Home theatre buffs...

T

TurboJim

JCC Racing Member Forum Tech Advisor
Staff member
Joined
May 24, 2001
Just got a Mitsubishi WS-55511 55" 16:9 HDTV. All I can say is HOOOFAHHHHH!!!

Cable reception disappointed me, but pop in a DVD at 480p...egads!! Watched that new Segal movie and damn if you cant see the pores in their faces!! Amazing for a large RPTV. Well, it is to me.

Goin to get a UHF antenna so I can catch OTA DTV signals tomorrow. Cant wait to see it in 1080i!!!

What all you guys got for HT equip? (Cept you Joey...you got me into this mess!!)
 
Welcome to the wonderful world of HDTV. My friends thought I was insane for buying mine until I invite them over to watch a DVD. I can't wait until having an HDTV signal is affordable. My TV is a Panasonic 56". My HT setup is pretty pieced together, but works very well. I have a Pioneer DTS 110W X 5 receiver (Costco Special ;) ), Panasonic DVD Player, ESS AMT1's for main speakers, Solid's for center and surround sound, and a KLH 10" Powered sub. (also Costco) I sounds pretty good considering that everything was bought cheap or free. The ESS speakers are what really make everything sound so good.
 
34" Sony XBR Widescreen
Onkyo 600w 7.1x5 DTS DD2 receiver
Sony 5 disc DVD/cd changer
Infinity SUrround sound speakers (Entra series)
Harmon Cardon dual tape deck w/ stereo dubbing
Sony dual disc cd tray recorder

I work at circuit city so i get discounts!!!
thats the only reason i have this stuff the Sony XBR I have retails for $2899.99 with my discount i got it for 1799.99 like i said theonly reason

(by the way some of this stuff is for sale so im able to pay my mortgage)
 
I have the Sears LXI 27" TV that I bought in 1993. I have a Sony amp, DVD, and 300-disc changer with Infinity towers in the front, Infinity center, and Infinity Quadrapoles in the rear. Yamaha dual 8" powered sub.

I'm currently finishing the basement and am wiring it up for 7.1 speakers. I'm going to do in-wall rears and in-ceiling rear-centers (7.1) and keep the Infinity's for the front. So, it's time for a big TV....I thought I had settled on the Sony 57" - Consumer Reports rates it #1 behind the Panasonic 45". The Panasonic is an LCD projection and thus a much better picture than the standard CRT projection but requires a stand ($) and is more expensive than a CRT ($3k). My neighbor and another friend both have the Mitsubishi and it's awesome both in quality and price. I just have to get off my butt and go down to Circuit City and look at them myself.

But, seeing as how my basement home-theater setup is built entirely in my head right now I don't think I'm going to buy a big TV yet (I don't have room for one upstairs). I've just got a bunch of lumber nailed up to the concrete walls right now (http://www.turbojimmy.com/basement.html)....but I'll get there.

Jim
 
Originally posted by TurboJim
Just got a Mitsubishi WS-55511 55" 16:9 HDTV. All I can say is HOOOFAHHHHH!!!
Click to expand...

Ohhh, so that is why you can't pay for those parts! ;)
 
Originally posted by BuickMike
Welcome to the wonderful world of HDTV. My friends thought I was insane for buying mine until I invite them over to watch a DVD. I can't wait until having an HDTV signal is affordable.
Click to expand...
Well, once you buy the HDTV tuner ($$$), the over the air (OTA) signals are free. Tuners probably will come down in price though. Note: there are three basic models to choose from: DTV, HDTV and a model that combines DTV and HDTV.

See: http://discuss.pcmag.com/n/main.asp?webtag=pcmag&nav=messages&msg=18605 There are several good links in the discussion forum to just about every website on the HDTV that you would need.
 
Re: Re: Home theatre buffs...

Originally posted by Scott231
Ohhh, so that is why you can't pay for those parts! ;)
Click to expand...

Actually, no. Walked in on a 0% down, 0% financing till 2005 deal..

But...****!!!! Money on its way today.... out of sight, out of mind....my mistake. I apologize.
 
I've go the WS 55511 too (well my Dad does, but I live at home :)). Progressive DVDs rock!! We have an antenna, but Haven't installed it yet. Waiting for better weather.
 
by the way....

Check out www.hometheaterspot.com. Great site.

