How Do You Receive Television?

[Bribie G]

Bribie is from Venus, bum is from Mars :lol:

What I was referring to was - in my case -

TV Panasonic
Blu-ray player Philips
IQ2 Box from Foxtel
Proposed sound system from whoever

All separate purchases and I'll probably end up with 4 remotes sitting on the coffee table. edit: all of which are capable of say changing the volume :wacko: :wacko: Now I'm reasonably tech aware as are you, bum, but I know there are millions of people whose eyes glaze over if you even mention HDMI or 7.1.

Sooo 1960s

I was using the music centre as an illustration of how integration was well under way but nothing analogous to that is widely practiced in modern consumer electronics, I'm onto my third HD tv in six years and apart from the built in tuna nothing seems to have changed much.
At least my TV knows when I've switched the Blu-ray on and automatically swaps from HDMI2 to HDMI1 somehow .... or is the Blu-Ray hijacking the TV?

My components are at war I tells ya

 

[freezkat]

I do know what a pink noise generator is. I have a pretty good grasp of setting up delay. I wish I would have gone with a BD player vs building a HDCP HTPC. What a waste. Having to buy the top versions of powerdvd or windvd just so I can get my 7.1 to my surround receiver...gads!!!

I have an incredibly energy inefficient plasma TV, surround receiver that connects audio using fiber optic cables (...cool) and 10 inch self powered subwoofer. I love my Star Wars Tie fighters going from background to foreground..

uuuuuuuuuuuuuuurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

 

[bum]

All separate purchases and I'll probably end up with 4 remotes sitting on the coffee table.

Sure, something similar at my place but the point is that this is a decision we've made. This is not the way the market is going. Have a look at the features of the newer sets when you're next in <where ever you'd buy a tv> and have a look at the sticker on it that tells you what it does. If the telly is +42in the specs will be as long as your arm. [EDIT: I should qualify this with the obvious caveat that we're not talking about the bottom end of the market price-wise - although, even the dodgy Soniq units usually have a built-in DVD player or something].

Now I'm reasonably tech aware as are you, bum, but I know there are millions of people whose eyes glaze over if you even mention HDMI or 7.1.

Yes and no. You won't be able to get them to speak geek but the things most people (under a certain (but not terribly high) age) have their phones set up to do is pretty amazing if you really stop and have a think about it.

I was using the music centre as an illustration of how integration was well under way but nothing analogous to that is widely practiced in modern consumer electronics,

Unless I'm misunderstanding your point here - I disagree completely. I know people who use their phones to not only control their entertainment systems but to also serve the media. Also, this idea of integration of yours really only comes down to there being air between the logical components - the guts of the devices you're talking about are essentially the same.

 

[Maheel]

the money you spend on pay tv should be spent on really good internet. You can download movies and tv shows in fullHD with dolby digital and DTS surround sound, then play them back on a modern TV via home network or a cheap (<100) media player.

This is just what i've have heard anyway...

+1 FTW

i put a mini PC behind my plasma and it's great

if i get bored with TV i can watch a movie from DVD etc, download content from the internet, play a PC game, put AHB on the big screen
got 1000 gig a month to play with, awesome :super:

and the SWMBO likes that there is not 15 boxes stacked up around the TV

 

[bum]

got 1000 gig a month to play with

What is a 1TB plan worth?

 

[Maheel]

What is a 1TB plan worth?

i am on a older optus plan

$120 a month (but i get $20 credit monthly so about $103 with paper bill)

call all the phones, mobiles aust wide free and untimed except 13...
and 1000g i think it's cable but i got no idea

to be honest i am lucky to use 200-300gig a month even with what i feel is lots of use. but thats me
serious online gamers might use more ?

now it's not blueray quality all the time off the net but.... most of the time i am half pissed on HB so don't really give a rats

 

[bconnery]

Bribie is from Venus, bum is from Mars :lol:

I think you'll find Bum is from Uranus...

 

[freezkat]

The was a network feed (AuBC?) on C-Band back in November with an Australian reporter covering the Conrad Murray Trial.

I didn't know you fellas gave that much of a rats ass about Michael Jackson (the moon walking one)

 

[komodo]

No idea who conrad murray is.

Any way. Even a cheap surround sound is better than TV speakers. I use a logitch z5500 purely because for less than $300 on sale it kills the sound coming from my plasma TV by a metric **** load.
Do I think its "home theatre" - no not even close. Mind you I've only ever seen one true home theatre in the flesh and one day I aspire to have one also but it requires a dedicated room and thats something most of us dont have.

 

[bum]

I refuse to accept that poorly set up surround is the only alternative to TV speakers. Very shabby rhetoric. Spend the same money on two speakers and it'll sound better every time.

