# Old school gear...any reason to upgrade? (also ? on DVD players)



## Mr Marv (Aug 19, 2005)

I've been sitting here for some time again trying to catch up on 5+ days of emails/PM's piled up due to recent storms that knocked down trees/wires all over town and realized it was just too quiet. I decided to take a break and hook up my "old school" gear which I had recently taken apart to put the Christmas tree up so I could listen to some music while typing. What I have is a Pioneer VSX-D902s Receiver (at the time of purchase it was Pioneers top of the line before going to Elite), Pioneer 12 disc CD changer (2 6 disc cartridges), Pioneer dual cassette (all about 16-17 yrs old ) and a pair of Infinity Column ll speakers that are 30+ years old  
As far as I can remember the amp is 100x5, has a self powered subwoofer output, some pre-set sound fields and a basic eq I believe. The speakers have 2 ribbon tweeters each (1 on the front and 1 "ambient tweeter" on the rear) a 4" paper cone mid and 2 10 " woofers in each cabinet (1 forward firing and 1 down firing). I had not listened to this stuff in a LONG time and I gotta say it STILL sounds sweeeeeeeeeeeet!  ( I'm listening to some Tower of Power on a Sheffield Labs disc right now ) 

I would just keep using the Infinity's however they are not shielded, I need to replace the woofers again (I replaced them many years ago but Infinity would not give me the specs and the ones I got don't play up to the 4's as well as the originals did) and they don't match my wifes new "decor".  

My plan is to build a new set of towers with a single 7" shielded Revelator and R2904/7000 Ring Radiator or D3004/6600-00 per tower. For sub duty I am either going to use a dedicated amp with 2 8W7's (one in each cabinet depending on the cabinet design I decide on) or a single 10W7 in its own cabinet. Music is my MAIN concern however I would like to use it with my new Sharp Aquos LCD Flat panel with movies occasionally. My questions are:

Any _good_ reason to change the receiver I have or the CD changer? (both work fine and I'm gonna ditch the cassette)
Whats a good amp to use on a pair of 8W7's with a 6 ohm load or a single 10W7 with a 3 ohm load?
Do LCD TV's suffer the same anomalies as tube TV's when using non shielded speakers?
Is a center channel needed for movies? (I have a 100 watt center channel output and the amp has something called "phantom center" or something like that)
If I need to build a center channel what do you prefer for speaker configuration ie single mid/tweet, MTM etc?
Do I really need one of these new high definition DVD players I keep hearing about to get the most out of the LCD? (I just have a basic one now)
If so I'd prefer Pioneer to match my other components however any suggestions would be appreciated as long as it's black. 
Who knows when I'll ever find time to do this but I figured I'd at least start getting the stuff I will need. Thanks!


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## kappa546 (Apr 11, 2005)

is the lcd 720p, 1080i... what's basic? i'd change the dvd player first, take a look at oppo's DV-981HD (someone on here is actually selling one). keep the receiver if it works.


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## MadMaxSE-L (Oct 19, 2006)

As far as I know only tube monitors are effected by magnets. 

LCDs and Plasma's should be good to go...


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## newtitan (Mar 7, 2005)

1)only need to upgrade older amps are for existing connections ie hdmi or component, or svideo

for example if you have a new lcd, youd want at least 1080i, preferably 1080P (if you are watching blue ray or hd dvd) and to get that high resolution youll NEED at least 1 hdmi connection from the dvd player to the receiver.

also if you ever are looking into HD satellite like direct tv, it works best also with an hdmi connection to the receiver


another reason to upgrade is if you would like 5.1 or 7.1 DTS processing through the receiver


2) id look into a ep500 although you may need to change the internal fan to make it silent, or some other PA amp

3) magnet dont effect lcds, or projections either

4) center channel is only needed if you are using the 5.1 output on the dvd menu, if you are only using the 2 channel output, stereo, then its not necessary

movies DO sound better though with a full center channel above or below the TV. music not so great obviously. it REALLY makes a difference with hddvd/blue ray discs since the audio tracks are specifically designed with HT in mind

but keep in mind that you will also need two rear bookshelf speakers to complete the 5.1 array (these should match the drivers of the front towers, and center channel)

