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+--- Thread: Help me choose a Receiver (/showthread.php?tid=113027)
Help me choose a Receiver - htpc guy - 2011-10-23 00:48
Bear with me guys, I'm good with computer hardware and troubleshooting but I need guidance with the AV stuff.
I'm in the market for a new AV receiver. I just installed a new GT430 card and want to put it through its paces. I'm not running out the door now for this thing. I'm just now starting to research this so it will be a while before I make a final purchase.
I will of course be attaching the HTPC to the receiver. In addition I will be hooking up a blueray player, UVerse cable box, Xbox 360 and a Wii. I will use HDMI in most instances and composite for the consoles.
I all ready have a decent 5.1 system but its quite old. It has no HDMI ports or fancy options. I will not be buying speakers at this time. The system I pick doesn't need to be 7.1. 5.1 will do.
I'm no sound snob. I don't want to spend thousands. Just enough to get the job done.
Here comes the rub...
I don't always want full surround every time I am watching something (in xbmc or any other devices). Nobody needs to watch the news in full surround w/ base. Also I have a few hundred cartoons that my 4yr old likes to watch. I really don't want to hear Dora the Explorer in all of its acoustical glory.
So, is it possible, with any receiver or hardware solution, to easily choose between sound via the av receiver/speakers and the standard television speakers? Can I simply run HDMI from the receiver to the tv, let the receiver switch inputs and then turn the volume down on whatever I don't want to listen to? I know I can't possibly be the only one that would desire this sort of thing. I've googled but come up short.
Thanks
- bluray - 2011-10-23 01:13
if you're planning to use it in a smaller room (den, bedroom, etc), here is your affordable dts-hd and truehd surround sound system- Onkyo HTX-22HDX Ultra-Compact HD Home Theater System.
if you already have surround sound speakers, one of these dts-hd and truehd receivers will do the job- very affordable (Sony 7.1 Channel 3D A/V Receiver) or Onkyo HT-RC270. both of these avr's has pass-through options, which mean that it allow you to watch tv show using tv speaker without avr on. i owned and installed all of type of avr's in the past, onkyo ht-rc270 is one of my favorite mid-range receiver. it is packed with all the latest technologies in it. you can have up to 11.2 speakers on this baby!
- htpc guy - 2011-10-23 01:18
Thanks bluray! I don't know why its so hard to get an answer to this question. Being able to switch between tv sound and stereo sound adds serious WAF to this purchase.
So basically I need to look for a receiver that supports passthrough when the power is off?
- maddog808 - 2011-10-23 01:31
I prefer Yamaha. My first receiver was an Onkyo, and was great. I have grown to love Yamaha, and believe they give you the most bang for your buck. This one has everything you asked for, and it's less than $250:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004QQXDVC/ref=aw_cr_d_electronics
Good luck!
- bluray - 2011-10-23 01:50
htpc guy Wrote:So basically I need to look for a receiver that supports passthrough when the power is off?yes, it allow you to pass-through both audio/video while avr on or off. another word, while you get sound on avr you get sound on tv speaker too. for video, it meant that it pass-through video codec to hdtv for decoding!
- bluray - 2011-10-23 01:54
maddog808 Wrote:I prefer Yamaha. My first receiver was an Onkyo, and was great. I have grown to love Yamaha, and believe they give you the most bang for your buck. This one has everything you asked for, and it's less than $250:i used to own a yamaha avr with ypao microphone and i used own a pioneer elite with mcacc microphone, but i enjoy using onkyo audyssey microphone the most.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004QQXDVC/ref=aw_cr_d_electronics
Good luck!
- Jetster - 2011-10-23 11:13
I bought the Yamaha RX-v571. It automatically switched to the signal available. If you are watching a 2.1 sound show it switches to 2.1 sound. If the next show is Dora the Explorer in Dolby Digital 5.1 it automatically switches to 5.1. (Don't knock Dora in HD till you try it) It also have pass through so when it off it will pass the sound to the TV. I got it on sale for $330 at Video Only (talked them down $80) I absolutely love it.
- htpc guy - 2011-10-23 15:01
^^
That Yamaha receiver looks pretty sweet. My current receiver is a Yamaha and I've been quite pleased with it. Its great for music but its behind the tech in the rest of my AV cabinet.
I've put this in my Amazon cart so I don't forget. Still taking opinions.
- pyrodex - 2011-10-23 16:08
I have a Denon AVR-991 in my setup and personally love the Denon line. I've owned Panasonic, Yamaha, and Pioneer in my AVR career. The denon has great sound and if you are looking to start a decent HT setup it is a good center piece.
- eskro - 2011-10-23 17:59
@bluray, where is that walmart link where you can build your own HT system?