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nogi
28 January 2011
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I've already started to build my dream setup and this would be a perfect addition to it.
My setup so far:
TV: 63" 3D Plasma
Amp: Yamaha RX-A1000
BluRay : Samsung 3D
Media Server: QNAP TS-659Pro
PC: Mac Mini running XBMC
PC2: ATV1 TK2 + Broadcom decoder
Keyboard: Logitech DiNovo Mini
Remote: Logitech Harmony 1100i + PS3 support
Gaming Console: PS3 + Wii
Comment made about the PC & Tech Authority article:
Win this A.C.Ryan Playon!HD mini movie streamer: tell us your ideal home entertainment setup?
Big screen 55in plasma, with RAID array? PS3, coupled with Apple TV and 2TB NAS hub? Tell us what your dream home entertainment setup would look like.
What do you think? Join the discussion. |
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pstanbis
28 January 2011
|
I find there is no 'one' solution to the home theatre conundrum, but my dream setup would need to include:
Display 1 - Samsung 63" Plasma for Gaming - LCD projectors just aren't quite fast enough yet.
Display 2 - Sony 3D Projector (I forget the number) for eveything else.
Harman-Kardon AV Receiver (Any model will do, Mine is far obsolete) - They're not the loudest available, but sound amazing.
Wharfedale Speakers - what else ? The older the better...
Keyboard - 10" Android Slate w/GRemote - Trackpad and a decent sized keyboard, all in one.
Remote - Harmony One - Wife Acceptance Factor !
Console - Xbox 360 - Halo & Kinectimals - One console Keeps the whole house Happy.
Shuttle SX58J3 Cube - Running the Venerable XBMC
Storage - Just one 67Tb BlackBlaze Pod should do the trick !
Chuck in plenty of Gigabit networking gear (Not a WiFI fan) and some decent cooling so it can all be tucked neatly into some little black racks.
Find some decent Recliners and couch-side fridge, and bring on the relaxation ! |
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marrow
28 January 2011
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Generically, a big screen (NOT 3D, time is not right), surround sound and a single source of input which could collect, Foxtel, FTA and digitally distributed content from a variety of devices aroiund the house. The brands don't matter but simplicity and being as wireless as possible do. |
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skebabi
28 January 2011
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As long as I have really good surround sound and a big screen, anything extra I get is a big plus! |
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petergriff
28 January 2011
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I would use a Panasonic Vierra TV teamed with a Blu-ray Panasonic Home Theatre such as the SC-PT480. This means that they talk to each other using Viera link. iPods are supported directly on the home theatre, and it has FM radio and audio CD playback. I would then add a Playon!HD media player to play all my AVI movies and music as I have been going through my collection and digitising it all. New rips can be saved directly from my PC to the Playon!HD as it also functions as a NAS drive. Additionally I would set all the household PCs to do their backups to the Playon!HD instead of having individual drives. Add in a Logitech Harmony remote control to unify the remotes, plus the Nintendo Wii for the family entertainment.
TV, DVD playback, audio CD playback, iPod support, radio, digital movies and music, plus a Wii in a very minimal setup. Yes please! |
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milko-fats
28 January 2011
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My electrical has to have clear vision & clear sound, nothing worse than needing glasses & hearing aids just to watch a show |
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pcmag55
28 January 2011
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My preference would be to set up 2 mini home theatre systems with relay to each bedroom..TV preference LCD/LED SONY,PANASONIC OR SAMSUNG,and size to vary according to room size..Sound system also to suit each room,brand not a concern..WII for each bedroom and lounge..Media hub for download/transfer..Laptop connection in family room/study to monitor and run system with system limiting for children..Security system connected to monitor all this very valuable equipment..Technical advice to set system up..
Nice to have dreams !!
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eelmoto
28 January 2011
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My dream home theater system involves...BRAND NAMES!!!
I have something that resembles a home theater, but it is made up of so many random and obscure bits and pieces that I am surprised it actually works at all. Saying that though, it doesn't work every time I want it to as it is.
I have:
TV: Celestial PT3299HD 32 inch (Not one of Chang Hong's better TV's. Very hot running and bulky)
DVD: Highlander DV-360 (something I got for $30 when Best Buys shut down)
Sound: Some cheap surround unit a mate gave me (made of very flimsy plastic)
So as you can see a home theater bad up of good brand names would be a great start. That is my dream...sigh!
