HDTV, PS3 & MP3's Help Constructing a Home Cinema Please

[benjitb]

Hello there all, bit long but i need help please,

I am going to buy a home cinema type of setup for my room (approx 6 by 5 meters) and i really need some expert help please as i am a total novice.

I have:
1. An hdmi 32 inch Panasonic TX-32LZD80
2. A ps3
3. A music library of mp3's on an external hard disk

I would like to combine the lot into some kind of surround sound (5.1/7.1) with speakers fixed in the four corners above the picture rail (approx 3.5 meters high). I want something with a real quality sound.

I want to be able to listen to my music library through the speakers, at the moment i use my laptop.

From "internet" research it seems i need an AV receiver and a set of speakers to attach. Or separates i could upgrade. (along with lots of confusing stuff about wires). But i do't really get how to organise my mp3's through it. (can't use the ps3 for it its far too convoluted).

I've been looking at the Onkyo TX-SR308 av receiver as the reviews seem excellent and it it a bit cheaper now the newer model 309 is out.
I can buy it for £150 (without speakers),

Please, is it a good one, and what speakers would you recommend?

I have also looked at these 2 all in one sets.
Onkyo HTS3405
Onkyo HTS5405

My budget is not vast but for the whole package i could pay upto £300 or a bit more. (unless you are persuasive.)

All help is greatly appreciated. apologies for the mishmash long post.

[brian]

From what I've personally seen, home cinema units tend to be set up for playing MP3's via CD, USB stick, or iPod dock directly. There's probably a way to play via external harddrive via USB connection, though I've not tried it.

Either way, everything should be able to connect up to your amplifier with connections to spare. It just depends on what sort of connections you want/need.

Onkyo are a well-respected brand, so I would hope you would have no problems here - what speakers are you planning to get if not Onkyo, though?

[mikie8]

im using an onkyo 875 with an ipod dock and i can highly recommend onkyo products . the ipod dock comes with a remote and displays a menu on the tv screen .

im using kef egg speakers with a kef psw2010 sub .

i also have a modded xbox , popcorn hour B110 and a HD sat box connected .

if you are on a budget look at older models or if your any good at soldering some onkyos have know faults that are quite easy to fix , e.g. the 606's have a hdmi switching problem and can be fixed with a few caps replaced , my 875 like 805's has a front display fault where the display fails to light up , this is cured with just 2 resisters replaced .

i paid 137 for my onkyo 875 with the display faulty , took me ten minutes and 18p to fix . my best buy of the year .

[benjitb]

Thanks Chris.
The Onkyo HTS5405 setup comes with an amp and speakers all for £350-400 thats the one i've been looking at. It seems to have the connections for Usb ipod potential (haven't actually got one). Again i know little about speakers and was wandering about the clarity etc of the all in one i suggested.

http://www.richersounds.com/product/...5/onky-hts5405

Thanks for your input Mickie, i appreciate it. However i would much rather get a new setup with a warranty as this is my first foray into the surround sound market.

All the Best

[Caravan72]

Hi there, been looking at this for a while Onkyo HTX22HDX it's a 2.1 with a extra package to up it to 5.1 there's huge thread on it in the AV forums, would like to hook up their ipod dock but not sure how this would be done, someone mentioned 'line in' but don't know what this means, will need to look into it more.

[cupid stunt]

Have a peek at these:

http://www.m.richersounds.com/produc...minx-min10-blk

I purchased these got my 7.2 system a couple of months ago, I recommend them