Your HDTV Setups

[tfboy]

Bit of an update for my side. Apologies for the random mess

Recently picked up a Bravia KDL-40V true 1080p panel in a sale It's great cos it allows me to use any of my sources without firing up the projector which is very practical, particularly when it's just for 5 minutes and/or there's sunlight beaming in from the outside.



Then, on the left we have a HTPC although this doesn't get used much nowadays. When MS released their HD-DVD addon drive for the xbox 360, I was using the HTPC as a HD-DVD player but was always disappointed with performance - stutters, only "standard def" audio out of the optical connector on the motherboard and mainly crushed blacks which have always plagued the setup, although these were more due to nvidia being uncapable of writing proper drivers Above the PC, there's the box on the right which is the control box for the Paradigm Servo 15 sub (evil mofo of a sub ) and to the left of that, a little USB receiver for the wireless keyboard / mouse above on the top.



Subwoofer hidden next to speaker:



Also, had another issue with 24p content. Whilst the projector plays back 24p content and the TV is 24p capable, the amplifier is not. Well, it is, but it doesn't say it is in its EDID data so it always goes for the common ground which is 1080i. Not ideal for 24p material

Another point, when I only had the projector, it was fine - only one "destination" device. But now I have the TV, it means that I have to constantly switch the cables at the back between TV and projector. Not exactly ideal. This brought me to buy the Gefen HDMI router which is the little silver box on the right, above the Tosh EP30 HD-DVD player (picked up for £70 with 8 films - love it when a losing format goes down the bargain basement). This fancy albeit relatively expensive (£250) box of tricks has 3 HDMI inputs and 4 HDMI outputs. The outputs all show the same signal selected from one of the three inputs. This effectively means that I have the outputs feeding the telly, amp (for HD sound) and Projector all at the same time. It's really fixed a major ballache that HDMI negotiation is. OK, HDMI autonegotiate is fine for simple setups but when you get more than one playback device and display, the handshaking kind of screws everything up



Then on the right, we have a Pioneer DV-757 (I think) player. It manages my Region 1 DVDs. Also use it for the fantastic but unfortunetely, no longer developed firewire / i-link audio interface for playing back both normal CDs and SACDs. The i-link feeds the amplifier (Sony STR-DA7100ES) with the DSD signal and the amp being digital provides the most awesome clarity I've ever heard. Anyway, I digress, this is more about hone cinema

Above the Pio, there's the Tosh HD-DVD player (into HDMI input 2) and above that, the fancy Octava HDMI splitter. Above on top, is my Jap PS3 (into input 1) which I use as a region A blu-ray player.

Region B is catered by a vaio I bought for my girlfriend as a pressie. It has HDMI out (fed into the third input of the splitter) and optical audio which is fed directly into the amp.

All of that lot feed the speakers :-
Monitor Audio front stereo, Paradigm CC350 centre speaker and 4x Monitor Audio Radius R90 used for surround.

and the telly or for late night big movie picture, the projector which is thrown onto an Ikea Tupplor blackout rollerblind which is doing the job until I find something better. Still, a 2m50 diagonal 1080p picture is rather good, and compliments the sound when it's cranked up

Projector (Sony VPL-VW50) :



There, that's about it for me until I catch the next outbreak of upgraditis

[bigblue]

Looking good

I hope the next but of udgraditis is related to the shelf the TV is sitting on, doesn't look as if it's gonna take the strain much longer

[Howard]

LOL I build a similar shelf/cabinet for my tv to sit on and centre speaker to sit under, I braced it a bit better than that though

[tfboy]

It is only temporary. Couldn't be bothered to brace it any better and will sort out something a little sturdier when time allows. Madly busy at work and never at home at the moment Up at 5 this morning, off to Berlin, then off to Paris tomorrow doing an overnight upgrade of a system (proper telly system that is ) and then hopefully back home on Thursday. So it'll have to wait a bit

[Butuz]

Dude you need some black curtains man!

Butuz

[Ferral]

We have just got a 47" 1080P Philips Ambilight and black stand. There is a Wharfdale upscaling DVD player, Sky+, XBox 360 (Now in 1080P) and the Nintendo Wii attached. Its really nice must admit. Handy that it has 4 HDMI ports also.

Will get some pics later.

[Ferral]

This is my setup, pics arn't that great as I have quite a shaky hand with photography!

Also took them on my N95, but it gives you an idea anyhows! I set the Ambilight to red so you can see exactly what it does, normally have it set to white on an evening when it is dark. TV really stands out if all lights are off.

[tfboy]

Originally Posted by Butuz

Dude you need some black curtains man!

Butuz

Yeah, I know. But only use the PJ at night when it's dark outside. Kind of limits my viewing time on the big screen though, pushing me to do something about it.

[The0wn4g3]

Man am i jealous... My HD setup are the pictures moving around in my mind... there aren't too many channels, but the contrast is unbelievable!

[suniil]

Alright guys, I've posted my setup here 2 years ago

Your HDTV Setups

Everthing changed a lot, moved to a house. Did a complete (99% DIY) refurb, upgraded pretty much everything except TV.

Living room - sound stage



Rear

[suniil]

[Kingsimmy]

i've got a samsung 50" 720p hd plasma tv. connected to an xbox 360 elite and a pc with blu ray player via HDMI

[andy572]

Originally Posted by suniil

That black box - that's my home, that is. No... no, the small one!

In both senses, that's a tidy arrangement, suniil. Good work - particularly with the incorporation of the screen and lighting configuration (which looks even better in real life, right?).

[suniil]

Thanks andy! Looks good, but gives a lot of satisfaction when it is a full DIY (except tiling). Some pics are missing here, as PJ screen drops in front of plasma when projector is switched on

Originally Posted by andy572

In both senses, that's a tidy arrangement, suniil. Good work - particularly with the incorporation of the screen and lighting configuration (which looks even better in real life, right?).