As for what I would like it to do? Well, I would like it to be wireless (ugh...really???) so that whatever I have on the main media storage device can also play faultlessly in the bedroom as well. |
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jemcaesar
29 January 2011
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3D glasses are annoying. I'd rather go to the cinema than stay at home to watch a movie. Console gaming sucks - PCs rule. I want excellent visual and audio, ease of use, but most of all, quality media (movies, television shows, games etc..) If I don't have that, I'd be just as happy to go back to watching fearsome gladiators battle each other to the death in Roman arenas (well, maybe not the death - we're past that barbarism) |
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intensual
29 January 2011
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Lets face it, we'd all love the best high tech gear to implode and explode around us. Sounds like a great surreal 3D orgasm to me. Technology is the epitome of life and we strive for the fastest, clearest and brightest of them all. But realistically this weeks utopia is yesterdays dinosaur. You can't keep up. (that's what she said)I'm just loving what it brings me today. So my ideal set up is what's in my living room at this moment and I'm truly grateful for that. |
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monkie
29 January 2011
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I'm not very tech savy,but the dream setup that I have now is perfect for the house.We have a HTPC quad core in the living room with three dual leadtek TV tuners so nobody misses out on their favourite shows.8GB ram,1GB video card,ultra quiet fans & USB 3.Each room has a Astone media player so to plug their portable HDDs into.The HTPC has two x blu ray R/W.HDDs are large enough for everyone to download movies or music & then transfer over to their own portable devices.Converting formats to suit the different devices is a snap with every type of software for format conversions.The plasma is about four years old with a 5.1 surround sound.What makes the setup important to me is,that it is a hub for the family to get together & not be confined to their rooms.It's a dream setup for me in that I built the HTPC with my family in mind. |
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amish_luddite
29 January 2011
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Natalie Portman in a french maid's outfit. Now that's a dream home entertainment set up! |
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clackers30
29 January 2011
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this would go great with my dream setup
TV: 64" Samsung 3D LCD
Surround: Sony Muteki 7.2ch
BluRay : Samsung 3D
PC: i7 based on 26" asus oled
Laptop: Asus i7 based 17" oled
Gaming Console: 360 + PS3 + Wii |
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Deonast
29 January 2011
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The simple things in life are not so simple when it comes to home entertainment.
- 42" LCD possibly Samsung or a Sony (I can't fit bigger in my room without taking up too much space)
- PS3 for gaming and Blu-ray playback
- My existing toshiba region unlocked DVD player (hey if it still works keep it (no sign of a government sponsored and managed national e-waste scheme any time lately anyway)
- My VCR for recording TV playback. I would be tempted by something like the Samsung BD-C8900A for Blu-ray playback, Internet TV and TV recording (wish it had duel tuners though, as any show worth watching ends up being on the same time slot as another or more worth watching)
- For Storage I'd like something like a DroboPro FS (plenty of storage with 8 HD bays, looks good and can power save when not in direct use)
- For streaming my media from a storage device well I guess a A.C.Ryan Playon!HD mini movie streamer would do that job and this is where PC Authority come into the picture.
Now if only I could afford all those bits and pieces. |
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tsimpson
29 January 2011
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We have a 40" Samsung LCD and one of the first Bluray players. We've just recently bought our first surround setup to go with them. A Jamo set with floorstanding fronts and a 300w powered sub. I've always been taught to by the best you can afford... especially with audio, you're ears thank you later.
So I'm happy to say I've got my dream *audio* system for now. Ask me again when my speakers eventually kick the audio bucket...
As far as other media? Well we don't have any NAS system running at present, so a DLNA certified TV and player networked to a new NAS would complete the dream... |
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toz0001
29 January 2011
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50 inch Samsung 3D plasma
Mac mini server for all of my movies
Apple iPad for use with airplay 32gb
Apple tv for airplay
Logitech speakers with sub
A couple of $100 iTunes gift vouchers for Mac mini iPad and Mac mini
And a ps3
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pbowra
30 January 2011
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I have a very effective & expandable system utilising Media Portal software. It's based around a Core 2 quad server running 8GB Ram, 5.5 TB of storage and 5 x Dual HD tuner cards allowing for 10 stations to be recorded simultaneously. The house is wired for gigabit LAN and comes in via a 24 port patch box.
