What HT stuff has got you excited?

[itschris]

The last year or so, I've been pretty underwhelmed. There seemed to be a lot of the same stuff over and over, lots of style, little substance. Yes... another 47 inch flat screen... i get it... who cares.

Lately though, it seems there's actually some things to get amped up about. HTPC's really seem to be coming into their own with real solutions and solid integration.

LCD's are starting to interest me again because they're finally getting bigger. I bought my DLP because it was big, and PJ just wasn't a doable in my room. Now that we're seeing more 60" + tv's, I'm starting to pay attention. If the price gets reasonable, that'll be a purchase I want to make.

Internet integration seems interesting too. It sorda falls in the HTPC group, but it's kinda neat to have comprehensive internet capability through your BD player. I think there's still a lot of disjointment (if that's a word) but I think things are coming together with the computers, internet, and our systems.

I'm really looking forward to see how the new Windows impacts things. I think the software has opened up a whole new dimension with usable touchscreen processes and applications. I'd still like to hook up one of the Sony or HP all in one touchscreen computers to my system, but HDMI is still the problem. They don't have HDMI out and the cable run would be too long anyway... which brings me to me next item of excitement... wireless HDMI. I'm anxious to see how that plays out.

What's got you guys interested?

 

[GlocksRock]

I'm excited to see what the future holds for the new HDMI 1.4 spec.

 

[EJ1]

I'm curious to watch the 3D movement.

 

[ljaggers]

I'm excited to see what the future holds for the new HDMI 1.4 spec.

Agreed. It will be interesting to see just how useful that Ethernet channel will be.

 

[skizzerflake]

I'm having trouble being excited by HT lately. I'm at the point where movies look and sound better in my cave than they do in the theater, in spite of the fact that I'm not a high-priced equipment geek. Nevertheless, I was somewhat underwhealmed when I moved from DVD to Blue Ray. Sharper picture and sound yes, but neither picture nor sound remade the movie experience. What now? 3D? Tactile movies? The Holodeck? We just might be at a plateau. I don't think a new dot-something HDMI cable is going make a bad movie into a good one.

 

[Knucklehead90]

Wake me when the Orgasmatron (Woody Allen - Sleeper) comes to market...
Thats something to get excited about eh? Or one of those stupid balls he was passing around in that movie.

 

[Serj22]

I hope they leave 3D where it is now, if they incorporate it with everything, I will be severely pissed off. I can't watch anything 3D for more than about 3 minutes before my eyes start watering uncontrolably and I can't see anything and then I get a headache. IF I have to watch that all the time, I would go to reading all the time.

 

[dkane360]

most home theater things excite me, because im new to this hobby/obsession

 

[Adam]

There are several things, and some of you have had some of these for years:

• SACD and DVD-A over HDMI (well, SACD in general - I couldn't do it before this summer)
• High-definition digital over-the-air broadcasts: I'm still stunned by the video and audio quality (as I watched analog over-the-air for years)
• New SVS gear due next year (subs and speakers)
• My SVS Ultra: It still thrills me
• Flat-panel TVs: Come on, they're freaking cool
• Blu-ray (well, high-def discs): Monsters, Inc., 'nuf said
• Home decor (furniture and so on): I don't have much of it, but I like seeing pictures of the rooms where people have done it right

And so much more...

 

[OCDAudio]

What He Said...

most home theater things excite me, because im new to this hobby/obsession

...Me Too, and I just Retired so I got nuthin' better to do... No 'Disposible Income' so what excites me is CL and ebaaa "Finds".Learning and 'Up-Grading'
slowly, second-handedly, cheaply. (First Post, Hi Ya'll from Cent.Fl.)

 

[GlocksRock]

Agreed. It will be interesting to see just how useful that Ethernet channel will be.

It would be nice to run a single cat6 connection to my receiver and let the HDMI 1.4 cables distribute the ethernet connection to all my other devices. The audio return channel is a nice addition as well.

 

[Pyrrho]

I'm having trouble being excited by HT lately. I'm at the point where movies look and sound better in my cave than they do in the theater, in spite of the fact that I'm not a high-priced equipment geek. Nevertheless, I was somewhat underwhealmed when I moved from DVD to Blue Ray. Sharper picture and sound yes, but neither picture nor sound remade the movie experience. What now? 3D? Tactile movies? The Holodeck? We just might be at a plateau. I don't think a new dot-something HDMI cable is going make a bad movie into a good one.

Certainly, Blu-ray does nothing to improve a bad plot or bad acting. But I find the added detail enjoyable when watching movies I have seen already. For example, I have been lucky enough to be able to see a couple of old Hitchcock movies projected in 35mm that I had previously seen on an old TV. I found it interesting to see that there was considerable picture detail that I had been unable to see before. And in Dr. Strangelove (which I also saw in 35mm), you can see that in some scenes, some of the actors in the background are having a hard time not laughing, which is difficult or impossible to detect in an SD image. I would imagine that this would be apparent on the BD version, though I do not have it (yet) and have not seen it.

My advice is to look for the best movies, and then watch them in the best format available. A good movie on DVD is better than crap on BD any day.

 

[Quickley17]

[*]New SVS gear due next year (subs and speakers)

Do you have new SVS gear due next year or is SVS introducing new products? If its the former, congrats, if its the latter, can you point me to where I can get info on this?

 

[GlocksRock]

SVS has new sealed subs coming out next year, the SB13 Ultra, and a 16" sealed Ultra unit as well. Hopefully next year will also bring about their LTS line of speakers. http://www.svsound.com/news-news.cfm

 

[AVRat]

Larger size Lazervue with a more affordable price that competes in PQ with the Pioneer Kuro Elites.

 

[Quickley17]

Thanks. I find it slightly funny that a 16" sub gets a product designator that indicates a "small box". I've been close on one of their subs for a while, but now I'm excited to see what people have to say about the SB13-Plus!

 

[GlocksRock]

I'm excited to see the new SB units as well, but they still won't beat the ported units as far as overall output capabilites are concerned.

 

[njedpx3]

...Me Too, and I just Retired so I got nuthin' better to do... No 'Disposible Income' so what excites me is CL and ebaaa "Finds".Learning and 'Up-Grading'
slowly, second-handedly, cheaply. (First Post, Hi Ya'll from Cent.Fl.)

OCDAudio,

Congratulations on retiring I just did also. I plan on fishing and hiking. Fairly recently significantly upgraded my HT and i am very satisfied.

Peace and Good Sound to All,

Forest Man

P.S. - When I upgrade it will probably be with the latest and greatest

 

[ErinH]

Although it's WAY out of my budget, the mcintosh mx150 preamp is slick. Finally they've stepped into the world of HD audio.
$12k MSRP, though.

Oh well, I'll just go with a standard <$1k Denon receiver. or

 

[gmichael]

I love all of it.

The explosions that rock my house.
The bullet casings that fall all around me during shootouts.
The 106" screen in my living room.
The 92" screen in my bedroom.
The HD channels that keep getting better and better.
The PS/3 that plays BR and games in HD.
The upgrades to the PS/3 that keep making it more and more useful.
The theater seating in my living room that lets everyone recline while watching and still have a place for their drinks and popcorn.
The looks on friend's faces when they see my system for the first time.
The looks on their faces when they hear my system for the first time.
The prices on 1080p projectors coming down every year.

You name it. I like it.