Basic home audio stuffs (mbm and co.)

[megabyteme]

I think you will be happy with that, skiz. You can either keep adding the 45's all around, or use the 30's for your surrounds*. As inexpensive subs go, I seriously doubt you can beat this one: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16882290034 $99 (available regularly on Newegg for that price). I have 2 stacked together. Place it in a corner, dial it in to a natural level, and enjoy the bottom end. Just don't expect to rattle the neighbors' windows...

The speakers are the most important. That receiver should be just fine, honestly. You are certainly headed in the right direction- budget is ultimately a factor, so are needs. Connected to your HTPC, you'll be getting quite a bit more entertainment out of your system. Movies get quite a bit more involving.


*Keep your eyes open for them to go on sale.

[Skiz]

I did also notice a ZBox in that pic I take it that is what you use for home theater playback ?

Yesirie. It comes with a VESA mount so at my old place I had it attached to the back of the TV out of sight. I have a remote that I use to control everything within XBMC, so no mouse or keyboard needed. In this place, the wifi comes comes from clear across the house and I get a better signal with the ZBox out in the open. In the bedroom I have an older, but better, HTPC. Essentially, it has:

Apex Mini-ITX case. Only uses a 90W external PSU attached to the power cable (think laptop brick)
Inside there's a little ZOTAC IONITX-A-U Dual Core 1.6Ghz Mini ITX NVIDIA ION that is easily clocked up to 1.99Ghz in the BIOS. That clock will run any 1080 videos I throw at it. No additional cooling needed.

Well actually I went back and checked the specs on the Yamaha and it is HDMI 1.4 (3D) compatible has 1080p upscaling 4 HDMI sources and USB iPod input so you're sweet on all counts except network features and that is only if you a. use DLNA or b. internet radio sources. So to translate in to less geeky terms that's a really nice receiver there.... in terms of the specs anyway.

I personally think that audio equipment far more than computers or other technical equipment is highly subjective because it brings out an emotion, and what I enjoy may be very different to what you enjoy, so in the end as long as you do truly enjoy the new receiver and speakers and they enrich your life then that is all you can ask, and alot of people praise Yamaha for the accuracy of reproduction (clarity).

Nice. Looking forward to it.

I other news, my TV might need replacing as well. As of last night I can't get a signal to come in. Only every few minutes will a signal and sound pop in for just a fraction of a second - like a flicker. The menus and the controls are very laggy as well. When it rains it pours.

[megabyteme]

I other news, my TV might need replacing as well.[...] When it rains it pours.

Ouch. I think recommending a television is even more difficult than helping someone decide on stereo equipment. Budget is a big issue, of course. Stores like Walmart carry similar looking models, which are actually lower-level/quality than some of the higher priced, better quality models available in a particular brand's lineup available elsewhere. It gets confusing. It is nearly impossible to remember how clear a picture was on one set, in a different store, with different lighting, with a different source, with different lighting...

Basically, do your homework and do not get fooled by artificially inflated prices (which are then "marked down" for a one-day-only "sale") and slightly different model numbers. It can get irritatingly tricky. Like dealing with shady car salesmen.

[Skiz]

I'll give this TV a few days and see if it doesn't right itself. The only issue is with incoming TV signal. BluRay player and HTPC still display just fine.

I'll be fine picking out a TV if I need to. Plus, I have like a brazillon credit card points.

[Artemis]

Sorry to hear about your woes with your TV, I can commiserate on that score having come home last year after being away for a week to find a lovely impact mark in my plasma TV. It is truly amazing how large and round children's eyes get when trying to explain it wasn't them..... My wife had no idea but the TV deteriorated over the next few days and finally ate itself.

May I compliment you on your excellent taste in Zotac equipment though. I happen to have the identical IonITX A-U board wrapped up in this:



Silverstone ML03 ITX/DTX Home Theater case

[IdolEyes787]

Impressive,Art.Especially considering that you hail from a Third World country,

I'm assuming that you hold a status of no less than minor warlord to be able to have access to that kind of high-end stuff.

Also knowing what I do of the South Pacific,especially impressive considering all that was likely made from salvage off of one of Captain Cook's ships.
But then you heathens have proven yourselves to be a crafty lot.

[Skiz]

Sorry to hear about your woes with your TV, I can commiserate on that score having come home last year after being away for a week to find a lovely impact mark in my plasma TV. It is truly amazing how large and round children's eyes get when trying to explain it wasn't them..... My wife had no idea but the TV deteriorated over the next few days and finally ate itself.

May I compliment you on your excellent taste in Zotac equipment though. I happen to have the identical IonITX A-U board wrapped up in this:

pic

Silverstone ML03 ITX/DTX Home Theater case

Couldn't get anything to fix the TV. Then I tried unplugging it for a while. That seems to have reset whatever the problem was. All's well now.

Ah, well you know the pleasure of that board then. Oldie but goodie. I've had it 4 years and still love it. Yours looks nice. What's the box up top do? Here's mine in the bedroom supporting a 37" Vizio LED.

[Skiz]

Got the receiver, center speaker, and shelf to put it on top of the TV. (gotta love amazon prime) Have to wait another few days to receive 45Bs from Newegg.

I put the shelf above the tv along with the center channel. I didn't like the look of it. The center channel is a bit larger than I had envisioned and having it perched out in front of the TV looked... bad. I'm returning that to Amazon and instead, I've purchased a wall mount for the tv, which will in turn leave a place for the center speaker on the tv stand. Gonna wait until I have everything to plug any of the speakers in and give it a listen.

[megabyteme]

That Polk sub will be $79 for the next couple days on Newegg. Will fill out the bottom end of the 45s nicely.

[Artemis]

Impressive,Art.Especially considering that you hail from a Third World country,

I'm assuming that you hold a status of no less than minor warlord to be able to have access to that kind of high-end stuff.

Also knowing what I do of the South Pacific,especially impressive considering all that was likely made from salvage off of one of Captain Cook's ships.
But then you heathens have proven yourselves to be a crafty lot.

Actually ships get wrecked here once in a while and I was able to fashion my home equipment from hull plates from the wreck of the M.V. Rena ( which is still causing a huge environmental problem).

I'm not a warlord, but I am one of the few settlers with a flintlock....


On a more serious note the rest of the bedroom system though is a Logitech Z-5400 for the audio (that is the controller on top) and a 32" LCD