[k.jacko]

Hi all,

please see pics in order to understand and help, if you feel kind enough:

So, that's my new extension layout and i want a 42" tv on the 'tv wall' with an appropriate speaker system.

Questions:
1. What 42" tv to go for? Currently have a 32" Toshy 720p in main living room that plays wii and xbox360. This tv may also want to do the same, plus play blu-ray when i get a player.
Thinking of recessing it so i can hide all cables. However should i plug each kind of cable in already to avoid problem with connectivity in the future. Seeing as we use the wii and xbox360 (component?) blu-ray (hdmi), pc (vga or hdmi). Also a coax cable for fta tv. Hoping to utilise hdmi as much as possible to avoild clutter i guess.
2. What speaker system? 5.1 or 7.1? Considering where and how far away we will be sitting. AND the fact we have windows all over the place.
3. Cabling: The exension ceiling has been done, so no cable routing can go up there, but the walls haven't been boarded yet, neither is there a floor (other than the concrete base), so cabling could go via either of these routes. Depending on which speaker system i go for, could/should i buy decent speaker cabling and route it through the walls terminating in wallplates, then the actual speakers can just plug into these at their appropriate positions?
I'm no stranger to cabling, i install computer networks and have flooded my house with cat5e so i can put a rj45 port near the tv for blu-ray updates AND for the possible use of my htpc.

I'm also thinking of making a boxed frame below where the tv will go running the full length of the wall, possibly with doors in (cabinet style) to house/rest the front L-R and Centre speakers on and all cables/power etc. This would give me flexibility if we ever moved the lot and could then be used as a sideboard.

Guys, i'm not an audiophile so am not looking for an uber quality setup, but with 'err indoors' i'm only gonna get one shot at this before she beheads me .
And also, budget is an issue. As yet i don't know what it is, but the tv comes first and i'm looking at maybe £600 for the best i can get. Speaker system will come later but i want to future proof as much as possible (hence the wallplate idea). A nice blu-ray experience would be cool.

So i appreciate you taking the time to trawl through this and hope you can advise me accordingly.

ps....sadly a projector is out of the question

[inzaman]

Originally Posted by k.jacko

1. What 42" tv to go for? Currently have a 32" Toshy 720p in main living room that plays wii and xbox360. This tv may also want to do the same, plus play blu-ray when i get a player.
Thinking of recessing it so i can hide all cables. However should i plug each kind of cable in already to avoid problem with connectivity in the future. Seeing as we use the wii and xbox360 (component?) blu-ray (hdmi), pc (vga or hdmi). Also a coax cable for fta tv. Hoping to utilise hdmi as much as possible to avoild clutter i guess.

You are best asking this question in the LCD or Plasma section of the forums.

Originally Posted by k.jacko

2. What speaker system? 5.1 or 7.1? Considering where and how far away we will be sitting. AND the fact we have windows all over the place.

If you are pretty much against the wall then imo 5.1 would be sufficient unless yoo could put the other 2 speakers in the ceiling?

Originally Posted by k.jacko

3. Cabling: The exension ceiling has been done, so no cable routing can go up there, but the walls haven't been boarded yet, neither is there a floor (other than the concrete base), so cabling could go via either of these routes. Depending on which speaker system i go for, could/should i buy decent speaker cabling and route it through the walls terminating in wallplates, then the actual speakers can just plug into these at their appropriate positions?
I'm no stranger to cabling, i install computer networks and have flooded my house with cat5e so i can put a rj45 port near the tv for blu-ray updates AND for the possible use of my htpc.

Yes that would be a very good and nice neat solution.