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Anything But Guns => Off topic area => Topic started by: Intercooler on November 23 2014 09:18:53 AM MST

Title: Next project... setting up Home Theater
Post by: Intercooler on November 23 2014 09:18:53 AM MST
  We moved out in such a hurry (and I didn't feel like taking it all down then) and left my stuff in the other house except the Subwoofer. Since it looks like we are moving forward now on a contract, the buyers wanted it all! Everything was marked "not included", but they wanted to work them in the deal. The TV was the hot banana back in 2007 when I purchased it as flat panels first hit the market:

http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-LNT4665F-1080p-HDTV-Version/dp/B000NVLQ72/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1416758709&sr=8-7&keywords=samsung+4665 
It was having the turn-on problem needing the resistor fix done, so no loss there. It also didn't get along too good with the PlayStation as well. They aren't getting my Definitive Technology speakers though!! I told the Realtor they are nuts considering the cost. This week I have to remove them, pull the wires out and fill/paint the holes. :(

   Yesterday we went out looking for a replacement and ordered an LG 4k, 3D, 240 Hz, Smart TV to replace it with:
http://www.amazon.com/LG-Electronics-55UB9500-55-Inch-Ultra/dp/B00KH77A5E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1416759013&sr=8-1&keywords=lg5ub9500

All of my front Definitive Technology speakers will work out perfect in the new house with the subwoofer in the front. The issue is the rear speakers! I have the Bi-Polar rear surrounds and only one wall to the right for mounting! Does anyone know if you can put them at the back (like a 7.1 setup) and get the same effect?

(http://a248.e.akamai.net/pix.crutchfield.com/ImageHandler/scale/489/489/ca/learningcenter/home/HT/speakerplacement-5-1.gif)

I don't have that left wall in the picture. It's open to the other end of the Kitchen  ???
Title: Re: Next project... setting up Home Theater
Post by: The_Shadow on November 23 2014 11:52:04 AM MST
I just treated myself to a new TV, (my old one was a 27" CRT set in a pretty oak cabinet)
I am in the process of setting things up as I type, The set is in testing mode as to make sure everything is in working order.  So far so good!  I have plenty things to do with mounting and tieing into the surround system.
I also have new speakers and crossovers that I will make a custom enclosures for.

The set I just purchased as a special deal online with Sam's Club (one day only)
Event Price $998 this set list for $1699.99  now dropped to $1499.99
VIZIO 60" Ultra HDTV**Model P602ui-B3
(http://cdn-cf.vizio.com/catalog/product/cache/1/image/740x440/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/p/-/p-series_hero1.jpg)

Visio specs and info
http://www.vizio.com/p602uib3.html (http://www.vizio.com/p602uib3.html)

Title: Re: Next project... setting up Home Theater
Post by: mag360 on November 23 2014 01:10:16 PM MST
Great choice in the deftechs.  Im in the market for a set of those and will move my infinity setup I have now to the basement or bedroom.  Im upset about no affordable panasonic plasmas anymore.  I want a 55-60" .
Title: Re: Next project... setting up Home Theater
Post by: Intercooler on November 23 2014 02:21:31 PM MST
The DefTechs have been outstanding. Any ideas on that rear left issue?
Title: Re: Next project... setting up Home Theater
Post by: DeltaSteve on November 23 2014 02:27:35 PM MST
Something to think about, TV prices will plunge after the super bowl :)  .............If you can wait ;D
Title: Re: Next project... setting up Home Theater
Post by: The_Shadow on November 23 2014 02:30:56 PM MST
Jesse have a look at this link; http://www.soundandvision.com/content/atmos-here-sound-visions-first-foray-object-based-sound (http://www.soundandvision.com/content/atmos-here-sound-visions-first-foray-object-based-sound)

The last of the Plasma manufactures LG is also halting production for Plasma sets according to article from Sound&Vision.
http://www.soundandvision.com/content/samsung-exits-plasma-leaving-lg (http://www.soundandvision.com/content/samsung-exits-plasma-leaving-lg) 
The first Plasma 60" set I looked at was $25K, WalMart was selling the 60" Panasonic plasma set for $799 the other day.

