Blu-rays/Home Theater

[tommythecat]

Hey, man--ur sposed to go to ur friend's house and watch it on HBO to preview!

Lol...if only it were that easy!

 

[Setec Astronomy]

Yeah, well, last I checked they still publish reviews of music and movies if the HBO/Showtime thing doesn't work...

 

[tommythecat]

Yeah, well, last I checked they still publish reviews of music and movies if the HBO/Showtime thing doesn't work...

I have been burned far too many times just reading reviews. Even when I find someone with similar tastes it ends up happening. It even happens when it is an artist I already liked previously. HBO/Showtime doesn't work for newer movies and not at all for music.

 

[Pagani Zonda R]

Ok, here's a slightly off-topic question. If I'm watching FiOS I usually have the volume at about 15-20 (out of 100). If I'm watching a disc, and it doesn't seem to matter if it's Blu-Ray or DVD, or if it's on my stand-alone player or my (sort of) cheapo Home Theater player (different brands) which are both connected by HDMI--I generally have to turn the volume up to 100 and that's frequently not even loud enough. If I were to turn it up that loud on the cable I'd be like the guy on the Maxell commercial. I just don't get why the audio level seems to be so low from the disc players.

Hi Setec Astronomy,

Let's see, you are watching cable (FIOS) and the sound is good (sound coming out of your TV or from your home theater?

When you watch a movie from a player, the sound is low and you need to crank it up at max, the same sound from your TV or from the system?

Most of the time, when you watch a movie via a home theater system, the sound will come out from the speakers of your system, not from your TV (so 20 or 100 are not relevant). You can plug it so the sound would come from the TV and the system but you need a real "amp" to do it. But it defies the 5.1 idea.

Also, Blu-ray movies are encoded (in part) in 5.1 DTS-HD, if your reader is not able to decode it properly, you could encounter a "sound loss", being quality or power.

Could you explain a bit more your situation? Sound can come via HDMI but a good optical cable (Toslink) will help you to get a 5.1 sound.

 

[Tyrod]

Hi Setec Astronomy,

Let's see, you are watching cable (FIOS) and the sound is good (sound coming out of your TV or from your home theater?

When you watch a movie from a player, the sound is low and you need to crank it up at max, the same sound from your TV or from the system?

Most of the time, when you watch a movie via a home theater system, the sound will come out from the speakers of your system, not from your TV (so 20 or 100 are not relevant). You can plug it so the sound would come from the TV and the system but you need a real "amp" to do it. But it defies the 5.1 idea.

Also, Blu-ray movies are encoded (in part) in 5.1 DTS-HD, if your reader is not able to decode it properly, you could encounter a "sound loss", being quality or power.

Could you explain a bit more your situation? Sound can come via HDMI but a good optical cable (Toslink) will help you to get a 5.1 sound.

HMDI is far superior to Toslink in quality. Toslink doesn't even begin to have the bandwidth necessary to carry HiDef audio (Dolby TruHD, DTS-HD Master Audio). Not to mention that HMDI supports 7.1+ audio and Toslink only goes as high as 5.1.

To the OP. Some BluRay/DVD players have an internal audio adjustment. Not all, but some. Check your player setup for some kinda audio volume adjustment. Failing that, look at the remote for the player to see if there is some kinda audio adjustment there specific to the player.

 

[flyinion]

Is there any blu-rays fans here? I use to go on Blu-ray.com a lot but been so busy lately I haven't posted there a year.

I got about 100 blu-rays movies and pop in a movie when I'm not working at Lexus or detailing on the side.

I got a 55 inch LCD with a 5.1 system, Polk's M60, M40 and CS2.

Any other hardcore movie/home theater lovers here?

Yep big time blu-ray fan here. I can't stand to watched streamed/downloaded movies on my home theater because the picture quality and the HD audio codecs from blu-ray aren't there in those. I'm running an 8 year old Hitachi 51" rear projection 1080i HDTV (CRT based) that is professionally calibrated (was like getting a new TV when I had it done 2 years ago) and I use a Sony bdp-S550 blu-ray player.

I get 1080i out from it over component but am planning on getting my calibration touched up and set up for HDMI to DVI converter (TV has a DVI input that will accept an HDMI to DVI adapter and still does the security that HDMI uses) so I can take advantage of upconverting finally. I didn't have the blu-ray or an upconverting capable player when I had the TV calibrated originally.

I also got the S550 over a PS3 partly because I had a Xbox 360 and didn't need a second gaming system, and also because it has 7.1 channel analog outputs which I can send to my older receiver and still be able to take advantage of the new audio formats that blu-ray offers. I don't own a ton of blu-rays or DVD's compared to some people but I have a custom built bookcase that's about 4 feet wide and has 2 1/2 shelves of DVD's, probably 1/4 of which are blu-ray. I rent a lot of discs through Netflix and soon to be Blockbuster though.

