Ok for a starter system or on a budgetNovember 29, 2008 I bought this to replace a 8 year old Magnavox entry level system. I read the reviews here and thought I knew about all the limitations (mostly the lack of inputs and the speaker cable connectors. I bought this elsewhere today on Black Friday. I got it home and took everything out. I quickly noticed the speakers don't have industry standard mounting holes. Hmm. I wired my living room a few months ago and bought basic angled wall mounts. I took a speaker down and found a way to "rig" the mount...and was simply okay with it. I then test fit the system. My Samsung 750 LCD TV found the receiver and configured it right away. I put a DVD in and the input switched and began to play. I then tried going back to cable TV (I have AT&T Uverse). No sound. After a few minutes I realized I needed to use the optical cable from the TV to the receiver. Hmm. I was using the optical cable from my XBox 360 to my old receiver. Once I did this I turned up the TV....the sound wasn't as deep and crisp as my existing setup. Disappointed I put it all back in the box. I am going to return it and seek out another option. I am going to look at the more expensive Samsung models to see if they have standard cables and speaker mounting holes.
Great Value, Has Drawbacks...November 20, 2008 Overall, it's a nice product. I use it with a Samsung LNT-4065F. It's the first surround sound system that I have purchased, and I think that in the future I will probably build a professional system. This unit doesn't have enough inputs. The single optical input kind of sucks. Most televisions do have optical out, which I read in the prior reviews. However, what those reviews don't tell you is that nearly every TV on the market doesn't provide Dolby 5.1 through the optical output. It downsamples to PCM/Stereo sound. Therefore, if you hook up your PS3, DVD, XBox 360, AppleTV, etc. to your TV with HDMI, and an optical cable from the TV to this receiver, you have to depend on the receiver to upsample the 2 channels that the TV is sending it. The best solution is to run an HDMI cable from the device to your TV, and an optical cable from your device to the receiver. However, there's only one optical port on the receiver. Barring expensive switching devices you're screwed. Either upsampled 2 channel audio, or hook just one device to the receiver.
Had I known better, I probably would have built my own system. I didn't know enough about it at the time.
The sound quality is pretty decent if the inputs fit your needs. Sometimes the sound I get sounds a little muffled. The upsample of 2 channel audio isn't really *that* bad.
I don't use the upconverting DVD functionality. I use a PS3 to play DVDs, so I can't speak on that feature.
Great for the priceNovember 8, 2008 2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Excellent sound for the price and small size. It's not audiophile quality, but is really quite good. I saw the other comments about upconversion, but didn't have such issues. On my Samsung 720p, my DVDs look very near to HD quality with no particular pixellation problem.
Cons: The controls/menus are clunky, and the receiver does not automatically turn on when I turn on my Samsung TV with Anynet function, which is a bit irritating.
SatisfiedOctober 23, 2008 Product was packaged nicely, easy for even me to install, sounds great for my space.
Not impressedOctober 22, 2008 0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I have had home theater systems for years and this receiver is terrible. 1st of all, when I turn it on to listen to sound from my satellite TV receiver (through the D.IN input) I get audio for a few seconds and then the audio cuts out, the display says "good-bye" and it shuts off. I then have to turn the Samsung back on and then the audio stays on until I shut it off. I have to repeat this sequence EVERY time I choose to listen to watch TV and listed to the audio through the home theater receiver. The Samsung has very limited audio controls if you are using any input other than the DVD player. I completely regret this purchase.
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Onkyo HT-SR800 Black Home Theater System $335.96 - $499.00 from 2 stores. User rating:4.0 out of 5.
Neatly Covering All A/V Formats, Precisely Tailored for Your Home
When it comes to all-in-one home theater, the HT-SR800 has made a clean break from the pack. You're looking at packaged home theater that neatly integrates your high-definition entertainment and your HDTV through an HDMI channel that transports video with a resolution all the way up to 1080p. Ably supported by component video switching, the HT-SR800 will handle most of the A/V components or formats currently available, as well as the spectacular quality of high-definition discs. Also, reinforcing the convenience of matched components, this package is the first to use an Audyssey room-correction technology specifically designed for integrated systems. The options - XM Radio (including 5.1 surround sound radio with Neural Surround decoding) and iPod integration-can really extend your reach, making the HT-SR800 one of the more complete home theater packages available.
Special Features-
HDMI Pass Through (2in/1out , 1080P compatible) - A separate audio connection is necessary
"Audyssey 2EQ" Auto room calibration w/Microphone
XM and Sirius satellite radio ready
Sony HT-7100DH Home Theater System $349.95 - $378.08 from 2 stores. User rating:3.0 out of 5. Grab your popcorn and revel in the intense movie-watching experience that is the HT-7100DH home theater system. Take your entertainment to new aural heights as 900 watts of surround sound fill your room while you watch high definition DVD media or listen to XM satellite radio. For fast and easy setup, the HT-7100DH automatically calibrates the included speakers for an optimal sound field and the most dramatic effects. The Digital Media Port (DMP) is also great for when you want to listen to external sources like Bluetooth devices or Walkman music players in powerful 5.1 channel digital surround sound.
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Five speakers are replaced by two. A stack of electronics is replaced by a single media center that includes an integrated DVD/CD player, AM/FM tuner, amplification and signal processing. A patented Acoustimass module hides easily in a corner or behind your furniture. And everything is easily connected with just three wires and a power cord, making setup a snap. The 3-2-1 system combines an Articulated Array speaker design with proprietary signal processing to give you much of that same performance. Hear the roar of a train from left to right from just two visible speakers positioned in the front of your room. Enjoy a spacious soundstage and lifelike surround effects whether you're watching the game, listening to a favorite CD or enjoying the latest on DVD.
Philips HTS3555 Home Theater System $146.95 - $250.81 from 2 stores. User rating:4.9 out of 5. This state-of-the-art digital home entertainment system delivers powerful surround sounds and a theater-like audio/video experience. The ultimate in both style and performance.PRODUCT FEATURES:Dock included for GoGear and iPod;USB Direct plays photos and music from USB flash drives;MP3 Line-in for music playback from Portable Media Players;1080i HDMI with high definition video upconversion;DTS, Dolby Digital and Pro Logic II surround sound;12-bit/108MHz video processing for sharp, natural images;DivX Ultra for enhanced playback of DivX media files;Plays CD, (S)VCD, DVD, DVD+R/RW, DVD-R/RW, DVD+R DL;Plays DivX, MP3, WMA and JPEG digital camera photos.
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