DVD/Home Theatre (kind of) help...

[Pancake]

Well, my trusty Samsung Home Threate db120 thing has finally given up (displays "Protection" on the front, Samsung say its a fooked audio board), so Im in the market for a new one.

 

Basically, this thing gets used for the following:

 

 

• DVD play back maybe 2 times a month or so
  
• MP3/DAP connected via Audio In RCA about twice a week
  
• CD play back twice a week
  
• JPG CD Viewing once a month
  

 

As you can see, I dont really use it that much. Add the fact that Ive only bothered to connect up the 2 front speakers and sub, not the rear two, shows that Im not really interested with the whole WOWIE DVD play back experience.

 

What I want is a nice new player that I can do the above 4 things on as cheap as possible. Im not concerned with recording DVDs, Blu-Ray playback, HD upscaling or anything else like that.

 

Anyone got any ideas?

[St Landrew]

As usual, it depends on the quality you want. Tbh, you could pay way below £100 and consider it adequate, or way over any figure you care to name and call it crap.

 

Be specific on price mate.

[Pancake]

150 nicker is about what I want to spend,

[Pancake]

Can I get a bumpity bump?

[St Landrew]

Can I get a bumpity bump?

 

Of course you can.

[St Landrew]

You could do worse:

 

LG HT303SU 5.1 DVD Home Theater System

 

5.1 Speakers - 300 W - Player(s): A/V Receiver, CD/DVD Player, MP3 Player - Playable Disk(s): DVD - Playable File Format(s): DivX, JPEG, MP3, WMA - Live DSP Soundfield, Theater DSP Soundfield

 

Average Price: £115

 

I've even provided a pic:

 

Or did you just want the player..?

[St Landrew]

Also, you could do worse than try here:

 

http://www.richersounds.com/home.php

[Pancake]

Im not too fused to be honest. Ive got the speakers set up from my old system; but it wouldnt be too much trouble to swap them out.

 

Are there implications of using speakers from Brand X with a system from Brand Y?

[St Landrew]

I'm not too fused... an appropriate typo.

 

I'm not going to put my incredibly ancient Hi-Fi Geek hat on here, so the answer is... not really, especially if the specs are roughly the same. Watch out for impedances, 4-8 ohms nominal. And look to roughly match the power handling of the speakers. Usually, an amplifier capable of dealing out too much for the speaker is much better than an amplifier that's way under powered.

 

If you're curious enough to ask me why, I may have to find that Geek hat, so you're been warned..! :smt117

[Pancake]

I'm not too fused... an appropriate typo.

 

I'm not going to put my incredibly ancient Hi-Fi Geek hat on here, so the answer is... not really, especially if the specs are roughly the same. Watch out for impedances, 4-8 ohms nominal. And look to roughly match the power handling of the speakers. Usually, an amplifier capable of dealing out too much for the speaker is much better than an amplifier that's way under powered.

 

If you're curious enough to ask me why, I may have to find that Geek hat, so you're been warned..! :smt117

 

Take kind of makes sense! I was worried as I think that might be how Ive stuffed the audio bit on my current system. As I said above, Im only running the 2 front speakers and a sub as I dont have the patience for a full 5.1 set up at home (plus the missus hates the wires), so rather than use the small Samsung speakers for the front, I salvaged by old Sony hi-fi ones. When you add a toddler with a finger on the power button and a hand on the volume knob, you can see where my suspicions came from!

 

Following on, can you buy just the unit without speakers then? Ive searched but cant find anything.

[Scummer]

 

Following on, can you buy just the unit without speakers then? Ive searched but cant find anything.

 

There are a couple on Richer Sounds, but I think they were about £250 when I looked earlier. If you don't want so many speakers, there are some decent 2.1 systems about nowadays.

[Pancake]

There are a couple on Richer Sounds, but I think they were about £250 when I looked earlier. If you don't want so many speakers, there are some decent 2.1 systems about nowadays.

 

2.1 is fine and dandy as I mainly use it as a CD player (Im not the film watcher in the family).

[St Landrew]

As Scummer has showed, there are a couple around. But mainly, they're starting to get into the more committed, geeky end of the market. Down the cheap end they just want to flog you the lot, because otherwise there just wouldn't be much money changing hands.

 

I take it your Sony speakers could take more than your amp could give then..? Have you considered plain old Stereo, or 2.1 as it is called in some quarters, owing to there being a separate woofer. It's still the best way to listen to sounds, in any case. Being an old fart, I stick with it. Few wires and decent sounds. Your wife will love you again. Consider the top two here:

 

http://www.richersounds.com/information.php?cda=static&cst=hifisystems

 

Have to say, Richer Sounds may not provide you with the best quality manufacturers, but their prices have always been spectacularly low, and sometimes they pull a little quality rabbit out of the hat.

 

EDIT: Just remembered your toddler. There will be no fronts on those Eltax speakers in system 1, and they are floorstanding. The speakers in system 2 do though - hence the black marks in the speaker corners. Useful to check though.

Edited 15 October, 2008 by St Landrew

[Pancake]

As Scummer has showed, there are a couple around. But mainly, they're starting to get into the more committed, geeky end of the market. Down the cheap end they just want to flog you the lot, because otherwise there just wouldn't be much money changing hands.