 

[5.4 Shelby]

I am, I don't have as many movies on discs but I have about 350+ on my HTPC. I'm on a 52" LCD but a new plasma is on the way and for audio I have a Denon 3808CI pushing Infinity floor standings, klipsch center, surrounds and a klipsch down firing 12" subwoofer.

Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk

Nice. That is the AVR I am running. Sounds so clean with good sources such as blu-ray. I especially like blu-ray concerts that are in DTS-HD Master Audio.

I am running B&W DM 604 towers, 601 rears and CC6 center. Klipsch 15" sub.

 

[fancyfootwork]

My girl and I are huge movie go-ers and BR fans. I'm a long time PS3 owner (80g fat, backwards compatible) and it still looks amazing quality wise. I only have roughly 20 BR's since I never want to spend a grip of money.

I've had my Samsung 40" LCD for a couple years now. We just picked up a 50" Panasonic Plasma for....$100. Yes, two zeros.

 

[ScottB]

Is there any blu-rays fans here? I use to go on Blu-ray.com a lot but been so busy lately I haven't posted there a year.

I got about 100 blu-rays movies and pop in a movie when I'm not working at Lexus or detailing on the side.

I got a 55 inch LCD with a 5.1 system, Polk's M60, M40 and CS2.

Any other hardcore movie/home theater lovers here?

I have several Bluray players in the home and on laptop .. funny I remember when HD-DVD was said to outrival it. I got one of those too ....

 

[Rei86]

You know they won't admit it but the PS3 was the Trojan horse for BR for the 1st two years. Not only that HD DVD didn't carry true digital sound and was stuck with the best I do believe 5.1.

We all knew this would be BetaMax vs VHS all over again and with Porn industry signing up on BR instead of HD DVD it was another nail in the coffin for HD DVDs

 

[kronos]

This is my old setup. I edited little bits of it to make it current.

I'm using a 92" manual pull-down Elite Screen in cinema white with a 1.2 gain. I sit 1.3x the screen width away, that coupled with a 720p projector, tends to display somewhat soft images. My speakers are made by Axiom Audio (great brand) and I decided to use their M3v2 mains, VP100v2 center, QS8v2 surrounds and a SVS brand 12-inch, 320 watt, 110 pound subwoofer with strong extension down to 12Hz. I love my system! It rocks!!! rops:

My components are not top of the line, but very good in their class. The receiver is an Onkyo HT-R510 100watt x 6 channel, wired by Monster cable speaker wires and interconnects,. The DVD player is an Oppo OPDV971H up-converting DVD player, which at one point had the highest marks in performance regardless of class. I watch over the air tv with a Samsung DTB-H260F OTA HD-Tuner and play games with an Xbox360. I also watch the small collection of HD-DVDs using Xbox's now defunct HD-DVD player. Protecting all my components is a Monster PowerCenter HTS 5100 MKII.

I added sound absorption and diffusers to the room to maximize my equipment. I'm using Auralex and GIK Acoustics. I tried to follow the rule of thumb of placing the absorbers on the front wall, side walls and the diffusers on the ceiling. I should mention that this room is also my living room, with a 80% bias towards home theater obviously, and that's it, this is my Ultimate Setup.

 

[Setec Astronomy]

Some BluRay/DVD players have an internal audio adjustment. Not all, but some. Check your player setup for some kinda audio volume adjustment. Failing that, look at the remote for the player to see if there is some kinda audio adjustment there specific to the player.

Yeah, I think I looked in the setup to see if there was an audio level; I'll check again. I have a Sony and a Samsung BR/Home Theater.

 

[tommythecat]

My girl and I are huge movie go-ers and BR fans. I'm a long time PS3 owner (80g fat, backwards compatible) and it still looks amazing quality wise. I only have roughly 20 BR's since I never want to spend a grip of money.

I've had my Samsung 40" LCD for a couple years now. We just picked up a 50" Panasonic Plasma for....$100. Yes, two zeros.

Nice pick up on that Panasonic. While LCD TV's are making great strides lately, you can't beat a plasma for picture quality.

 

[gothamite302]

HMDI is far superior to Toslink in quality. Toslink doesn't even begin to have the bandwidth necessary to carry HiDef audio (Dolby TruHD, DTS-HD Master Audio). Not to mention that HMDI supports 7.1+ audio and Toslink only goes as high as 5.1.

To the OP. Some BluRay/DVD players have an internal audio adjustment. Not all, but some. Check your player setup for some kinda audio volume adjustment. Failing that, look at the remote for the player to see if there is some kinda audio adjustment there specific to the player.

