Decent budget home cinema recommendations?

[Danith]

Currently got a Panasonic SA-PT460 which is kind of old now and the DVD drive has decided to pack in and the main speaker has an annoying crackle!

Can anyone recommend me a decent enough home cinema for around £100 - £200 max?

My room is pretty small so don't need anything super mental, just want good clear surround sound, HDMI, optical out for PS3, etc.

 

[Deeg]

Check out a Richer Sounds near you, they should be able to sort you out a decent budget AV amp and speaker set I would expect.

Or if not, will have 1 box surround sound systems.

Very good service IME, plus they know what they're on about and are very competitively priced.

 

[Andy.]

2nd hand and get a great set up! I was going to sell my old one recently and was amazed at how little they go for. I decided I'd rather keep it all and give it to one of my sons when they are older than sell for peanuts.

 

[Danith]

Yeah cheers. Well the room's that small I think even just a 2.1 sound bar would do and would save space and messiness.

Are these sound bars any good? Do they actually give proper surround sound in some weird an wonderful way? What about being able to link one up to PS3, etc?

 

[Deeg]

If you get a semi decent AV amp, you'll be able to run it on a secondary channel on 2.1, then when you move / want to go 5.1, you can just buy the additional speakers and run it on the 5.1 channel.

As I say, if you chat to RS, they'll be able to talk you through it.

No experience of sound bars unfortunately.

 

[Danith]

Ah yes, there's a Richer sounds near work on Deansgate, gonna give them a toot on Weds. Cheers.

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

optical out for PS3, etc.

Optical in ?

Richer Sounds will sort you out.

 

[jimbo666]

The onkyo htx-22hdx is what I'm going to get on Saturday. Has great reviews, tons of features inc HD decoding. Upgradable to 5.1 if need be.

 

[Danith]

Sounds a belter, but I should've said, I want something quite neat and compact cos the living room in my flat is tiny!

 

[Deeg]

They're not hugely intrusive mate.

That's mine, as I say, just a budget range Onkyo, nothing with bells and whistles.

You appreciate it hugely over an out of the box type system.

 

[Danith]

Is that it under your ps3?

 

[Deeg]

Yes.

Rubbish pic I know, I just took a snap a few months ago.

 

[Danith]

Cool, I'll take a look at these in Richer Sounds tomorrow.

 

[Rhino172]

This is the one you want and possibly the same as Deeg's.

Ove had it for over a year now and it's great!

http://www.richersounds.com/product/1-box-home-cinema-systems/onkyo/hts3405/onky-hts3405-blk

 

[Deeg]

Onkyo seems to be their standard budget range.

That's mine, the HT-R380.

 

[Danith]

Does look bloody good that! Might have to find some room for one! I like that kind of 'Nakamichi' look to it compared to all the flashing lights and 'Bass Boost' w**k that you get on the Sony's/Pioneers/Samsungs etc.
Those Yamaha soundbars look tasty too.

 

[Deeg]

This is the one you want and possibly the same as Deeg's.

Ove had it for over a year now and it's great!

http://www.richersounds.com/product/1-box-home-cinema-systems/onkyo/hts3405/onky-hts3405-blk

Mine is 18 months old, so that is probably the newer version. I also got a very slightly better set of speakers.

 

[Deeg]

Does look bloody good that! Might have to find some room for one! I like that kind of 'Nakamichi' look to it compared to all the flashing lights and 'Bass Boost' w**k that you get on the Sony's/Pioneers/Samsungs etc.
Those Yamaha soundbars look tasty too.

It really doesn't take up much more room on the shelf.

Plus, as I say, you can run it 2.1 until you want to go 5.1 using 1 of the 2 channels.