Complete home cinema advice

[Lucky Scotsman]

I am just about to purchase my first home cinema system and would like some advice as I don't know much about it all.

The room for the kit is a fair sized square room with a minimalistic look, so I'd like my setup to also be minimalistic (can change that for better quality).

Are the one box solutions any good?
For these, I was thinking about:
Philips LX7000SA
LG DA-3520
AIWA HT-DV90

Or would I be better off going for a package with a seperate receiver? This would be a DVD player, then a home cinema kit (receiver & speakers).

Or is a complete seperate system the best way to go.

My budget is about £400 for everything.

The system is going to be used for DVD, music and TV. I will probably also want to connect my PS2 and Hi-Fi to the receiver.

I am not sold on any ideas yet, so please give advice on anything that I should think about.

Thanks,

Colin

 

[bjd]

"Or would I be better off going for a package with a seperate receiver? This would be a DVD player, then a home cinema kit (receiver & speakers)."

A Toshiba 220 DVD and a Yamaha HTiB45 wouldn't be a bad start.

http://www.yamaha-audio.co.uk/homecinema/htib/htib-45/index.asp

 

[Midge]

Can't advise on separates, as I went for the all in one soloution. However, bought the Sony DAVS500, and for my needs it's top drawer!! (well in my opinion anyway)

 

[meep]

Colin,

I'd advide to go as seperate as you possibly can within your budget. That way, you can always upgrade a single component in the future as you can affordt it and repurpose the replaced part in another area of your house.

I initially invested in a panasonic 5.1 system with seperate DVD player, receiver and speakers. I soon replaced the DVD with a HTPC and moved the DVD deck to my living room.

Now, I've just purchased a replacement receiver and will employ the original as part of a whole-house audio sysyte,

If you go the all in one route, and you can afford to upgrade in the future, you'll need to upgrade everything. (unless you find an all-in-one with the right connectiosn to allow connection of external devices)

Having said that, if you have no upgrade plans and sinply need a system to sefve you for a few years, you'll probably get best value in an all-in-one.

Regards

Peter