Home Theater Mega Thread

[Meelapo]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

I'm in the same boat soon, but I'm going to forgo the receiver entirely. Soundbars have come a long way in the last few years, and even if they don't sound quite as good as a receiver and full discreet 7.1 setup, the Dolby Atmos bars get close enough. I'm willing to sacrifice a little in audio quality to simplify my setup and have everything connected directly to the TV

Hmmm....that's a good point. I would consider this. I'd need to sell the speakers...some really nice KEF speakers...but I'm guessing the wife won't care a whole lot.

Is surround sound a thing these days? Do soundbars get close to any of that? Dolby Atmos simulates what I'd need?

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by Meelapo

Hmmm....that's a good point. I would consider this. I'd need to sell the speakers...some really nice KEF speakers...but I'm guessing the wife won't care a whole lot.

Is surround sound a thing these days? Do soundbars get close to any of that? Dolby Atmos simulates what I'd need?

You can get all-in-one soundbars that do a decent job of emulating 7.1, but if you spend a bit more you can get ones with a subwoofer and wireless rear satellites. I'm sick of running speaker wire, so that's the route I'll be going

[cupofjoe]

Originally Posted by Meelapo

Hmmm....that's a good point. I would consider this. I'd need to sell the speakers...some really nice KEF speakers...but I'm guessing the wife won't care a whole lot.

Is surround sound a thing these days? Do soundbars get close to any of that? Dolby Atmos simulates what I'd need?

From someone who used to do this professionally, soundbars (regardless of price, name etc) are not even remotely close to the same quality of sound of properly designed, tuned 5.1 / 7.1 / Atmos theatre (using good source material of course).

It would be like comparing NHL hockey to midget hockey IMO.

[Weitz]

Yah I have sound bars in the casual tv rooms and a real system in the theatre room. It’s like night and day.

[GoinAllTheWay]

Originally Posted by Meelapo

Now do I go with that setup or do the traditional thing with the receiver, and forgo the eARC? And if so, do I need to get a super fancy receiver? I'd like to spend around $500-800 on a receiver if that's doable,

I think you'd be able to get a very capable receiver for that price. Based on what I've heard others say, spend the money on the speakers and scrimp a bit on the receiver. Speakers will last for years. Receiver technology can change a lot and is the more likely component to get swapped out more frequently.

[Flamenspiel]

Dp

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by cupofjoe

From someone who used to do this professionally, soundbars (regardless of price, name etc) are not even remotely close to the same quality of sound of properly designed, tuned 5.1 / 7.1 / Atmos theatre (using good source material of course).

It would be like comparing NHL hockey to midget hockey IMO.

What about soundbars with discreet subwoofers and wireless rear speakers? I don't see how those don't get at least close, while being much cheaper and easier to setup

[GoinAllTheWay]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

What about soundbars with discreet subwoofers and wireless rear speakers? I don't see how those don't get at least close, while being much cheaper and easier to setup

It's the size of the speakers that makes the difference. I don't claim to be as knowledgeable as others on the subject but larger speakers have way more range in them than the tiny speakers in sound bars, way more power behind them too. They can fill a room with sound much more easily.

[keratosis]

I have a higher end Samsung sound bar with atmos and I am very happy. If you want fidelity spend what you can afford. If you want all around listening pleasure get a sound bar.

[TorqueDog]

Originally Posted by Weitz

Yah I have sound bars in the casual tv rooms and a real system in the theatre room. It’s like night and day.

That's how I approach it too. It's unlikely that I'm even going to use a full-fledged home theatre set-up if I put it in the living room. But a sound bar with the rear satellites connected to our in-ceiling speakers gives enough of an uplift in sound quality over the recycled 1994 IBM PC speakers they put in flat panel TVs these days that I will enjoy it without it being excessive.

[cupofjoe]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

What about soundbars with discreet subwoofers and wireless rear speakers? I don't see how those don't get at least close, while being much cheaper and easier to setup

AAA Midget vs NHL

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

What about soundbars with discreet subwoofers and wireless rear speakers? I don't see how those don't get at least close, while being much cheaper and easier to setup

I guess it depends on what your definition of close is. Lots of people either cannot tell or do not care about 5.1/7.1 differences in sound bar setups vs proper system. If you cannot notice the difference, then pocket the difference and enjoy the convenience, ignorance is bliss. But to some of us, once we know how to identify the difference, it's blatantly margarine vs butter.

You could say it's like the photo quality from a modern cell phone vs DSLR. There's still quite a gap, but the majority don't wan't to pay extra, find a cell phone more convenient and they're using it for instagram, Facebook etc. which doesn't require high quality output.

I've recommended the Vizio 5.1 sound bar many times on this forum. It's an excellent value sound bar for <$300 and I've described it as being a triple card hand in poker. If you listen to a properly set up full 5.1 system though, you notice the pair that makes the set up a full house.

