Please read my whole thread if you want to help. I am not asking for what TV I should buy!!!

I have been lurking around on this site for 9 months or so and have finally decided on going ahead and buying my first HDTV. I have decided on going with the Panny TH-42PZ85U or TH-42PZ800U (it will come down to the price diff. at the time of purchase) within the next month.

I have never had anything close to TV like this in my life. I am going to be replacing a 32" tube-stlye that I have had for about 5 years. What I need help with is all the little things I will need to get it running right.

I know I am going to need a surge protector, HDMI wires, and a new entertainment center or wall-mount kit. There seems to be so many choices and everything. I would like some basic opinions on what to get.

I am going to be putting this in my living room that is about 10x20. I have a Xbox 360 for now, and will either get rid of it for a PS3 soon or just have both. Time Warner will be where my cable source comes from. I don't have any speacial DVD player which is why I am going with the PS3 for the blueray. I am also getting a speaker system (which is for another thread) to add to it.

This TV and setup is also just going to get me by untill I buy my new house in about 6 months or so. I will then be transfering this TV and most of the setup to my bedroom and getting a new one for the main room.

So here is what I would like some opinions on (with round-about price if possible):

1.) Surge Protector (I would think that a basic Monster one would be fine)

2.) HDMI/Optical cables (here I am pretty lost)

3.) Wall-mount (Just a basic tilt style around $100 should be fine right?)

4.) Universal remote (don't think this is neccesarry, but let me know)

5.) Anything I may be forgetting have my set working correctly?



----- I realize most of this may have already be answered. But between an full time job, wife, and 2 year old at home I only have limited time to do a lot or research. I appreciate any of you that take the time to help me out.

You are in luck. This comparison is asked about daily

Existing threads that compare the two:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...ght=pz85+pz800

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...ght=pz85+pz800

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...ght=pz85+pz800

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...ght=pz85+pz800

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...ght=pz85+pz800

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...ght=pz85+pz800

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...ght=pz85+pz800

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...ght=pz85+pz800

You are in luck. This comparison is asked about daily

Existing threads that compare the two:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...ght=pz85+pz800

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...ght=pz85+pz800

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...ght=pz85+pz800

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...ght=pz85+pz800

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...ght=pz85+pz800

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...ght=pz85+pz800

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...ght=pz85+pz800

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...ght=pz85+pz800

Wow, thanks! Or not.... I was not asking for which tv to buy. I had already decided to get one of them. If the 800U is close enough in price to the 85U then I will get it. If not, I have no problem getting the 85U.

What I would like to know, if you read the rest of my post, is what I need to get the TV setup and running properly once I get it home.

Wow, thanks! Or not.... I was not asking for which tv to buy. I had already decided to get one of them. If the 800U is close enough in price to the 85U then I will get it. If not, I have no problem getting the 85U.

What I would like to know, if you read the rest of my post, is what I need to get the TV setup and running properly once I get it home.

Monoprice.com is where you will find the HDMI cables or any other kind of cable for that matter and a wall mount if you go that direction. As for entertainment center/ TV stand there are so many out there and it all depends on your decor that you're trying to match and you can find a stand that you can place the TV on with the stand that's made for the TV rather than wall mounting. You also didn't mention anything about a receiver but I assume you either have one or planning on getting one as you did mention new speakers.

Surge protectors are available pretty much anywhere and might also be at monoprice.com, but I would stay away from a Monster Cable one as they are way over priced for similar ones that are available.

If you're going to be running your system through a home theater receiver then a universal remote is a good accessory to have and one can be picked up off Amazon or Ebay for very reasonable. I'm using the Harmony 520 which is one of their less expensive ones and it does a fabulous job. Good luck in your search and it sounds like you're going to have a nice set up to enjoy movies and television with.

PS- The PS3 is an excellent choice for Blu Ray and regular DVD playback.

Surge supressor - get a quality one of these. Brand-wise, I have never cared for Monster products, as they tend to be overpriced. Additionally, you may want to seek out one that has some sort of protection/warranty on connected devices, that way you can be covered. I have experienced one "pass through" surge and it was covered by the manufacturer to allow full replacement of the computer involved, so it can be a good thing. Beyond that, you can simply look for the handling capability of the one you select (ie, how many Joules of surge it can absorb)... not that this matters. IMO, the warranty is all you need to look for.