It seems the new technology will be the OLED
Title: Re: Next project... setting up Home Theater
Post by: Intercooler on November 23 2014 02:34:05 PM MST
Quote from: DeltaSteve on November 23 2014 02:27:35 PM MST
Something to think about, TV prices will plunge after the super bowl :)  .............If you can wait ;D
We can wait. Where did you get that information and how certain are you they will all be cheaper? Better than the current Black Friday deals now?
Title: Re: Next project... setting up Home Theater
Post by: Intercooler on November 23 2014 02:38:19 PM MST
Quote from: The_Shadow on November 23 2014 02:30:56 PM MST
Jesse have a look at this link; http://www.soundandvision.com/content/atmos-here-sound-visions-first-foray-object-based-sound (http://www.soundandvision.com/content/atmos-here-sound-visions-first-foray-object-based-sound)

The last of the Plasma manufactures LG is also halting production for Plasma sets according to article from Sound&Vision.
http://www.soundandvision.com/content/samsung-exits-plasma-leaving-lg (http://www.soundandvision.com/content/samsung-exits-plasma-leaving-lg) 
The first Plasma 60" set I looked at was $25K, WalMart was selling the 60" Panasonic plasma set for $799 the other day.

It seems the new technology will be the OLED
I will take some pictures of my old setup tomorrow when I'm over there. I remember when I did the install on it, somewhere I found the exact distances to put everything. I'm for sure measuring the heights again and just need to see if the rear speakers will have to be sold.
Title: Re: Next project... setting up Home Theater
Post by: DeltaSteve on November 23 2014 08:21:36 PM MST
Quote from: Intercooler on November 23 2014 02:34:05 PM MST
Quote from: DeltaSteve on November 23 2014 02:27:35 PM MST
Something to think about, TV prices will plunge after the super bowl :)  .............If you can wait ;D
We can wait. Where did you get that information and how certain are you they will all be cheaper? Better than the current Black Friday deals now?

Actually, it was something I heard in passing, but they did mention that the prices would be lower than "Black Friday" events. They were also talking about 4K sets being significantly cheaper with some units below 1K. As far as how certain I am ....... I would think it's a logical market research tv sales analysis trend.  Sorry I cant remember who "they" is but it was some kind of consumer tech relate show.
Title: Re: Next project... setting up Home Theater
Post by: sqlbullet on November 24 2014 10:42:27 AM MST
Couple things to keep in mind:

Often the uber cheap black friday electronics special deals are one-off model numbers made cheap with inferior components.  Beware the deal that is too good to be true, take a smart phone and know the model number of the TV you think you are getting at non-black friday sales.  If they don't line up, keep walking.

If you are in the market for a 40" set don't want/need smartTV guts or a TV tuner, the oCosmo brand on Amazon is an amazing deal.  I got my 40" LED there for under $300 shipped to my door about a year ago.  No one is confirming who makes these TV's, but here are a couple clues.  The picture is indistinguishable from the Sony Bravia, and you use the Sony Bravia remote codes on universal remotes.

For many years I have used Apple TV Gen 2 boxes as my "smarts" to make dumb TV's smart.  I have liked them for the price, the fact they have Netflix, and can be rooted and have XBMC installed to allow me to browse my rather substantial home medial library on network drives.  However, the Gen 2 was replaced by the Gen 3 several years ago, and as yet the Gen 3 has not been rooted.  As a result Gen 2's have become quite expensive on eBay.

