[Shayne J.]

Hello all, first time poster, LOOOOOONG time lurker. In light of my intractable confusion regarding what to buy, I'm throwing up my hands in surrender and seeking advice. Here goes.


I recently purchased my first new TV in a decade, a Samsung 40" LCD, I think it's the 40 (something something) 650b. LOVE the TV, my trusty Xbox and PS2 have never looked so good (component hook-ups straight to TV). My wife (read: financial supervisor) has OKed a LIMITED expenditure for a sound system, and I need to be able to clearly pitch what I'm buying, if you get what I mean. As a result, I've been looking at the Onkyo stuff mentioned repeatedly on this forum site, and it all looks great. My issue is this:


What I want is the best possible combination of video and sound, with the least chance of immediate obsolescence, and for somewhere between $500.00 and $1000.00. My main hang-up has been and continues to be the whole HDMI thing, particularly pass-through vs. repeating/switching/whatever they started calling it ten minutes ago.


So, if I go with the 6100HTS over the 9100THX, will I immediately regret it? I should note that I've read all the forum posts on these two and the other Onkyo systems like 500 times, and I just can't figure out what I'm actually reading.


I should also tell you that I'm running the HDTV, a PS2, an Xbox 1, and I plan on getting a Samsung upconverting DVD player, and I have no immediate plans to upgrade to the PS3, Xbox 360, or Blu-ray.


Any help would be greatly appreciated, and thank you in advance.

 

[m_vanmeter]

in the Onkyo line up the capability to handle audio and decode HD codecs over HDMI starts with the HT-S6100 and continues up to the S9100 HTiB. HT-S6100 or S6200 (newer model) start at around $600 new http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16882120122


Another nice HTiB is the Yamaha YHT-591 for same price as the Onk S6100
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16882115200


even though you don't currently have a blu-ray player (or a PS3 which will play blu-ray) you might as well get equipment that can handle the HD codecs instead of having to "buy up" when you need it.

 

[LordCarbon]

I'm no expert by ' Any stretch " regarding AV stuff . Thankfully I also lurked asked and do have close friends who are " Sound engineers " they build

professional systems for Concert and Pro Musicians . Amps mixing and speakers.


After months of agony and squirming I pulled the trigger on the following !.


Onkyo 6100 ( Best sound for the bucks with a decent amp ) IMO and theirs !.


LG BD390 Blu Ray player ( again best features and video for the bucks )

according to reviews on several sites .


I like yourself jumped on a Sammy in my case LED and it is AWESOME !!!.


Amazon looked like the purchase window and prices were right .


I'm waiting for delivery as I type . I will only add that in my particular case


this purchase was not based on " Music " as I have a Fine old time


Altec Lansing VOT and Custom Carbon enclosures for Top Notch musical sound .


I was interested in Std. DVD'S up scaling quality video along with a decent Blu Ray player and internet connection capable features .


I think I'll be happy with my choice . Hope this helps you also .


Amazon looked like the purchase window as price was right

 

[Shayne J.]

m_vanmeter - Thanks for the reply. You further illustrate one of my key frustrations, by way of mentioning the Onkyo HT-S6100 and the newer S6200.


While it would seem fairly intuitive (to me anyway) that the "newer is better" principle applies especially to A/V gear. I've noticed people commenting that the S6200 doesn't upconvert HDMI, while the S6100 does. Is that correct? If it is, would that mean the S6100 is a better long-range choice?


Further, if I get a Blu-ray player, an Xbox 360, or a PS3, coupled with my TV, which seems to do a lot on its own, do I "need" upconversion? Shorter question, and one that has already been explained to death on the AVS Forum site: why do I want or not want upconversion from my receiver? Is this where codec support comes in? I know, I'm an idiot. But I'm trying! Thanks again!

 

[m_vanmeter]

most new HDTV do an good job of upconverting themselves. Entry level receivers usually don't have upconversion chips equal to what is already in the TVs.


HD audio codec decodeing support is built into the specific model receiver OR it is decoded by the blu-ray player and sent to the receiver (if it can handle it) as LPCM (linear pulse code modulation)...as opposed to plain old PCM. Some receivers can decode LPCM, some cannot. So I take the easy way out and specifically look in the receiver specs and make sure Dolby-TrueHD and DTS-HD are listed as decoded audio formats


Even without upconversion in the receiver (let the player do it or the TV) I would want a new system today to be able to handle both video and audio over HDMI. No sense putting up with the tangle of wires if a single HDMI cable will do it all.


An alternate to an HTiB is this bundle of Energy speakers and Yamaha receiver
http://www.wwstereo.com/#/ecommerce/...io/11/144823//

 

[Shayne J.]

LordCarbon - Yeah, I was all ready to jump on the 6100, but then the 7100 went on sale on Amazon, and now they've introduced the 6200...argh.