The home theatre room runs a decicated PC which hooks into my 9.1 channel yamaha amp and Samsung 50 inch full hd plasma. B&W 600 series speakers on all channels with front mains being a pair of bi-amped 605S2 that have built in subs. Additionaly there are 2 x Velodyne subs to help shake the windows when needed.
The family room has a 50 inch Samsung Plasma and kids activity room has a 42 inch Samsung plasma. Both of these also run their own dedicated PC's which are located next to the server in the study. The HDMI signals are sent to the TV's via HDMI over LAN adapters and the IR remote signals come back via USB over LAN adapters. This allows the TV's to be wall mounted with completely concealed wiring making the system very wife friendly. I also have another dedicated PC in the study so I can watch all the latest shows while working. We can also watch the TV on the back patio on a laptop wich is hooked up to the network wirelessly as well.
All PC's are internet connected and allow you to
Watch TV
Watch movies
Listen to music
Stream radio, music & video live off the internet
Check the weather
Read the lastest news
Read your email
And the best part is that the system can be updated and expanded when the time comes. |
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mavack
30 January 2011
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Most of what i want is pretty much standard big screen plasma TV probably 3D, Blu ray player, AMP, NMT with network connectivity back to a server located in another room. All of this money can buy over time and i will buy, the biggest dream part of it is to custom build my own set of speakers, pick the design, drivers, wood and then finish them ether piano black or just veneer, it might take me 6-18 months to finish them but i can say i made them and it will give me something to work towards thats different from my normal work.
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skidwolf69
30 January 2011
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This is my Dream theater system
Panasonic Plasma Television
The Biggest they have
* 12th Generation NeoPDP Full-HD Progressive Plasma Panel
* 2,000,000+:1 Dynamic contrast ratio
* 4 x HDMI inputs
* 1080p Wireless transmission
* Ultra Thin 1" Depth panel (At thinnest point)
Boston Acoustics Surround Sound System
The perfect all-around 7.1 home theatre speaker system
XBOX 360 Game console for games and high deff and blue ray movies.
PC Computer
With Dual High end Graphics
Intel i7 core CPU with over 8 GB memory
2 X DVD RW
2 X 1TB hard disc Drives
Card Readers
D Link wireless Internet connection
High Speed Internet.
Wireless mouse and Keyboard.
I want it all at my arms reach ,I do have some it now but that to be complted soon I hope. |
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austhome
30 January 2011
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Playon!HD mini of course as that's going to be the heartbeat of my lounge room and I'd watch movies from my custom made PC as it's connected by cable internet and these movies would be tranmitted wirelessly to the Playon!HD mini from my router as I don't want cables actoss the lounge room floor. I'd watch these movies on a 40 inch LED TV as my lounge room is not as big as I'd like so a bigger TV wouldn't be a good idea as we couldn't sit far enough back form a bigger TV to get a great viewing experience. I'd have a Blu-Ray Recorder as just a player wouldn't be good enough for me. I'd also want BOSE speakers, ones retailing for a thousand dollars each speaker would do, just like the ones I saw at the last Home Show that I went to as they really impressed me and I still have the BOSE T-Shirt that they gave me. I'd have a really great amplifier as I want perfect reproduction of sound and I'd have the speakers, the TV and the amplifier connected by fibre-optic cable for the best ever sound and vision experience that I can get with this system. |
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milko-fats
30 January 2011
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I have to have slim that slids inside the wall so not poking out, has highest pixel & surround sound incredible volume with oh dont forget the size has to be half of my wall |
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mandachic
31 January 2011
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Oh I need simplicity - an easy to use High definition 50 inch plasma tv, a hdd recorder with 500gb storage( I love to record shows to watch in peace ), and a home theatre set-up to clarify sound quality.
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unknown2
31 January 2011
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My dream system would be:
Lounge Room
44" TV (OLED - or other similar technology)
7.1 Surround Sound system for TV
BD player and VHS player(for all those older videos still hanging around)
HTPC for watching movies, playing music, browsing the web, recording DTV or playing games - no console for this setup.
FM/AM Tuner.
