Upgrading TV

tonyb

txcoastal1 wrote: »

cfrizz wrote: »

I am planning on using an optical cable from the tv to my Sunfire or should it be from the cable box to the Sunfire?.

If your only HDMI source is your cable box, then run optical from cable box to Sunfire.

If later you buy a blueray player or any other HDMI devices the run all HDMI's to the TV and optical from TV then to your Sunfire

That won't work for the newer audio surround codecs. She still needs to run the analog outputs of her BDP to the Sunfire so the BDP can decode the newer surround formats.

Cath, anytime you can avoid the TV's optical output, I'd do that. They aren't the best. Going from the cable box directly to the sunfire is going to be your best route for audio.

cfrizz

Cool, then I'm all set. I got my new DVR cable box + a smaller one for the bedroom. I hooked them up and activated them so that when I get my TV on Sat. I can just plug and play. I bought a couple more optical cables as well as HDMI cables from Amazon. And this is the tv that Mark is getting me.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00V0K0Y00?keywords=Sony KDL40R510C 40" 1080p 60Hz LED Smart HDTV&qid=1450409891&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1

Got it Tony, I'll make sure I use the cable box for the optical.

leftwinger57

Kathy, we never had the pleasure of yapping about the same thing but I also kinda do not go direct HDMI from tv to avr. What I do is one HDMI cable from t.v. to cable box #2 HDMI cable to avr output port so I can get Yamaha's YPOA on screen H /T adjusting and for audio, I run 2 decent RCAs to audio 1 of the avr so I can have tunes and watch t.v. at the same time. Who needs an announcer for NASCAR. lol. My newest hung t.v. is a 40"Toshiba that I also have run a VGA cable from my computer to the t.v. to watch You-Tube ,mostly Grateful Dead concerts and such. What's a 4k t.v. they are talking about now ?....Lew

tonyb

Cool Cath, you should love the way Sony renders colors. Out of the box you may want to leave it on cinema mode and see how you like it. If you feel a need to adjust things, you can't do that in cinema mode with this model. There may be a custom mode, or standard mode you may like better for tweaking. It should also have a sports mode which will make everything pop.

Take some time with it. While it doesn't have the newer android platform, it's still usable for what you need. I would have liked to see ya move up to a 120 hz native models instead of 60 though. The 120hz models do better with motion blur but for some the 60 hz sets are good enough. Take note of my notes in the other thread. Sound adjustments, and treating it like egg shells too.

All in all, I think your gonna dig it. Congrats, I'm happy for you.

cfrizz

Thank you Tony & gang! I'm really looking forward to this upgrade, I swear by Sony TV's their quality just can't be beat. Their TV lines are probably the only thing that they have maintained their quality on.

Now I have to call Comcast while they activated my new boxes, I'm missing most of my channels. They will probably try to talk me into getting a new pkg which will cost more money. Needless to say the answer will be NO!

Nightfall

If anything, threaten to cancel. Your bill will get cheaper for a while after you talk to customer retention.

Willow

Nightfall wrote: »

If anything, threaten to cancel. Your bill will get cheaper for a while after you talk to customer retention.

This.... I do this every March with my ISP/Cell provider. Even if they give me $5 every month for the year that's $ in my pocket not theirs.

EndersShadow

Cathy.. as a FYI about the stuck remote..

Logitech Harmony equipment has the codes for the Sunfire stuff. It had codes to control my TGP-II I had. Wasnt as easy to play with, but it was possible to navigate using it.

Provided you have one already, or are looking into buying one...

cfrizz

Thank you for this info ES!!! If you could tell me exactly which remote will work, I can take a look on Amazon for one. Thanks.

tonyb

cfrizz wrote: »

Thank you Tony & gang! I'm really looking forward to this upgrade, I swear by Sony TV's their quality just can't be beat. Their TV lines are probably the only thing that they have maintained their quality on.

Now I have to call Comcast while they activated my new boxes, I'm missing most of my channels. They will probably try to talk me into getting a new pkg which will cost more money. Needless to say the answer will be NO!

Your missing most the channels on the new boxes ?? Doesn't sound right. Make sure all your HDMI cables are up to snuff too. I had an issue with one that was an early version and wouldn't work with the box.

EndersShadow

cfrizz wrote: »

Thank you for this info ES!!! If you could tell me exactly which remote will work, I can take a look on Amazon for one. Thanks.

I think "ANY" of the Harmony ones will let you program them in.... I myself used the Harmony One (now discontinued)

@cfrizz

Here is where you can search for any device that the remotes will work with

You type in the Brand and Model number and it says if it works with the older models, newer ones, or both.

In this case I searched:
Brand: Sunfire
Device: Theater Grand Processor III

It shows it will support them....

cfrizz

Well the old TV's are gone, I have switched racks around, now I'm just waiting for the TV.

Mark went through all the trouble to have FedEx deliver it today and the jerks said they attempted to do so this morning right when the old stuff was being taken and said no one was home!!! The frickin liars!

Mark called up both the national office and insisted that it be delivered today and West Bridgewater office to make sure it would be done today, but who knows if it will happen.

cnh

cfrizz wrote: »

Cool, then I'm all set. I got my new DVR cable box + a smaller one for the bedroom. I hooked them up and activated them so that when I get my TV on Sat. I can just plug and play. I bought a couple more optical cables as well as HDMI cables from Amazon. And this is the tv that Mark is getting me.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00V0K0Y00?keywords=Sony KDL40R510C 40" 1080p 60Hz LED Smart HDTV&qid=1450409891&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1

Got it Tony, I'll make sure I use the cable box for the optical.

Nice choice! Glad to see you went with a larger model, you'll be happy you did. We just put a 32" 1080p in the basement, same problem, built ins with a width of less than 30" so limited in size. But the room is very narrow, less than 10' wide so it works out.

