toddvj

You should use the test disc, not just the internal program in the 4800. That allows you to take the full path from Source to speakers. If you skip the source altogether, the input levels might vary from the DVD player to the receiver. Check to see if the Denon saves your settings for different inputs/sound fields.

I'm looking for some information. Does anyone know where I can find info on SACD titles? In particular, I would like to know up to the minute, planned future releases, and I would also like to see a list of Hybrid titles available. I've already looked at Sony's website, and they had a really good list, but I'd like to browse only titles that I can play on a regular CD player. As a side note, does anyone besides me think that they are shooting themselves in the foot by releasing so many Single-Layer discs? To me, that was a HUGE advantage over DVD-A, that you can play the CD's in a regular player as well as a SACD player.

Can't hurt to have "too much" in cables. If you plan to upgrade later, you can keep the nice cables you invested in originally.

You have to buy it, if you want the Slipcase and extra 4th disc. I own all three, but only the first is really good. The new one was fun, and most importantly , it was SHORT AND SWEET This message has been edited by toddvj on 01-03-2002 at 03:55 AM

Danartdis, Yes, that's what it means. Audioman, Terminator was mono when first released on DVD. The new special edition is 5.1, they did a good job with it, too. You can still access the mono channel if you want, though. I just watched it, man is it cheesy compared to T2!!!

Plasmas are cool, but they aren't the greatest quality. No problem with DVD's, but with HD, quick movement, they just can't keep up. A Projector is definitely the way to go. Check out DLP, if you haven't already, they are reasonably priced (compared with Plasma or CRT projectors) and give you excellent picture quality, better than most LCD's. Save the Plasma for a smaller room, and wait until they come down to a reasonable price.

Hey Boomer, what are you basing your opinion of the Pioneer Elite on? I hardly think that a receiver from '93 is more of a "Workhorse" than a current one. I don't know the Marantz, so I can't comment on which is better, but Denon in this price range is weak, and I don't think you can buy an Integra in this price range, just a Circuit City level Onkyo.

Hell Yes. There is no comparison between the Reference and the Synergy. Granted the Synergies you have are nice, but it would be money well spent, if you can swing it.

Yeah, what they said. aab3rd, There is The Haunting, Gladiator, Seven, Rush Hour 2, Jurrasic Park 3, Chicken Run, and Cast Away, to name a few (or maybe all of 'em) that have discreet 6.1. Some of these titles advertise it, some don't. My receiver lights up when there is a discreet rear channel. I don't know if there is such thing as discreet 7.1, but with the magic of THX, you can be led to beleive that is what you're hearing. I think you would have a hard time convincing me that you can hear a difference between Discreet and Matrixed, though. I use my 7.1 even when I'm watching a 5.1 movie. It works great. Myram, nice system. You keep your front speakers nice and close to the TV, huh? I see you went for the bad-boy Denon 7.1 amp. Nice. You have good taste in DVD players. I just picked up my RP-91 yesterday, and it is awesome!! Picture of course is great, but what floored me is the sound quality!! Wasn't expecting such an improvement. I wish I would've known what a difference a DVD player could make, I would've stepped up long ago. No more cheap sony's for me. I'm considering ditching my 400 disc CD player in favor of the DVD player now. Do you get High-Def from your Cable? If not, you should get a satellite, to really do your system justice.

Also make sure that the Yamaha is set for Sub--Main + LFE. Another solution is to run the Sub from the Main Pre-outs. You would have to set the sub to "None," but it should give you more bass. Yamaha/Klipsch Subs are a tricky combination.

I wouldn't splice together a bunch of RCA's. Instead use one long run of Coax with RCA ends. Works like a charm.

Thank You. I've been meaning to test it out myself, because I didn't think it was possible that they "made" a widescreen movie out of a 4:3 movie. It just didn't make sense. Thanks for saving me the time. Now I can sleep better at night.

Hey, I wouldn't complain if your fiance loves her ebay. At least you aren't the one shelling out the cash (or maybe you are??) The widescreen vs. Pan and Scan debate has been going on for a long time. First of all, I don't think anyone could've predicted the overwhelming success the DVD format has become. Home theater buffs in the past used Laserdisc, and it was a very small part of the population who owned them. Widescreen was the prefferred method of presentation for these enthusiasts. Now that DVD has become a household word, maybe the mainstream would prefer to have the option of choice. Had they known in the beginning how big DVD would become, I have no doubt they would've made more movies in the Pan and Scan format. But strangly enough, the public has accepted the new and different format, and I for one couldn't be happier. Eventually we will all have Widescreen TV's and it won't matter. You'll be glad that most of your DVD's aren't fullscreen at that time. Then you'll be complaining about those stupid bars on the sides of the TV. My argument is for widescreen it this--What good is the high quality video of DVD if you only get 75% of it? Would you replace your 5.1 system with 3.75(point)0.75? Imagine how cool it was to go to the theater and see a widescreen movie for the first time. It was something you had never seen before. I don't think anyone on this board was around when there was no TV, so the 4:3 format is nothing special. I can watch regular TV anytime. Try this...take one of your dual sided discs and compare the same scene. Notice all the stuff you're missing. Look at how people's heads are cropped, not only on the sides, but also at the top. Look at how the camera moves differently from the widescreen (original) version to the fullscreen (doctored) version. Take one of your DVD's that has director's commentary and listen to them talk about how they create certain moods. A lot of it has to do with movement of the camera, ambiance, etc. all of which you lose out on if you cut off a quarter of the picture. Imagine if you wrote a novel, and your editor told you that nobody will buy it unless you cut out 25% of the pages. That's what you're asking the artists who make films to do when you ask them to make their movies fit your TV screen. I'll get off my soapbox now. I hope you find my little rant a little bit enlightening. It may not change your mind, but I hope it will at least offer some insight as to why Widescreen Presentation is not the evil thing you make it out to be.

