Is this set-up the best?

[GregUofMN]

Hi All--

I'm remodeling my kitchen/living room and need to know what is the best set up for the following equipment:

Samsung 42" LCD tv (exact model undecided but will have 3 HDMI ports)
Samsung Soundbar HT X810
Apple TV

possibly Digital cable box

I am absolutely terrible when it comes to figuring out how these get connected. HDMI, component video, etc.? I totally lost.

Thanks for the help!!!

 

[Darwin]

No worries, from the looks of things it seems that both the Soundbar and the Apple TV are going to each have a HDMI connection to your TV.

As for the Digital Cable box it depends on which one is given to you, if it doesn't have a HDMI port then you will need to move down the connection list. (ie. Component, Composite etc)

 

[iSaygoodbye]

it sounds perfect to me and if it had 3 hdmi id add a xbox 360 to that list if i were you

 

[GregUofMN]

it sounds perfect to me and if it had 3 hdmi id add a xbox 360 to that list if i were you

I've never really been into gaming, but I was, I'd probably get a Wii.

 

[GregUofMN]

No worries, from the looks of things it seems that both the Soundbar and the Apple TV are going to each have a HDMI connection to your TV.

As for the Digital Cable box it depends on which one is given to you, if it doesn't have a HDMI port then you will need to move down the connection list. (ie. Component, Composite etc)

I suppose I could probably request an HDMI capable machine from Comcast if it came down to it. But I'll need to make sure that the TV has at least 3 HDMI connections in the back. (Hmmm... just thinking out-loud.)

 

[robotartfashion]

I suppose I could probably request an HDMI capable machine from Comcast if it came down to it. But I'll need to make sure that the TV has at least 3 HDMI connections in the back. (Hmmm... just thinking out-loud.)

most LCDs and Plasmas nowadays come with at least 3, even the budget lines, but worse comes to worse you can always buy a HDMI switcher, which you can get off of amazon for < $50, just make sure it's HDMI 1.3 compliant

 

[benlee]

Not sure exactly what a soundbar is but it seems like if it is just for audio you would do fine with an optical connection.

Nevermind--just saw it was a DVD player also.

I don't see the point of the soundbar though. Why not get a decent receiver with surround sound?

 

[Michael CM1]

Why are you spending that much on the speaker system? Spend $400 on an Onkyo HDMI upconverting a/v receiver and then buy some speakers with the extra money. If you don't already have 15 DVD players lying around, you can get a good one for probably $40 now. If you want to go nutz, get a Samsung BD player for $250-300.

TV is good, Apple TV is good.

 

[GregUofMN]

Not sure exactly what a soundbar is but it seems like if it is just for audio you would do fine with an optical connection.

Nevermind--just saw it was a DVD player also.

I don't see the point of the soundbar though. Why not get a decent receiver with surround sound?

Why are you spending that much on the speaker system? Spend $400 on an Onkyo HDMI upconverting a/v receiver and then buy some speakers with the extra money. If you don't already have 15 DVD players lying around, you can get a good one for probably $40 now. If you want to go nutz, get a Samsung BD player for $250-300.

TV is good, Apple TV is good.

I have yet to hear the Samsung soundbar yet, but the main reason I'm strongly considering it is because of my lack of space. I need to be able to fit the TV, mounting hardware and Samsung soundbar in a cabinet that is only about 7-8" deep on the interior. Also, I like the idea of wireless subwoofer.

Since I'm designing and doing most of the carpentry work on the project, it probably won't be done until this summer. The new Samsung HT-BD8200 soundbar is scheduled to come out in the first quarter of this year... and it's going to have a blueray player.