 

[seemax]

What's live TV? Besides watching the Hawks play AFL (when it's actually on TV) and primarily to satisfy my sons obsession I never watch it.

I actually perused the Foxtel TV guide out of complete curiosity ... and pondered who is paying for this trash.

I watch the odd TV series , don't mind some of the HBO stuff, but prefer stuff with subtitles such as Forbrydelsen (Danish crime thriller). But it's never live... why would you when you can grab the whole series from "the bay" and watch it at your leisure .. perfect since I travel a lot and spend way too much time idling at airports and in planes.

 

[Dave70]

I actually perused the Foxtel TV guide out of complete curiosity ... and pondered who is paying for this trash.

That's why I constantly threaten to have it disconnected lest they sweeten the pot. I like to play from the 'young family paying a mortgage' angle, then they transfer me to the 'supervisor' who tells me I'm a loyal customer and makes me feel special, and we nut out a deal. Haggle. The discounts are there if you ask.

Actually the nice man came over and hooked up another tele at the far end of the house yesterday. Awesome. I no longer have to suffer vivid up beatness of ABC 2 whilst preparing meals.

 

[komodo]

I refuse to accept that poorly set up surround is the only alternative to TV speakers. Very shabby rhetoric. Spend the same money on two speakers and it'll sound better every time.

If I want stereo I'll go down the other end of the house and put on my 2.1 HiFi with DEQX room processing and a heap of head room from my Yamaha P series amp, 12" BA sub with 1000w class D plate amp and online filtered PSU. Sure it smashes the shit out of the logitechs - there is no comparison of the tonality, range and dynamics. But its also no way near as nice for watching TV as having something nice and compact, easy to use and most importantly with a high WAF. Fact is my sub box alone unloaded cost me more to have built to my specs than my z5500s and it sounds amazing. It plays low and hits hard (hard enough to break a window I found out that hard way - stupid timber window frames allowing the glass to resonate). And thats all good and well in the lounge which is a larger room with a concrete floor base, higher cielings and a good listening spot. But the Family room is smaller, cosier, has a modular couch and no "ideal" listening spot and its already crowded with the 50" TV and the lowline TV unit and a couple of lamps. I dont need to be filling it with any set of speakers so a compact option is the best option.


Sure I could have a pair of speakers in my living room but for $300 IMO the z5500s are best bang for buck. I get the "surround" effect. I have unobtrusive satelite speakers and a small control unit and a small (say 1cuft) "sub" (read low end mid bass - no way is it getting to 20htz) enclosure.

Vs

Set of half decent "bookshelves" second hand $150 if I search and search. $100 for a "cheap but cheerful" remote integrated amplifier second hand. Plus interconnects. Lets say round figures $280 for a basic 2 channel setup of "ok" standing.
Come up with a two channel setup inc. amp and interconnects for $300 that rivals what you get from the logitechs. I've been down that road and one listen to my brothers logitechs and I decided that I was going about it all wrong.

**** that I'll have my z5500s thanks. If the TV is that shit that your worried about the sound then perhaps you need to re-evaluate what your watching. The other advantage to the satellites is that if I just want the TV on quietly whilst my partner is reading or what ever I flick it to stereo x 2 mode and just run the volume low - like watching TV with a set of cans but without getting hot ears.

 

[bum]

I'm genuinely glad you enjoy them.

I must admit I do use my headphones a bit while gaming but my Beyerdynamics don't get all that hot, thankfully. Probably due to the cloth pads.

 

[komodo]

Yeah I've always had closed cans from my days behind the console on large format jobs - havent done any big gigs in a few years though. Not nearly enough money in it for the hours. Great fun when your younger but its hard slog for little reward.
Closed headphones are always hot on your ears but they are also much better for EQ'ing individual channels when setting gains - especially I've you've got to adjust EQ on the fly ie an unplanned lineup change.
Never really had decent "audiophile" headphones as I always had decent hifi - I really should get some but these days with 3 mortgages, a fiance, couple of cars etc etc the priorities have shifted a little from high end audio to beer and 4wding. I got hooked on hifi as a youngster because dad had a set of KefKit3 (concerto in DIY form). Wasn't long before I had better gear than him and by the time I was 21 I had near $30k worth of hifi, about the same in plus several thousand worth of PA gear. Sold a lot of it and kept a basic but good clean little setup and added the DEQX which totally changed the system.

 

[milestron]

8TB NAS (Raid 5) in the wardrobe, gigabit ethernet wired through the house to WD media players connected to the lounge tv and another to the bedroom tv

 

[freezkat]

8TB NAS (Raid 5) in the wardrobe, gigabit ethernet wired through the house to WD media players connected to the lounge tv and another to the bedroom tv

I stream some movies on my laptop and use either Senheiser or Skull Candy earbuds. Using the foam inserts they are very comfortable.