Just checked the site and saw Jim is already a member. Me too! I'm CT Yankee on the board there, Jim. Have you checked out the Mitsu tweaks section?
 
Re: by the way....

Originally posted by Bens87tr
Check out www.hometheaterspot.com. Great site.

Just checked the site and saw Jim is already a member. Me too! I'm CT Yankee on the board there, Jim. Have you checked out the Mitsu tweaks section?
Click to expand...

I have joined and gone to the tweaks section. I just need time to play. I dont wanna be in the svc menu with my daughters or wife complaining or calling me to do something. I figure I need a couple houirs when no one else is home to play.

To be honest, this set is BRANDY new..2003 model and the picture is pretty darn good. I cant imagione it gets much better. As time goes on and the set breaks in, I suppose I'll hve an ISF cal done. Joe Midolo swears its a night and day diff. Guess I'll see. Maybe over the summer. Gotta have 200+ hours on the set first. I trhink I have 10 on it now :)
 
Zenith something or other 32" flatscreen with HDTV tuner built in. Once you start watching HDTV everything else just pi$$es you off, INCLUDING dvds. HD is so much better than cable it is frightening, and dvd's still look a little blotchy. My buddy bought the omijesus 16:9 projection with a separate tuner (forget who makes it though) and he feels the same way. Now if NYC would start broadcasting other than CBS...
Other than that, its older technology Bose 301s fronts, matching lower end pioneer center and surrounds, pioneer 6 disc, old (vsx4800) prologic pioneer receiver, but I love that thing. I do the thinking on what surround mode I want (my mom's and my brother's you have to fight the stupid thing to make it play the way you want to) and it has the old school motorized volume knob. I love that thing. Not digital though, but I just can't justify upgrading yet when I've had the other one so long and it doesn't have any problems. I might have to though, if I get hooked on my friends new HK with a bunch of component and digital in/outputs.
 
I have a Magnavox without remote. It's a 19 inch, that I got for $50, from a neighbor. The problem is that I got it when I was 14, and was too young to know that he stole it. Oh well, it still works, now, which is 11 years later.

BA
 
Yamaha 100Wx5 A/V receiver with DTS 5.1, Onkyo 220Wx2 main amp for powering the Klipsch Towers, but now that I'm in a townhouse, I use my smaller Shahinian cabinets. I have a Wharfdale Topaz sub and center channel, Mitsubishi DVD, Yamaha CD and Sony MD.
 
Sweet....

I still live at home too, but since I split the cost of the audio with my parents I'll call it half mine.

Hitachi Ultrascan 43" HDTV
Poineer progressive-scan DVD player
Marantz SR7200 Reciever 110 watts x5
B&W DM-303 as fronts and surrounds
B&M LCR-3 Center Channel
PSB Subsonic 5 powered sub, 10" 110 Watts

It's in a medium sized room (12 x 20 ) with a low ceiling, so It's got plenty of punch to fill the room with sound. If you crank it up a little will rattle the panels in the drop ceiling without a problem.:eek:
 
YOYOYOYO, I heard my name! ;)

OTA HD is one of the best bang for the bucks cause it's free! only problem is that if you can't get all your networks out of one location and have to put a rotator on your antenna like I did last night, it can be a PITA.

But the picture clarity..OMG! I watched a few shows I never even watch just cause they are in HD! Stop me before I turn on Guiding Light during the day! LOL

Can't wait to see CSI tonight. Even watching nature shots on PBS is incredible w/the syphoney playing hehe.

If you have the built in tuner like you do, OTA is a no brainer. I bought a Sony HD100 which will do OTA and DTV. Actually called cable today (ComCast) to inquire about their pricing if I get sick of rotating this antenna around.

On the ISF thing..yep, Huge Difference. Before mine was done w/the grayscale pattern on my set, it had a purplish tinge to it. I acutally have a printout of all the Kelvin temps of my set before/after calibration...even whites were not "white" they had a color to them..hard to explain.
 
Jimmy T and I in the same boat. last Friday I got my Hitachi ultravision 57" delievered and and told Jim I thought the pic in store was better than my DirecTV signal.

DVD's are great, I have a guy coming over Monday AM to install a HDTV tuner and install new DirecTV dish.

Being somewhat new at this, once the tuner is installed will I get a better picture on all channels or just the channels that are in HD?