I have tried the Vizio Co-Star for the same job, and as a plus it supports more apps natively.  On the downside it doesn't have a good solution for local network content.  I have gotten around this by running a Raspberry Pi with Archlinux based LAMP stack and a little PHP script to host the contents of the network drive over http.  The Co-Star has Chrome, and Chrome will browse and play the .m4v files just fine, but it is not nearly as nice as XBMC.  The Co-Star also lacks optical audio out, so if you want to plumb it into a sound system you have to either have an audio receiver that has HDMI in, or you have to pull the audio from the audio out on the monitor.

On Friday I took deliver of an Amazon TV and am very happy so far.  Like the Apple TV it has optical audio out.  The remote is minimalist, which I like.  It supports a bunch of apps, runs android underneath, and you can side load XBMC, as well as any other andriod APK. With a bit of a hack I now have XBMC in my recent apps list as well. It has replaced the Apple TV in my main entertainment stack, and will probably supplant the Vizio Co-stars in the kids family room and my bedroom.  The only lament here is the Apple TV Netflix interface is superior IMHO to any other Netflix interface I have seen including the Amazon TV.

IC, you appear to be far more of an audiophile than I am.  I tend to be more enthralled with the content deliver systems, as well as eliminating the need to touch a DVD when I watch a movie (or more importantly when my jelly fingered offspring watch a movie 10K times).  My primary media centers in my home are all in-wall wired for 6.1 surround, but I have yet to install speakers in-wall anywhere.  I hope to get to that over the winter.
Title: Re: Next project... setting up Home Theater
Post by: Intercooler on November 24 2014 03:37:27 PM MST
I snapped a couple of pictures today.

The subwoofer was positioned in the corner, where the low electrical outlet is located. I don't have the square 4 walls in the new house  :(
(http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff100/Intercooler2/20141124_154041_zpse4icirqj.jpg)

I put not included tags on the speakers... didn't matter!
(http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff100/Intercooler2/20141124_154055_zpsk4kali6v.jpg)

This one is of the 4665 and the front channels.
(http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff100/Intercooler2/20141124_154114_zpsxwe3trn0.jpg)

I don't know if they make these anymore.
(http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff100/Intercooler2/20141124_154137_zpsgfszrfbp.jpg)
Title: Re: Next project... setting up Home Theater
Post by: The_Shadow on November 24 2014 07:50:23 PM MST
I dismantled the older setup, cleaned up that old oak cabinet, the older set, vcr/dvd recorders, Wii and a host of other items.

After that I took measurements, located studs and ordered a tilting wall mount.  Making notes and studying what which thinks I want to integrate in the new system setup. :-\
Title: Re: Next project... setting up Home Theater
Post by: DeltaSteve on November 25 2014 09:23:03 AM MST
Did you get one of these 'Dual Arm Articulating TV Wall Mounts' we bought one 7+ years ago. We've gone through 2 TVs currently using on our 70". Fit's flush to the wall, pulls out, tilts up/down, l/r it's amazing!!
Title: Re: Next project... setting up Home Theater
Post by: The_Shadow on November 25 2014 01:27:35 PM MST
I looked that those, but they are very nice units.  The way my room is setup, I don't need it to turn left or right.  So it is just a tilting unit, (up or down).

Title: Re: Next project... setting up Home Theater
Post by: Intercooler on November 26 2014 11:31:56 AM MST
   I called Definitive today and they said mount the bi-polar speakers to the rear wall equally spaced from the wall breaks.

I found out my fronts are Mythos 6's and have really come down in price: http://www.amazon.com/Definitive-Technology-Mythos-Satellite-Speaker/dp/B000TD6QPG

They were $600 each when I bought  :o

Title: Re: Next project... setting up Home Theater
Post by: Intercooler on December 09 2014 03:17:20 PM MST
  I finally got the flat up yesterday. My first unit had to be returned due to damage (cracked screen). I didn't get to tune much on it last night and my Wife asked me about returning it. This evening I tuned it and right now watching Transformers on it. Is their too much HD? I'm thinking with this set... maybe! I should take a little video to show what I mean.