Hey everyone! Been on and off this forum before and I'm a huge projector and home theater enthusiast but now I've got a pretty patchwork setup and am finally ready to move up to a "real" receiver but I'm extremely overwhelmed right now.
I've had several projectors throughout the years but my latest (the Panny PT-AX200U) was almost out of bulb, someone made me a good offer on it, and my Dad found a basically new Optoma EP709 that I ended up getting for free. Money's tight, since I'm in college, so I dumped the Panny and am using it (the 1024x768 isn't nearly as bad as I was afraid of and I like the color pop of the DLP despite the rainbow effect).
The thing is it has DVI and VGA and Composite inputs, so I'm thinking my best bet is something that can take all its sources and output them to HDMI (including taking composite signals, processing them, and outputting them through the same HDMI, which I would connect to the projector through an HDMI->DVI adapter).
The thing is, is there a proper (but not too expensive, or ideally on sale this black friday weekend!) 5.1 or 7.1/2 receiver that can not only take various inputs (particularly composite a/v for NES, SNES, and N64), as well as HDMI inputs from the new-gen systems (Xbox/PS3) and output them all through a master HDMI port? If not that, output them from VGA so I could connect that to my projector? I've got my xbox running at XGA through the VGA out adapter and it actually looks great, but I'm also wanting a receiver that's not going to be future-hindered to accommodate my old projector (when the bulb goes out on this, I'll probably go back to Panny, albeit a 1080).
What I'm looking for is:
- 5.1 or 7.1 (does 7.1 really add all that much for blu ray?)
- Network compatible (for streaming and also so I could control the rig from my smartphone or a tablet)
- At least 3-4 sets of RCA composite video and l/r audio jacks that can be processed and output through the master HDMI out **
- At least 2 (maybe 3) HDMI ports
-Something where I could also simultaneously output to my Turtle Beach DSS so I can mute the speakers and use headphones when I need it quiet for my roommates--the DSS takes 5.1 optical input).
** IF and ONLY IF it could go through to my EP709 at XGA (1024/768) alright, otherwise I'd need one with VGA out or perhaps (more practically) DVI that could put out XGA, but the EP709 can also take 1280x1024 at 60hz.
And how big of a deal is 3d passthrough? I think it's a bit gimmicky personally but I'm not sure how much I should worry about this for futureproofing (like... are home theater projectors for we enthusiasts going to all go to 3D or anything? It seems like all the 3D projectors are rather shoddy and made for classrooms).
Thanks a TON in advance. I'm hoping to spend in the 200-350 range and if there's one on sale this weekend especially, point me that direction! Thanks guys!
I've had several projectors throughout the years but my latest (the Panny PT-AX200U) was almost out of bulb, someone made me a good offer on it, and my Dad found a basically new Optoma EP709 that I ended up getting for free. Money's tight, since I'm in college, so I dumped the Panny and am using it (the 1024x768 isn't nearly as bad as I was afraid of and I like the color pop of the DLP despite the rainbow effect).
The thing is it has DVI and VGA and Composite inputs, so I'm thinking my best bet is something that can take all its sources and output them to HDMI (including taking composite signals, processing them, and outputting them through the same HDMI, which I would connect to the projector through an HDMI->DVI adapter).
The thing is, is there a proper (but not too expensive, or ideally on sale this black friday weekend!) 5.1 or 7.1/2 receiver that can not only take various inputs (particularly composite a/v for NES, SNES, and N64), as well as HDMI inputs from the new-gen systems (Xbox/PS3) and output them all through a master HDMI port? If not that, output them from VGA so I could connect that to my projector? I've got my xbox running at XGA through the VGA out adapter and it actually looks great, but I'm also wanting a receiver that's not going to be future-hindered to accommodate my old projector (when the bulb goes out on this, I'll probably go back to Panny, albeit a 1080).
What I'm looking for is:
- 5.1 or 7.1 (does 7.1 really add all that much for blu ray?)
- Network compatible (for streaming and also so I could control the rig from my smartphone or a tablet)
- At least 3-4 sets of RCA composite video and l/r audio jacks that can be processed and output through the master HDMI out **
- At least 2 (maybe 3) HDMI ports
-Something where I could also simultaneously output to my Turtle Beach DSS so I can mute the speakers and use headphones when I need it quiet for my roommates--the DSS takes 5.1 optical input).
** IF and ONLY IF it could go through to my EP709 at XGA (1024/768) alright, otherwise I'd need one with VGA out or perhaps (more practically) DVI that could put out XGA, but the EP709 can also take 1280x1024 at 60hz.
And how big of a deal is 3d passthrough? I think it's a bit gimmicky personally but I'm not sure how much I should worry about this for futureproofing (like... are home theater projectors for we enthusiasts going to all go to 3D or anything? It seems like all the 3D projectors are rather shoddy and made for classrooms).
Thanks a TON in advance. I'm hoping to spend in the 200-350 range and if there's one on sale this weekend especially, point me that direction! Thanks guys!