 

I take it your Sony speakers could take more than your amp could give then..? Have you considered plain old Stereo, or 2.1 as it is called in some quarters, owing to there being a separate woofer. It's still the best way to listen to sounds, in any case. Being an old fart, I stick with it. Few wires and decent sounds. Your wife will love you again. Consider the top two here:

 

http://www.richersounds.com/information.php?cda=static&cst=hifisystems

 

Have to say, Richer Sounds may not provide you with the best quality manufacturers, but their prices have always been spectacularly low, and sometimes they pull a little quality rabbit out of the hat.

 

The Sony unit died a death back at Uni in a freak "drinking accident" I kept the speakers as they were too nice and too working to lug with the unit. When I got the Samsung home theatre jobbie I just used the Sony speakers with it!

[St Landrew]

So what are you going to do then..?

[Scummer]

Remember with those systems St Landrew gave a link to, that they aren't DVD players.

[Pancake]

Right, I think Ive found the one Im going to get. Philips HTS3357. Maybe. Its 5.1, but it does have line in.

 

I think Im going to get it. Possibly....

[St Landrew]

Right, I think Ive found the one Im going to get. Philips HTS3357. Maybe. Its 5.1, but it does have line in.

 

I think Im going to get it. Possibly....

 

Hmm... good value. Always had a slight soft spot for Philips products. Don't know why. Perhaps it's because they're Dutch, which is sort of British, with a touch of Orange, if you get my drift.

 

Huge range in price, I see. Comet are doing it for £179.99, whereas Dixons Online are doing it for £130. Far be it from me to recommend anyone buy anything from Dixons, but 40 quid is 40 quid..! Of course, they want to flog you the extended warranty for extra, as usual.

 

:mad:SOAPBOX TIME :mad:

 

What galls me is that if we were buying any of these products in Europe, we'd get a standard 3 year guarantee. You'll note that's what you receive with any product, that requires a guarantee, that you may buy from any of the European supermarkets, i.e. Lidl, Aldi etc..., in this country. So a Philips product, which normally carries a 3 year guarantee abroad, gets shipped to GB, and is only covered for 1 year. Unless you buy it in Lidl... Aldi... Rip off Britain again. Do you think the mainland Europeans have it better than us..?

 

Off the Soapbox. That's better...

Edited 16 October, 2008 by St Landrew

[Pancake]

Hmm... good value. Always had a slight soft spot for Philips products. Don't know why. Perhaps it's because they're Dutch, which is sort of British, with a touch of Orange, if you get my drift.

 

Huge range in price, I see. Comet are doing it for £179.99, whereas Dixons Online are doing it for £130. Far be it from me to recommend anyone buy anything from Dixons, but 40 quid is 40 quid..! Of course, they want to flog you the extended warranty for extra, as usual.

 

Direct from Philips.co.uk its down to 129.99 as EOL clearance. Sorted.

[Pancake]

Dixons online, add the "5Cinema" voucher for 5% off... sorted. Thanks for the heads up StL!

[SOTONS EAST SIDE]

Perhaps you should try a home cinema Bar Speaker like this. http://www.ebuyer.com/product/136452#

[Guest Dark Sotonic Mills]

Perhaps you should try a home cinema Bar Speaker like this. http://www.ebuyer.com/product/136452#

 

I bought this one. The sub moves the settee...

[SOTONS EAST SIDE]

 

I bought this one. The sub moves the settee...

Personly i have a Yamaha 7.1 amp/reciever, matched with Mordaunt Short Avant i series speakers Fronts, Centre,Sub & Bipole surrounds in a 5.1 set up. But will be upgrading the amp/reciever to a Tru-HD Onkyo soon.

[Guest Dark Sotonic Mills]

Personly i have a Yamaha 7.1 amp/reciever, matched with Mordaunt Short Avant i series speakers Fronts, Centre,Sub & Bipole surrounds in a 5.1 set up. But will be upgrading the amp/reciever to a Tru-HD Onkyo soon.

 

Unfortunately I have a wife who is a little less keen on "stuff" than me. She went to stay for a week with some friends in Spain and I installed a little bit of kit.

 

She went absolutely ape, eventually letting me keep it though, but I shan't try again.

 

My rear speakers were 4 foot tall studio monitors and the front were even larger. When I put the sound level up to somewhere near max I managed to crack the ceiling.

[St Landrew]

Dixons online, add the "5Cinema" voucher for 5% off... sorted. Thanks for the heads up StL!

 

Anytime.

[Pancake]

Anytime.

 

Set it up last night, not too bad top 120 quid. Aint no audiophile setup thats for sure, but then again I dont want anything like that! Decent bass, nice top but rather shallow middle. The DVD play back is very sharpe (better than my old Samsung), CD/CDR playback is crisp, audio-in via 3.5 or phono is good and not well controlled on the bass (again, better than the samsung) and the USB slot if very good, ive currently got a 20GB hooked up with photos and music on, ace.

[SOTONS EAST SIDE]

Unfortunately I have a wife who is a little less keen on "stuff" than me. She went to stay for a week with some friends in Spain and I installed a little bit of kit.

 

She went absolutely ape, eventually letting me keep it though, but I shan't try again.

 

My rear speakers were 4 foot tall studio monitors and the front were even larger. When I put the sound level up to somewhere near max I managed to crack the ceiling.

Yeah! my wife dont like it when i crank it up(the bass does her head in ) so i do it when she's not in! lol