5) the center should match the design of the main channels, ie if your towers/bookshelves are single mid/single tweet, then the center should be the same (may need to port it for output) or maybe say two 51/4 in your center to one single 7" per tower.

definitely a MTM if your towers are also MTM

6) some lcds play standard tv okay, other not so great so choose WISELY. you can easily get an up converting dvd player for like 100 at costco these days that will upconvert a regualr dvd to 1080i, and most will not notice a difference from a hddvd/blue ray 1080P

okay maybe stretching it a tad, but it can look good even at 1080i

7) hell im trying to get my own setup completed lol


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## Xander (Mar 20, 2007)

Mr Marv said:


> Any _good_ reason to change the receiver I have or the CD changer? (both work fine and I'm gonna ditch the cassette)
> Whats a good amp to use on a pair of 8W7's with a 6 ohm load or a single 10W7 with a 3 ohm load?
> Do LCD TV's suffer the same anomalies as tube TV's when using non shielded speakers?
> Is a center channel needed for movies? (I have a 100 watt center channel output and the amp has something called "phantom center" or something like that)
> ...


This is all just my opinion, I'm not extremely knowledge, but am installing a game and just thought I'd try to help out...

1. If you are sticking with a 2 channel setup (or 2.1), then there is no reason I see it necessary to upgrade your receiver. However, if you want to switch between HDMI sources or decode the new HD surround sound formats, then an upgrade would be necessary.

2. I'd say a Bash 500 could power a 10W7 quite nicely. But I don't think it can handle a 3 ohm load. I don't know a ton about plate amps...

3. Nope, only tube TVs have issues with magnetic fields

4. A center channel will help to "lock" the speech and other centered effects to the screen in the case of seating positions which are off center. So if it is just you and one other person sitting pretty close to center and you are not bothered by the 2 speaker setup, then no center channel is needed. You should be able to set the center speaker to "none" on the receiver, and it will automatically mix the center channel information into the mains. This is what a "phantom" center channel is.

5. If you do decide to build a center channel, then here is the deal. An MTM will have more comb filtering problems, meaning you will have frequency response anomalies when off axis. If the crossover is designed well and the woofers are close to eachother, this can be minimized, but it will still occur. The advantage is more cone area, so you don't have to lower the level of the tweeter so much, making it more sensitive than a traditional MT design.

6. You don't NEED a new HD DVD or blue ray player, but it's up to you. You may notice a difference in video quality on your plasma tv, you may not. I don't think you'd notice much of an audio difference in your case. Not to say your speakers aren't high enough quality, but I think you will only notice a difference in a very well setup system meant to show it. The only difference between the audio formats is the level of compression. The older formats (Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS) were compressed (DTS slightly less so), and the new formats (can't recall what they're called...) have no compression at all.


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## havok20222 (Sep 5, 2007)

> # Any good reason to change the receiver I have or the CD changer? (both work fine and I'm gonna ditch the cassette)
> # Whats a good amp to use on a pair of 8W7's with a 6 ohm load or a single 10W7 with a 3 ohm load?
> # Do LCD TV's suffer the same anomalies as tube TV's when using non shielded speakers?
> # Is a center channel needed for movies? (I have a 100 watt center channel output and the amp has something called "phantom center" or something like that)
> ...


1. If you like what you have, why change it? However, my answer to #6 would be yes. If you choose to upgrade then I suggest getting a receiver that handles the new audio formats via HDMI. (Pioneer Elite 92 or 94 would be my best recommendations.) 

2. I agree with the previous poster on the Bash amps. I have never built a DIY sub, however my reference home sub has a 300W Bash amp in it and I LOVE it. Great amp, clean and powerful

3. Sorta yes, mainly no. Their picture does not suffer at all... at least not visibly like on a CRT. However, magnetic fields and electronics never play nice. You may be inducing unnecessary noise into your electronics. 

