$200 is possible for making a cheap home threater??

[ccsakura]

Hey guys. I got a question with those solving a home threater with a very small budget. Well my situation is like this: My friend's family is looking for a home theater system for $350 within DVD player(since they aren't crazy about at it and they are just the consumers and want them instead of quality). My plan is like this:

1. Progressive scan dvd player $150, I guess the price should be around $150, is there any recommendation for the player?

2. The biggest problem comes out, I should drop my price on dvd player and get rid of progressive scan and pay more on speakers? No matter yes or no I should get a set of computer speakers to put with them? Since they have the quality with similar price. Or I should buy a cheap reciever with 5.1 speakers? If yes is there any model that can recommend? I'm always looking for 2-300 for a pair of speakers that they are unable to afford and i've no idea about those price's range speakers

btw happy thx giving

[Kain]

Well, do they even have a progressive scan cabable TV? Secondly, do they prefer better sound or better picture quality?

[ccsakura]

I'm not sure about their family's tv supports progressive scan or not but I geuss not(Just a family that has simple furnitures). They usually listen classical music so I think they'd go for sound quality instead of picutre quality. BUt the progressive scan seems become future's standard, they may probably change the tv within a year or 2. So I'm stuggling with paying a hundred more bucks for progressive scan or not. But they'd go for sound quality more than picture if they can choose one only

[Kain]

If they do not have a progressive scan cabable TV I would suggest not getting a progressive scan DVD player. The reason is because progressive scan technology is changing very fast, and in two years there will be a HUGE difference from what is available now, and so they might have to upgrade their DVD player too. Plus, Blue-Ray DVD technology is around to corner too.

So, I would recommend getting a non-progressive scan capable DVD player and spending the extra money saved on better speakers and audio equipment.

[ccsakura]

So what speakers should I get? Or reciever? Since I recievers with speakers are usually more expensive than 300 bucks. I guess it's able to buy a pair of speakers by 300 bucks only . Is there any choices that I can choose from? Especially for the reciever because I've no idea for the reciever but it's possible to get a set of computer speakers that's 5.1 and cheap. Of coz dolby digital decode and dts if possible . I think the budget of the reciever can go to $200 because I got some choices for speakers and they can spare the budget to $200 of buying a reciever.

[JohnA]

This is about it. Buy the most expensive one of these you can stand. At your price range you cannot buy branded components.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00005R19V/ref%3De%5Fbr%5Fslwth%5F3/104-9620905-5815145

http://www.kmart.com/family/index.jsp?categoryId=821347&cp=784867.784873

[ccsakura]

So I should get a combined set instead of buying them in seperated pieces?? Although I'd go for cheap computer speakers like digithreater from Videologic but I guess they still have better quality than those "brand" theater systems?? Anyway I didn't try them and does anyone tried similart hings that can give some advice ?

[marksdad]

ht in a box seems popular right now, i saw 1 on tv the other morning for around 300 its brand name was sansukiaha or something, just remember you do get what you pay for

[Kain]

Won't the Klipsch ProMedias fit in this price range?

[tigerwoodKhorns]

There is a whole world that you have not explored that will solve your problem. at the price that you are talking about, look into used equipmenet in your local classifieds. There are a lot of people out there that upgrade every year and sell pristine equipment for 30% or less of new price. here are the results taht I got:

a friend of mine has a huge house that can support a full on theater room upstairs and surround sound downstairs. for $600 I got her a top of the line sony receiver (last years model), a yamaha 5.1 surround receiver, 5 yamaha mini speakers and matching sub, and a panasonic 5 disc dvd player. The guy had everything but the DVD listed in 2 ads for $385 each ($770 total) When I said that I wanted the whole lot, he mentioned the dvd. he had used it 2 times then realized that he needed a progressive scan. the plastic bags were not even broken. Anyway, he threw it in and the whoel package was $600.

In a different transaction, for her upstairs I got her a Set of RF7's, a 12" sub, center and 2 rears and stands (all Klipsch - I forgot the other model numbers)for $1600. This stuff was all 6 months old. By the way in the same transaction, I got a Denon 5800 receiver (1 year old) for $1100 for myself. He didn't have it listed, but I chated with him for a while and he mentioned that he would not mind upgrading. The guy was so happy to get the $2700 total, that he threw in a JBL 12 powered sub, a kenwood car amp and a bandpass box to get them out of his garage.

The moral here is that in this budget, you really can't get anything decent new. Find a guy that has a receiver and speakers that he is itching to part with and you can probably stay in your budget and get them something that will not hurt your ears when you visit (and you will be their hero).

