I need some A/V toys for the new house

[InspectorGadget]

Calling the TGR A/V experts!

The new Gadget home came with a 52" HDTV and a set of Bose 5.1 surround speakers. The way the entertainment area is configured, I don't really have room for my current VCR, DVD, power amp and receiver set up. If it matters, I'm using Directv with a TiVo receiver.

Josh, at Best Buy, recommended a Yamaha home theater receiver and an LG DVD recorder/VCR combo. I'm trying to keep it under $500 for both pieces, but I haven't bought audio/video gear for quite some time. Keeping in mind that I do not want to spend the money for some serious tweak-audiophile components; what would you suggest?

[El Chupacabra]

I have a Yamaha receiver -- IMHO, along with Denon, they make one of the nicer-sounding mainstream amps.

LG DVD/VCR -- meh. Do you use VHS anymore? I have a VCR, but haven't used it in years. Buy separates for DVD and VCR (the VCR will break, plus, VCRs are like $50 separate anyway). Only recommendation I have here is (1) get a DVD player with the correct HD connection for your HDTV set (either HDMI or, if it's older, DVI), (2) get an "up-converting" DVD player -- makes std resolution DVDs more like a HD signal -- it's not blu-ray, but it's a noticeable improvement, (3) if your HDTV supports 3:2 pulldown, get a DVD player that also does.

Biggest recco: DO NOT BUY FROM BEST BUY. Their customer service sucks. And you can get everything you need from internet ordering, save sales tax, etc. This is one of the circumstances where I wholeheartedly recommend shopping for the gear in the local store, then ordering online to save big $ -- it's not like you're screwing your local bike/ski shop doing this -- you're using Best Buy/ Circuit City/ whatever, and I have no sympathies for big box retailers. Yahoo shopping does a nice job of comparing prices for electronics online, and will calc in tax if applicable, and shipping costs, on stuff you're shopping for.

[mitch buchannon]

^^ I agree. BBY sucks horribly. Yamaha/Onkyo/Denon all are totally fine if you're looking under the realm of 'tweak-audiophile' stuff.

Though the audiophile-quality stuff really sounds remarkably better. Maybe browse CL and the like for some good used stuff?

[Sensisnow]

Try checking out uBid.com. They always have tons of A/V gear on there for super low prices. Even though a lot of their merchandise is refurbished, it comes with a warranty equal to, if not better than the manufacturer's original warranty. PM me if you have any questions on specific A/V gear, brands, models, etc. and I'll do my best to help you out.

[TELEB]

i installed high-end home theaters in boston before i moved to salt lake. never buy any combo, dvd vcr, tv dvd, or anything like that. if one thing breaks your sol with the other piece that isn't. i'll second worst buy on service and such. i'm sure there are some smaller companies in the area. they'll be more expansive but your paying for service.

[InspectorGadget]

I have a Yamaha receiver -- IMHO, along with Denon, they make one of the nicer-sounding mainstream amps.

I keep hearing about Denon and Yamaha.

Try checking out uBid.com.

Thanks, I was not familiar with ubid.


I've been looking around and what I know for sure is there are just too damn many choices. Even narrowing it down to Denon and Yamaha, there are too many choices. For what it's worth, the Yamaha that's been recommended is the HTR-5930. A friend, who is a certified audiophile nazi, offered me a used Panasonic SA-XR45 for $200. I've bought stuff from him before and I know he takes excellent care of his gear.

I know it's a wide open field, but can you recommend a receiver that won't cut into my snow toys budget too much?

[yooper]

It kind of depends if you want 5.1, 6.1 or 7.1 surround. 7.1 is getting pretty standard nowadays, but you can often find a more powerful, higher quality 5.1 receiver for the same price as a lower end 7.1.

Here is a good site for discount Onkyo products. Some are refurbished.
http://www.shoponkyo.com/products.cfm?group_id=1

[freeskisquaw]

Get some B&W speakers.

[InspectorGadget]

It kind of depends if you want 5.1, 6.1 or 7.1 surround.
Here is a good site for discount Onkyo products. Some are refurbished.

http://www.shoponkyo.com/products.cfm?group_id=1

It's not so much a question of what I want, but a question of what will meet my family's needs. For better or worse, my wife and kids aren't very discriminating when it comes to sound quality.

Thanks for the Onkyo lead.

Get some B&W speakers.

Thanks, maybe you missed this part:

The new Gadget home came with ... a set of Bose 5.1 surround speakers.

[mmcpheet]

Get some B&W speakers.

Thanks, maybe you missed this part:

The new Gadget home came with ... a set of Bose 5.1 surround speakers.

Or this part.

I'm trying to keep it under $500 for both pieces

[yooper]

Spend the bulk of the money on the receiver. A cheap DVD player is fine.

[Big Blue]

http://www.pricegrabber.com/search_g...yamaha+rx-v659

http://www.pricegrabber.com/p__Yamah...amaha+dv-c6860


Matching Yamaha components. $350 shipped for the receiver and $150 shipped for the DVD player. You can get a bunch of info about them from the crutchfield site (DVD and receiver) and then buy from the cheaper places on pricegrabber.

[jSki]

I got a shitty $50 computer hooked up to my HDTV. The resolution on the HDTV is good enough to read text from about 15 feet away and you get a resolution of 1280x720 or better depending on the TV. I use it to play music,watch DVD's and downloaded content. It's a good way to play music on your stereo thats on your computer.

The computer also plays DVD's at a better resolution than your dvd player. DVD players with digital out such as DVI or HDMI are really expensive and wont have better quality than the computer.

The computer can be a piece of shit. This is just like what I'm using right now.
ebay
Edit: you would need a decent video card.