matt.c
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 posted on 7/12/09 at 08:12 PM |
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OT: Home Entertainment System
As my TV has only one speaker now working and a few fuzzy lines, DVD player melted 3 years ago and a broke stand im going to look for a new system in
the sales.
I quite fancy one of those huge flat screens too.
I dont know much about this sort of stuff so i thought i would ask you lot about which to buy.
My list is:
Large flat screen TV
DVD player
Surround sound system
Stand
I already have sky+ and have a budget of 1K.
What you think?
Thanks
Matt 
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Steve Hignett
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| posted on 7/12/09 at 08:27 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by matt.c
I already have sky+ and have a budget of 1K.
What you think?
My Cables were dearer than that 
Only kidding actually, but do feel that you may struggle with that budget...
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flak monkey
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| posted on 7/12/09 at 08:30 PM |
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Get to richersounds in Norwich and have a look at the stuff
http://www.richersounds.com/
Oddly enough their staff are usually pretty sensible too.
For a surround system you would be best with something like Yamaha or Onkyo reciever then some mission or KEF floor standers for the fronts and
smaller monitors for the rears. No need for a sub the the main speakers are decent.
Make sure you get a FULL HD tv and not a HD ready. Only the full HD have 1080P!
For a first glance I would look at the following from richersounds with that sort of budget. Also worth having a look at the What Hi=fi
recommendations, they arent too bad.
LG42L300 LCD. Full HD. Knowing the size of your front room this will be more than big enough! £550
Clicky
Yamaha RXV365 Amp/Reciever £150
Clicky
Front main speakers: Cambridge Audio S70 £250
Rear speakers: Cambridge Audio S20 £100
Centre: Cambridge Audio S50 £100
Blu-ray player: Sony BDPS360, plays DVDs too £120.
OK so thats £1,270 worth, but you get a good sound system too.
Bear in mind you will need a suitable stand for the TV, and some wall brackets for the rear speakers.
Also for goodness sake buy everything in BLACK! Silver looks cheap and tacky and goes in and out of fashion way too fast!
Anyway, thats just my 2p worth! Its by no means the ideal spec system, but for the money, you will struggle to beat it TBH
[Edited on 7/12/09 by flak monkey]
Sera
http://www.motosera.com
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owelly
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| posted on 7/12/09 at 08:57 PM |
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A GRAND FOR A FEKIN TELLY???!!!! For that sort of money, I'd want it taxed, tested and ready to drive!!
Just buy a £60 TV/DVD combi from t'internet and then sit very close.........
http://www.ppcmag.co.uk
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mangogrooveworkshop
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| posted on 7/12/09 at 09:32 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by owelly
A GRAND FOR A FEKIN TELLY???!!!! For that sort of money, I'd want it taxed, tested and ready to drive!!
Just buy a £60 TV/DVD combi from t'internet and then sit very close.........
PSMSL
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adam1985
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| posted on 7/12/09 at 09:57 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by flak monkey
Make sure you get a FULL HD tv and not a HD ready. Only the full HD have 1080P!
For a first glance I would look at the following from richersounds with that sort of budget. Also worth having a look at the What Hi=fi
recommendations, they arent too bad.
LG42L300 LCD. Full HD. Knowing the size of your front room this will be more than big enough! £550
Clicky
this is the tv i have and cant fault it
Its 1080p and hd ready not full hd dont know what the difference is oh yeah and £499 at currys not £550 so shop around before you buy
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franky
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| posted on 7/12/09 at 10:07 PM |
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Where to start....
Kef 2005.3 superfi £500... the best sounding music and film you can buy for the money.
A 37" ish monitor for about £500, check what hi-fi sound and vision for the best latest set.
A decent 'buget' surround sound amp £250 ish check the above for the best.
£150 spend on decent cable and interconnects.
A sony PS3 for blue ray(£250 I think) then you'll get a decent quality blueray machine/games console/plus it'll play
'downloaded' films via USB.
Then you'll have a system you can upgrade or change when 1 item goes pop.
for £1k you'll not get what you're after.
Ask yourself how far away you sit from the screen(have you ever sat on the front row at a cinema?). 32-42 is the best screen size for 90% of rooms,
you'll get better quality processing for your money instead of size.
Oh if you can wait 12months get an OLED.
[Edited on 7/12/09 by franky]
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02GF74
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| posted on 8/12/09 at 07:36 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by matt.c
I dont know much about this sort of stuff so i thought i would ask you lot about which to buy.
My list is:
Large flat screen TVdunno
DVD player dunno
Surround sound system dunno
Stand get rid of the chairs
I already have sky+ and have a budget of 1K.
What you think?
Thanks
Matt
simples 
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balidey
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| posted on 8/12/09 at 08:22 AM |
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If I were you I would go to AVForums and look at the used kit people are selling.
