I am building a house and want some advice on a home theater.?

Question

I have all the equipment picked out and want to know what yall think;

Sony 3LCD HD Home Theater Projector VPLAW15

Draper 65”X116”,133” Diagonal (HD Screen)

Sony STR-DG910 7.1 Reciever (one of the only reciever with 3 HDMI Inputs)

Philips HTS3555 5.1 Ch Audio System

HDMI Super Booster Cable 50’ (going from Reciever to Projector)

3 HDMI Cable 4' (from Xbox360 to Reciever, from Directv to Reciever, and from DVD to Reciever)

LG – Super Blu High Definition Multiplayer model BH200 (Blu-Ray/HD DVD Combo)

Milan Rocker Theater Seat, 3 Rows of 4

Paramount Home Theater Seating Row of 2

Haier HBF05EABB Brew Master Beer Dispenser

I haven't decided on a popcorn machine. I already have a few classic arcade games. My wife and I went through and bought 18 movie posters. Does anybody have any comments or suggestions on the setup? Thanks.

Answer 1

There are actually several good receivers with 3 or 4 HDMI inputs. Onkyo 705 has 3, the 805 has 4. Yamaha and Dennon also have these units.

Sony tends to make a lot of so-so quality receivers. I would only buy the ES line and that unit is NOT an ES.  Look into a Dennon AVR or Yamaha RX-V line.  It will bump the price two hundred or so - but these are much better units.

Speakers - Phillips is NOT a well known speaker company. In fact - their speakers are usually cheap add-ins.  (This goes for speakers from Sony, Yamaha, Denon, etc.) Audition speakers from a company who's main business is ... speakers. Polk, Energy, B&W, DefinitiveTechnology and the oft-maligned Klipsch would all be better choices and they all have a range of prices.

SUBWOOFER: Unlike the 5 main speakers - you DONT have to get a sub from the same company. Check out SVS Subwoofers or HSU Research.  They have great reputations and sub-retail prices.

HDMI Cables: Get a 50' HDMI cable from BlueJeans and get the ones using Belden wires. These are made for TV Studios and production studios. They claim they tested a 120 ft cable and it worked fine.

HD/BluRay - Get 2 separate players. It will be cheaper and the magazines that review the combo players say they DO play movies - but you dont get the neat features that stand along players bring.

In fact - get a PS3 for the BluRay and a Toshiba HD-A3: This will give you a game system, BluRay player and HD-DVD player for about $500. I suspect this is a LOT cheaper than the combo player.  (Put the money you save into a better receiver.)

WIRING: Make sure to run internet connection to behind your rack and phone wires. The DirectTV box wants a phone line and these players both want internet connection to update firmware and access on-line extras for movies.

REMOTE: Look into a HarmonyLogitech remote. It is programmed with your computer, runs about $288 and can bring the entire system up with a single button press. Very cool and you dont have to hire a programmer like you need to do with the Crestron units.

Answer 2

The value of well thought out home theater wiring scheme shouldn't be underestimated. Get your floor plan and detail every connection and plan for expansion. Most do-it-yourselfer home theater installers would give an arm to run their wiring before the walls/ceilings are finished.

Additionally think about an RF  wireless controller, Crestron for example. That way all your components can be hidden out of sight.

Answer 3

Your project appears to be fairly good size. As a result the following information and comments are provided in this context.



First, I do not recommend the LG Super Blu BH200 multi-format disc player. Though it performs well when it comes to video quality it has serious shortcomings when it comes to the latest high-performance surround sound audio formats; not to mention that it is not fully “BD Live (Profile 2.0)” or “ROM2 Format” compliant. “ROM2 Format” compliant BD players, such as Panasonic’s highly anticipated DMP-BD50 will be released this spring at a price less than LG’s Super Blu BH200 with performance that should match or exceed the Super Blu BH200. If you also want HD DVD capability then I recommend adding a Toshiba HD DVD player such as their HD-A30 model.



The following quotes are taken from Thomas J. Norton’s review of the LG Super Blu BH200 disc player:

http://guide.printthis.clickability.com/...



   “In any case, the important point here is that in our tests the

   LG Super Blu player would not output Dolby TrueHD in

   multichannel form from any output, at any resolution.”



