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Home Theater ?'s

Old 01-22-2004, 10:39 PM
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Troutly,
What kind of speakers and amp are you running??
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Old 01-23-2004, 06:05 AM
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The hot projectors for this week seem to be the Sanyo PLV-Z2 and the Panasonic PT-L500U. I have been shopping around and doing alot of research over the past few weeks and these two projectors seem to the be stand-out units. There is a waiting list at most places for the Z2. 16:9 native, 1280X720 res., lens shift feature, keystone correction, etc. for under $2000. It is a good bargain. The brightness (800 lumens) and the contrast ratio (1300:1) is acceptable for a dark home theater. Ambient light control is a major factor in the quality of the picture. Screen door effect and the rainbow effect are supposedly non-existent in these two projectors at reasonable viewing distances. The AVS forum and Home Theater Forum seem to best sources of information.

Mike

Don't forget about the audio system. I have an SVS 25-31 PCi sub and will never own a sub from another company again. You cannot beat the value SVS represents. As far as speakers go, to each his own. Axiom seems to be the best value going these days. Check out www.axiom.com for info. I am ordering a pair of M80Ti's with the matching center in the next week or two. Electronics are another ball game entirely. It seems like you get what you pay for up until you hit a point of diminishing returns. That price seems to be around $2000 for receivers.

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Old 01-23-2004, 08:18 AM
  #13  
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Still working on mine.

Had an old Runco CP750 CRT projector on an 84" Draper glass bead screen. JBL matched surround speakers on a HK 45/channel receiver. 25x25x10 room (sloped ceilings 3 sides with 4' kicker walls). No windows and remote dimmer. Was "okay".

Got a deal on a Runco VX1C DLP projector on Audiofn's recommendation. Due to lens, I can only get up to a 105" to 110" screen unless I mount the projector OUTSIDE the house. (keep this in mind when you are selecting a projector for your room - some units need to be mounted a long way fro the screen). I've got it temporarily mounted on a ladder, and got a matte white pvc screen on the wall for now. WAY better image, but I am having to spend $$$ for long RGB cables for it cause the cheapies I bought NOTICEABLY degrade the picture quality (I need 40' long ones, and with all the stuff sitting on ladder steps and short cables it looks great, but when you plug in the 40' cheapies the pic goes to crap).

I am convinced that outfitting a home theater never stops evolving. I know that once I get the projector and screen issues resolved, that I will get hung up on pasting carpet and sound absorbing material on the walls and ceiling. Then I will want to upgrade the speakers (still thinking of Def Techs) and they will want huge power to make them shine. About the time I get the sound where I want it, projector technology will have obsoleted some superior merchandise and I will need to upgrade the projector again. Plus, the furniture will inevitably evolve also.

And this is in a dedicated room for movies, tv, video games, and exercise equipment (yeah, I know - nowhere else to put it). I can only IMAGINE trying to get your sightand sound issues worked out in a multi purpose room with lots of WIFE decorating issues...

We've got a decent Polk Audio 5.1 setup on Pioneer Elite THX equipment in the great room with a Sony XBR rear projector. Decorating issues force the TV into the left corner beside the fireplace with the center channel on top of it. Rear surrounds are in the rear wall about 8' high. Room is hardwood, open to upper level, 28' ceiling, huge wall full of giant windows. ECHO HELL. I've been threatening to spray the whole damn room with automotive asphalt undercoating (haven't made much headway with that). Suggestions of hanging wall art (tapestries, etc) over wall carpet hasnt met any sort of approval either. It is admittedly almost "too large" to try to tame, but I havent stopped trying.

Maybe I will withhold sex from her until I get my way.

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Old 01-23-2004, 08:34 AM
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www.avsforum.com -- is a GREAT site -- lots of good info.

My room is 12 x 20 I have a Sony VPLW12ht, Pioneer DVD, Pioneer 45TX receiver, Pioneer Sub (kinda week), and 5 channel Swan Diva speakers. This is a great setup and my room ROCKS specially during an action movie.

I'll have to take some pic's -- i'm quite proud of how it turned out. All of my friends think it looks like something out of MTV cribs.

I have a couple of things left to do. I want some leather theater type seating, Sconces on the Wall(with movie posters underneat) and some Back speakers for my 7.1 setup.
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Old 01-23-2004, 08:37 AM
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You can get the swan's from here http://www.theaudioinsider.com/ -- but I purchased mine from http://www.av123.com/ which now cary the Rocket line -- basically a "notch" above the swan diva's that i purchased. I'm telling you these speakers sound awesome -- and are GORGEOUS to look at.
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Old 01-23-2004, 09:12 AM
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Originally posted by mcollinstn
Still working on mine.

