Ask your Home Theatre questions here...

Pugs · Oct 25, 2009 1:43 pm

Rodda

I keep telling you guys to watch out for cheap on-line projectors - 9 out of 10 are 'grey market' imports (meaning they have not been supplied by the official Australian (for Aussie residents reading this...) importer/distributor) and the warranty will not be supported locally (and the manual will be aimed at another region...).

lol welcoem to my world of DIY data cablers, we so need to do coffee sometime

Davefurnell · Nov 02, 2009 3:53 pm

Anyone give some advice?

Building new house, have allowed for speaker cabling for 5.1 back to central location.
We have also allowed for speaker cabling from the same location (TV room, front and centre) to the living area and outdoor area (both via separate volume controls, prewired only).

We were thinking of somehow running our ipod through these speakers, with the ipod situated in the TV room. Is their an ipod dock that house speaker outputs? I cant seem to find any? Or is their another way of doing this?

Not too clued up on the whole sound issue...

Rodda · Nov 02, 2009 5:33 pm

You either put an iPod dock where you centralise your gear (from where all of the other rooms' speaker cables are run) or you are talking about a proper multi-room audio solution with a local source input in the TV room (assuming the TV room is not the room where the gear is centrally located).

Aiah · Dec 25, 2009 3:51 pm

Howdy,

I bought a Sony VPLHS50 projector about 4 years ago and its starting to get a blue cloud forming on the screen, it seems to be concentrated in the lower left side of the screen and can vary in intensity from use to use.
can i fix it? or perhaps adjust settings so its less noticeable?
or time to bin it and buy a TV

Rodda · Dec 27, 2009 8:59 am

I'd say first find out if it's worth repairing, then if it's not I'd bin it.

As to what you replace it with that's up to you ::smile::

scott_tanya · Jan 06, 2010 9:50 pm

Davefurnell

Anyone give some advice?

Building new house, have allowed for speaker cabling for 5.1 back to central location.
We have also allowed for speaker cabling from the same location (TV room, front and centre) to the living area and outdoor area (both via separate volume controls, prewired only).

We were thinking of somehow running our ipod through these speakers, with the ipod situated in the TV room. Is their an ipod dock that house speaker outputs? I cant seem to find any? Or is their another way of doing this?

Not too clued up on the whole sound issue...

Again sonos is the answer (my system works brilliantly...i love 3 zones at present)

http://www.sonos.com/experience/

jainscott · Jan 06, 2010 11:14 pm

mattwalker

Due to popular demand (and Vanderlay's persistance) we now have a thread exclusively for the Home Theatre and all things automated....

YAY!!

Hi
Im looking to buy home theatre ...Im really confused, which one is best ....Anyone can give some advise ???
Thanks in advance...

scott_tanya · Jan 07, 2010 7:49 am

jainscott

mattwalker

Due to popular demand (and Vanderlay's persistance) we now have a thread exclusively for the Home Theatre and all things automated....

YAY!!

Hi
Im looking to buy home theatre ...Im really confused, which one is best ....Anyone can give some advise ???
Thanks in advance...

Hey there.

Few prelimanry questions

1. whats your budget?
2. what will it be used for (% breakdown pls) --> for example 50% TV, 30% movies, 10% game consoles & 10% music
3. What exactly do you need? eg does your budget need to cover your TV or projector? or just speakers, amp etc
4. Floorplan of the room you plan to use

Ta

Rodda · Jan 07, 2010 12:25 pm

scott_tanya

Again sonos is the answer (my system works brilliantly...i love 3 zones at present)

http://www.sonos.com/experience/

I have to make one point here: I've seen a cordless phone bring a Sonos system to it's knees (same wireless frequency/band), and the issue was only resolved by resetting the Sonos ZP100s.

