need help in buying/building a budget home theater

[sdhameshia]

hello experts,

I have just bought a LED TV(40PFL5059), using it with Airtel HD.

Am planning to buy/build a home theater with it. My budget is very low, 15k-20k max.

My main use will be downloaded HD movies(not from expensive bluerays ) , HD Sports channels, and music.

Am looking for a Home Theater with Digital Audio IN, many entry level systems doesn't have it. It will be used for connecting Airtel DTH with 5.1 speakers, not RCA stereo.

BlueRay player isn't must, but if Player can play all downloaded HD movies then it's good. Mosts don't play MPEG-4 AVC(.mkv). Otherwise I will need to play it on my laptop and then stream it on TV through HDMI. Sound can be converted using HDMI to Digital Out converter.

I know I won't have many options in this budget, still trying my luck. Too temped to buy an entry level AV Receiver(Pioneer VSX-523-K) but it goes out of budget with speakers.

Any review on this?:
http://www.samsung.com/in/consumer/tv-audio-video/home-theatre/home-theatre-system/HT-F4500/XL

this is really tempting:
http://in.yamaha.com/en/products/audio-visual/hometheater-systems/home-theater-package/yht-196_g/

thanks in advance!

 

[elangoas]

Congrats on your purchase...

When you are on very tight budget, always look for used components...If you are to spend on new, you will end up only with AVR & can't afford speakers...

Here are few things you can consider..

* Look for used AVR's in "For Sale" section of the forum.. If not, open an thread in "Wanted" section of the forum.. You may find some really good deals...

Depending on the age of the AVR and condition, keep aside 7 ~ 10K for it...

* You will need a media player to play the BR Rips... Something like the Asus O Play Mini.... This is Approx 4.5... This has Digital out which you can connect to AVR which have Digital inputs....

Whatever remains in your budget, choose an used BS either from forum (or) in OLX which is in good condition... You can use Sony BS speakers too if you can get them for 2K...

There are quite a lot of sony hi-fi speakers there on OLX...

Later when you have budget, buy the remaining speakers....

(or)

Look for an used HTIB systems in OLX.. If you are lucky, you might end up getting one...

Let us know what works for you...

 

[sdhameshia]

thanks you Elangoas

I looked on OLX. Am seeing many AV Receivers in 10k range but all with Analog/Component Video Input, not HDMI.

For Audio it's having Digital Input, but for video it has Analog/Component.

I'll keep looking for more options... thanks again!

 

[sdhameshia]

Oh I didn't see Asus O Play Mini, it's awesome! It has answer to my problems thanks again Elangoas...

 

[elangoas]

If you are looking for AVR with HDMI in <10K used, chances are that it might be faulty...

If your TV had optical/co-axial out, you wouldn't even need media player too... You could use the laptop to TV with HDMI cable & take digital out from TV and connect to AVR...

Even if you choose AVR with HDMI, you may need to connect it with Optical cable as your TV doesn't support HDMI (ARC) feature...

 

[sdhameshia]

Yes, I will need to connect Airtel DTH with AV Receiver using Digital IN-OUT connections. My TV doesn't have optical/co-axial out or HDMI ARC :-( You can't get everything in 28.4k!

 

[elangoas]

Yes, I will need to connect Airtel DTH with AV Receiver using Digital IN-OUT connections. My TV doesn't have Optical/Digital out or HDMI ARC :-( You can't get everything in 28.4k!

The manufacturer has to provide these essential features.... These features may cost atmost 1K more to mass produce and comes in real handy...

When you don't have HDMI ARC, at-least optical comes in handy to connect external amplifier...

Never mind, keep looking for older AVR's... Good luck...

 

[mvkgilli]

philips htb 5580 with wirelewss good

 

[mvkgilli]

philips htb 5580 blueray with 4 tall boy speakers. with rear wireless speakers. wireless transmitter is free. not suitable for smaall rooms.advanced model of philips in india

 

[sdhameshia]

The manufacturer has to provide these essential features.... These features may cost atmost 1K more to mass produce and comes in real handy...

When you don't have HDMI ARC, at-least optical comes in handy to connect external amplifier...