Had an old Runco CP750 CRT projector on an 84" Draper glass bead screen. JBL matched surround speakers on a HK 45/channel receiver. 25x25x10 room (sloped ceilings 3 sides with 4' kicker walls). No windows and remote dimmer. Was "okay".

Got a deal on a Runco VX1C DLP projector on Audiofn's recommendation. Due to lens, I can only get up to a 105" to 110" screen unless I mount the projector OUTSIDE the house. (keep this in mind when you are selecting a projector for your room - some units need to be mounted a long way fro the screen). I've got it temporarily mounted on a ladder, and got a matte white pvc screen on the wall for now. WAY better image, but I am having to spend $$$ for long RGB cables for it cause the cheapies I bought NOTICEABLY degrade the picture quality (I need 40' long ones, and with all the stuff sitting on ladder steps and short cables it looks great, but when you plug in the 40' cheapies the pic goes to crap).

I am convinced that outfitting a home theater never stops evolving. I know that once I get the projector and screen issues resolved, that I will get hung up on pasting carpet and sound absorbing material on the walls and ceiling. Then I will want to upgrade the speakers (still thinking of Def Techs) and they will want huge power to make them shine. About the time I get the sound where I want it, projector technology will have obsoleted some superior merchandise and I will need to upgrade the projector again. Plus, the furniture will inevitably evolve also.

And this is in a dedicated room for movies, tv, video games, and exercise equipment (yeah, I know - nowhere else to put it). I can only IMAGINE trying to get your sightand sound issues worked out in a multi purpose room with lots of WIFE decorating issues...

We've got a decent Polk Audio 5.1 setup on Pioneer Elite THX equipment in the great room with a Sony XBR rear projector. Decorating issues force the TV into the left corner beside the fireplace with the center channel on top of it. Rear surrounds are in the rear wall about 8' high. Room is hardwood, open to upper level, 28' ceiling, huge wall full of giant windows. ECHO HELL. I've been threatening to spray the whole damn room with automotive asphalt undercoating (haven't made much headway with that). Suggestions of hanging wall art (tapestries, etc) over wall carpet hasnt met any sort of approval either. It is admittedly almost "too large" to try to tame, but I havent stopped trying.

Maybe I will withhold sex from her until I get my way.
NO NO NO NO NO you do not have to mount your projector outside the house. Buy the Anamophic lens and not only will you get a 16X9 image but you will also be able to move the projector 1/3 closer to the screen or get a image 1/3 larger As far as the cables go you are finding out that yes cables do in fact make a HUGE difference. You know that bone head at Circuit city that tells ya to just use the cables in the box just don't know video.

Good luck.

Jon
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Old 01-23-2004, 09:39 AM
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I like it alot -- although my experience with high end equipment is limited. All of my older stuff has been sony brand.

I did demo the Denon 3800?? very nice reciever as well. But the pioneer just had more features that I wanted. The auto surround setup was very nice and i checked it against a sound meter -- came in very close --i only made slight adjustments.
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Old 01-23-2004, 09:42 AM
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Watch out for AVS forum. You have to use your own mind there as there is a LOT of bad info floating around. However there is definatly more good info then bad. Imagine this board times like a thousand and that is what you have over there And you think the APache posts are bad
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Old 01-23-2004, 09:46 AM
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DILA projectors do have to "specs" and you used the correct term of "density". However what does that mean. To me it means nothing as when I look at the picture all I can see is very poor black levels and horrid contrast. I would rather watch a Runco EDTV plasma then most of the new HDTV plasma's and the RUNCO has less pixel count...... You watch video not specs on a sheet so when you watch your video look at things that are important to it like Black level and grey scale (these are the two most important things with video). Most TV's can be made to look much better or much worse so when you look check out the settings of all the screens you are looking at and make sure they are operating in their designed range.

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Old 01-23-2004, 09:48 AM
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Originally posted by mpejsa
I like it alot -- although my experience with high end equipment is limited. All of my older stuff has been sony brand.

I did demo the Denon 3800?? very nice reciever as well. But the pioneer just had more features that I wanted. The auto surround setup was very nice and i checked it against a sound meter -- came in very close --i only made slight adjustments.
Try aiming the mic slightly forward when you do that. I have found this to work the best with ANY auto set up feature.

Jon
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