Wow, I can't believe I haven't posted here since 2009! OK, late 2009, but still....
My post
here listed the setup at the time, in 2006. Almost all gone, now.
I've picked up a couple of things since then. Moved into the 21st century and all.
It took 2 or 3 phases, but everything's up to date with the digital age, now. The Hitachi rear projection TV is gone. It was 4:3, HD capable, with 2 component inputs, and would letter-box to go wide-screen. In its place is a Samsung 51" plasma flat screen, with 3D.
I didn't buy it for the 3D, it didn't even come with glasses (initially,) but it was the only plasma in the store that day that did 1080p as opposed to 720. I wanted plasma because the motion artifacts in LCD screens, even at 120 Hz or even 240, are unwatchable to me. Extremely annoying.
So now I've got an HD set, but no HDMI receiver. I upgraded my cable from the Knology extended basic to Comcast's digital and HD. I got faster Internet at the PC, more channels plus HD, and it's about 3/4 the price. Initially hooked optical out to the receiver from the cable box, and when I got a PS3 I hooked that to the TV via HDMI. Put another optical out from the TV to the receiver for that sound, then discovered that HDMI to optical won't carry all the channels. So now it's time to get a receiver!
Got a Yamaha receiver with HDMI switching, so the cable box feeds the receiver, the PS3 feeds the receiver, the PS2 has component video and optical audio to the receiver, and I've got some other connections so I can keep some legacy equipment in place, and the receiver feeds the TV on HDMI, so the TV is simply an HD monitor.
The DVD player came out as no longer needed. Kept the CD changer, the VCR, and the laserdisc player. The laserdisc outputs composite video and stereo sound to the VCR, and the VCR plays composite video and stereo audio to the receiver. There is no cable TV on the VCR any more, I just use it for old tapes. I also have digital sound on a coax cable from the LD player to the receiver. I also kept the old receiver in place just for its phono input, and its monitor out feeds an input on the Yamaha, so I can still play vinyl (the Yamaha had no phono input, and I can't be bothered to obtain or build a separate one, so the old receiver is a very capable phono pre-amp now.)
Summary:
51" TV used as an HD monitor.
Yamaha receiver used for source switching.
PS2 connected by component video and optical audio.
PS3 connected by HDMI.
Cable box connected by HDMI.
VCR connected by composite vid and stereo.
Laserdisc connected to the VCR by composite vid and stereo, plus coax digital to the receiver.
Phono connected to the old receiver (for its phono preamp,) which in turn connects to the new receiver.
CD changer (JVC) still cranking out after almost 20 years!!!!
The computer-based DVR system I had built is gone, as it became useless when Comcast went all-digital.
I'd said I didn't get glasses with the TV, but found out some months later that Samsung was providing two pairs of glasses for free as a rebate to purchasers during a certain time period, which I qualified for. So i have 3D TV, as well! 3D Blu-ray is pretty cool when it's well done. Comcast also carries ESPN3D (which is great!) a 3D-only channel with miscellaneous stuff, (sometimes decent, sometimes useless,) and since I have HBO, I get HBO's 3D stuff they put on the OnDemand menus.
The Yamaha receiver is dual-zone, but I have no need for that at the moment, what with not having anyplace else but the living room that needs anything played in it. They have an app for the phone, though, so you can control the receiver on your home LAN from your phone, making Zone 2 operation a lot easier, not having to walk back and forth to do stuff on the receiver, go back and see if you got it right, etc.
Ballpark figure about ~$2300ish for the entire setup (not all at once - upgraded over time). To put things in perspective, the first HDTV I bought in 2005 cost me north of $2600+tax i.e. well above the cost of my entire system now.
👍
