New Home Theater - Work in Progress

Dec 4, 2002
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Just go my new home theater up and running. Definitely need some wire management done and while I ran Cat 5 for the Xbox, the Vaio doesn't get a good WiFi signal in this part of the house...so might have to run another Cat 5 cable out to the living room.

TV is a Sony KDS50A2020, it's a 50" Rear Projection.

Linkage

Both the Xbox 360 and the Cable box are on the 1st shelf there. That is a Polk Audio CSi3 center channel. For those of you with projections, or know the SXRD, there is no way a center channel can fit on the top of the TV.

CSi3 Linkage

Fronts and rears consist of 4 Polk Audio RTi4s.

RTi Linkage

Sub is a Polk Audio PSW303

PSW Linkage

On the component rack, which imcomplete, the receiver is on the top. It is an Onkyo SR502, which has been replaced with the 505. 502 doesn't have HDMI. :(

The next component down is the Sony Vaio VGX-XL1, the XL1 is a Pentium D with Media Center 2005. The new XL3 has blue-ray, but I havn't decided if I want to go with blue-ray or HD-DVD.

Below the XL1 is the XL1B2 media changer. It is a 200 DVD/CD disc changer that hooks up to the XL1 media center via firewire. The thing I like about it is I can daisy chain up to 5 of them together. I only have 2 now, but could add another 3 if I needed/wanted to.

Lonely XL1B2...he is waiting on the component rack manufacture. I had to order taller legs to fit the changers.

Entire HT Setup

I called it a work in progress becuase I need to get more rack legs so I can add the 2nd changer. THIS has to go, need to get some harmony remote action going. I also want to upgrade the 360 to the Elite. Picture excludes my roommates Nintendo manufactured eye-sore, the Wii. ;)

 

michaels

Banned
Nov 30, 2005
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I highly suggest the 360 hd-dvd player, I got mine on clearance at Sam's for a 100 bucks and it came with King Kong.


"For those of you with projections, or know the SXRD, there is no way a center channel can fit on the top of the TV. "


I don't know you exact tv, but I have a DLP and I use a humongous paradigm center with my tv. circuit City sells a stand that makes a center work with slated backs on tvs like that.
 
Dec 4, 2002
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Originally posted by: michaels
I highly suggest the 360 hd-dvd player, I got mine on clearance at Sam's for a 100 bucks and it came with King Kong.

Hard to even consider blue-ray with the price of HD-DVD so affordable.
 

michaels

Banned
Nov 30, 2005
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It seriously works great, my Paradigm center weighs at least 20 pounds I would guess and it hold it up perfectly.
 

FP

Diamond Member
Feb 24, 2005
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I just bought the Harmony 720 from Costco. You can get it for about $150 right now.

I love it. My wife loves it more.
 

ric1287

Diamond Member
Nov 29, 2005
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i dont know how far you are running cat5, but if you need another cable run, just buy a cheap switch and split the one you already have there.
 

michaels

Banned
Nov 30, 2005
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I use the Logitech harmony 360 remote and I had doubts at first but i couldn't live without it. I choose it because it had 360 buttons and now big color lcd to drain batteries. The battery life lasts easily a few months.
 
Dec 4, 2002
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Originally posted by: binister
I just bought the Harmony 720 from Costco. You can get it for about $150 right now.

I love it. My wife loves it more.

Is that like the 550? I don't like the 550 becuase you have to go through the menu just to turn on the TV. Ill probably go with the 670 for a greater ease of use.
 
Dec 4, 2002
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Originally posted by: ric1287
i dont know how far you are running cat5, but if you need another cable run, just buy a cheap switch and split the one you already have there.

much better idea
 

LegendKiller

Lifer
Mar 5, 2001
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Need an HD-DVD player and disks?

www.valueelectronics.com is running a sale (like everybody else) on the Toshiba HD-A2 for $299.99. You also get 3 free disks (21.99 each) + HDMI cable + t-shirt. $20 shipping. Add to that the 5 free disks Toshiba sends.

On top of that next week BBY is running a Memorial Day sale. Matrix triology for $80. Plus you get 2 free HD-DVD.

~$400 = Excellent HD-DVD player + 2nd ranked upconverting DVD player (2nd to XA2) + 13 HD-DVDs. Works out to a $140 player.
 
Dec 4, 2002
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Originally posted by: LegendKiller
Need an HD-DVD player and disks?

www.valueelectronics.com is running a sale (like everybody else) on the Toshiba HD-A2 for $299.99. You also get 3 free disks (21.99 each) + HDMI cable + t-shirt. $20 shipping. Add to that the 5 free disks Toshiba sends.

On top of that next week BBY is running a Memorial Day sale. Matrix triology for $80. Plus you get 2 free HD-DVD.

~$400 = Excellent HD-DVD player + 2nd ranked upconverting DVD player (2nd to XA2) + 13 HD-DVDs. Works out to a $140 player.

Nice deal

Even though I don't have either yet, I did pick up the HD Matrix trilogy for the $22 from the CC price mistake.
 

LikeLinus

Lifer
Jul 25, 2001
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Nice setup Mike. Hope you're enjoying it!

I loved building my HT. It's a fun, but expensive hobby!
 
Dec 4, 2002
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Originally posted by: Pepsi90919
you shouldn't have crammed it all in that corner like that

Why is that? Based on the couch I have, I didn't have many options on where to put everything.
 

sdifox

No Lifer
Sep 30, 2005
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Push the mains a bit forward (away from wall) ... say 10cm. They should sound better.