4. If you run 2 channel... no. If you want to run surround or take advantage of all a movie has to offer, then the Center channel is the single most important speaker in the setup. 

5. MTM

6. Do you really need one? No. Will you see a difference and will it make the most of your HDTV? Absolutely. However I recommend upgrading your receiver to something that can decode DTS-MA and Dolby TrueHD via HDMI first. If you want a standalone player the Panasonic BD30 is pretty much as good as it gets currently. Pioneer elites are nice, but pricey and a step behind on the BD profile. CES just previewed some new goodies from both parties however. For me right now though, the BD-30 is the way to go. HD-DVD would be a waste at this point, seeing as how they all but threw in the towel as CES. 

7. I am comparing Pioneer Elite receivers for my own personal home setup. I'll link some stuff below. Their Blu-Ray players are nice, but pricey. Panasonic is the best for the money... its black with a smoke/mirror face. A little shiney, but still alright. To save you precious time on research the 94 has 10 watts more per channel, 1 more HDMI input, and Ethernet for streaming PC music or internet radio. That's it. 

http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/P...eivers/EliteReceivers/ci.VSX-94TXH.Kuro?tab=B
http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/P...eivers/EliteReceivers/ci.VSX-92TXH.Kuro?tab=B
http://www2.panasonic.com/consumer-...ers/model.DMP-BD30K_11002_7000000000000005702


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## havok20222 (Sep 5, 2007)

As a side note, it's audio gear. The stuff lasts a long time. If you like what you have then no need to upgrade. Do you WANT to upgrade is the question you should be asking yourself. I would guess since you are asking, that deep down you really want to step up your Home Audio game a bit. I mean isn't 16 years deserving of a upgrade?  Do you watch a lot of movies? Do you want to get everything out of them that you can? Those are the questions you should be asking yourself. 

Oh, and I'm sure I don't have to tell Mr. Marv this, but when you do buy new gear, don't skimp. Everyone gets a bit of sticker shock, but keep in mind how long you kept your last stuff. Odds are you will WANT to upgrade again before you NEED to upgrade.


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## zukiaudio (Jan 31, 2007)

Any good reason to change the receiver I have or the CD changer? (both work fine and I'm gonna ditch the cassette)

* you may find that the analog people will want an older cassette .
some older models are very solid and make great recordings.
the azimuth can be tweaked on the cassette which really unlocks the cassette potential. check audio asylum analog tape forum and see what tape deck you have and how it stacks up 
also metal bias cassette tape can fetch big money if you have any metal tape

http://www.audioasylum.com/forums/tape/bbs.html



Whats a good amp to use on a pair of 8W7's with a 6 ohm load or a single 10W7 with a 3 ohm load?

* what are the specs on the receiver you have ? older amplifiers had wider frequency responses than alot of newer receivers 



Is a center channel needed for movies? (I have a 100 watt center channel output and the amp has something called "phantom center" or something like that)

* try it with music and movies both , and hear if you can live without a center 


If I need to build a center channel what do you prefer for speaker configuration ie single mid/tweet, MTM etc?

*make sure tweet is same as fronts speaker tweet 


Do I really need one of these new high definition DVD players I keep hearing about to get the most out of the LCD? (I just have a basic one now)

*most of my dvd's are 480


If so I'd prefer Pioneer to match my other components however any suggestions would be appreciated as long as it's black. 

*pioneer with legato link was the top cd player used by speaker works long time ago to build winning cars for competitions and shows 

*those old infinity with poly cell mids and emit tweets are highly sought after because of how good the highs are.

arnie nudell now sells the renamed infinity speaker under genesis or something now,but that speaker is very good
( peerless or petra) was the clear transparent cone woofer builder, but i forget exactly
sometimes you see the drivers for sale on audiogon

http://www.genesis80.com/


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## Oliver (Jun 25, 2007)

The OPO DVD player will do SACD's as well!

Zuki, thought they were good for the price, I remember a thread on ECA !


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## havok20222 (Sep 5, 2007)

Hic said:


> The OPO DVD player will do SACD's as well!
> 
> Zuki, thought they were good for the price, I remember a thread on ECA !


