Home Theater Solutions - Advice need - Thanks

b4u

Golden Member
Nov 8, 2002
1,379
2
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Hi There,

I know this is a big message, and you'll have to spend some time to give me some opinion, but at least bear with me until the last line :)

I'm looking for a Home Theater, to buy latter this year (must save some cash), and I've been asking some questions on my local shops, and ended up with the following solutions:


This will be the TV-Set, unless something better for the same cash appears. Prices can drop a bit (I hope so):

[0] TV-Set - 3499?
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LG RL-44SZ20RD (Retroprojector DLP) - 3499?
LG RL-44SZ20RD Image and Some Specifications
LG RL-44SZ20RD Detailed Specifications


What I plan to do:
- Play some DVD Disks. I buy them in Portugal (Region2-PAL), UK (Region2-PAL) and USA (Region1-NTSC);
- Ear Regular Music CDs;
- Ear some Radio, through the use of the AV included in the system;
- Ear some MP3 music, burned on CD-R / CD-RW / ... even see some movies saved on VCD (mostly home VHS home videos transfered to VCD using a PC with 9600 Pro VIVO graphic card).

What I need:
- TV-Set capable of PAL and NTSC, with widescreen anamorphic capabilities;
- DVD not region specific, so I can read (at least) region 1 and 2 (I would prefer to read them all, but those 2 are the most important);
- AV item with AM/FM capabilities (most of them have, I think all of the listed bellow also have), and good Music CD Audio playback;
- Decoding of all (or at least the most importand) audio options available on DVD format nowadays;
- Everything else to cover the list of my "What I plan to do" list above :).


Asking on 3 different stores, I got different solutions. Option [1] and [2] came from the first store I visited. No store sells the same solutions the others, so today I don't have a direct comparisson between products, from one guy at a single shop :(. But I have lot's of experts on Anandtech forums who can help me out, and warn me if they see some "problem" on the solutions :D.

[1] Kit AV Teac Legacy 800 (5.1) - 2316?
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I was told this system can read ANY region, and also can receive updates, officialy executed by teac experts.
(from the links bellow, you'll have to choose the items from the menu :()

Teac DVD Player DV-L800

Teac Surround AV Receiver AG-L800

Teac 6-Way Speaker System LS-L800


[2] Kit AV Yamaha Discrete 6.1 - 950?
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I was told this system can read ANY region, no updates on this solution.

Yamaha DVD S-530

Yamaha AV RX-V440

Yamaha Speakers NX-230P & Sub-Woofer SW-005 (total 6.1)
(can't find link on yahama's pages)


[3] Onkyo System (6.1) - 2262,71?
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I was told this system can read regions 1 and 2 (only these 2 regions), and also can receive updates, officialy executed by onkyo experts.

Onkyo AV Receiver TX-SR600E Silver (595?)

Onkyo DVD DV-SP500 Silver (398?)

Jamo Front Speakers E-850 (427,13?)

Jamo Surround Speakers E-8ADD (842,58?)


[4] Misc 6.1 System - 2180?
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I was told this system can read ANY region, no updates on this solution.

Denon DVD 900 (431?)

Marantz AV SR4300 (649?)

Speakers 6.1 (not sure about brand/model) (1100?)



Personal thoughts:

I really like the looks of the Teac system ([1]). The speakers may not be top-set of the market, but the sound was cool, and the looks of the DVD & AV were magnificent, even the remotes included! The solution is very compact, a lot smaller than the ordinary Width/Height of DVDs and AVs. But looks aren't everything, I know ... :( ... but it looks cool :D.

I also liked the Onkyo System ([3]), specially the Jamo speakers they came with (the store picked them, as a separate product), and I believe the sound quality it's best than the Teac one ... Teac has 96Khz/24bit, while Onkyo gives 192Khz/24bit. I should bring a better sound, but that was what they told me ... is it really better? I mean, should I really care about it?

Having no direct comparisson on the systems, and being my first real home theater system (making me a n00b at selecting a system), I count on your help on choosing the right system.

Just because I never had a real home theater solution, that doesn't stop me from trying to get the best system I can get, because one thing I know for sure ... if I spend my cash on a not-so-good system, I'll get very angry and I'll start counting money for upgrades ... :( ... and that is bad, considering the fact that I don't have much money, and I'm cuting costs on other things to get a good system for me and my wife to see some great movies :).

So I'm counting on you ... Thanks!