater PC (HTPC)?

twiggy — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 10:09:48 -0800

HD-capable HTPC advice / help? I'm overwhelmed here... XBMC, Boxee, MythTV, Windows Media Center, CableCARDS, Popcorn Hour, Apple TV -- too many options! What should I build to fit my needs within a reasonable cost? I should start by saying I'm plenty tech savvy. I'm not overwhelmed by the terminology. However, I've been putting off building an HTPC for a long time now and the longer I do, the more crazy software/boxes show up that muddy my idea of what I should do!

So, in my ideal world, here's my needs:
- Absolutely HAS to decode 1080p video without dropping frames -- from what I've heard a Mac Mini can't handle 1080p. I'm guessing then that a hacked AppleTV (which I see you can now install XBMC or Boxee on) is also not an option?
- I'd like it to serve as a DVR - I have Comcast Digital Cable, so I may need CableCARDS for this, right? I do have a Comcast DVR, and could live with using that instead, but I can't "copy off" my programming and archive it which sucks.
- I'd like it to also serve as a great media player -- I use XBMC on an original Xbox and I love that...
- Assuming I build something myself - I have no idea what a good video card is that has HDMI output and is reasonably priced. I don't really have much interest in playing games on it, so I don't need the craziest card out there...
- While looks aren't super important (it'll be in a cabinet behind frosted glass), it should at least have a case that will keep it running quietly (unlike Xboxes, which are loud as crap!)
- Future expandability is a big plus, but not 100% necessary as long as it fits today's needs. I love that XBMC is continually updated, has cool plugins, etc, but I'm not 100% married to it.
- I have a Logitech Harmony 890 remote that I love. I've got to at least be able to hack something together to control it with that.

Basically, a machine that runs XBMC and can decode 1080p, combined with a DVR, would be perfect. I just don't know what the ideal way is to build that for a reasonable price.

Then the HTPC world gets more confusing -- there are boxes out there like Popcorn Hour, AppleTV, etc that look like they either do a lot of this, or are hackable to do this stuff.. am I better off going with one of these? I see Popcorn Hour will even act as a NAS and a BitTorrent downloader, which is fantastic, but it doesn't seem to have any recording capabilities.

Any help would be sincerely appreciated - the vast array of options has become too much for even the finest google-fu given my lack of available free time.

Coaxial cable HD converter?

cgs — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 09:00:56 -0800

HDTV filter: I accidentally tore out my coaxial input. Can I still get the HD signal from my cable into my TV via a converter? As I was taking my wall-mounted HDTV down I accidentally tore out my coaxial jack. I thought I had disconnected all the cables, but forgot about the only one w/ the screw connection. It popped it right out of the board, and I can't get it back in there.

I know if I was a proper citizen I'd pay the $100 a month for real cable, which would then connect to my set via HDMI and solve my problem. But I was running my cable directly into my set and was getting all the free broadcast HD signals, which is enough for me.

So! I bet I could find a coaxial -> RCA adapter, but am pretty sure that the HD signal would be lost. Do you know of an adapter that suits my needs? I have plenty of inputs on my set...

Thanks, AskMeFi!

Help a noob get a basic surround sound speaker system that will be worth the effort.

dino terror — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 12:55:16 -0800

Help a noob get a basic surround sound speaker system that will be worth the effort. I've never had a surround sound system but I think it could be better than just my TV speakers for things like playing PS3 games and watching Blu-Ray movies that I'm willing to throw say $400 bucks at it.
My PS3 supports DTS HD Master Audio, the latest thing in the world of stereo system upgrades, and my HDTV has these new fangled jacks for digital optical audio.
I am not an audiophile. I just want to experience the sensation of spatial audio ie. hearing the bad guys coming up behind me.
I am thinking: 5.1 channels, doesnt need to be powerful as the living room is average sized and I'm not a fan of cranking up the volume. I just want to make sure that everything will support the surroundsound instructions, ie. so that when a bad guy is behind me it actually comes through the rear speakers because this information makes it from my PS3 to my rear speakers. Whether it has to be Dolby, DTS, or analog, I dont care.

Help me pick out a new Home Theater receiver?

CrayDrygu — Tue, 27 May 2008 19:44:32 -0800

I need (well, want) a new receiver for my home theater system to accommodate my new HDTV. What's my best bet for the least amount of money? Specs on everything, and details on what I'm looking for, inside. So I find myself the proud new owner of a ViewSonic N3250W HDTV, to replace my aging CRT. Difficulty: my current receiver (A Yamaha HTR-5630) will switch Composite and S-Video for me, but knows nothing about Component, DVI, or HDMI.

The TV:

The ViewSonic will accept HDMI or Component input for HD content, and also has a Composite/S-Video input, and D-Sub. I have no interest in its speakers (though I'll admit with my old TV, I used its speakers as a center channel).

The Sources:

A Philips DVP642 DVD player with component output, which I may upgrade to a model with HDMI. Audio output can be either optical or coaxial.

A Home Theater PC that ideally will be DVI or HDMI out, but I can also do component, or D-sub if necessary. Audio out is just plain stereo RCA cables.

A Playstation 2 that I'll be buying component cables for. Audio can be either optical or plain stereo RCA cables.

A Wii that I'll also be buying component cables for. Audio is stereo RCA.

And preferably one input that I can swap between miscellaneous non-HD things, like a VCR, my old NES, and whatever else.

I have no need for satellite-readyness (though I'm not offended by it being there), or for the AM/FM tuner. And I'm not looking for a home-theater-in-a-box setup, as I already have all the speakers.

The Question:

What's a good replacement receiver that will handle all of these with ease? I'd like a solution that minimizes the need to change inputs on the TV; ideally that means the receiver will switch everything. However, I'm on a very light budget ($200-300, preferably), and most receivers that upconvert everything are way out of that range, so I recognize there may be no "perfect" answer. The good news is I'm not afraid of last year's models, or even slightly used ones.