Never mind, keep looking for older AVR's... Good luck...

that's true

see this HTS package:
YHT-196 - Home Theater Packages - Yamaha - India

this is a complete package, AVR and 5.1 speakers.

and its in 20-21k.

you suggested to go with building system myself.

Can you help me understand pros and cons. am new to this technology and really don't understand benefit and specification details of AVRs other than connectivity options.

 

[elangoas]

that's true

see this HTS package:
YHT-196 - Home Theater Packages - Yamaha - India

this is a complete package, AVR and 5.1 speakers.

and its in 20-21k.

you suggested to go with building system myself.

Can you help me understand pros and cons. am new to this technology and really don't understand benefit and specification details of AVRs other than connectivity options.

Yamaha YHT 196 Pros


* Entry level HTIB..
* you can upgrade your speakers later..
* though comes with passive subwoofer, you can add Active subwoofer later.

Cons :

* Doesn't decode DTS-HDMA (or) Dolby True HD

Here is the link to the thread in the forum with actual user experience..

http://www.hifivision.com/home-theater/28044-purchased-yamaha-yht-196-today-20-999-a.html

 

[sdhameshia]

Yamaha YHT 196 Pros


* Entry level HTIB..
* you can upgrade your speakers later..
* though comes with passive subwoofer, you can add Active subwoofer later.

Cons :

* Doesn't decode DTS-HDMA (or) Dolby True HD

Here is the link to the thread in the forum with actual user experience..

http://www.hifivision.com/home-theater/28044-purchased-yamaha-yht-196-today-20-999-a.html

Okay.

Am getting Pioneer VSX-524-K in 16k, brand new, from a local shop(without bill and warranty). this will save my 4k for Asus O Mini Player. Is it a good deal?

Any speakers you recommend?

 

[sdhameshia]

I have a question for AVR users. If I connect my laptop to AVR by HDMI cable, and then stream a movie to play on TV. Will it play audio on Speakers connected to AVR? Or do I need to connect Digital Out from TV to Digital In on AVR? Assuming there's no HDMI ARC on TV.

 

[sound_maestro]

I have a question for AVR users. If I connect my laptop to AVR by HDMI cable, and then stream a movie to play on TV. Will it play audio on Speakers connected to AVR? Or do I need to connect Digital Out from TV to Digital In on AVR? Assuming there's no HDMI ARC on TV.

The sound will play on AVR,that's the whole point. If you want to hear the tv sound(when tv is directly played) via AVR speakers, you can use ARC function.

Laptop-->AVR(Music)-->TV(video

 

[sdhameshia]

The sound will play on AVR,that's the whole point. If you want to hear the tv sound(when tv is directly played) via AVR speakers, you can use ARC function.

Laptop-->AVR(Music)-->TV(video

thanks! was reading somewhere people were having issues, I guess mostly configuration issue then.

 

[elangoas]

The sound will play on AVR,that's the whole point. If you want to hear the tv sound(when tv is directly played) via AVR speakers, you can use ARC function.

Laptop-->AVR(Music)-->TV(video

Are you sure... HDMI out from AVR carries both audio & video to HDMI TV's input....

 

[sound_maestro]

Are you sure... HDMI out from AVR carries both audio & video to HDMI TV's input....

Never had this issue. I have found an option to use TV speakers is needed.But this always worked for me by default.

 

[elangoas]

Never had this issue. I have found an option to use TV speakers is needed.But this always worked for me by default.

So i guess you have connected your AVR to TV with has HDMI-ARC function... Could you specify your AVR & TV model...

 

[sound_maestro]

So i guess you have connected your AVR to TV with has HDMI-ARC function... Could you specify your AVR & TV model...

For a computer connected to AVR to TV all connected via HDMI, my experience has been that the sound will come automatically from AVR and video appear on TV;when a video file is played on computer.

If your qn was about sound output of TV programmes(played from cable or Dish),TV with ARC function can play it via AVR speakers. Otherwise an optical cable from TV to AVR is needed. I have used many models of HTIB(Mostly LG and Philips) and TV(mostly LG).

 

[mvkgilli]

-philips htb 5580 blueray with 4 tall boy speakers. with rear wireless speakers. wireless transmitter is free.