It certainly woudln't have happened with a wired system (just food for thought)...

scott_tanya · Jan 07, 2010 12:40 pm

Yeah Rodda your right...my sonos system is wired (cabled cat5 at prewire stage for it)

that said...home phones are getitng pretty outdated, with cheap mobile plans and naked DSL hehehe

Pugs · Jan 07, 2010 2:09 pm

scott_tanya

Yeah Rodda your right...my sonos system is wired (cabled cat5 at prewire stage for it)

that said...home phones are getitng pretty outdated, with cheap mobile plans and naked DSL hehehe

Naked dsl + Voip = cheaper calls then mobiles plus modems with VoIP ports to plug standard phones into

crabbman23 · Jan 09, 2010 1:53 am

Just bought a panasonic blu ray player and it's playing up. I have everything hooked up with HDMI cables, when I am playing movies the screen will black out for a second then go back to normal picture , Why is this happening is there a fault with the player or my set up. Tried different set ups like going straight HDMI from projector to player and still doing it. I'm very angry because I want answers and nobody can give me an answer!!!!! ::angry::

Rodda · Jan 09, 2010 11:29 am

crabbman23

Just bought a panasonic blu ray player and it's playing up. I have everything hooked up with HDMI cables, when I am playing movies the screen will black out for a second then go back to normal picture , Why is this happening is there a fault with the player or my set up. Tried different set ups like going straight HDMI from projector to player and still doing it. I'm very angry because I want answers and nobody can give me an answer!!!!! ::angry::

Hey Crabby.

It sounds like it could be the player. If you've tried a few things and still no joy then I reckon you need to take it back to the shop and get them to prove that the player is fine.

Mia's Folly · Jan 10, 2010 9:22 pm

crabbman23

Just bought a panasonic blu ray player and it's playing up. I have everything hooked up with HDMI cables, when I am playing movies the screen will black out for a second then go back to normal picture , Why is this happening is there a fault with the player or my set up. Tried different set ups like going straight HDMI from projector to player and still doing it. I'm very angry because I want answers and nobody can give me an answer!!!!! ::angry::

Hi there crabbman.

Don't know if you've tried this one either but I have a Sony BRP and it too had similar problems until a friend told me to download the latest updates from Sony, burn them to disc and follow the instructions. The player has worked a treat ever since and I continuously monitor the site for updates.

It's something we all tend to forget to do and it includes set-top boxes and the like as well.

Thanks for listening.

mikkyG · Jan 11, 2010 11:00 am

Hi guys,

Just a quick Q. Has anyone had any experience with Harmon Kardon speakers / amps? And how would you rate them? I listened to a set the other night and was pleased with them, but they do come in lower on the $$ than other brands, does that indicate that I just don't have an ear for these things and the are POS?

Thudd · Jan 11, 2010 12:39 pm

Some of the H/K electronics can be quite good indeed. They tend to be cheaper because they don't put as many bells and whistles into the product as others, and because they spec their amps realistically rather than some overpriced pseudo-megawatt monster.

Speakers I've had no experience with.

du73 · Jan 11, 2010 1:24 pm

Although i have never used HK products I know that many people use their HK AVR with great results.

Mia's Folly · Jan 11, 2010 5:15 pm

I've had the opportunity to listen to a set of HK speakers and for their price they sounded quiet good. Their overall dynamics did sound a little tight and it would be nice to hear them after a couple hundred hours of listening to loosen them up but not bad at all.

If you intend to buy a set, make sure you test them with the AVR you intend to use with it just to make sure it still enthrawls you as when you listened to them the first time. If so, then buy them.

waranraz · Jan 12, 2010 12:35 am

Hi , need some advice. After going through this forum and surfing the net. I have narrowed down my selection of home theatre projector.

My HT size is 4.420W x 4.120L

I did a calculation if 120 inch screen is good for that room size. And it was within requirements. Is 120 inch screen too big ? or should i just go for 100 inch screen.

I've narrowed down based on feedback of projectors. Pls if anyone can advice which has the longest bulb life. On the bottom selected full HD projectors. Ive got other infos of the projectors below but not the bulb life.

1) Panasonic PT-AE4000E
2) Epson EMP - TW3500
3) BenQ W1000 DLP
4) Sony Cineza VPLHW15

All the above - throw distance is within my room size or more. Hope you guys can help me decide.

thanks

mikkyG · Jan 12, 2010 8:18 am

Hey waranraz, I'd done all the calculations for my room just as you had, and I think it told me a 95" screen is what I should shoot for (in a 4.5 x 3.5 room). Then just yesterday I sat with a neighbor and watched his 120" screen in the same sized room! I don't think I'll go that big but it was VERY nice, and very watchable despite what the calculators will tell you. I think its one of those things you have to trek around and see something comparable in the flesh.