   “The inability to give the user the best audio encoded on many

   high-definition discs is a serious shortcoming.”



   “I hardly need point out—but I will—that you can buy excellent,

   separate players for both HD DVD and Blu-ray for less than the

   price of this LG. And those players will, in some respects, do

   more.”



Panasonic DMP-BD50 Blu-ray Disc™ Player

http://panasonic.co.jp/pavc/global/blu-r...

Panasonic DMP-BD50 Press Release

http://www2.panasonic.com/webapp/wcs/sto...

Discussion of the Panasonic DMP-BD50 BDLive Player

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthrea...

________________________



The Sony VPL-AW15, as good as it is for a low cost 1280×720 projector, is not a good choice when it comes to projecting a video image larger than 84 inches or so. For a slightly higher cost you will get MUCH better (1080p/24) performance, across the board, from the Epson projectors listed below.



Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 1080 UB Projector (V11H262120)

http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/consu...

http://www.projectorreviews.com/epson/po...

Epson PowerLite Pro Cinema 1080 UB Projector (V11H262020)

http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/consu...

________________________



For a budget home theater installation I highly recommended the following projection screens along with the maximum sizes:



Elite Screens Elite ezFrame Screens

1.78:1 (16:9) format: 100 or 106 inches (diag.)

http://www.elitescreens.com/product_ezfr...

(Less tolerant of any ambient room light than a higher gain screen.)

- or -

Carada Criterion Series Projection Screens

1.78:1 format: 100, 106, or 110 inches

http://www.carada.com/Projection-Criteri...

________________________



The Philips HTIB system you’ve listed will be far from adequate for a moderate-to-large room. If you want to avoid heartache I recommend that you consider purchasing an alternative, preferably equipment from the list below. The equipment is some of the least expensive, reasonably full-featured, A/V electronics equipment that will provide a sufficient level of performance for a project the size of your home theater.



Onkyo TX-SR875 7.1-Ch. Home Theater Receiver

http://www.us.onkyo.com/model.cfm?m=TX-S...

Onkyo TX-SR875 Review

http://guide.printthis.clickability.com/...



Denon AVR-3808CI 7.1-Ch. A/V Receiver

http://usa.denon.com/ProductDetails/3510...



Yamaha RX-V3800 or RX-V1800 7.1-Ch. Home Theater Receivers

http://www.yamaha.com/yec/avreceivers/rx...

Yamaha RX-V1800 RX-V3800 Comparison

http://www.yamaha.com/yec/compare/Detail...



Pioneer Electronics VSX-92TXH 7.1-Ch. A/V Receiver

http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/P...



Sony STR-DA4300ESES Series Home Theater A/V Receiver

http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stor...



For a larger home theater project, as yours appears to be, there is a better option, however it’s a bit more costly: purchase a receiver such as the Onkyo TX-SR705 7.1-Channel receiver, for use as a preamplifier/processor (and back-up amplifier if needed,) and add separate multi-channel power amplifiers, such as models from Outlaw Audio, Anthem, Adcom, Simaudio, etc. Also keep in mind there are times when it is advantageous to divide the amplification duties between separate amplifiers in order to simplify the cabling requirements.



One other note: while you’re in the remodel process you should strongly consider installing a dedicated electrical branch-circuit for your home theater, including its own dedicated distribution panel. You may also want to inquire about installing an isolated ground electrical system.

________________________



Key to obtaining visceral impact in a home theater sound system requires purchasing a high-performance subwoofer that will be free from strain when faced with the task of reproducing the LFE content found in many of today’s high-powered, high-definition movies. I’ve listed a moderately broad selection of some of the lowest-cost loudspeaker systems that are capable of providing a convincing and enjoyable home theater (and music) audio experience.



*SVSound PB13-Ultra Powered Subwoofer

http://www.svsound.com/products-sub-box-...

Manufactured Subwoofers - Tests and Discussion

http://www.hometheatershack.com/forums/m...



Aperion Audio Intimus 633 System (no subwoofer)

http://www.aperionaudio.com/systembuilde...

http://guide.printthis.clickability.com/...



Revel Concerta Series Speaker System

http://www.revelspeakers.com/products/se...

http://guide.printthis.clickability.com/...