The OPPO doesn't play HD for one. And despite what a previous poster said there is a great deal of difference in quality between an upconverted DVD and a Blu-Ray disc. Don't fool yourself.


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## Oliver (Jun 25, 2007)

havok20222 said:


> The OPPO doesn't play HD for one. And despite what a previous poster said there is a great deal of difference in quality between an upconverted DVD and a Blu-Ray disc. Don't fool yourself.


Yes , for the price [ would be the operative words ] , damn it's not the single best unit ever...ever 
http://www.oppodigital.com/dv981hd/dv981hd_review.html
OPPO ^^^^^^^


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## havok20222 (Sep 5, 2007)

Hic said:


> Yes , for the price [ would be the operative words ] , damn it's not the single best unit ever...ever


Isn't the OPPO still like $200 or so? I mean you can get a Blu-Ray player for $300 with $150 of free movies. Although you do have me on the SACD thing.


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## Oliver (Jun 25, 2007)

havok20222 said:


> Isn't the OPPO still like $200 or so? I mean you can get a Blu-Ray player for $300 with $150 of free movies. Although you do have me on the SACD thing.


I think the music is where it's at !

Or, do they make high quality porn now


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## seagrasser (Feb 6, 2007)

When I bought a new 42" LCD with 1080p resolution I did some upgrades.

Bought a used OPPO 971 and did some A/B comparisons with my old DVD player (a very nce Denon unit) and the OPPO won in every way. Picked it up cheap and it performs flawlessly. I wanted to wait until the format wars were over or at least not so up in the air.

Kept my 2.1 setup as is and used my TV as the video switcher.

Granted the 971 is a 1080i unit, but that is the resolution of my dish service also. Will probably upgrade in a few years, but this works fine for the moment.

My opinion is that you should only "have" to upgrade your video source material (DVD player and cable/dish/antenna service). That will get you great pictures. You can DIY the audio on your own terms.

my $0.02


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## fej (Feb 8, 2006)

Marv are you stealing my ideas for my towers?  Build it so I can come listen and decide if I like the tweet or not with the 7" rev  

As for the upgrades:

IMO if the CD player is still functioning nicely in your opinion, leave it be.

As for the receiver to truly appreciate the movie viewing experience you will likely have to upgrade your receiver to something with at least 1 HDMI input (IMO 2 for future system expansion etc). This will give you the most current DTS/THX/Prologic 5.1 options as well as 7.1 and various "effects". I cannot remember the last time I actually had the option to watch a DVD in 7.1, almost nothing is mastered in it.

As for the DVD player, until the "HD" war pans out, (side rant, **** Sony for ALWAYS trying to get a proprietary format in order to corner the market and then stick it to the consumer, Beta, Mini disc etc etc etc. I am hoping that they fail AGAIN) I won't be jumping on board for the HD DVD thing. I can personally vouch for the Oppo 981, it is a great unit and definitely superior to the $99 upconverting unit you can pick up at Costco. But at the same time if you are like me and waiting for it to pan out, the $99 unit is not a bad price and definitely will improve your DVD viewing experience in the mean time over a standard 480i/p unit.

Regardless of what any salesperson or other opinion says, you are not getting a true movie experience without a center channel. The amount of vocals played through the L and R speakers in 5.1 is VERY minimal in relation to the center channel. I know that it used to be 70% of vocals traveled through 5.1 in prologic, I do not know the number it is now, but I promise you for movie viewing it is important. For best performance I would do my best to match the drivers for the towers/center speakers. I would probably go MTM on the center. Music through the center I personally do no like unless I am watching concerts on DVD.

The Tempest 15" home sub with the 1000w Dayton plate amp I built is working awesome, it is not small by any means though, about 6.5 cubes heh. I do however recommend the Dayton plate amps, clean with some decent tuning features.

Now back to the important parts, like how big are the towers you are planning? Tuning freq or going sealed? All of my research points to 22l sealed and 28-33l vented around 33-35hz for the 7" revs.

