Buying advice for an AV newbie

[bulwer]

Hi All,

Sorry if this is the kind of thread that keeps appearing. After a lot of cajouling, my girlfriend has finally decided what she wants for her 40th - "Home Cinema".

What it boils down to is that she wants surround sound out of our Sky+ box and from DVDs. We currently have a Panasonic DVD Recorder which seems to have an optical out as does the Sky+ box. Can someone please recommend something suitable in the £200-300 price range. I've been in Currys and had a look on here but am more confused than ever. I'm guessing that I want an amp and speaker set rather than an all in one DVD thingie as the ones I looked at in Currys had no inputs which we would need for Sky.

Many thanks in advance - sorry if this is the kind of newbie question you keep getting but AV Forums helped me out with Sky problems in the past.

Cheers,

Dave

[chief barker]

What you will be needing is one of these, which comes with an optical input.

http://www.panasonic.co.uk/home-cine...eb-k/index.htm

I wish my wife liked surround sound you lucky so and so

[bulwer]

Originally Posted by chief barker

What you will be needing is one of these, which comes with an optical input.

http://www.panasonic.co.uk/home-cine...eb-k/index.htm

I wish my wife liked surround sound you lucky so and so

Thanks for this - she is the Film buff and it is me that is the Luddite. I am a through and through nerd though so my computers keep me happy!

As I read the description of the Panasonic, is it right that it only has 1 optical input? Does having more than one push the price up? As it is for her 40th, I had really better make sure it is exactly what she wants or get the carpenter to start on the doghouse in preparation!

[chief barker]

Originally Posted by bulwer

Thanks for this - she is the Film buff and it is me that is the Luddite. I am a through and through nerd though so my computers keep me happy!

As I read the description of the Panasonic, is it right that it only has 1 optical input? Does having more than one push the price up? As it is for her 40th, I had really better make sure it is exactly what she wants or get the carpenter to start on the doghouse in preparation!

Just connect your Sky+ box via optical to the home cinema to get surround sound from it, the surround sound for the DVD player will be output by the cinema kit in itself.

I haven't as yet come across an All in one with more than one optical input.

[LivingForever]

This looks the dogs!! Nice and smart and crammed with features... anyone know if it plays DivX though? That's the only thing I can see that's missing...

James

[interbear]

Originally Posted by chief barker

Just connect your Sky+ box via optical to the home cinema to get surround sound from it, the surround sound for the DVD player will be output by the cinema kit in itself.

I haven't as yet come across an All in one with more than one optical input.

Nor have I. Best I could find on the AIO front are the Harman Kardon HS200 which has x1 optical and x1 digital coax input, or the Denon S301 which has x1 optical and x2 digital coax inputs. I'm advised that coax offers the same quality as optical.

Both on the pricey side though.