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08-10-2002, 02:41 PM
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#1 |
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HDTVoice Member
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 1
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yeah-we're joining the big screen world and are getting more and more confused!
we have been shopping for a big screen tv and are getting toally confused over all the items we're told we have to get to go with it. we have finally decided on a toshiba 50hdx82 from our info gathering on websites ( we will be mainly watching regular tvstations but rent dvds on the weekends- also husband is a big sports fan) we have cable now but are planning to get direct tv satellite installed. also we need to upgrade our sound system with receiver and new speakers. we have also just bought a pioneer elite dvd player. questions for you guys ? - any advice on best quality at a reasonable price for the reciever and speakers? where do we find this 50 hdx82 in the st. louis area? is this something a reasonably good husband is going to be able to put together and keep runnng without alot of problems? do we really have to have monster cables like we were told by salesmen? what else do we need for high definition tv? like the box they tell us and what kind do you get or is best for the money? we are so confused from all the salesmens different lines. Any advice is greatly appreciated!!!!
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08-11-2002, 09:42 AM
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#2 |
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(not actual size)
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Lansing, MI
Posts: 275
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Q: any advice on best quality at a reasonable price for the reciever and speakers?
A: I'll leave that one to the stereophiles here. I believe that this is entirely left to the ears of the purchaser. I have Bose Acoustimass speakers (older ones, from back when they first got started with the satellites) and a JBL sub. I highly recommend both. Q: where do we find this 50 hdx82 in the st. louis area? A: Can't help there, sorry. Q: is this something a reasonably good husband is going to be able to put together and keep runnng without alot of problems? A: Absolutely. The entire mega-wiring of the system is the most daunting part, but just slog through all of the literature and remember "OUT to IN" and he should be OK. Other than power and antenna, there really will be only 2 cables (OK, bundles of cables)... Audio and Video. depending on how you do audio, there mayonly be one cable (optical) or a dual (L/R) with 2 RCA connectors on the end. Similar with video. One cable to three (component) in this case. And if you are adding other components to the mix (VCR, DVD, TiVO, etc.) between the reciever and the TV, you just daisy-chain them in the middle... ie: OUT from rcvr to IN of TV becomes OUT-rcvr -> IN-TiVO/OUT-TiVO -> IN-TV. Etc. Q: do we really have to have monster cables like we were told by salesmen? A: See this thread: http://www.hdtvoice.com/voice/showt...s=&threadid=864 Q: what else do we need for high definition tv? like the box they tell us and what kind do you get or is best for the money? A: Definitely need the HD box, unless the TV is HD ready. There are more than a few options available nowadays, but maybe only a few in St. Louis unless you want to shop online. Try and make sure it has component out and receives local HD over the air (OTA). Most do. Also, if you want the DSS HD channels, you will need a DSS/OTA HD combo unit. Others will chime in with their opinions on the best Set-top boxes (STBs) to buy. I have the Sony unit (because I got a Sony HDTV) and, albeit LOUD and a few minor bugs, it has been wonderful. Good Luck! Welcome to the club!
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Sony KP-61HS10 4:3 HD TV, Sony SAT-HD100 HD/DSS rcvr, Sony STR-DE935 rcvr, Sony DVP-S360 DVD, JBL PowerBass PB12 sub, Bose Acoustimass AM5 sat spkrs, DirecTV (HDNet, HDMovies, HD-PPV, HBO-HD, Discovery HD Theater, ESPN-HD), Local ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX HD/ED feeds. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ I want to die peacefully, in my sleep, like my granddad... not screaming and crying, like those in the back seat of his car! |
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08-16-2002, 08:21 PM
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#3 |
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Reged User Tier 2
Join Date: May 2002
Location: So.California
Posts: 196
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Stacylee:
Let me steer you through some (very) murky waters. Try your best to ignore most of what you hear from retail salespeople - they generally know very little (often less than their customer)! You can learn far more at forums such as this one and others similar. Where you buy is every bit as important as what set you choose. I recomend that you buy the TV set from Sears. I'm sure you have such in St.Louis. I heartily endorse Toshiba as a good brand to buy, but you'll save several hundred dollars by opting for the 50H82 rather than the more expensive 50HDX82. A friend of mine just ordered a 50H82 from Sears for $1999 (in Portland, OR. I believe). I'm sure that your local Sears store will sell you one for the same price. The difference in picture quality would be so tiny and insignificant that it would be a waste of your money, which would be better spent on the receiver and speakers. The receiver brand that I recommend the most highly would be Yamaha. They're the undisputed "king" of product reliability, which in my view is the most important quality that any electronic component can have. The speakers are strictly a personal choice, with no brand or model having anything vastly superior to offer. There are literally hundreds of mfgs. making thousands of models for the marketplace. Fortunately for you, few stores carry more than a handful of brands - otherwise, you could go stark raving mad trying to reach a decision on what to buy. One last thing. Contrary to what many others might tell you, I regard an extended warranty plan as a must regardless of what brand or what model of RPTV set you choose. Hope this helps you
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woodman I plan to live forever ..... so far, so good! Steven Wright |
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