I run a couple of servers that have all audio and video files on them as well as photos)
There would be speakers hooked into other rooms of the house that would be connected to the setup in lounge room with a remote or wall mounted controller to manage audio feed and volume. So there could be music in on room, movie in another and radio playing in the third.
The placement of the players, amp, tuner and HTPC would be somewhere to the side of lounge so that it could be accessed without having to block view of screen.
Brand names are not an issue, functionality is king. |
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jgkpca
1 February 2011
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In terms of gear, I would be guided toward something more practical than outrageous. With two small children into absolutely everything, you would be hard pressed to have too much tech' on show. On display, a good quality edge-lit LCD on the wall, HD media player/streamer, Onkyo receiver connected to a BOSE speaker system. Other paraphernalia would be networked to, and accessible from elsewhere in the home. I think you can get mired in a lot of complexity if you really want to (or afford to), for me its about good quality for the money, and keeping the little ones entertained. |
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gmangcd
1 February 2011
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My ideal setup?
Pretty much anything to replace my 34cm colour TV (mono sound) and DVD player. Yes, you read right - this is what I have.
So because I have pretty much nothing and I don't have any movies ripped onto a hdd to watch through this thing, would it be useful to win this prize???
YES - you've got to start somewhere. And when I win it, I then have a good reason to convince my missus that we have to buy some new kit (or if a rep from Sony, Panasonic or Samsung would like to give me a call 'cause they have a boot load of gear that they don't know what to do with... ) - maybe??? |
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kk77
3 February 2011
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A large flat screen LCD. I'm a simple girl, that's all I need! |
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silvervirtual
4 February 2011
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1 x BIG Arse screen
1 x BIG Arse net connection
1 x US Proxy
HULU and VEVO Sunsctiptions |
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TechUnsavvy
5 February 2011
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I'll have what he's having (A.C. Ryan, that is)! |
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MattZillA
5 February 2011
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More me, I would want a true multiroom home entertainment setup, whilst looking for power saving and for it to be as minimalistic as possible.
- LED TV`s for living area, bedroom and alfresco.
- Projector in theatre room
- multiroom sound for ambience
- wired and wireless connectivity
- Android tablet for coffee table to view media, books as well as double as a remote for the Atom small form factor pc that does music
- Powerboards that kill standby power when main TV`s off
- Have yet to find a truly all in one media centre. PS3 is ok for PlayTV, and I view, but I dislike the media server side. Prefer Windows 7 Media.
It should all be controllable by a single remote. |
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Slatts
5 February 2011
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Ok, I wasn’t going to get into this but what the hell, I'm not on call and it's raining.
Also, the beer fridge mentioned below is full, so here goes.
I’d start with an Alienware 23-inch OptX AW2310 1080p 3D Display for gaming and movies and a second 19” generic wide screen monitor for web browsing during the boring bits.
An LG Blu-ray burner for.. er.. burning blu-rays and stuff.
An AMD Radeon™ HD 6970 to drive them both and supply 3D Blueray playback and gaming.
An AMD Phenom™ II X6 Black 1100T processor cause you can’t have too many cores and I’m an AMD tragic…
Both mounted on an Asus Crosshair IV extreme MoBo that supports Esata and USB3 plus has a PCI slot for …
A Xonar HDAV1.3 Slim HDMI1.3 Audio Card with True Blu-ray Audio, into which I can plug my..
Matchmaster 22MM-STBIIHD MPEG4 High definition set top box via its HDMI output for when I want a fix of Stargate Universe or the next series of Doctor Who if / when it comes out.
I’m thinking 8 Gig of really nice DDR3 RAM, a 256Gig SSD for the system, 3 1TB hard drives in RAID 5
I’m thinking perhaps a small thermo nuclear reactor to power it. Failing that, about 1000Watts should pull it up.
I’m thinking a really nice black system box to put it in cause white or beige are for nubs. Something with lots of fans is good with me (see noise cancelling headphones below).
I’m thinking that my existing Mistral beer fridge won’t need up grading as it lurks comfortably within arms reach.
A set of Bose QuietComfort® 3 Acoustic Noise Cancelling® headphone in order to enjoy the clear sound and to block out unwanted requests to come help bring in the groceries etc.