One last thing, if someone has some nice stuff for sale, call and ask if they have anything else, that is how I got my second set of heresy's for surround.

Just a thought,

Chris

[ccsakura]

Thanks information for everyone, I guess I got an idea what to deal with for $350 budgets . But where should I look for the 2nd hand reciever?? I'd probably go on second hand speakers and reciever. Is there any site that can recommend for reciever? Since they are usually having price like $1000 even they are second hand. I'm looking for one that's $200-250 if possible

[prodj101]

how about this? http://www.crutchfield.com/cgi-bin/S-jRHQIia8i01/ProdView.asp?s=0&c=4&g=37700&I=257THA30&o=p&a=0

110 watts for the subwoofer isn't bad. in one of my systems I have a dual 12 inch subwoofer system, each in it's own enclosure that is powered by 6 watts per channel and it's plenty loud. That also includes the DVD player, receiver, and all speakers for exaclty your budget.

[ccsakura]

Alright, after all of the informations, I've 3choices:

1. Digi theater speaker system LC (2nd hand) and Daewoo DVG-9000N around $250

Ref link(Speaker www.videologic.com)

dvd player: https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00005UFCL/ref=cm_wl_ovu-pg.1-pos.1/002-6978274-6241617?v=glance&coliid=I1S4XB9QOOD9IE

2. Samsung HT-DM150 home theater system $299.98

reference link http://www.vanns.com/avcom/De.dna?RG=922-843&dt=731548&tm=84162&sku=516299534&cart=3247600692347030&cID=0&MC=Video&DC=DVD%20Theater%20Systems&pTitle=Samsung%20HT-DM150&objdata=naccSKU&com=shwpg

3. JVC TH-A30 home theater system $349.99

http://www.crutchfield.com/cgi-bin/S-YUJRty5Vbce/ProdView.asp?a=0&s=0&g=37700&id=detailed_info&i=257THA30

(thx for the information of this system )

Since I didn't try any home theater system so I can't judge they are really good quailty enough to compare with the seperated systems. Well perhaps I'm out of date for combined home theater systems that makes me always prefer seperated items. Does anyone know they are really good enough or not? One of them above or a new template

<--------life with questions

PS. Is there any dvd player has 5.1 out with dts so that I can buy the dvd player and speakers directly to avoid digital decoder or reciever(they don't work here becuase they are too expensive)

[marksdad]

check ebay at this very moment there are many very nice klipsch souround sysyems that sound like they fit your needs

[ccsakura]

Oh god I forgot ebay the great 2nd hand auction market again

Thanks man

[WMcD]

I hope I'm not being a luddite here. I just don't see how a good job can be done within the budget.

A progressive scan DVD does no good with a compatable tube, and that is way off budget.

A 5.1 receiver does no good without a multi speaker set up.

The computer system speakers might barely make it, but not without the 5.1 receiver.

On the other hand, would you consider just keeping them with their present electronics and hook up the TV and existing DVD or VCR and stereo system?

There is a lot of bang for the buck (almost free) putting TV audio into the stereo. If they don't have a good set of speakers, and a marginal stereo system, a bigger set of speakers can make an appreciable difference. Even there, $250 on speakers is not going to buy much.

It may be that your friends are listening to audio through the very primitive speakers in the TV. Routing the audio through even a "dorm room" stereo or K-Mart stereo is going to make a tremendous amount of difference, and is well within budget.

Gil

[tigerwoodKhorns]

Here is an ad from our local paper today:

SURROUND SOUND STEREO EQUIPMENT SYS. 100 watt. $350. (702)893-3320

I have no idea what it is, but you are probably looking at $200 to $250, so even if they don't have a DVD, you will have money left over to get one.

Here is another ad:

Speaker Surround Sound System, 4 kef series speakers &Infinity center channel speaker, Paid over $1000, $275 OBO 896-6963.

The speakers sounded decent, but were extremely pale in comparison to the Heresy that I brought with me. But, in your budget, these are excellent speakers. before I get attacked by everyone, my personal reccomendation with a $350 budget is get a set of heresy's, and enjoy polishing them every day until you can afford a decent receiver. That being said, this guy has had these for sale for a few months and would probably take $200 or maybe less for the five speakers.

Anyway, check your local newspaper classifieds. You should be able to access them online. ad them to your "favorites" and brouse every day. In any case, it is interesting to see how much things go for, and the prices after negotiation are always less than ebay (too many buyers at any time on ebay drives the price up, and you don't get to audition first plus there is that whole shipping thing and pay before you buy, etc...).

Happy hunting!!

Chris