BTW my system is hooked up to a Denon receiver and Paradigm speakers all around and sceen 29 from the Matrix cranked to 00 never sounded and looked better.
 
I was very disappointed in my set (55" mistsu) when I 1st hooked it up to DTV. Looked "grainy' at best and watching fast action sports wreaked havoc on the processor trying to display a stretched image.

After having it calibrated it looked 100 times better. Before, even cable looked better than DTV.

Now, with my new HD Satellite receiver DTV looks a LOT better. That's because the signal is upcoverted to either 720p or 1080i, I can't remember which. But it does look a whole lot better.

One thing I'll have to get used to on the mits...not sure if the HIT is like this also, but when you are on the 1080i input on the mits, if the signal is NOT HD, it displays the picture in a 4:3 aspect ratio with 7" or so gray or black bars on the right and left side of the pict. So, for instance, last night..CSI was in HD..great 16:9...commercial..switches to an upconverted 4:3. So if you are watching a sitcom or whatever on your HD input...and it's not HD...then it's 4:3. So it's a trade off...either watch it via Svideo on a different input on the set..w/a lesser picture quality, or leave it on your HD input w/a better pict, but in 4:3 mode. I like the better quality myself, but you could always run it to a dif input.

Once you see HD..there's NOTHING like it.

Oh, and you said it looked so good in the store..usually that's cause they are feeding it a 480p signal from a DVD, or a 1080i signal off of a digital satellite. Get a calibration and SEE what you're missing! :)

Oh, I forgot to mention..on the mits, when in 1080i input, you cannnot scroll through the different image display formats...standard, stretched, zoom, etc... So HD only displays in widescreen, and non hd is only 4:3...you cannot change it.

Joe
 
Ok guys, where can I learn about getting hd signals to my tv. I just bought a 51" sony hdtv and its grainy. I have digital cable, but all it has is either cable or rca outputs. No svideo. I can get most local channels via antenna if need be.

BTW, I also have a yamaha reciever and cd player along with a sony ps2. This combined with 2 other tvs, 2 cable boxes, and a vcr makes for a spider web of cables behind the tvs. :D I can watch 5 shows at once all from the comfort of my couch!! Isn't technology wonderful!! Its great to watch both football games, the nascar race and play ps2 at the same time.
 
If you have digital cable, call your cable company and tell them you want an HD convertor box. Since they are in limited supply @ cable companies, they should ask and verify that you currently have an HDTV already. That will give you the component outputs and digital 5.1 also.
 
Well I got ya'll beat

At least on the price front.

I've been called "the world's cheapest bastard" by a couple of my friends, and it shows in my home theatre:

- Projector is a hitachi LCD out of a training classroom. Only shoots upside down for ceiling mount since I never got a remote for it. 2 video in, and 2 VGA in. Occasionally overheats. :) $250
- Screen bought used at a surplus store. Glass bead screen with a couple of cracks and smudges, but workable. Has "Kansas City Public Schools" stenciled on it. $5
- Pioneer amp dating from 1970's with nice woodgrain on the front. Tuner in it is DOA, and I can only use 3 sources because one source select switch is busted. Same surplus store as the screen. $5
- Sony VCR, same place as Amp and screen. $10
- Speakers - one pair from a Goodwill in Kansas, $12, and the other pair from one in Missouri, $5.
- Cables- all new from Radio Shack (including VGA extension cables)- $60.
- Compaq Deskpro for games, also acting as house file server- $15 + another $100 upgrading ram, hard drive and processor with used hardware. Currently PII 400Mhz and 256MB w/ 90GB of drive space. Has CD burner and dvd drive.
- Macintosh G3 (on loan from Fiancee) for playing Mac and Playstation games
- Sega Genesis -- Free from old roommate.
- Nintendo 64 -- Free from hairdresser
- Sega Dreamcast -- $50 at day after thanksgiving sale
- X-Box -- Free with 4 games, door prize at a Microsoft software release party.

I bolted the projector to the ceiling with about $20 worth of steel and bolts.

So, I've got an 85" screen, movies, all the games I could want (for now) and 4-channel sound for about $500. I might invest in a subwoofer someday if I find one cheap, but I'm pretty happy with things the way they are now.

All I need is a replacement for that plastic lawn chair... :p

- Freed
 
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