My Samsung HDTV makes my PS2 and my Xbox SING! Yikes! It looks so good it's hard to concentrate. I've died about 100 times trying to show my wife how beautiful it looks. It's pretty funny actually, my wife will be saying something like, "Is that a bad guy?" At which point I have to start my level over again...


My worry is that I purposefully bought the absolute best HDTV I could, after six months of research, so I wouldn't get outdated 3 days after I hooked it up, and the whole sound thing is MUCH more complicated...

 

[Shayne J.]

m_vanmeter - Boy, if I can be patient and ask enough questions, I might actually figure this stuff out! Your comment on, "mak[ing] sure Dolby-TrueHD and DTS-HD are listed as decoded audio formats," was VERY helpful. Thanks for it.


Here's another question, this time regarding component upconverting. I've read a lot on the AVS site about it, and this is my situation:


I currently have both my PS2 and my Xbox hooked straight to my Samsung 40-650b, using component for both. Further, I would like to use my Wii via component. It looks great now, so how do I preserve what I have, while getting better sound? I'm already armed with digital audio cables for the PS2 and the Xbox. Will running component through a receiver make anything worse? I don't need better, just not worse. lol


Oh, I checked out the link you sent, and thanks for it. It's funny, one thing I've been frustrated by is the whole 7.1 thing. I don't think I need it, but so many of the HTIB stuff comes in 7.1. Will that Yamaha receiver keep me happy for a few years? Will it do all the HDMI and component stuff I need?


Thank you very much for your continued help with all this. You're like a bright spot in a very dark, confusing place... A good place, mind you, but dark and confusing. lol

 

[ickysmits]

One thing to keep in mind is that sometimes people mean different things when they say "upconvert" or "upscaling" when talking about receivers, though it sounds like you get it. I hope I get it right because sometimes I get confused but here it goes:

Upconvert means that you can plug in composite, S-video, and/or component devices and they will all be converted to output through HDMI to the TV - you only need one single HDMI cable between the receiver and TV.

Upscaling means that the video signal is processed in the receiver and scaled up (for example) from 480i to 1080p...or whatever you set it at.


That Yamaha doesn't do either. If you plug in a component cable you must output a component cable to the TV - if you also plug in an HDMI cable you must also output an HDMI cable to the TV. The video signal isn't touched so the picture won't be any better or any worse. This isn't necessarily a bad thing (and some might consider it a good thing) but you lose a little convenience.


Also consider with the Yamaha, or any receiver, how many inputs you need now and in the future. Take a look at the back and see if there are enough. You mentioned three things you'd want to connect with component cables but the Yamaha receiver only has two component inputs. However, I think at least one of them (maybe) can be connected with an HDMI cable and it has plenty of those. It also has plenty of digital inputs as well.


Here's the back of the RX-V465 from the Yamaha/Energy package Mr. vanmeter linked to you:

 

[Tulpa]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Shayne J. /forum/post/16834747


It's funny, one thing I've been frustrated by is the whole 7.1 thing. I don't think I need it, but so many of the HTIB stuff comes in 7.1. Will that Yamaha receiver keep me happy for a few years? Will it do all the HDMI and component stuff I need?

You don't have to do 7.1 if you don't want to. You can set any 7.1 receiver to do 5.1 (or 3.1, or 2.1, or 2.0, or 5.0, and so on.) Most good solid receivers will be 7.1, but a quick menu adjustment gets you the setup you want.


If you get a 7.1 HTIB, you can sell/store the extra speakers, or use them for something else, like a zone B if your receiver comes equipped, or get a cheap stereo receiver and use them for a bedroom setup.

 

[Shayne J.]

ickysmits - So, it seems like I'm less interested in upscaling, because my HDTV (Samsung 40" 650b) already does a pretty good job of that, right?


As for the upCONVERTING thing, I'm getting kind of nervous, because it sounds like I'm going to be spending a lot of money to get that, at least I think. I have three component sources that I'll be running (PS2, Xbox, Wii), and I'm unsure if I can get a receiver to upconvert all three, even IF I get a switch, within my "whole system" budget of between $500.00 and $900.00. Can I?


I've poked around on AVS a bit, is there a master list of receivers that upconvert component stuff?


Thanks as always for the help!

 

[Shayne J.]

Tulpa - OK, that's good info. So I can GET a 7.1 system, but not necessarily USE the "7" until I need or want to. Good good good news. Thanks for it!


Can I ask, if I am just trying to get SOMETHING set up, is it worth just getting the latest HTIB, primarily based on the receiver I most like, knowing that I can get better speakers later? I only ask because I'm looking for "good enough" right now, not great, not even pretty great. It seems that if I know I don't want to end up with an $800.00 system forever, spending time mixing and matching speakers with amps is kind of wasteful, right?


I guess what I'm asking is if the, say, Onkyo 6100 or 6200 series HTIB has "decent" speakers, won't that save me a bunch of time short-term? I'm only asking because I keep reading about Energy, TSC, etc., and then I start trying to put things together, and meanwhile time is ticking and I'm listening to my video games through my TV...lol


Thanks much for your help!