Ups and downs

[Goodwatch]

The past few weeks have been a bit nerving. Due to changing situations at work I've been in limbo over what to do. I don't want to be forced to take a decision NOW over something that will change my position over 4 years or so. I still don't know what to do but things will work out, I'm sure.

On a much, much brighter side I've been setting up my new gear (TV set, AV receiver and 5.1 speaker set) last weekend.

Gone are the days of just plugging-in a TV, attaching a coax cable and switching it on Not anymore.......

Step one: install AV receiver and run speaker cables through your living room. Attach 4 speaker brackets (with ball joints) with 4 screws each to solid concrete walls. ().

Step two: attach HD PVR set-top box with HDMI and optical cable to AV receiver.

Step three: attach AV receiver with HDMI cable to full-HD TV set.

Step four: attach DVD player with video and optical cable to HDMI.

Step five: switch everything on and enjoy........ no sound and no picture

Step six: take a deep breath, a long sigh and start reading the thumb-thick manuals that came with all the gear.

Step seven: learn about HDMI handshake problems, HDMI output resolution choices for a HD PVR set-top box and how to run an room acoustic tuning program on an AV receiver.

Step eight: finally, finally enjoy jaw-dropping HD television broadcasts with full-surround sound

[jdc]

Having to make some big decisions myself about my working life, so know how stressful it can be. Hope it works out for you Frans
Sounds like you have a good TV/sound system

[2careless]

So Frans have you run concealed speaker cables along the wall? Concrete sounds interesting FYI my cables are running under a rug. If only I got a house with builtin cables and speaker setup...

[Goodwatch]

Originally Posted by 2careless

So Frans have you run concealed speaker cables along the wall? Concrete sounds interesting FYI my cables are running under a rug. If only I got a house with builtin cables and speaker setup...

I've used small cable ducts, fixed to the wall with special glue. They are hidden from view. This part isn't quite finished yet It's the small things that take the most time... The speaker cables are not the final ones. I'm still waiting for the special banana plugs I've ordered.

[redshirt1957]

Ain't TV land great with almost zero standards and set-ups for comsumer gear. Sounds like you did well Frans, but I will caution you. Don't let others know you now understand how to make all this stuff work becasue they will ask you a million questions and you will become the expert everyone loves to hate.

I set up four households in the sub-division and when there is a power outage and the gear resets to the manufacturers defaults, they blame me.

I would give you adivce on jobs and such, but since I ain't had a real paycheck in years, you will need to ask my wife.

See, no hijack.

[Goodwatch]

Originally Posted by redshirt1957

Ain't TV land great with almost zero standards and set-ups for comsumer gear. Sounds like you did well Frans, but I will caution you. Don't let others know you now understand how to make all this stuff work becasue they will ask you a million questions and you will become the expert everyone loves to hate.

I set up four households in the sub-division and when there is a power outage and the gear resets to the manufacturers defaults, they blame me.

I would give you adivce on jobs and such, but since I ain't had a real paycheck in years, you will need to ask my wife.

See, no hijack.

I have fought for years to get rid of my status as the family 'PC guy' One, my work hardly involves fiddling with PC's and two, after five days working in IT, being on stand-by duty for 24h a day, in weekends I don't want to install a new hard disc It is very hard for people to understand this.

But fiddling around with AV gear is still fun If someone wants my help that can be arranged $$$$$$$$$$

[vapalux]

Hope it works out for you Frans whatever you do, and also Martin.

HD - purchased a new television and then flat screens came out. As it wasn't cheap we are keeping it but lust after the picture quality of today. Mind you we had spent 12 years watching a 14" colour television and a hand me down, just about colour one from a friend who just happened to repair them, so he kept it going a bit longer! That was while I was rebuilding the house!

But I found that after setting it all up and seeing the difference in picture I couldn't move my backside to hide the wires for ages

Si

[mailman]

Originally Posted by Goodwatch

I've used small cable ducts, fixed to the wall with special glue. They are hidden from view. This part isn't quite finished yet It's the small things that take the most time... The speaker cables are not the final ones. I'm still waiting for the special banana plugs I've ordered.

I can't wait to see the pictures of the final install I know how much cables running rampant bugs the heck out of you

Also, I hope whatever you decides works out for you my friend. I'm sure it will

[Goodwatch]

Originally Posted by mailman

I can't wait to see the pictures of the final install I know how much cables running rampant bugs the heck out of you

Also, I hope whatever you decides works out for you my friend. I'm sure it will

[mailman]

Originally Posted by Goodwatch

[redshirt1957]

Originally Posted by Goodwatch

Looks good Frans. Subwoofer placement is good. They can be in front or behind, I just like them in a corner. Oh please, I don't want to hear from the audiofiles about long waves. I can see the wire molding on the speaker to the left, when you finish that will look good. As far as the wire on the right speaker, no one will notice except you. What I do is push the TV back as far as possilble in the tv stand and let it be. I like hard floors as they make the room bright; good for when the sceen gets quite and you need to hear dialog from the actors. Just give me the word and I will come over, move in, drink lots of beer, and drive you and the wife crazy.

[Jimbits76]

Frans

You have been missed my friend.

Hope everything works out!

J

[Goodwatch]

Originally Posted by redshirt1957

Looks good Frans. Subwoofer placement is good. They can be in front or behind, I just like them in a corner. Oh please, I don't want to hear from the audiofiles about long waves. I can see the wire molding on the speaker to the left, when you finish that will look good. As far as the wire on the right speaker, no one will notice except you. What I do is push the TV back as far as possilble in the tv stand and let it be. I like hard floors as they make the room bright; good for when the sceen gets quite and you need to hear dialog from the actors. Just give me the word and I will come over, move in, drink lots of beer, and drive you and the wife crazy.