The Deluxe Mesh Ergonomic Chair cause I trust you guys…
Now you’re probably thinking, “Hang on! That’s a bloody computer, not an entertainment system!”
For me, that’s entertainment.
There. As you can see, the allure of the research for web references faded as the afternoon advanced and the beer ran down (my throat), but you get the idea..:)
Oh, and I forgot to mention my trusty AV8R flight stick.
In fact, as we're talking dream system, I'd go for this bloke here and his mate over here.
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topolino
5 February 2011
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A Wi-Fi Projector TV would be top of my list. I just wish I could run everything off just one plug and keep the wiring simple. |
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gone4good
5 February 2011
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@slatts
Nice setup... Lots of entertainment to be had there.
Some bad news for you... Stargate Universe has been cancelled. They've got 10 eps to go in the current season, but after that is sayonara.
Good news is that I'm an AMD tragic myself. All the systems at my place are running AMD CPU's. Perhaps something to do with backing the underdog?
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Slatts
5 February 2011
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gone4good wrote:@slatts
Nice setup... Lots of entertainment to be had there.
Some bad news for you... Stargate Universe has been cancelled. They've got 10 eps to go in the current season, but after that is sayonara.
Good news is that I'm an AMD tragic myself. All the systems at my place are running AMD CPU's. Perhaps something to do with backing the underdog?
Thanks gone. I was drooling heavily as I was researching it.
And it wasn't just because of the alcohol.
As for Stargate universe.. c' est la vie.
Let's see what rubaiyat makes of that apostrophe.
Yes, I'm sure it's an underdog thing. Probably why I still dabble in Linux occasionally.:-k
EDIT: Oh on the subject of si fi my youngest bought the Fire Fly series to my attention. I watched the entire series in 3 sittings and want to have a serious word to the bastard who canned it.
Edited by Slatts: 5/2/2011 09:46:22 PM |
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gone4good
5 February 2011
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Firefly was fairly original and enjoyable. They made a movie to finish off the series called "Serenity". Not a bad way to finish the story. Joos Whedon has made some great stuff over the years, but it won't last in the current "must have high ratings within 10 eps or it's gone" production model.
Hardly any good sci-fi out there anymore. I know the lore loyalists didn't like Universe, however I liked the darker, slightly edgy style of it. |
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Slatts
5 February 2011
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Yes, I've got the boys keeping an eye out for "serenity" for me.
My oldest is at uni and has sources..
Not that I'd condone piracy mind.8-[
On the subject of Joos Whedon, have you come across Doctor Horrible's Sing along Blog?
Parts 1 and 2
Edited by Slatts: 6/2/2011 10:29:47 AM |
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rubaiyat
6 February 2011
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- Angelina Jolie
- Pole Dancing
- Lara Croft costume
- 3-D glasses (because I want the best money can buy) |
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i2cute4words
10 February 2011
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Have most of but still need a few parts for Lounge setup:
-40" or bigger Sony Bravia LED Full HD TV
-Sony amp and speaker set up (one of those shiny black ones at JB)
-Cushy leather lounge x2 so there's plenty of seating.
-Air-con (it's important to be comfortable all year round)
-Media Centre PC or Media Box with bluetooth remote but need to upgrade network to Wireless-N.
-Wii, PS3 and Xbox 360 +Kinect
Need to replace with bedroom setup:
-32" Sony Bravia LED Full HD TV (currently TEAC 42" Plasma non-digital tuning)
-Media Centre (already have) but need bluetooth remote and Wireless-N adapter as it's currently a wired network
-Wireless headphones for 2 people as sound travels in our house a bit too well
Media Centre's both connect to the home network and home server. |
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Homemadecamper
12 February 2011
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The media room needs to have a lock, So I can keep the kids out,
The ideal set up needs to be loud, So I can't hear them screaming from outside the locked door. All other attributes are Less important. |
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CARLS63
12 February 2011
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55" LCD flat screen on the wall with surround sound and DVD recorder, and Xbox 360 connections, also PC and internet friendly, couple of good old lazyboy and your set |
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donkey12
14 February 2011
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I think 3D isn't yet quite right,
So I want a projector with no quick blown lights!
I'd also love some cinema chairs,
And a second remote - only one controller doesn't make it fair.