I think while you are thinking about all of the other options, you should build the towers so that you can be my guinea ... I mean so I can hear them


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## chad (Jun 30, 2005)

If you rattle Infinity's cage enough you can get the specs on those drivers or their replacements.

I did it, it wasn't pretty, but I did it.


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## Fellippe (Sep 15, 2006)

I only have a 2 channel music setup at home, but the vocals image in the center just fine with music, DVDs, and regular television. 

The test is to see if your setup images well with music & TV. 

A dedicated center would be nice and add a stronger center image if done right, but are we now talking about a hybrid system or a pure HT system?

If possible, I'd separate the two. If I could only have one real setup, I'd go 2.1 and call it a day.

A center channel for music isn't bad. No real risks here...just do what you have to do.


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## skylar112 (Dec 8, 2005)

Fellippe said:


> I only have a 2 channel music setup at home, but the vocals image in the center just fine with music, DVDs, and regular television.
> 
> The test is to see if your setup images well with music & TV.
> 
> ...



I agree with you. I have a full HT setup, but I shut the center off when I listen to music. I just don't find it that much better, and my fronts sound better than my center anyway. It images very well with just the front two speakers.


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## zukiaudio (Jan 31, 2007)

[email protected] 

write them. they respond quickly and can answer any question you have. the oppo will come with all the cables you have to buy when purchasing another brand.

they ask how long of cables you need and include them.

they know the industry and every rumor.

you will find that the 971 is the most sought after because it was marketed before new laws went into affect and oppo can do things with that machine which really can impress (laws which may prevent player from having certain jacks on rear panel )
so make sure dvd model you choose has dvi or hdmi or component jacks you need. / ask oppo when ordering

i own each of the oppo players and choose the 971 above all of them.

i do not use hdmi cable though.
i don't like its audio related quirks with some receivers.and poor loose fit feel

so i use 3 rg-6 quad cable runs through component jacks

to a projector about 40 feet away and a toslink to a receiver within 3 feet of the player

the 971 has set up configurations that oppo can walk you through to get the player to do things oppo could not include in newer models because of laws that have since been passed.

by-pass fbi warning at start and region free. and other things.

i forget everything it can do.

i know it works and when tested by a review panel did well and better than some $30,000.00 dvd players in some areas

it was and still is a great dvd player and now comes in a universal format reading model 

which also reads media cards and has usb port and blah blah blah.

they have helped me everytime i had a question

usually respond within 30 minutes.


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## havok20222 (Sep 5, 2007)

Heres the thing though. As great as the OPPO is, it still doesn't play HD discs. He specifically asked if there was a noticeable difference and the answer is yes. Also, why pay $200 for an OPPO dvd player, when you can pay $400 for a Blu-Ray player and get 10 free Blu-Ray movies totaling $300 worth of movies for free? The OPPO is a good player for the money, but it wasn't what he was asking about I don't think.

I don't care how good the scaler is, a DVD simply wont look as good as a true HD source.


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## havok20222 (Sep 5, 2007)

Hic said:


> I think the music is where it's at !
> 
> Or, do they make high quality porn now


Pirates the first Blu-Ray porno comes out in 2 days.   So yes... they do.


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## SSSnake (Mar 8, 2007)

Comment on the up conversion...

The HD or Blu Ray signal is superior but with the right upconverter DVD video is still VERY nice. True Faroudja upconverters are the best implementations that I have seen and they provide the benefit of upconverting your standard video signal as well.

BTW - The system I use the Faroudja on is a projector with 10' diagonal screen. Also, multiple video systems at work (all over 10' diagonals). This makes it pretty easy to see artifacts.


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## havok20222 (Sep 5, 2007)

SSSnake said:


> Comment on the up conversion...
> 
> The HD or Blu Ray signal is superior but with the right upconverter DVD video is still VERY nice. True Faroudja upconverters are the best implementations that I have seen and they provide the benefit of upconverting your standard video signal as well.


*True* Faroudja scalers are also $2500.