You sure they weren't joking? They can barely get HD/Progressive Scan right, how could they be doing 3D. You must've been looking at an April Fools edition of the magazine.

Mike, nice DVD player! I have decided on that one myself. Hope to have mine within a couple of weeks, along with the TU-HDS20 High-Def box. You got a really good deal on the RP91!!! Bulldawg, Listen to Big K--Yamaha is a good way to go. If you can get ahold of an 800, they are hard to find anymore, you can get it cheap, and it is a nice recevier. Little tougher to set-up but high quality for the $$.

Pioneer Elite VSX-36TX. People never mention it, but it is an awesome receiver. Better than the 3802. You need a seperate amp for 7.1 though. 35TX if you want to stay closer to $750. Still better than the 3802.

Kilowatter, are you new to DVD? I think a lot of people (myself included) hate Letterbox when they first start watching DVD's. Then they get used to it and wouldn't watch them any other way. When I have a choice between widescreen and full frame, I always choose widescreen (except Bugs Life). Most everyone I've talked to feels the same way. I now have a widescreen TV though, so of course I only go for widescreen now, but I've only had the TV a week.

Fargo said it was Dolby Surround, but when I popped it in, it was 5.1!!!

Marshal, I got my new 34" Panasonic about a week ago. It is sweet!!! When I told people what I was getting, a lot of them asked me why I was going so small. Well, I sit maybe 8 feet from the TV, and I tell you, I'm glad I didn't go any bigger. The TV is perfect size for my room. I think this TV, being a tube, has better picture than any RP (maybe not Pioneer???). I'm glad I didn't go with my second choice 43" Hitachi. A couple other choices that didn't mention before are the 40" XBR. It's not widescreen, but it has a 16:9 mode, and it's so damn big, even in widescreen it would be okay. Kinda spendy though. Then there's the RCA F-38310. It has okay picture, and everything is built right in for HDTV, both over the air and satellite. Like I said, okay picture, not the greatest, looks good with HD or DVD, though. Not the best stretch modes for 4:3, but again it's damn big, so the bars on the sides might not bother you.

Geez, pardon me for expressing my opinion. In all fairness, Stu, you are right about how I make my living. I don't really consider them a threat though, they can't really compete with the big boys. I know that everybody loves their Outlaw Receiver, I just wonder what they had before that makes this receiver seem so great. Jim, I like your list of equipment with "Any Questions" afterwards. I'm not sure what you were trying to prove. Isn't Optimus the Radio Shack brand? And Apex is the $99 DVD player right? Anyway, the Outlaw may well be the best receiver in the world. I'll probably never find out though. You have to admit, it's damn ugly though!!!

I didn't say I was a Dork, just a Star Wars fan. I just don't see how anyone who is into Star Wars can say that Episode One wasn't great. You have to listen to what the Jedi Council says, that alone makes the film worth watching. The fight scenes were awesome. Yeah, Jar Jar is somewhat annoying, but haven't you ever seen a good movie with an annoying character. Yeah, I know one annoying character just ruins the whole movie. To each his own though. Oh, by the way, I own all the Star Wars movies on DVD. Nyah, Nyah.

Anybody who doesn't like Star Wars Episode 1 is not a true Star Wars fan. The movie was awesome!!!

re: Sherwood--Junk--You are better off with a cheap Sony. Oh, and one more thing--I wouldn't buy any receiver without hearing it first, with or without someone else's glowing reviews. I hate everything Outlaw represents. Sell your stuff in a real store if it is really any good, and don't give me this crap about "We save you money buy selling direct" I guarantee they make more profit per receiver than any of the "Real" manufacturers.

Actually, because the Player you own is a DVD-Audio model, the Analog outputs would be a very good way to hook it up. That is the only way you will get the DVD-A music to the receiver. As far as the Optical/Digital Coax debate, you'll get different opinions from different people, probably about 50/50. My opinion: You probably wouldn't hear any difference between the two. If you wanted to hook up both, I'm sure the JVC would let you do that, it probably even outputs both at the same time. That would also be a way to do your A/B comparison. But if you want to use the DVD Audio, you must use Analog 5.1 Outputs.

Rodney, the stuff you are looking at will make a great home theater set-up. You might want to look at the SC-1 instead of the .5, though. It will be a better match for the SF-2's.