Sorry to hear they're messing with you on the delivery! That S U C K S!

cfrizz

I'm hooking it up right now, I had to come on to see where to attach the optical cable again. cable box to Sunfire!

It helps to have a lawyer in the family!!! Mark is the one that picked it out CNH, I have the best brother in the world!

cfrizz

It is all hooked up, after much frustration. Getting it set up was a pain, but the TV now connects via wifi to Netflix.

Thanks for telling me to get the component cables it is the only way to hook up my DVD. The optical gets me my sound through my system, with the exception of when I'm playing Netflix, then I have to use the tv speakers.

I'll take some pictures tomorrow.

tonyb

cfrizz wrote: »

It is all hooked up, after much frustration. Getting it set up was a pain, but the TV now connects via wifi to Netflix.

Thanks for telling me to get the component cables it is the only way to hook up my DVD. The optical gets me my sound through my system, with the exception of when I'm playing Netflix, then I have to use the tv speakers.

I'll take some pictures tomorrow.

cfrizz wrote: »

It is all hooked up, after much frustration. Getting it set up was a pain, but the TV now connects via wifi to Netflix.

Thanks for telling me to get the component cables it is the only way to hook up my DVD. The optical gets me my sound through my system, with the exception of when I'm playing Netflix, then I have to use the tv speakers.

I'll take some pictures tomorrow.

Cath, then try the optical from the TV to the Sunfire. That should give you Netflix sound through the Sunfire too. Your BDP doesn't have HDMI ?

Your still using the analog connections from the BDP to the Sunfire then I hope.

Yeah, frustrating is putting it mildly, but it's worth it in the end. How you diggin' it so far ?

honestaquarian

Two links tt may be of interest and possible help depending on where you live in Boston and what is available.

http://www.rcn.com/boston/

Their customer service walks all over Comcast here in DC and I know they're also available in Boston.

https://www.tivo.com/

BLOWS AWAY ANY cable box from ANY of the cable providers!! (and RCN rents some models)
I own mine.

I also know that Boston has more choices for Cable providers than Washington,D.C.
Again depending on what is available on your street.You should definitely check into them.

cfrizz

Here are a couple of pics.

cfrizz

txcoastal1

Nice Cathy, you have to admit that it's a lot nicer not having to deal with heavy CRT's

cfrizz

RCN isn't available in Quincy HA, When is your birthday? Mine is Feb 6.

Tony, I don't have a BDP yet. This is my first foray into HD territory.

ken brydson

cfrizz wrote: »

Here are a couple of pics.

Looks nice. Do you have your 8T's on stands?

honestaquarian

January 22nd
Hey fellow Aquarian!
Carlton is the name btw.
You have the exact same Sunfire amp that I do.
Former Nuw Englanduh here. From Hartford,but been gone almost 20 years now.

honestaquarian

If you got a TiVo all tou need from Comcast is a cable card that plugs into the back to descramble the channels. You can access the on demand programming from Comcast on a TiVo now. The user interface BLOWS AWAY the crappy ones on the cable boxes they provide.

honestaquarian

The only other thing I would say is to switch to a Polk center.Bostons are GOOD,but the sound is just different enough from Polk that it won't blend as well. Boston's have a more forward sound than Polk.

honestaquarian

cfrizz wrote: »

RCN isn't available in Quincy HA, When is your birthday? Mine is Feb 6.

Tony, I don't have a BDP yet. This is my first foray into HD territory.

Oppo Digital for Blu-ray!

Nightfall

I'm really thinking about an Oppo 103 next. I'm sure I'd like the sound quality of a Marantz SACD or network player better but the Oppo's versatility is hard to ignore.

honestaquarian

Nightfall wrote: »

I'm really thinking about an Oppo 103 next. I'm sure I'd like the sound quality of a Marantz SACD or network player better but the Oppo's versatility is hard to ignore.

I have an Oppo BDP-103.I previously had a BDP-93 and a BDP-83 before that. When the 103 came out I was trying to decide if it was worth it to upgrade from the 93 with which I was VERY happy. THEN Oppo goes and releases a firmware upgrade which allowed the 103 to stream DSD (*Direct Stream Digital-the backbone ultra hi-rez one bit digital format behind the SACD*) from a USB thumb drive or over your network using SMB(*Serial Messenger Block*)
I jumped on the player so fast!!
It can play pretty much anything I throw at it video and audio-wise.Whether it be via disc or streaming. It even beats out the Sony Playstation 3 slim.Which is a streaming beast! EVERY SINGLE FORMAT that the Sony will not play,the Oppo WILL.

I cannot recommend these guys highly enough for upgraded versions of a LOT of stuff.They did an absolutely AMAZING job with my Onkyo PR-SC5509!!!
Customer service is to die for.

https://upgradecompany.com/brands/oppo

honestaquarian

Take a look at the pics that I posted in one of my threads about them.

cfrizz

Thanks Ken, yes they are on stands have been for years.

Thanks Carlton, none of my speakers match, I simply added to my system as I needed to for over a 25 year period. While I have fairly good ears, I can't tell that the speakers don't match and sound different.

But the Boston center is an awesome speaker, nice and clear with a nice thump when needed.

I purchased it on the recommendation of a Tweeter sales rep who told me that the one I was going to pick would not get the job done. Same thing when I picked out my Boston sub, the one I orignally picked out was pretty much in the same range that my RTA-8Ts already handle. So I got a bigger one. But what truly made a difference SW wise was adding the Polk sub to the mix, it balanced out the bass since I moved to a bigger space.

Mind you, this all before, they were talking about having all matching speakers for one's HT.

But getting the TV has now started me thinking about making other changes to my system damnit!