What can't been seen is the center speaker. The wire moulding is actually the speaker bracket. The system is geared towards movies, sound wise. 7.1 AV amps are not very well in producing pure stereo. But the right DVD will trigger the full Dolby 5.1 surround setting (through the optical link) and then the sound is stunning. Rolling thunder! Although the set-up is modest, I'm a happy camper, yes sir!

Things to do: replace speaker wire by proper 2.5 mm2 OFC silver plated speaker CABLE. 30 meters of the stuff is waiting. The banana plugs I've ordered still haven arrived Tack the remainder of the cable ducts to the wall. Retune the sound again. I think I've connected the rear speakers to the wrong real channel terminals.

I need a can of anti-static spray. The plastic on the Samsung attacks dust like crazy and that drives ME crazy Can you recommend an anti-static spray or another solution? Brushing the dust of only makes it worse.

[redshirt1957]

Originally Posted by Goodwatch

What can't been seen is the center speaker. The wire moulding is actually the speaker bracket. The system is geared towards movies, sound wise. 7.1 AV amps are not very well in producing pure stereo. But the right DVD will trigger the full Dolby 5.1 surround setting (through the optical link) and then the sound is stunning. Rolling thunder! Although the set-up is modest, I'm a happy camper, yes sir!

Things to do: replace speaker wire by proper 2.5 mm2 OFC silver plated speaker CABLE. 30 meters of the stuff is waiting. The banana plugs I've ordered still haven arrived Tack the remainder of the cable ducts to the wall. Retune the sound again. I think I've connected the rear speakers to the wrong real channel terminals.

I need a can of anti-static spray. The plastic on the Samsung attacks dust like crazy and that drives ME crazy Can you recommend an anti-static spray or another solution? Brushing the dust of only makes it worse.

Dumb question. When you sit down and watch/listen to a movie with the lights down low do you smile? If so....damn good job.

[Goodwatch]

Originally Posted by redshirt1957

Dumb question. When you sit down and watch/listen to a movie with the lights down low do you smile? If so....damn good job.

Joe, for the first time in years I actually enjoy watching movies and TV again! It is as if something peeled off a layer of dust from all that DVDs! I can't wait to watch Blu-ray. That is, after I bought a player I'm happy with the choices I made

[Goodwatch]

Originally Posted by Jimbits76

Frans

You have been missed my friend.

Hope everything works out!

J

PM sent!

[redshirt1957]

Originally Posted by Goodwatch

Joe, for the first time in years I actually enjoy watching movies and TV again! It is as if something peeled off a layer of dust from all that DVDs! I can't wait to watch Blu-ray. That is, after I bought a player I'm happy with the choices I made

I just happen to have a few Blu-ray players and HDMI switchers laying around in London? Not sure about your format? Pal or NTSC?

[Andad]

Looks great Frans.


Wots 5.1?

[Goodwatch]

Originally Posted by directioneng

Looks great Frans.


Wots 5.1?

Front left speaker, center speaker, front right speaker, back left speaker, back right speaker. (Plus sub-woofer)

7.1 is this, plus two extra surround speakers on each side of the listeners position. A lot of sound...

[Jimbits76]

Originally Posted by redshirt1957

I just happen to have a few Blu-ray players and HDMI switchers laying around in London? Not sure about your format? Pal or NTSC?

Put me down for a pal bluray "pal"

It would look great on my black and white bakelite Pye set with a wire coathanger aerial!!!!!!

J

[Goodwatch]

Originally Posted by Jimbits76

Put me down for a pal bluray "pal"

It would look great on my black and white bakelite Pye set with a wire coathanger aerial!!!!!!

J

Whatta ya want for that Bakelite TV set?

[Jimbits76]

Originally Posted by Goodwatch

Whatta ya want for that Bakelite TV set?

Those were the days...I remember growing up, that set was handed down to my brother and then myself for my bedroom.

I remember twizzling that wire coat hanger to watch Miami Vice at 11pm on a Monday night on BBC1 when everyone else was in bed.

Obviously the pastel art deco surroundings and the bright wardrobe was lost on me but it was still cool.

Watching snooker was another matter entirely!!!!!!!!!!!!!

J

[Goodwatch]

Originally Posted by Jimbits76

Those were the days...I remember growing up, that set was handed down to my brother and then myself for my bedroom.

I remember twizzling that wire coat hanger to watch Miami Vice at 11pm on a Monday night on BBC1 when everyone else was in bed.

Obviously the pastel art deco surroundings and the bright wardrobe was lost on me but it was still cool.

Watching snooker was another matter entirely!!!!!!!!!!!!!

J

It was not until 1965 that my parents were able to buy the second hand TV set from our downstairs neighbour. In those days, there were just two channels but the set could only receive one.

For years this was it, only one channel. In primary school it became apparent that I was missing something because I didn't have a clue about the programmes on the other channel. The screen was a very pale green-white when the set wasn't switched on.

The set was an Erres and the one after that a Nordmende. Philips sets were too expensive.

From my third pay I bought my parents a Seleco colour TV set. This must have been in 1979. This Italian brand had, for those days, features that still aren't readily available today: you could tune the sound (volume) and colour/brightness setting PER channel!

And look at me now: 99 channels, 9 of them in HD and still nothing interesting to watch