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Living Room Home Theater Suggestions

Hello,

I am setting up a home theater system for a new 50 inch TH-50PH9UK display. I already have a progressive scan DVD player with component video output (not HDMI) and digital audio output. I am mounting the display over a fireplace, so it will be higher than normal viewing height. As such, I am looking for an A/V receiver that supports multiple inputs and HDMI output. I will then run all devices into the A/V receiver and run one HDMI leg from the receiver to the display through the wall cavity over the fireplace.

The layout in the room is a bit of an odd arrangement for home theater requirements as most of the seating will be off to one side or the other. Also, the floorplan is open (see diagram below for reference), so there will be some viewing from stools at a high countertop in an adjoining room, though I am not concerning my self with providing speakers specifically for these outside viewpoints.

For a speaker arrangement, I was thinking of a 5.1 arrangement, utilizing only the front left right and read surround speakers full time and including the center channel if I am watching a movie. I would like to mount all speakers high on the walls in the corner, where the walls and the ceiling meet, with the speakers angled downward. I know the suggestions and requirements for home theaters are to keep speakers at ear level, but what are the effects of high mounted speakers? Given the height of the display, is this configuration acceptable?

Also, is it possible to mount the surround speakers behind viewers as opposed to the side of the viewers as such an arrangement would put the speakers right next to the viewers ears, which I don't think would be good. Again, I would like to mount these rear surround speakers high on the wall.

If the rear surround speakers will not work, I suppose I could try a

2.1 arrangement or some virtual surround system. If this is the case, could somebody recommend one that supports HDMI output? Also, is it possible to install a 5.1 A/V receiver but only use the front left/ right channels and subwoofer, or would there be audio content that would then be excluded completely? The reason being that I could use the same 5.1 receiver in a future home theater in a different room/ house.

Given the parameters above, could somebody recommend an A/V receiver, ideally 5.1 with HDMI output and analog to HDMI up-conversion? Additionally, does anyone have any input/recommendations on the speaker arrangement I have proposed, and/or brands?

Thanks.

John

Floorplan Diagram _____________________________ | F+ ==== + | F - Full Height Wall | F | H - Half Height Wall (raised countertop) | H C C | S - Bar Stool | H C C | C - Couch | HHHH C C | R - Recliner | S S S RR | = - Plasma Display Mounted Over Fireplace | | + - Desired Speaker Placement (High Wall Mount) | +____________+| | | | |__________ | |

Reply to
John
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If you can't set up a surround system properly, with the audience seated reasonably centrally within the speaker field, I don't know that there's much point in doing it at all. The extra speakers will be ineffective or even annoying.

Reply to
Laurence Payne

I have. The wiring will be dropped from an attic space through the wall cavity. It will not be visible.

If neck strain becomes a serious issue I'll move the television.

Please just try to help me out with the questions I have regarding surround sound speaker placement. Thanks.

Reply to
John

Ok, so it sounds like I should not bother with a conventional 5.1 system. What about these systems that have a single centrally located rear surround speaker, I know Panasonic makes one. This would be acceptable in my layout. Could you recommend any good systems that support this model?

Reply to
John

Unless you can mount the screen at a reasonable height, and provide seating in front of it, I don't think you HAVE a home theatre. Just a multipurpose space with a tv screen for casual viewing. That's fine.

Reply to
Laurence Payne

And if you DO get an eq, it won't really solve the problem.

Reply to
Laurence Payne

Well a really good (read $) outboard parametric notch EQ can tame a lot of things. But it is like backing into a bad situation, then having to dig out of it.

Reply to
Ric Seyler

Mounting the speakers in the corners high on the wall will give you a really bad boundary effect, making everything sound muddy and boomy, which you will have to get an EQ to filter out. Plus the sound field will be much less cohesive with the high mounted speakers. Sound will sound kinda detached from the display and probably lose the definition if the mids, which are important for staging of the sound field (look up some quality reviews of on/in ceiling speakers), plus like the others have said the display placement very well could be a big pain in the neck in the near future.

There are a few "fake surround" speaker systems out there, from cheap to not so cheap. But they will always be fake surround. IMHO

Reply to
Ric Seyler

I don't see anything wrong with the screen, above the fireplace. Personally, I would install the surround sound, and have the ability to place a couch where it would sound decent. You can still have a multipurpose room, and you can also change the audio format at will if necessary. Also, having one TV is kind of boring for a multipurpose room. 3-4 screens is necessary for a sports entertainment center. We used to have 2 large TV,s hooked up in the old house. Its really dum to watch one channel sometimes. i hav not had the time or place in the new house to do that, but after i get done with my room, i will.

greg

Reply to
GregS

This is how I have my rear speakers mounted, and they sound fine from the central listening area. (where I took the pics from)

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In my last home, I had the same speakers on stands in corners at ear level, about 4 feet behind the central listening area, and I can't tell a huge difference from that set-up, to the one I have now.

Reply to
Ron

Thanks for the help. I'll probably go ahead and install the surround speakers at the back of the room. I'm not looking for the perfect solution, just one that's better than nothing.

Thanks.

Reply to
John

The Denon AVR-5805 converts analog video to HDMI; but if you're going to spend that kind of money, you might as well replace your DVD player with one that outputs HDMI.

Reply to
Neill Massello

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