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## SSSnake (Mar 8, 2007)

Wide freq range input and output Faroudjas are indeed that much and used to be MUCH more. You can find many devices with Faroudja algorithms and circuitry embedded much more affordably. And yes they are true Faroudja upconverters but they work on a smaller range of frequencies.

BTW - The first quadrupler that I bought for work was around $25K but there was nothing comparable on the market and we needed to do large screens of standard video.


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## Xander (Mar 20, 2007)

fej said:


> Regardless of what any salesperson or other opinion says, you are not getting a true movie experience without a center channel. The amount of vocals played through the L and R speakers in 5.1 is VERY minimal in relation to the center channel. I know that it used to be 70% of vocals traveled through 5.1 in prologic, I do not know the number it is now, but I promise you for movie viewing it is important.


It's called a "phantom center channel." Any decent surround sound receiver downmix the 5.1 into stereo, splitting the center channel info to the left and right mains. You won't miss any material.


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## BlackLac (Aug 8, 2005)

If your lcd is smaller than, say 42", the investment in HD/BluRay probably isn't worth it. It's not nearly as noticeable on smaller tv's. Upconversion looks really nice on my 50" plasma, differs from movie to movie, but there is definately a improvement on my HD movies.

Oh, and HD porn has been out a while.


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## havok20222 (Sep 5, 2007)

BlackLac said:


> If your lcd is smaller than, say 42", the investment in HD/BluRay probably isn't worth it. It's not nearly as noticeable on smaller tv's. Upconversion looks really nice on my 50" plasma, differs from movie to movie, but there is definately a improvement on my HD movies.
> 
> Oh, and HD porn has been out a while.


Not on Blu-Ray to buy... only on like HD-Spice or something.


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## BlackLac (Aug 8, 2005)

yes there is.  

adultdvdempire dot com
digitalplayground dot com

Blu and HD. Nothing like an a$$ pimple in 1080p.


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## DeLander (Feb 23, 2006)

avsforum.com & ecoustics.com

Try those. Then you'll get hooked on them too. Your mind will be in so much turmoil...."Which one do I go to 1st - DIYMA, ECA, AVS, Ecoustic...................................."


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## evan (Dec 2, 2006)

BlackLac said:


> If your lcd is smaller than, say 42", the investment in HD/BluRay probably isn't worth it. It's not nearly as noticeable on smaller tv's. Upconversion looks really nice on my 50" plasma, differs from movie to movie, but there is definately a improvement on my HD movies.
> 
> Oh, and HD porn has been out a while.


I agree. I'm not sure how scientific this graph is, but it makes sense that you would not benefit from higher resolution at smaller screen sizes.


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## Oliver (Jun 25, 2007)

So 1440 P is for Porn


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## Mr Marv (Aug 19, 2005)

Thanks for all the info guys! My wife originally purchased a 42" 1080p Toshiba on one of those smoking after Thanksgiving deals for $1058.00 but it was actually oversold without our knowledge so I never got it for Christmas. To make up for the screw-up they offered her the 37" AQUOS 720 (only one in stock) for $385.00 off and they gave her back the additional express shipping she paid as well as a $50.00 gift certificate. The guy said it was actually a better TV and you didn't need 1080 on that size for the viewing distance we have. I was a bit skeptical but after talking to a few of you "TV gurus" here the general consensus was that the guy was truthful on both counts. They offered full money back plus return shipping if I was not satisfied so I figured I'd give a shot and to my surprise I am quite happy with this one. I used to have the surround speakers and center channel however we really didn't use it much since my wife didn't care for it. I like the surround thing but most of what I watch is "old school" stuff (pre-surround) and cartoons  so I'm not sure if a center channel is going to be a big benefit but I guess it can't do any harm . One thing I do notice when playing DVDs (on a basic Panasonic DVD player) is that the picture quality is not even as good as when watching some TV stations so I'm thinking I at least need a better one of those. I've looked at some of the options mentioned and quite honestly I'm still confused. I'm not sure I'll benefit from a Blue Ray or the likes but if you guys think so based on the info I've posted I guess it would be better to get it now than to have to upgrade later as mentioned. Otherwise any info on what to look for spec wise would be appreciated and as mentioned I'd like to stick with Pioneer if possible to keep the look as close to what I have now as possible.
Thanks again!


