If you had to do it all again.

[JackFord]

For some unknown reason all your AV items and movies are gone, and you have a limited budget to re-build it.

What do you do first, buy a tip top set up and a few films, then grow the movie collection or get a poor-average set up but start to amass a large list of films before you buy the great equipment to enjoi them on...

[Simba]

id get a tip top setup and a few movies i love with scenes i could watch over and again. i think it would be better than a rubbish setup as it would put me off watching them lol

[shodan]

I'd probably forget the whole thing for a short while and just have a tv and dvd player. My 8 month is into everything and is everywhere at once. Normally to be found tugging on cable's or trying to chuck my Wii accross the room. Like living with a hurricane...

[sdb123]

It would depend on how 'limited' the limited budget is!

I'd plump for the best system that I could afford and then try my hardest not to read any forums for a long time!

[JackFord]

The limited budget probably isn't the best term, you only have the two options really.

Great and nothing to watch (yet) or loads to watch but they don't look to great (yet).

[lynx]

It's a false economy to sacrifice quality...normally a lesson that many take years to grasp, so a few well chosen items that will deliver on performance would be the building block of a replacement system for me.

[JagoPlasma]

first of all id be delighted that i have a reason to double dip, as now it wont be double dipping.

second i wouldnt buy a single dvd. id only purchase new blu-rays and hd-dvds

Id get a decent tv or projector and maybe an amp budget permitting

instead of going the ps3/360 route for my hi-def movies id strongly consider a combo drive or player

[Artie Fufkin]

Originally Posted by lynx

It's a false economy to sacrifice quality...normally a lesson that many take years to grasp,

Like my granny used to say: "I can't afford to buy cheap" [ie; You'll only end up spending again to get the quality one you should have bought in the first place].

[Abbeygoo]

My granny used to say ....

"The bitter taste of poor quality will last longer than the sweet taste of a bargain ....."

or something like that ......

I don't think I would change anything about my set up. I've built it up steadily over time adding items as I've gone and I would definitely spend more money on the AV equipment than buying loads of films. I've tried to keep my collection down as you end up with loads of films you never watch and need room to store ... much prefer trading now on here.

[Setenza]

Well I'm currently selling my entire DVD and Laser Disc collection.I have no home cinema set up as such. I watch on a modestly sizes Philips LCD TV.

But it's not a problem. I use to have an extensive VHS collection and that's all gone. Go's in cycles I guess.

I won't buy into any of the new formats. I simply cannot afford to.

Thank god for DIVX. Anything of importance (but not everything as I don't have the hard disk space) gets ripped prior to sale. I have a nice little Freecom Hard Drive that connects directly to the TV

For me, it has always been about watching films primarily, and the quality of the kit comes second.

[JohnG]

I'd probably only get a decent 32" telly and a DVD player and forget the rest and use the money I'd saved to pay off the mortgage early !

[dennis]

i'm coming up to two years on my pioneer 436xde plasma,it's the best thing i have ever bought! i still smile when i turn it on to a hd programme and would buy another one with no hesitation.

[miceri]

I'd spend more time and effort researching room effects and other acoustic properties before I bought any kit.

Spending all that cash again, and then realising what room treatments / optimisation can do is painful.

[dBrowne]

On the basis that I can rent the software as needed, I'd throw my money at the hardware.

I'd probably weight it more towards A than V.