I'm very partial to Yamaha as a receiver brand, and I'm rather not fond of Sony.

I'm also open to suggestions for remote controls (like the Harmony but preferably not $150) that will take care of the input-swapping pain for me.

Can I salvage the speakers from this POS Sony "Dream System"?

slenderloris — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 16:53:51 -0800

Can I salvage the speakers from this POS Sony "Dream System"? I bought this Sony "Dream System" about 4 years ago. True to form, judging by other owners' stories 'round the net, it's been a total lemon. One by one, each of its various AV functions has quit working, and today it just gave up the ghost completely. I'm ready to trash it and replace it with a more modular solution.

So to the question: I wouldn't mind keeping the 5.1 speakers and reusing them with whatever new receiver I end up with; however, the connectors where the speaker wires plug into the receiver box are some kind of bizarre proprietary design that I'm sure won't plug in to any other brand of receiver. Can I somehow cut that part off, strip the wires, and attach them to generic speaker connectors? I'm far from an audiogeek (hence the purchase of the in-a-box system in the first place), so dumbed-down guidance will be appreciated.

How can I use my TV speakers as the center channel on my receiver?

odinsdream — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 07:02:13 -0800

How can I use the speakers in my TV as the "center" speaker on my receiver? I have a receiver hooked up to four normal speakers. I'd like to use the speakers in my TV as the center speaker.

My TV has audio inputs for each set of video inputs. These are normal RCA red-white connectors.

Is there some way to connect powered speaker wires to these without breaking the TV? My first thought was to open the TV and disconnect the speakers from the internal wiring and substitute my own. I'd prefer not to do this since the TV is new and still under warranty.

The other problem would be that the TV has two internal speakers, left and right, which I want to treat as one.

Any thoughts?

Best places to talk Home Audio?

Phyltre — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 20:42:05 -0800

What and where are the best audio/home theater discussion groups/forums for someone wanting to learn about said items? I'm working in big-box retail (and loving it, thank you very much), and there are some extremely tempting Employee Accommodations available to me. I've been looking at home audio a lot recently, and this cements it--I'm definitely buying when the components cost between 50 and 75% less than retail.

The catch is, I don't know very much about home audio. I've googled the models, and gotten some information. I've googled for audio and home theater forums as well (with tons of results), but I don't know who to trust or respect. That's where I need your help. What and where are the best audio/home theater discussion groups and forums, so I can get good advice and not waste my once-a-year accommodations purchase or, at worst, buy the wrong thing and burn the house down?

(Because I know you'll ask: My preliminary plan is to get a Harman Kardon AVR-144 receiver with two Klipsch RF-82 floorstanders and an RW10d sub. Price to me: roughly $700 for everything. Yes, this will be an ad-hoc 2.1 system on a 5.1 receiver, but I'm not buying everything at once for budgeting reasons.)

Jilted Jockey Heebee Jeebees.

Student of Man — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 18:08:49 -0800

Ack! My DVD receiver slammed against the cabinet. Now when I play Cd's (I Know) -or DVD's, My receiver screeches, Loudly. It plays fine though. Obviously the disk is spinning against something. I don't want to hit this thing again to make it stop. It cost me an arm (Samsung Home theater). Should I bring it in for repairs at a third party repairer, or can Samsung nudge it for a fee?. I m looking for something cost-effective.

DIY Balanced Audio Cable-O-Rama

Skorgu — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 10:36:34 -0800

What's the best balanced audio wiring stuff, and where do I get it all? I'm wiring up some speakers. I want to build custom audio cables (and eventually in-wall conduit and fancy faceplates) that will run under a drop ceiling to the speakers. The total run is ~25'. I'll be running balanced audio cable from a line-level converter to the balanced ins of my speakers, so I need balanced wiring. I'm not afraid of a soldering iron or of spending money, as long as I get what I pay for. I don't need any new devices, mixers, or converters, just the cable.

I'd like to eventually use Neutrik combo connectors on the wall plates, but for now is there an advantage to 1/4" TRS over XLR connectors? I've heard that certain brands of cable and connector work better together than others. Is there any truth to this, and if so, what brands/combinations do you recommend? What about shielded cable? Grounding the XLR sheath? Can I run audio cable alongside ethernet cable in one conduit?

Finally, if anyone has any horror/success stories about this sort of thing (including where you got good prices!), please share!

How do I get a DVD playing on two screens?

bigcheesegump — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 18:04:02 -0800

How do I have one DVD player go to two TV's? I am looking to configure a way to have one DVD player send it's image to two TV's. I have looked at Best Buy and other electronics stores for some information or products with no luck. The two TV's are standard non-HD capable TV's with only one antenna output and one set of component jacks a piece. The closest example I can think of is at electronic stores, they have walls of TV's playing the same thing. Is there a basic way to do this or is it so complicated/expensive it's not even worth it?

Help me utilize my home theater.

CwgrlUp — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 19:22:52 -0800

How can I wire my home theater correctly? I've had a home theater for years now and it's never been wired right. So as of this moment it's a big ass radio that takes up a lot of space. I'm using RCA cables and coax. I have the tv, home theater, Directv dvr, vcr and dvd player. Suggestions to help me hook all this stuff together and make it play nice?

Solution comparable to Windows Media Center

Scottk — Fri, 22 Dec 2006 14:12:53 -0800

Are there any standalone apps similiar to Windows Media Center for Windows 2000? I've got my Windows 2000 equipped computer hooked up to my TV and home theater system, and I'd really like to be able to centralize all of my media (music, movies, etc.) the way Windows Media Center seems to do.

Any suggestions?