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## its_bacon12 (Aug 16, 2007)

i just bought a nakamichi TA-2 on ebay for 90.01 shipped


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## Licinius (Jan 2, 2008)

havok20222 said:


> Heres the thing though. As great as the OPPO is, it still doesn't play HD discs. He specifically asked if there was a noticeable difference and the answer is yes. Also, why pay $200 for an OPPO dvd player, when you can pay $400 for a Blu-Ray player and get 10 free Blu-Ray movies totaling $300 worth of movies for free? The OPPO is a good player for the money, but it wasn't what he was asking about I don't think.
> 
> I don't care how good the scaler is, a DVD simply wont look as good as a true HD source.


I agree, I have a 971 and my brother just got one of the new versions for Christmas, which just isn't the same, and can't compare to an HD source. EVEN on smaller 37-42" screens.

Above post was with respect to blu-ray, but HD-DVD is valid also, at the moment the Toshiba A3 is $130 at Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/Toshiba-HD-A3...?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1200345229&sr=8-1), which includes 7 movies. 

Say what you might about HD-DVD going downhill, fine, but just look at it as $130 for seven movies, it's paid for even if you never buy another HD-DVD (and there are currently plenty to choose from EVEN if it loses out in the end), plus it is a decent upconverting DVD player in itself. Just a thought on the subject.

-Brett B


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## havok20222 (Sep 5, 2007)

Mr Marv said:


> Thanks for all the info guys! My wife originally purchased a 42" 1080p Toshiba on one of those smoking after Thanksgiving deals for $1058.00 but it was actually oversold without our knowledge so I never got it for Christmas. To make up for the screw-up they offered her the 37" AQUOS 720 (only one in stock) for $385.00 off and they gave her back the additional express shipping she paid as well as a $50.00 gift certificate. The guy said it was actually a better TV and you didn't need 1080 on that size for the viewing distance we have. I was a bit skeptical but after talking to a few of you "TV gurus" here the general consensus was that the guy was truthful on both counts. They offered full money back plus return shipping if I was not satisfied so I figured I'd give a shot and to my surprise I am quite happy with this one. I used to have the surround speakers and center channel however we really didn't use it much since my wife didn't care for it. I like the surround thing but most of what I watch is "old school" stuff (pre-surround) and cartoons  so I'm not sure if a center channel is going to be a big benefit but I guess it can't do any harm . One thing I do notice when playing DVDs (on a basic Panasonic DVD player) is that the picture quality is not even as good as when watching some TV stations so I'm thinking I at least need a better one of those. I've looked at some of the options mentioned and quite honestly I'm still confused. I'm not sure I'll benefit from a Blue Ray or the likes but if you guys think so based on the info I've posted I guess it would be better to get it now than to have to upgrade later as mentioned. Otherwise any info on what to look for spec wise would be appreciated and as mentioned I'd like to stick with Pioneer if possible to keep the look as close to what I have now as possible.
> Thanks again!


The Sharp is a better TV than the Toshiba, I just hope the size is large enough for you. 

How are you hooking up your DVD player? Why type of cables? (composite, s-video or component?) That will make a HUGE difference in picture quality. 

You don't want to delve for a Pioneer Blu-ray player. That much I can tell you. It's $1000 and still isn't quite as fully featured as Panasonics BD-30 for half the price. If you are going to splurge on a Blu-Ray player, then the Panasonic is the one to buy.

If you decide to just replace your DVD player, you may as well look at an HD-DVD player while your at it. Sure, the format is dying, but they make excellent upconverting players. With the price slashing that just happened you can get a great deal on one, and pick up some free HD media to go with it. Once it goes the way of the dinosaur it will basically be your DVD player, but still not a bad option considering you can get an HD-A3 for $150 with 5 free movies by mail and 50% off HD movies on amazon.


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