Infact I did just that. I had nothing and I then got a 32" TV, plenty big enough for my room. I then got a 2nd hand pretty decent 5.1 amp for
£50, a set of speakers and sub for £30 (quality OK but I could easily have got decent 2nd hand stuff for £100) cables and connectors only £20.
So if you want new items, really good spec then as said above you may struggle. But if you don't mind what most people call entry level or used
then you can easily do it.
Good thing about buying off AVforums is that most people on there are AV enthusiasts so the 'used' items are usually well looked after.
I went from no AV set up to what I am pretty happy with for about £700 inc new TV, but to go to what the purists would consider a good set up you need
to add another digit.
What I would avoid like the plague is the all in one systems that Currys sell that come with the TV packages. Very basic and plasticy.
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tomprescott
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| posted on 8/12/09 at 08:48 AM |
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I vote for richer sounds too. Got a 47inch 1080p 200hz from them for under 600quid and it had freeview hd reciever built in!
Get a ps3 (around 250 atm- not much m,ore than the cheapest blu ray player and you get a top games console built in) and dependent on cash left over
wait for the speakers.
An entry level onkyo or sony 5.1 av reciever is around 150 - 200, as for speakers I would recommend kef or mordaunt short. I'm running a kef set
up, iq1se and iq5se come to about 550, another 150 for the centre then take your pick of subs..... Don't try and get an all in one system
designed for a pc thinking its cheap as invariably they are crud.
Also remember that you will need to connect everything up, decent speaker wire is about £10/m - as for hdmi cables get it online for under £5 opposed
to about £20 from highstreet!
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Peteff
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| posted on 8/12/09 at 10:09 AM |
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Read the viewing recommendations somewhere, it's pointless getting a massive screen unless you have a massive room. My mate has a 42" and
unless you are 3mtr away from it you can see every pixel when it's not in HD. I'm waiting for a 100" screen as our front room is
27' long.
yours, Pete
I went into the RSPCA office the other day. It was so small you could hardly swing a cat in there.
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marcjagman
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| posted on 8/12/09 at 11:05 AM |
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My Technics stereo has surround sound, plays DVD's too, plugs into the TV and is 360watts, cost £380, Poloroid 37" LCD TV £350 from
Curry's.
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Richard Quinn
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| posted on 8/12/09 at 11:34 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Peteff
Read the viewing recommendations somewhere, it's pointless getting a massive screen unless you have a massive room. My mate has a 42" and
unless you are 3mtr away from it you can see every pixel when it's not in HD. I'm waiting for a 100" screen as our front room is
27' long.
Have a look at This Linky. Wasn't one of the latest
definitions of "working class" based on having a tv too large for your room?
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Marcus
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| posted on 8/12/09 at 12:42 PM |
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The terms Full HD and HD ready seem to be getting confused. If in doubt, full HD wins as it's always 1080P, HD ready might be 1080P, you
need to check the spec carefully. My tv was advertised as HD ready and does 1080P (Samsung 37".
Marcus
Because kits are for girls!!
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franky
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| posted on 8/12/09 at 12:55 PM |
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full HD doesn't really matter unless the screen is over 40".
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adam1985
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| posted on 8/12/09 at 03:03 PM |
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so what the difference between full hd and hd ready if they are both the same reselution
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Jasper
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| posted on 8/12/09 at 04:34 PM |
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Second recommendations for Richer Sounds, I got a superb Pioneer amp for around £250 and a nice Yahama speaker set. For telly I LOVE my Panasonic
Viera plasma, around £600, then any cheapish DVD player that will play lots of different formats.
If you're not living life on the edge you're taking up too much room.
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Bluemoon
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| posted on 8/12/09 at 05:36 PM |
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Wait till jan sales... Got our telly last year amazingly cheap, sony 32in for 300 quid HD ready as well..
Dan
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matt.c
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| posted on 9/12/09 at 11:30 PM |
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Thanks for the replys guys. It sounds like i might be out of my depth here a bit. What about those surround systems you find in comet/currys etc? I
really dont need as good as you lot have as i have to keep it down a bit because of my daughter sleeping. They also come with a built in dvd player
dont they?
Matt
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flak monkey
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| posted on 10/12/09 at 08:01 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by matt.c
Thanks for the replys guys. It sounds like i might be out of my depth here a bit. What about those surround systems you find in comet/currys etc? I
really dont need as good as you lot have as i have to keep it down a bit because of my daughter sleeping. They also come with a built in dvd player
dont they?
Matt
Yep but they are shite. For the same money you may as well have a decent system that will last for years and can be easily upgraded.
Sera
http://www.motosera.com
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Jasper
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| posted on 10/12/09 at 09:09 AM |
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My Pioneer has an excellent function when the rest of the family are in bed, Midnight mode, cuts the bass right down but leaves the sound lovely and
clear.
Seriously though, don't go in to Comet/Curries, go to Richer sounds, give them a budget and they'll sort you out.
If you're not living life on the edge you're taking up too much room.
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