Cables: One word - monoprice. com
Depending on how many devices you will connect, get the appropriate number of whatever cables you need (HDMI, Audio RCAs, etc)

Wall mount - I'm not sure what would be sufficient there, but you should certainly find one that's "rated" for the TV's weight. You may want to make sure your wall can handle the load, too... personally, I won't wall-mount my 42" TV (I plan to get the PZ80)... just seems too risky to me, but to each his own. I am sure there are great mounts out there...

I think your pricing on the mount seems low... my 20" LCD used a $150 mount which had two arms to extend it out, too... don't go too cheap on the mount, as it may not be sturdy enough.

1. For surge protection I would recommend a whole house surge protector installed at your circuit breaker panel. If you want a surge protector at the outlet, I recommend APC rather than Monster.

2. For good quality HDMI and optical cables, you do not have to spend a lot of money. Recommended sites include Monoprice and Blue Jeans Cable. Don't waste your money on overpriced Monster cables.

3. Monoprice also has fairly popular (and affordable) wall mounts for your new plasma.

4. If you decide to go with a universal remote, the Harmony remotes from Logitech are a pretty good choice. I have a Harmony One that finally made the home enterainment system simple enough that my in-laws could figure it out when they visit. The Harmony 880 is pretty nice too and a little bit cheaper.

5. For your speakers, consider one of the Canadian manufacturers like Paradigm. For subwoofers, you can't get much better bang for the buck than SVS. Hsu, Velodyne, and Paradigm also make good quality subwoofers. Other speaker manufacturers to consider include Axiom, Outlaw Audio and SVS.

Monoprice.com is where you will find the HDMI cables or any other kind of cable for that matter and a wall mount if you go that direction. As for entertainment center/ TV stand there are so many out there and it all depends on your decor that you're trying to match and you can find a stand that you can place the TV on with the stand that's made for the TV rather than wall mounting. You also didn't mention anything about a receiver but I assume you either have one or planning on getting one as you did mention new speakers.

Surge protectors are available pretty much anywhere and might also be at monoprice.com, but I would stay away from a Monster Cable one as they are way over priced for similar ones that are available.

If you're going to be running your system through a home theater receiver then a universal remote is a good accessory to have and one can be picked up off Amazon or Ebay for very reasonable. I'm using the Harmony 520 which is one of their less expensive ones and it does a fabulous job. Good luck in your search and it sounds like you're going to have a nice set up to enjoy movies and television with.

PS- The PS3 is an excellent choice for Blu Ray and regular DVD playback.

Thanks for the reply. I really appreciate the help. Let me clarify a few things that you brought up.

-I really don't need options on a entertainment center because I will just go pick one out at a box store if I go that way. I am more asking about the wall mounts. I would like an average price to look for on a basic tilt style one so I know what stores are overcharging.

-Around what price should I pay for a surge protector? I see prices all over the board and can't figure out what would be right for me.

-I am currently planning on going with the Onkyo 606 or similar for a receiver with some average speakers (this part still needs a lot of figuring out also). So I guess that a universal remote would be needed then.

-I really just don't get what HDMI cables to get to run my TV. Do I really need to spend a lot of money on all the expensive ones out there, or should I just get the middle of the line kind. (I don't think I am going to notice very subtle changes that I higher quality ones will bring as I am not a pro.)

Thanks for the reply. I really appreciate the help. Let me clarify a few things that you brought up.

-I really don't need options on a entertainment center because I will just go pick one out at a box store if I go that way. I am more asking about the wall mounts. I would like an average price to look for on a basic tilt style one so I know what stores are overcharging.

-Around what price should I pay for a surge protector? I see prices all over the board and can't figure out what would be right for me.

-I am currently planning on going with the Onkyo 606 or similar for a receiver with some average speakers (this part still needs a lot of figuring out also). So I guess that a universal remote would be needed then.