Got the blu-ray and the speakers too,
And a screen that just grew...
Just need the computer library hooked up,
That'll be enough! |
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bertcolombi
15 February 2011
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A massive 50 inch 3D TV - when it comes to Entertainment you need to get the 'Whole' picture! |
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opti
16 February 2011
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Well as for a lot of us we do with what we have. My ideal setup would be to ditch my old LG 42inch plasma for a nice new 58inch Pano plasma, then upgrade my old Sony reciever, which has no HDMI ports to something which does, and then when cash falls from the sky get myself a Bluray player. So I can actually experience the Bluray picture quality at home rather than picking my jaw up off the ground everytime I go into JB's.
Thanks. |
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robertsonj
17 February 2011
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My dream entertainment centre would look like a TV,
But there’d be a lot of gadgets hidden where nobody could see.
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Jtown
18 February 2011
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I would definitely go for the whole fur room setup. This would be the ultimate experience for both myself and friends. Everyone would love it because there is not bad spot to sit in the room. I would go with an 8-12 speaker surround sound system and 63" 3D sony TV. I would defiantly hook up my pc too the TV and the mini playon HD movie streamer would work wonders with my 1Tb hardrive. You're all invited to movie nights, just no spilling your pizza on my fur rug, ^_^ cheers. |
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bexibex
19 February 2011
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My ideal setup would be,
Playon!HD mini connected to my old TV!
A film on my USB Stick,
Sitting down to watch it via composite! |
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guinnesspaws
21 February 2011
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My dream setup would look something like the Batcave, complete with a droll and erudite English butler. Everything would be black, shiny and very intimidating. The speakers would go to 11. No one would know how to work anything, except me, making me seem extremely impressive. Many would want to be me, others would want to rob me. Overall it would be a magical experience. |
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Holly6
23 February 2011
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It has long been on my wish list to have a simple setup where you can just play movies from a USB stick to the television. It would also be great to have a media network wirelessly connected to the television that can store all our movies and CDs that are in our media library so that they are easily accessible at the click of a button. |
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theharry
23 February 2011
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Any system that works together happily. Technology changes so fast, that I can't pick something today and necessarily be happy tomorrow. I just want a system that is fully integrated into my home, is easy for my family to use and that can actually work when you want it! |
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scentedstars
23 February 2011
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a screen high enough not to be blocked by my 2 year olds head, and a sound system loud enough not the be overshadowed by my patners farts |
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kibby72
23 February 2011
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anything better than the crappy tv and stereo we currently have! |
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Maccinote
23 February 2011
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Let me paint a picture
of how I'd like it to look.
It's a long way from finished,
but planning! Well I've almost written a book :)
Technically, perhaps I'm not the most sound,
But it will be satisfying building up from the ground.
Wall to wall 50 inch plasmas from the lounge, through the hallways, and in each of the rooms.
A thirsty passion for movies and gaming,
I even watch 'em!, play 'em on the loo.
Deep booming woofers, 7.1 channel surround,
Wired through the ceiling; I fear the neighbours may need to head underground.
Some Denon Avr-4311's to tie it all together
Enjoying Apple Air Play, I don't think I've yet reached my tether.
I'm not a fan of wireless, I really don't know enough,
But with a harmony 1100i remote, well controlling everything is not that tough!
4 Xbox 360's networked through the house,
4 PS3's also, now that covers the kids and my spouse
An arcade room with old tabletop classics, Stratavox and Mad Mouse,2 Pinball machines, 'Playseat Evolution' racing chairs, with 'Sound Egg's scattered about.
My heart is with the PC; I spread the gaming platform love around.
But if I churned all my pc's needs here, we'd need a publisher, and I think he's out of town :)
I'd like to be able to stream content from the internet, outputting to every screen,
Basically I want to view the world, have the world, rule the world all from our home.
No limit to formats, platforms, and accessibility is paramount!
Buttons, Remotes and gadgets, so I shall never feel alone.
Grandiose, but it's gathering kudos,
I certainly don't need glucose!
Engrossed, albeit to some, a plan that is morose,
So thanks for checking it out!
No apologies for being verbose
I can smell it! feel it!
I wanna live it, it feels so close!
and a Playon!HD mini from A.C.Ryan
Would be a brilliant dose! |