Ascend Acoustics

http://www.ascendacoustics.com



Athena Technologies (Audition Series or LS Series)

http://www.athenaspeakers.com



Atlantic Technology Loudspeakers

http://www.atlantictechnology.com



Definitive Technology (Mythos or ProCinema 1000 system; no subwoofer*)

http://www.definitivetech.com

ProCinema System

http://www.definitivetech.com/loudspeake...



Energy Speakers

http://www.energy-speakers.com



Epos (Six ELS-3 and one ELS-3C; no subwoofer*)

http://www.epos-acoustics.com/products/e...

http://www.epos-acoustics.com/products/e...

http://www.musichallaudio.com/epos/index...



Paradigm Electronics Loudspeakers

http://www.paradigm.com



Polk Audio

http://www.polkaudio.com/homeaudio/produ...



PSB Speakers (Six Alpha B1 and one C1; no subwoofer*)

http://www.psbspeakers.com



Triad Speakers

http://www.triadspeakers.com



Usher Audio Technology

http://www.usheraudio.com

________________________



Blue Jeans Cable (HDMI, S/PDIF, etc.)

http://www.bluejeanscable.com

HDMI Cables from Blue Jeans Cable

http://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/hdmi...



High-Definition Multimedia Interface Cables and Adapters

http://www.accellcables.com/products/vid...



BetterCables - Home Theater Cables

http://www.bettercables.com



Clearly the total cost of the equipment I am recommending will exceed the total cost of the equipment that you’ve listed, however the benefits will greatly outweigh the relatively small cost savings you might achieve. If need be pick and choose individual equipment recommendations to fit your budget and upgrade as necessary. Keep in mind, once you’ve purchased the A/V equipment on your list, and if you find that the equipment is inadequate for the job as I suspect it will be, then you will have unnecessarily increased the overall cost of your home theater system when the time comes to purchase the ‘proper’ equipment. It is my intent to help you avoid any unnecessary expenditures while at the same time assembling a home theater that should provide enjoyment for many years.



######## RESOURCES ########



Looking to build a two movie theatre - any suggestions on where to start?

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?...



Keith Yates Design Group

http://www.keithyates.com



Blu-ray Disc Player Chart

http://www.idoblu.co.uk/page2%20Blu-ray%...



######## A/V MEDIA AND PRESS ########



UltimateAV

http://www.ultimateavmag.com

http://www.guidetohometheater.com

AVguide

The Perfect Vision (superseded by Playback)

http://www.avguide.com

Playback

http://www.playbackmag.net

Sound and Vision Magazine

http://www.soundandvisionmag.com

CNET Reviews

http://reviews.cnet.com

Home Theater

http://www.hometheatermag.com

Widescreen Review

http://www.widescreenreview.com

HDTVexpert

http://www.hdtvexpert.com

HDTV Magazine

http://www.hdtvmagazine.com

Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity

http://www.hometheaterhifi.com

HDTV Solutions

http://www.hdtvsolutions.com/hdtv_articl...

SoundStage! A/V

http://www.soundstageav.com

Audio Ideas Guide

http://www.audio-ideas.com

Home Entertainment

http://www.hemagazine.com

Audio Video Revolution

http://www.avrev.com



######## DISCUSSION FORUMS ########



AV Science (AVS) Forum

http://www.avsforum.com  

Home Theater Forum

http://www.hometheaterforum.com

Audioholics Home Theater Forums

http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/

AVForums (UK)

http://www.avforums.com

High Def Forum

http://www.highdefforum.com

 

Answer 4

Looks like this will be a nice Theater.  Mike is right about the wiring.  It is a pain and you become limited once the drywall is up.  Also (this is hard to do) but think about future use and plans to upgrade.  I have seen some pretty neat ideas when it comes to wiring. From throwing in extra wire to building tubes to remove old wiring and install new wiring.  Alot of people had to do this going from Component to HDMI.  Dont' know if you check this out but go to www.avsforum.com and look at the theater progresses in there.  You will get some ideas and also start your own thread and show other enthusiest how your build is coming along.  It is an exciting proces and have fun.  

In Short I like your set up.  Maybe add a power cleaner and don't forget abaout base traps, sound deflectors, seating, maybe even a butt kicker (that is if you can't afford a Dbox (movies the floor).