-I really just don't get what HDMI cables to get to run my TV. Do I really need to spend a lot of money on all the expensive ones out there, or should I just get the middle of the line kind. (I don't think I am going to notice very subtle changes that I higher quality ones will bring as I am not a pro.)

Get the cheapest HDMI cable that will send all of the bits through.;)

Seriously, an affordable cable from monoprice will work just as well as a $100 - $150 cable from Monster or some other manufacturer.

The Onkyo 606 is a pretty good choice. You may even want to see if you can find one of last year's 805s on close out.

You can get an 11 outlet surge protector from APC for $26 from a major online retailer that many people use to buy books. The retailer is named after a large river in Brazil.

Don't overpay for cables, don't over pay for the mount, don't overpay for the surge protector and use the money you save to buy speakers that are better than "average". Sound formats change, displays improve over time, receivers go out of date at a frightening pace, but good quality speakers remain good quality speakers. If you bought high quality speakers and amps ten or even twenty years ago they remain high quality components. A top of the line TV or surround receiver from 15 years ago is badly out of date.

Don't overpay for cables, don't over pay for the mount, don't overpay for the surge protector and use the money you save to buy speakers that are better than "average". Sound formats change, displays improve over time, receivers go out of date at a frightening pace, but good quality speakers remain good quality speakers. If you bought high quality speakers and amps ten or even twenty years ago they remain high quality components. A top of the line TV or surround receiver from 15 years ago is badly out of date.

This is some very good advise and have never thought about that way before. Unfortunatly I am only planning on spending $300-500 on speakers right now. That why I want to get a reciever that I could hook up some good speakers to once I get my new house.

While I appreciate your input on the audio side of this I would like to keep this mostly on a video side for now. I plan on really taking a look into the audio side of it next.

Thanks for the reply. I really appreciate the help. Let me clarify a few things that you brought up.

-I really don't need options on a entertainment center because I will just go pick one out at a box store if I go that way. I am more asking about the wall mounts. I would like an average price to look for on a basic tilt style one so I know what stores are overcharging.

Do a search for wall mounts in the forum and you will find tons of information and experiences with various mounts, especially the monoprice ones and see what people think of their particular mounts that they purchased for similar type setups.

-Around what price should I pay for a surge protector? I see prices all over the board and can't figure out what would be right for me.

I've been using one that cost me about $40.00 and like was mentioned above, look for one that offers insurance and also the joule rating you'll be running through it. A whole house surge protector is nice but very expensive.

-I am currently planning on going with the Onkyo 606 or similar for a receiver with some average speakers (this part still needs a lot of figuring out also). So I guess that a universal remote would be needed then.



Definitely a remote is recommended and to keep the budget low then the Harmony 520 is excellent as it can be found for less than $50.00 on ebay or sometimes Amazon

-I really just don't get what HDMI cables to get to run my TV. Do I really need to spend a lot of money on all the expensive ones out there, or should I just get the middle of the line kind. (I don't think I am going to notice very subtle changes that I higher quality ones will bring as I am not a pro.)

monoprice.com has the hdmi cables you need. If they are fairly short runs (under 10-15 feet) then the 28 guage ones are great and inexpensive, plus they come in different colors so that you can set each component up with a different color. I assume you'll need one for the PS3 and cable box to the Onkyo and then one from the Onkyo to the TV. You will also likley need a digital cable for your xbox so that you can get full surround dolby digital when playing an xbox game. The HDMI cables will handle that for your cable box and ps3.

-I really don't need options on a entertainment center because I will just go pick one out at a box store if I go that way. I am more asking about the wall mounts. I would like an average price to look for on a basic tilt style one so I know what stores are overcharging.




You stated that you were only going to be living at your present location for about 6 more months. If that's the case, I wouldn't even mess with a wall mount. You're going to go through all the trouble of drilling holes in your walls and routing cables and such, just to rip it all down in 6 months? Not worth all the hassle and fixing up your going to need to do before you move. Just use the pedestal stand that comes with the TV and save your money for other things you want to buy.