While your assessment of HDMI is correct and I mostly agree, for the OP an optical cable may be exactly what he needs. If his "cheapo home theater system" doesn't decode DTS HDMA or Dolby trueHD then he has serious sound loss, but if he uses a toslink and his bdp can decode internally (which most can now) then it will just pcm out the HD audio.

Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk

 

[05xrunner]

You better buy another shovel to dig your way out of your deep pockets if you go into photography. That's an expensive hobby.

Tell me about it..just in past 5years I have passed about $25,000 through my hands buying photography gear.

 

[Setec Astronomy]

While your assessment of HDMI is correct and I mostly agree, for the OP an optical cable may be exactly what he needs. If his "cheapo home theater system" doesn't decode DTS HDMA or Dolby trueHD then he has serious sound loss, but if he uses a toslink and his bdp can decode internally (which most can now) then it will just pcm out the HD audio.

Yeah, but I have the same problem going from my other BR player and just using the TV speakers. In fact I had the same problem with my Sony DVD player that was connecting to the TV with composite inputs...in fact I had the same problem with that DVD player when it was hooked to my tube TV, and even when I had Comcast. My experience with DVD's for the most part is that I have to turn the volume way up from what it is when watching "cable" tv, so I dunno if the brands of players I have just have crappy audio levels, or what.

I did look at my Sony and there is no (menu) adjustment for the audio level although there are some decoding options as noted above, but I think I have them set the right way.

 

[70chevelle]

Different sources will give different volume levels. When I switch from my cable box to Blu-Ray, I need more volume to keep the same levels. I have a blu-ray (and a HD-DVD), but I'll be honest that I don't watch that many movies. I use my home theater mainly for sports and television, nightly.

It's 108" diagonal screen that I made from blackout cloth.

My components consist of a Harmon Kardon AVR with an Acurus 3x200 amp powering the front (Paradigm) speakers and a Velodyne sub. (The HK powers the rears)

I made the amp/center stand out of oak and it holds the center and my 2 channel setup which consists of a Carver TFM45 (375wpc) amp, Carver CT6 pre, Carver CD Changer, and NAD 525 cd player, which all plays through a set of Vandersteen 2CE's.

 

[gothamite302]

Different sources will give different volume levels. When I switch from my cable box to Blu-Ray, I need more volume to keep the same levels. I have a blu-ray (and a HD-DVD), but I'll be honest that I don't watch that many movies. I use my home theater mainly for sports and television, nightly.

It's 108" diagonal screen that I made from blackout cloth.

My components consist of a Harmon Kardon AVR with an Acurus 3x200 amp powering the front (Paradigm) speakers and a Velodyne sub. (The HK powers the rears)

I made the amp/center stand out of oak and it holds the center and my 2 channel setup which consists of a Carver TFM45 (375wpc) amp, Carver CT6 pre, Carver CD Changer, and NAD 525 cd player, which all plays through a set of Vandersteen 2CE's.

How do you like your velodyne sub? I have been wanting an upgrade on my sub even though i don't really need one just want to, and since mine is nice a replacement is really expensive


Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk

 

[flyinion]

How do you like your velodyne sub? I have been wanting an upgrade on my sub even though i don't really need one just want to, and since mine is nice a replacement is really expensive


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I have a Velodyne sub (and the line of satellites they made as well) and like it. However I'd love to upgrade to something better like a SVS

 

[Pagani Zonda R]

Yeah, but I have the same problem going from my other BR player and just using the TV speakers. In fact I had the same problem with my Sony DVD player that was connecting to the TV with composite inputs...in fact I had the same problem with that DVD player when it was hooked to my tube TV, and even when I had Comcast. My experience with DVD's for the most part is that I have to turn the volume way up from what it is when watching "cable" tv, so I dunno if the brands of players I have just have crappy audio levels, or what.

I did look at my Sony and there is no (menu) adjustment for the audio level although there are some decoding options as noted above, but I think I have them set the right way.

Hi again,

I cannot explain all of those issues but for sure, if you try to watch a Blu-ray movie via HDMI, connected to a 2.0 speakers on a TV, you will lose some sound because the movie was meant to be played in 5.1 and now, it has only 2.0.

If you watch normal DVD (recent ones), they must be in DD 5.1 so if just hooked to your TV, you will lose some sound power.

If you watch a Blu-ray via HDMI an a fake home theater system (kinda Samsung for $200 in a box), it has big chances that it will not decode sound properly (or via toslink).

A tube tv, an LCDTV, an LEDTV, a PLASMA or whatever else only has 2 speakers, so it modifies the sound and you need to crank it up a lot.

My best example to you is this: at home, I have a simple home theater system (Denon amp, Polk Audio speakers, 5.1). When I am watching a movie (DVD, Blu-ray), my amp is at -45 dB and it is loud as hell. On the cable, - 25 dB is low...

Sound source is the difference and the amp...