[AFireInside]

Not sure if this is the best place to post this or to make a new thread but figured I'd try.

I currently have a basement wall where I'm going to have to mount an 85 inch 100lb tv. I'd rather put it on a stand, but there is a built shelf that won't allow a stand.

The problem is I have 3 studs, 24 inches apart, with one stud in the middle. I thought of using 3/4 inch plywood across all three studs with structural screws then put the mount on the plywood bolting the outsides to the plywood and adding extra bolts in the middle through the plywood and into the center stud.

Some have said this will be fine and others that say it it's a good solution.

I've thought of using a couple 2x4's as well since the tv is so big it will never be seen.


Anyone have any experience?

[Fuzz]

If you are attaching plywood across 3 studs, what is the concern? 100lbs is nothing for that kind of support, it should be no problem. 3/4" plywood is plenty strong. 9 standard #8 or #10 wood screws 2 1/4" long (assuming 1/2" drywall) would do it.

[AFireInside]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

If you are attaching plywood across 3 studs, what is the concern? 100lbs is nothing for that kind of support, it should be no problem. 3/4" plywood is plenty strong. 9 standard #8 or #10 wood screws 2 1/4" long (assuming 1/2" drywall) would do it.

That's what I thought as well. I posted a question about it elsewhere and basically had 1 person say it wasn't good enough and another other say it was.


I actually picked up some #10 3-1/8 GRK structural screws and was looking to put three per stud into the plywood, and use the lag bolts that come with the mount on the outside through plywood and hopefully get two screws/washers into the middle stud through the plywood . So maybe I need screws that are slightly bigger, but that's no problem.


I honestly thought that would be overkill, which is fine, so I was surprised when told it wasn't.

[Fuzz]

Those structural screws are incredibly strong. The weak link of the plan is the mount on the plywood, not the plywood on the wall. But I think 3/4" plywood is plenty thick to mount directly to. I mean, you could bolt it onto the plywood before screwing the whole thing onto the wall, but I think that would be overkill as well.

[cupofjoe]

Originally Posted by AFireInside

Not sure if this is the best place to post this or to make a new thread but figured I'd try.

I currently have a basement wall where I'm going to have to mount an 85 inch 100lb tv. I'd rather put it on a stand, but there is a built shelf that won't allow a stand.

The problem is I have 3 studs, 24 inches apart, with one stud in the middle. I thought of using 3/4 inch plywood across all three studs with structural screws then put the mount on the plywood bolting the outsides to the plywood and adding extra bolts in the middle through the plywood and into the center stud.

Some have said this will be fine and others that say it it's a good solution.

I've thought of using a couple 2x4's as well since the tv is so big it will never be seen.


Anyone have any experience?

I have hung 100's of tv's, including much heavier plasma etc.

Assuming the mount is either flat or tilt, use proper lags on the center stud with the bracket and toggle bolts (their pullout strength is something like 200 lbs) to secure the bracket at the ends. If the mount is articulating (motion) then you might consider 3/4 plywood support.

https://www.homedepot.ca/product/tog...c=ds&gclsrc=ds

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Cupofjoe: my dad has an old 50" plasma on a wall mount, and I want to give him a new 75" for Xmas. The plasma model he has weighs about 85 lbs in that size, according to google. The 75" is a bit less, despite being way bigger.

Can I use the existing mount? My understanding is that the size of the TV isn't the issue as much as the weight, as long as both are VESA standard. Is that right?

The reason I want to is that it's actually installed into a brick chimney above his fireplace, so it's not so easy to just take the mount down and put a new one up. It's held that TV there without an issue for well over a decade so I'm pretty confident in the installation.

[cupofjoe]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

Cupofjoe: my dad has an old 50" plasma on a wall mount, and I want to give him a new 75" for Xmas. The plasma model he has weighs about 85 lbs in that size, according to google. The 75" is a bit less, despite being way bigger.

Can I use the existing mount? My understanding is that the size of the TV isn't the issue as much as the weight, as long as both are VESA standard. Is that right?

The reason I want to is that it's actually installed into a brick chimney above his fireplace, so it's not so easy to just take the mount down and put a new one up. It's held that TV there without an issue for well over a decade so I'm pretty confident in the installation.

Maybe. Virtually all TV's use the VESA standard. The older plasma VESA patterns used proportionately larger patterns than similiar sized tv's of today. My guess is 50 plasma is likely a 400 x 400 pattern (minimum) and the new TV will 400 x 400 or 400 x 600. The challenge you might have is whether the new tv will line up height wise on the fireplace to where you want it and whether the increase size will run into obstacles (ie mantle).

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Yeah the specs on the plasma are 400x600, new tv is 400x400, but I would assume the mount should fit both?

And mount location should not be an issue, there is tons of space, it's just a matter of making sure the heat from the fireplace doesn't cause issues as there is no mantle. But it should be enough of a gap.