Setting up a new room

[iGirl]

I've done plenty of family room surround setups before, but this time I am doing a fully dedicated projection theater room install on a limited budget. I will NOT do a HTIB...yuck.

On site I have a 120" Da-Lite screen and am looking at various projectors in the sub $1,000 range, the most promising of which appears to be the Mitsubishi HD1000U DLP Projector @ 1500 ANSI Lumens, Native Resolution: 1280 x 720, Contrast Ratio: 2500 : 1 - for about $875 street currently.

I'd like to install a 7.1 audio surround setup. I've been looking at Onkyo TX-SR505, 604 (and 605s which are brand new not in stock most places) as well as some other brands. One question I have come upon - do I really NEED HDMI I/O on the audio side? (Or video side for that matter!)

This room will be for DVD movies playing only so I don't care about XM or music or TV or cable.

So now I have lots of audio connections down in front by the screen to make - L, C, R, sub, plus LS & RS prewired in wall - plus if I go 7.1 I will be adding L/R side fills - 16 wires in total....so my amplifier obviously must be down in front but at least 30' away (wired) from the projector in the ceiling.

Now add the DVD player - one I currently have (Sony"s DVP-NS775V) has 5.1 audio outs and component video out. I imagine using something like that would be setup by the audio system - so only 3 cables have to go the distance to the projector. What if I got a DVD that had HDMI out though? Mount it with the projector then run a snake for the audio??????

Just having a bit of conflict over the best setup in this type of situation cabling wise, and looking for recommendations on DVD players w/good surround audio/7.1 surround amps - and to HDMI or not to HDMI? Is it better to push HDMI out into the receiver then let it do the surround decoding? Mostly from what i can tell all HDMI does in consolidate the 5.1 audio and composite video into one cable - really nothing special. Where do the extra two channels in 7.1 then come from - just a DSP in the amp?

BTW - I worked for 30+ years in pro audio, so I know some things...the HT setup is a little different than recording studios though!

 

[Leprkon]

ok... lots of questions here...

do you need HDMI for audio ? not if you're sticking to standard DVD's. You might get some benefit from HD-DVD or Blue_Ray, but there's no value to HDMI other than a single cord.

do you need HDMI for video ? unfortunately that's the only way to get an upscaled picture, even with standard DVDs. Component video maxes out at 480P, which works pretty good on a 50 inch TV, but might not be as effective on a big projection. (you can, however, if you are a good e-bayer, pick up a Samsung HD-950 DVD player, which through the magic of codes, will produce a 720P and 1080i through a component output, but this will not work if you put the receiver in the video loop).

I would personally put the DVD and receiver together, and then use just the one long run component or HDMI for video to the projector.

7.1 is just smoke and mirrors. This comes from the decoding in the receiver. It also only works through the digital output (normally the fiber optic or "Toslink" cable. There are a couple of actual 6.1 DVDs out there (I think Top Gun is one), but no 7.1 discs. If you use the 5.1 external inputs from your DVD player, most receivers run those with a bypass mode and don't use a DSP, so there goes your 7.1.

this is a start. let us know if you have more questions.

 

[iGirl]

Thanks!

>>>Component video maxes out at 480P<<<

That is something I didn't know - so I should definitely run HDMI for video!!!
Keeping the DVD with the audio amp is probably the best way to go, as you suggest...

Yes, I figured the 7.1 extra channels are just DSP...but only output through optical? Hmmm I could probably save a lot of money by sticking to a receiver with just 5.1 and no HDMI I/O

 

[jcPanny]

Video connections

I would recommend a good recommend a good upscaling DVD player like an Oppo Digital or an HD-DVD player to take advantage of your front projection video setup. On a large 100"+ screen, the resolution is more critical. An HDMI connection is your best bet from the soure (DVD or receiver) to the PJ. Long HDMI runs over 30' can be a problem with lower quality cables, so test the cable before you perminanently install it. Also note, many DVD players can output 720p or 1080i over component video, but the resolution can be limited by software (the DVD).

HDMI audio and switching on the receiver would be nice to take advantage of the new audio formats on HD-DVD and bluray players and to allow a single cable to the PJ for all video sources. Some entry level players like the Toshiba HD-A20 don't have multichannel audio outputs so you must use HDMI for HD audio or Optical/Coax for regular DTS and DD.

 

[no. 5]

>>>Component video maxes out at 480P<<<

That is something I didn't know - so I should definitely run HDMI for video!!!

Actually, component video cables have enough bandwidth to pass 1080p, however, every component video switch I know of only has the bandwidth for 1080i, and I don't know of any equipment that will send or receive 1080p over component video; but 1080i is fine.

 

[obscbyclouds]

Actually, component video cables have enough bandwidth to pass 1080p, however, every component video switch I know of only has the bandwidth for 1080i, and I don't know of any equipment that will send or receive 1080p over component video; but 1080i is fine.

XBOX 360 is the only source I know of (other than hacked upscaling dvd players) that is capable of sending 1080p over component.

 

[avaserfi]

XBOX 360 is the only source I know of (other than hacked upscaling dvd players) that is capable of sending 1080p over component.

A note should come with this. It is only capable of outputting games at 1080p via component if you have the HD-DVD attachment I think the max is 720p which is one of the reasons the Elite is released.

 

[no. 5]

XBOX 360 is the only source I know of (other than hacked upscaling dvd players) that is capable of sending 1080p over component.

Cool, thanks for the correction (and for the note, avaserfi), that's what I get for not following gaming systems.

 

[Leprkon]

Actually, component video cables have enough bandwidth to pass 1080p, however, every component video switch I know of only has the bandwidth for 1080i, and I don't know of any equipment that will send or receive 1080p over component video; but 1080i is fine.

that's a very polite way of saying a certain TV company that also owns major TV studios strong-armed the rest of the video community into developing HDCP compliant HDMI instead of the capable but not-copyright-protectable component cables.

 

[Buckeye_Nut]

BTW - I worked for 30+ years in pro audio, so I know some things...the HT setup is a little different than recording studios though!

Just curious....

Who are you using for your acoustic treatments?

 

[iGirl]

RE: Acoustic treatments

Since we'll be doing this on the cheap, a lot will be home made. Here's one page with some info - http://www.ethanwiner.com/acoustics.html
In addition to that stuff, there is going to be a great deal of theatrical curtains hung....very good for sound absorption.

For prefab items if I bought any at all, I might use Acoustic Sciences - or whatever industry company I can use my friends and connections with to get wholesale! LOL

Since this is a simple room conversion (not built from the ground up like a studio), we don't plan on going too crazy...just enough to get good sound and look nice.

 

[agarwalro]

Since Here's one page with some info - http://www.ethanwiner.com/acoustics.html

Very nice resource on acoustic treatment. Thanks!