Using a PS3 Slim as a Bluray player can you recommend a HCS

[Blasphemous]

Sorry about HCS I ran out of characters!

Anyway, we have recently purchased a Panansonic Plasma (I don't want to discuss the pros and cons of LCD v Plasma thank you), and a PS3 Slim to use as a Bluray Player. Now I know NOWT about AV so keep that in mind when posting back won't ya? What I am wanting to know is what would be a decent Home Cinema System (that's the HSC in the title ), to combine with this set up? I don't want to pay more than £200.

Thank you in advance guys.

 

[garrymum]

As you have a PS3, I personally would go for separates - AV receiver and speaker package. If you can get an amp which can handle TrueHD audio, it will blow you away. However, given your budget, this is not enough.

Personally, I would save a little more and hold off buying a HCS. Why have a nice Panny plasma, a sony PS3, then crappy DD 5.1 surround sound from a cheap HCS.

 

[ChrisFrost]

Sub £200 home cinema kits will generally come with a built-in DVD player (which you probably don't need), probably no way to connect the PS3 (which you definitely do want to do), and sound quality that only rates as "decent" if you are stone deaf

To find something suitable you'll need a shortlist of essential features. You'll need to decide for yourself though what is and is not essential. Here's some info to help you make an informed choice.

Connecting your PS3...
....surround sound from your DVDs needs a digital audio connection via an optical connector (A.K.A. Toslink)

....the best surround sound from your Blu-rays needs a HDMI connection and an amplifier which can decode the HD audio formats: Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD, and also handle discs with uncompressed PCM. Read here, but there is also DVD quality surround sound included with most Blu-rays which can be accessed via the optical connection.

Picture connections from the PS3 aren't essential. You can hook up a HDMI direct to the TV for picture and basic stereo sound, and then have an optical connection to the amp for surround sound. If you push the boat out with your budget and go for something with HDMI and HD Audio decoding then you will have some sockets to connect HDMI from the amp to the TV for picture.


So, that's the do's....here's the don'ts.

If you buy a HCS which does have an input on phonos (red & white) or via SCART then you'll be limited to stereo audio from your movies. Most HCS's have some form of ProLogic sound to spread the stereo around all of the speakers, but the effect isn't a patch on the quality you'd get via an optical connections.

Some Panasonic HCS's have an optical connection but don't decode Dolby Digital surround sound or DTS surround sound. Beware!!


...and finally, some recommendations on realistic budgets to get good surround sound without spending the earth...

Sony STRDH500 £139.95 + Yamaha NSP270 speakers (in silver) £119.95 or Yamaha NSP280 speakers (in black) £139.95
This is one of the lowest cost proper AV amps with optical connections for the PS3. You'll get DVD quality surround from this kit



Sony STRDG820 £229.95 + Yamaha NSP270 speakers (in silver) £119.95 or Yamaha NSP280 speakers (in black) £139.95
This is currently one of the lowest cost AV amps HDMI and HD audi decoding. It will handle your DVDs and Blu-rays in the best quality from each format.

All the above are available from Richer Sounds. www.richersounds.co.uk You could also have a look at Superfi for budget surround systems.


I know both systems are above your budget, but would it be worth buying a HCS kit if you couldn't connect the PS3 and enjoy DVDs and Blu-rays in at least DVD digital surround???

 

[garrymum]

Sony STR-DH500 is £119.95 from Richer Sounds if you are a VIP member. If you aren't, just join via their website.

The Sony STR-DG820 is a discontinued model and is like rocking horse poo to find. The successor to the DG820, the DH800 costs £279.95 (£269.95 for VIP members from Richer Sounds).

 

[Blasphemous]

Thank you guys and posted a 'Thank you'.

Will read through this and digest it... err-in-doors won't budge on the budget! I will 'work on her'!

 

[ChrisFrost]

If you are prepared to invest some time in order to save a few quid then have a look at the secondhand market.

AV Amp classifieds: http://www.avforums.com/forums/amplifier-receiver-classified-adverts/

Speaker classifieds: http://www.avforums.com/forums/speaker-subwoofer-classified-adverts/

There are decent AV amps going for well under £100 that would have cost you £300+ 3 or 4 years ago. These weren't the entry level amps; they'll have a little more finesse. Countering that is the ever falling price of new entry level gear. That makes price comparisons tricky. To help you though you have the advantage with s/h gear that there's lots of info available on the web in reviews and forum comments.

The pace of development in speakers is much slower. It's more a case of fashion and design rather than some new technology. The challenge here is that folk will hang on to speakers much longer. There's less reason to change.

Invest some time and do some research and you could come up with a n£200 system equal to or better than a new system costing £300 - £400

 

[garrymum]

Blasphemous, how do you rate the PS3 as a bluray player?
Saw a friends the other day on his 1080p LCD and I was very disappointed. He already has a bluray player in his pc, but his pc is overclocked to the max, hence very noisy. This is why he bought the PS3. The quality difference between the PC and PS3 for bluray playback is like night and day.

I was very shocked how bad the PS3 is as playing blurays.

 

[gday2uk]

Blasphemous, how do you rate the PS3 as a bluray player?
Saw a friends the other day on his 1080p LCD and I was very disappointed. He already has a bluray player in his pc, but his pc is overclocked to the max, hence very noisy. This is why he bought the PS3. The quality difference between the PC and PS3 for bluray playback is like night and day.

I was very shocked how bad the PS3 is as playing blurays.

Is his PC hooked up to his TV then?

 

[garrymum]

Blasphemous, how do you rate the PS3 as a bluray player?
Saw a friends the other day on his 1080p LCD and I was very disappointed. He already has a bluray player in his pc, but his pc is overclocked to the max, hence very noisy. This is why he bought the PS3. The quality difference between the PC and PS3 for bluray playback is like night and day.

I was very shocked how bad the PS3 is as playing blurays.

Is his PC hooked up to his TV then?

Yes.

 

[Stereomic]

I'm surprised by that garrymom. I have a PS3 and a 42 inch 1080P and watch Blu ray movies courtesy of lovefilm all the time and they look great. admittadly I've not done a comparison and I'll have to assume that your friend has his PS3 setup correctly and both PC and PS3 were fed to the same HDMI input with the same HDMI cable one after the other ,for a true like for like comparison?

Anyway, what I was going to say is that I agree with garrymum. you've got a great input device (PS3) and a great TV, don't let it down with a crap surround system.

Try to get yourself a full video and sound switching amplifier , if you can. You don't want to be messing with sources on your amp and then AV ips on your TV. That's what I need next.