I would recommend at least the monster mk 2000, you can find it online very well priced. All cables i would get from monoprice. Dont necessarily get the cheapest wall mount you can find. There are differences. The good ones are heavy and stronger. I dont reccomend wall mounting to most people bc the stands you will find will put the tv at the best height in most cases. and they dont take up much room on the top. Also i would decide if you will want to use a roof antenna for locals.

#1. I use a Regular UPS for my HDTV and DVR's. It's also acts as my Surge Protector. Everything else I have plugged into a cheap basic MONSTER power strip Surge Protector. It's good enough.

#2. I get my cables from monoprice.com They are cheap and yet well made! No need for over priced cables. It's Digital as in ZERO/ONE that's it. There's far more leeway anyway. HDMI carries Digital HD Video and Digital Surround Sound. If you just plug your HD source into your HDTV directly, you'll get your HD Video and Stereo sound from your HDTV. If you want Surround Sound, you need a Receiver for that. If it has HDMI ports built into it, you would for example Plug your 360 into the receiver and then the receiver into your HDTV using HDMI cables. They normally start with 2 HDMI IN ports and 1 HDMI out, but can come with 3 HDMI in or 4 HDMI and even 5 HDMI with a really expensive receiver, some even have 2 HDMI out. Doing it this way gets your Surround sound and HD Video using just the single HDMI cable for everything.

If you have a Older Surround Sound receiver like I do, then your going to have to use the Optical cable to get your sound. Your Limited to 5.1 with Optical though. You would Plug your 360 into your HDTV using HDMI, making sure the sound is turned OFF on the HDTV because your not using it, and Plugging in a Optical cable from the 360 to your Receiver, of course you can replace 360 with whatever Hardware you have. Don't use the Optical Out that's on the HDTV and hook that up to your receiver. Because of DRM with HDMI, your only only get get at best Dolby Pro Logic II hooking up that way. No Dolby Digital or DTS!!!

3. I didn't use a Wall mount for my TH-50PZ85U, but got a Stand from Costco which also has a Swivel Mount on it. I have my HDTV mount up High enough where it's at a perfect watching level and I was able to place my center speaker right under it in the center on the Top Shelf. Works good for me, and Wall mounting was out of the question for me. and really I like it this way better, but of course it's more expensive, but I have shelfs for all my hardware also, so it works out.

#4. I'm using a Harmony 1000 Remote with the RF Module for it. Because my hardware is down low, if I don't have my remote pointed just right, it doesn't control everything correctly and was a hassle. Using the RF Module, I don't have to have the remote pointing at anything other then my HDTV, and that's only because I really didn't want to stick a little IR transmitter on the front of my nice new HDTV. Since pointing the Remote really isn't a big deal when I need to turn it On/Off it hasn't been a problem. I like having to only use 1 single Remote for everything. The so called Universal remotes you get with your hardware never worked all that great for me. It all depends on what your setup is though and if you want to spend the money for one.

I don't know why your would get rid of the 360 for the PS3. If anything it's 360 for the games and the PS3 for Blu-Ray movies. I watch some HD DVD's, but I have a huge DVD collection and have no problem watching them. I just don't think the prices for Blu-Ray Movies are worth it. DVD's are cheap and for the most part just fine. Anyway you can just use Component for the 360 connection and plug the PS3 using HDMI if you want. My 360 looks great on my HDTV. Can't wait to try out netflex HD Movie streaming here in a couple weeks. Not to mention lots of HD movies to can download though LIVE to watch that look great! Blu-Ray is just SONY's things and there's lots of other HD options out their. I'm in no rush to go Blue anytime soon. I don't even know if I want to start up another Disc collection. Hell I'm still trying to sell off my VHS movies for CHEAP to get rid of them all. I have over 500 DVD Movies and figuring out a way to store them all and find what I was looking for was a pain and took up a lot of space. I finally found a spinner. 4 sides and spins around. Can Hold over 700 DVD's and/or a pile more for CD's. About 2 feet wide and over 5 feet tall. Sits in the corner and it's working out great. I don't want it filled up with Blu-Ray's.

JCG11,

When you do decide to look into speakers, some of the following systems are worth considering: http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/speakers/3034/top-speakers-in-every-class.html

Just ignore the systems that are priced closer to a new car.