[georady]

Just bought my 1st HDTV and just found the cable channels that broadcast HDTV... yeah - that's where I am!


Fairly PC savy i.e. know about the Window's Registry etc.


The next step, as I see it, is to get a Blue-Ray player/recorder so I can rent the Blue Ray discs and store those that I like (already bought about a 100 DVDs so I'd like to avoid having the re-buy those just for picture quality...)


I believe I can use a PC and I'd prefer to buy a laptop that I can dedicate to Home Movie Theatre... stuff (along with my photo editing, music mp3 editng and general Internet Entertainment browsing etc.) but not adverse to buying a dedicated Desktop configuration IF that's what I need to properly host a Blue Ray library...


And I'll need a Sound System but I'm not quite "in tune" with the whole "Home Theatre Systems" what happened to just calling 'em "speakers?"


Thanx


g

 

[jpdeuce]

Oh boy. Anyone else hear a cash register ringing?

Just kidding, but you do have some research to do before getting started. Congrats on your "coming of age".

I'll address just one of your points, let others chime in, and direct you to where you can get your other questions answered.

Quote:
Originally Posted by georady /forum/post/16833491


And I'll need a Sound System but I'm not quite "in tune" with the whole "Home Theatre Systems" what happened to just calling 'em "speakers?"

I'm going to assume you are talking about seeing what is commonly referred to as "Home Theater in a Box". Basically, you get a "complete" system all in one purchase. This will typically come with some sort of combination receiver/tuner/dvd player type unit, matched up with 5 or 7 speakers and a subwoofer.


The target audience for these are for people who have a smaller budget to work with, but still want a complete system. You can typically get a bluray player and full speaker setup for less than $400.


What you are giving up in these systems is flexibility, options for inputs/outputs on the "receiver", and speaker quality. The "receivers" that come with these systems are usually setup just to handle the capabilities out of the box, and are not necessarily setup for future growth.


If you can share your budget for the audio portion of your system, we can give you an idea of a direction you could go. Even with a smaller budget, you are probably best getting a seperate receiver and purchasing the speakers as a set...rather than getting a HTIB setup.

As for your other questions, there are a couple other forums on AVS that will have a ton of information to guide you on what best to do. There is a whole forum about Home Theater PC setups to help you figure out that portion. There is also an entire forum for AMPs, Receivers, and Processors. That would be a good section to read up on for some direction from a receiver standpoint.


Welcome aboard and good luck with your setup.

 

[imjay]

Now you are in a very subjective area re the definition of what do you need to achieve Theater in the Home - IMO and my experience is you can't get to Home Theater with a TV.


Alas, HD television isn't the same thing as HTheater.


A HD television with surround speakers is just a television with external speakers.


We also bought our first HD TV - 56inch - 1080p - we learned tvs available today just can't deliver Theater which, to us, is when the lights go dim and the BIG screen lights up and everyone goes, "WOW, this is just like being at the movies!!"


"the next step" - our answer would be to buy a projector and screen if you want a Theater in the Home visual experience.

 

[georady]

Thanx!


Okay, let's pull in those parameters...


Budget, eh, I'm single, 50 and don't have to worry about the dollars I spent (other than rather spedning it on my motorcycle or photography equipment or camping equipment...) so $500 is a good start...


But I'm am not really an audio/visual-phile (duh! I waited this long to buy an HDTV) so I have a mild interest in stepping up to Blue-Ray for the BEST films... "Larry of Arabia" and not the latest yuck-fest flick... dvd's okay.


I'd like to have a better sound... but I'm living quite well with what I got. If I wanna listen to my classical/latin/new age or film music, I tend to prefer earphones and keep the neighborhood happy!


I suppose the most - specific - question I could ask would be Buying a Laptop with a DVD/CD player that pruports to be "Blue Ray" capable... is that enuff (with software) to play, record and store (external drive) Blue Ray discs?


I'm definitely buying an upscale Laptop ($900) because I plan to transfer all my media films and do a little photosite webdevelopment...


So being able to skip the dedicated "box" for play and record seems to make sense... unless a PC is just to limited to do what a dedicated "box" would do...


Better discription of the Geo Home Studio Nirvana.


g

 

[nexus99]

You are going to want a storage device that will scale into TBs of storage. I believe there is a forum dedicated to HTPCs. That is what it sounds like you want.

 

[cane.mba]



Quote:
Originally Posted by georady /forum/post/16838166


Thanx!


Okay, let's pull in those parameters...



I'm definitely buying an upscale Laptop ($900) because I plan to transfer all my media films and do a little photosite webdevelopment...



g

You need to expand your definition of "upscale" a $900 laptop is maybe at best upper-entry level. Upscale laptops are models like Alienware, which are a solid $3-4000.

 

[ceiph]

its a slippery slope after the first hdtv. that said make sure your blu ray laptop has hdmi out. also since you like headphones and want to watch movies from a laptop id suggest finding a good DAC.


(this is based on a quick google to show you what im talking about http://www.audiophileproducts.com/fubar3 , or on low end creative labs has a few, or ive used my astro gaming mixamp)


one of blurays best features is the audio and if your going to skip nice speakers making your headphones shine seems to be a good idea.