Have your say & ask the experts!

Cheap home cinema advice

11 replies [Last post]
PoorDecisionMaker
PoorDecisionMaker's picture
Offline
Joined: 06/04/2010
Posts: 6

Evening all,I'm growing increasingly frustrated with the poor sound quality on my LG LCD TV, I did have every intention of saving up quite a bit more but with the situation I'm in at the minute I can only really justify spending around £300. Can I get something half decent to watch TV, Blu-rays and play PS3 with? If so, what would advice would you give me to get best value for money? Any general beginners tips on what to expect/look out for/avoid would also be greatly appreciated.Thanks in advancePDM

Alantiggger
Alantiggger's picture
Offline
Joined: 14/10/2007
Posts: 939
RE: Cheap home cinema advice

My daughter has this in her room : http://www.hyperfi.co.uk/samsung-le32d550-full-le32d550-p-1411.html

It cost me a bit more when I bought it from Richer's.

She and her boyfriend play the wii on it quite a bit and I played a few times but was pwned too much   .. couldn't handle THAT being an avid BF1942 player (yep,still)  ... and left  :)

It has a smashing picture and sounds pretty good for a flat screen.

Connect a blu ray player and wow, the picture is fab.... as is a DVD uploader.

Altogether a great picture and the sound is decent/good.

PoorDecisionMaker
PoorDecisionMaker's picture
Offline
Joined: 06/04/2010
Posts: 6
RE: Cheap home cinema advice

Thanks for the input Allantiggger but I think my OP was misleading, I'm after some sort of surround sound system for my current TV. Sorry for wasting your time!

John Duncan
John Duncan's picture
Online
Joined: 08/01/2008
Posts: 18970
RE: Cheap home cinema advice

Is it just the tv as a source or do you have sky/virgin/freeview box? If only the former, what is it so we can assess its output options?

__________________

CA StreamMagic 6 (pre-prod) | CA 751BD | CA 651A | PMC DB1i

Moderator.  mail: john.duncan.whf at the mail of g dot com

PoorDecisionMaker
PoorDecisionMaker's picture
Offline
Joined: 06/04/2010
Posts: 6
RE: Cheap home cinema advice

Sorry for the lack of detail on OP, I'd be using SkyHD, PS3 and very rarely Wii and freesat tuner that's built into the TV

sta99y
sta99y's picture
Offline
Joined: 10/05/2010
Posts: 396
RE: Cheap home cinema advice

So what youre after is a home cinema in a box?? 

For £300 I would look at the Sony BD300EV I think it's called, it got 5* award from whathifi!!! It can now be had for £240 ish, 3or 4 inputs!! 

 

Check it out. 

http://www.whathifi.com/Review/Sony-BDV-E370

 

 

__________________

Samsung PS50a456-Cambridge audio Azur 650BD-YAMAHA RXV2400rds-Tannoy TS10 Sub-Monitor Audio Radius 180 fronts/surrounds-225 centre-XBOX360-Apple tv2-IPH10011 Dock-Apple airport-Gale Hyper-Latz 250 spk cable-IOXS Interconnects-iPod 30gb video-iPhone 4

PoorDecisionMaker
PoorDecisionMaker's picture
Offline
Joined: 06/04/2010
Posts: 6
RE: Cheap home cinema advice

Thanks Sta99y, that's the sorta thing I was after!Btw I did write out a long, detailed OP but lost it when I tried to click save with full HTML, I got pee'd off and rushed it then!

sta99y
sta99y's picture
Offline
Joined: 10/05/2010
Posts: 396
RE: Cheap home cinema advice

PoorDecisionMaker wrote:

Thanks Sta99y, that's the sorta thing I was after!

Btw I did write out a long, detailed OP but lost it when I tried to click save with full HTML, I got pee'd off and rushed it then!

Glad I could be of help, if you do make a purchase pls let us all know which system you get and you're review of it. 

 

Darrell

__________________

Samsung PS50a456-Cambridge audio Azur 650BD-YAMAHA RXV2400rds-Tannoy TS10 Sub-Monitor Audio Radius 180 fronts/surrounds-225 centre-XBOX360-Apple tv2-IPH10011 Dock-Apple airport-Gale Hyper-Latz 250 spk cable-IOXS Interconnects-iPod 30gb video-iPhone 4

BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW
BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW's picture
Offline
Joined: 20/10/2010
Posts: 1161
RE: Cheap home cinema advice
__________________

LOUNGE:  PIONEER  PDP-LX508D / PIONEER BDP-320 / SKY HD / SONY STR-DA2400ES / Q ACOUSTICS 2020i / Q ACOUSTICS 2020 / Q ACOUSTICS 2000Ci / Q ACOUSTICS 1000Si / PRO-JECT DEBUT 3 / TECHNICS SL-PG490 / TEAC V-1050

BEDROOM:  SAMSUNG LE32C450 / SONY BDP-S360 / HUMAX FOXSAT-HD

bigboss
bigboss's picture
Online
Joined: 25/03/2009
Posts: 5264
RE: Cheap home cinema advice

Or, if you want the same brand as your TV which will enable you to operate both with just one remote:

http://www.richersounds.com/product/1-box-home-cinema-systems/lg/hx806pg...

__________________

My Home Cinema  Pioneer KRP 500A, Yamaha RX-V1900, MA Radius R225HD LCR, R90HD rears, AW12 sub, Panasonic BD60, PS3, Sky HD, Logitech Harmony One, Logitech PS3 Adapter, Sonos ZP90

 Bedroom Samsung UE32C6510, PS3 slim white, Apple TV, Sonos S5, Sonos ZP90, Audioengine 2, Oppo OPDV971H

drichardb
drichardb's picture
Offline
Joined: 13/12/2010
Posts: 134
RE: Cheap home cinema advice

Given your budget it would be worth checking out Onkyo's 1 box efforts - HDMI inputs for your Sky HD box and ps3 and a host of other inputs for anything else you care to throw at it.

http://www.richersounds.com/product/1-box-home-cinema-systems/onkyo/hts3405/onky-hts3405-blk

You also have scope to replace the speakers at a later date with something beefier should you develope a taste for it Smile

OK the amps dont use proper binding posts but then neither does my Logitech surround system and I still use B&W speakers for the f & c channels without any issues rockin out

 

__________________

My Setup

lobby
lobby's picture
Offline
Joined: 30/06/2008
Posts: 735
RE: Cheap home cinema advice

I feel you can still obtain seperates for around £400, i know its above your budget but would definetly be an improvement over any all in one packages.First use your PS3 as as your media hub, games,streaming and fims.The PS3 still handles blu-rays quite well, and spend your budget starting with the Onkyo 309 amp at £159 from RS, add the Boston Acoustics soundwave xs for another £200 if you look around and the rest on cables. And im sure you will be very happy, its not that difficult to set up and very rewarding once it is. Optional upgrades in the future, may be a new blu-ray player.