TV room build 2k budget..what would you do?

Hixs

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Hi,

So coming into a bit of cash within the next few months (hopefully), so I've decided to pump 2k into my spare room. Right now I'm rocking a 32inch Sammy through my laptop. Very basic.

I'm here looking for opinions on where best to spend that money and where I can skimp. And maybe a few pointers on which make/brand etc.

I live in rural France and I don't drive, so I'll be buying all the gear from recommendations and reviews. There is no dedicated shops within a reasonable travelling time if I were to rope a mate into driving me. Looking at 3 hour round trip.

This is what I'm looking at starting with.

TV - 4k 50"+

I know 4k is a bit of a gimmick at the minute, but as I'm not an upgrader. I will be keeping the set until it breaks most likely. TV usage will be movies only right now, and I might get a console at a later date.

AVR - I know nothing about these. 3-4 HDMI slots for further additions would be nice.

Speakers - Want to start with 2.1 with the option to go 5.1 at a later date.

Blu Ray player - Upscale to 4k ideally.

Budget wise I've broken it down to this:

TV 950 euro/670 quid
AVR 300 euro/212 quid
Speakers 500 euro/353 quid
Blu Ray player 250 euro/176 quid

Total 2000 euro. Looks better in euros :/

I could throw in another few hundred maybe if needed as I'm setting aside 2k for furniture (tv unit, sofa etc). The room is a blank canvas at the min as it's just used for storing junk and clothes. Room is roughly 9m square with 7 foot ceiling.

Edit - so been on a few French sites...gonna need to up that budget by at least a grand. Tv is doable for under 1k, but AVR budget needs to be 500ish, and I've yet to find a site that sells floorstanders. France is terrible when it comes to technology!

TV - TV LED Thomson 55UA7706 4K UHD (4086937) - Cheap brand..avoid?

Found the Samsung...was on the Toulouse website....
TV LED Samsung UE50HU6900 4K UHD - 50HU6900 (4008790)

Amp - Ampli Home Cinéma Yamaha RXV479 BLACK (4129792)
6 HDMI, connection for sub, suitable for 4k and 3d. There is sub 300 stuff but 1 hdmi, no sub connection etc
there is also
http://www.darty.com/nav/achat/hifi_video/home_cinema/ampli_home_cinema/onkyo_txsr
http://www.darty.com/nav/achat/hifi...ema/pioneer_vsx830_k_black.html444_black.html
 
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I would not worry about getting an upscaling bluray player since the TV will upscale to 4k just as well anyway.
 
Ah yeah I'd forgotten about that.

I'm upping the budget for the AVR from 300 to 500 and speakers from 500 to 700 (prob go with 2.0 for now). Gives me a little extra wiggle room. Budget of 2300 but with delivery charges I reckon 2500 should cover it all.

TV is the only thing that was cheaper then I'd thought it would be so far.
 
Any cheap blu-ray player will do - think €80 instead of €250 and save yourself some money for when 4K Blu-ray comes out.
 
Not sure how good a 4k TV for that price will be. I would be concerned that although it may be 4K that a 1080p screen for the same money would have a better picture (pixel numbers is not the be all and end all of picture quality) i.e. better colours, dynamic range and motion handling.
 
The TV gets a decent enough reviews. Not the best blacks, but then no LED or LCD gets decent blacks no matter how much it cost...for decent blacks it's either plasma or oled. Plasma is a dead technology now and oled is well out of my price range. An oled at 40 to 55 inch is 2.5-7k dependent on screen size. The panel has some ghosting as well, but nothing major.

I could get a superior panel at 1080p, but I want in on 4k blu rays when they arrive in December...

TL/DR - An entry level 50 inch 4k tv is better then my current 32 inch led. That's good enough for me.

Blu ray budget was high because I was aiming for a top tier brand. You're right though, I should just pick up a cheap sony until 4k hits this winter.
 
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How close to the TV will you be sitting? Will you actually get the benefit of 4K? Have a look at the distances you need to sit to get the benefit of 4K over 1080?
This will give you some guidance:
TV Size to Distance Calculator and Science
 
I like sitting close. I checked the calculator (thanks). I'm good at 5 foot. I use my 32 inch telly as an external monitor for my laptop at a distance of 2 foot (@720p cause my laptop is cheap)....
 
Ultra HD Blu-ray will require a Display with HDMI 2.0a to support HDCP 2.2 and HDR - none of the current crop of budget (and many Mid/High) Displays are fully compatible.

If Ultra HD BD is on your shopping list I'd concentrate on getting the room ready and hold out until the next gen of Display and AVR arrive!

Have you considered going with a Projector?

Joe
 
Ultra HD Blu-ray will require a Display with HDMI 2.0a to support HDCP 2.2 and HDR - none of the current crop of budget (and many Mid/High) Displays are fully compatible.

If Ultra HD BD is on your shopping list I'd concentrate on getting the room ready and hold out until the next gen of Display and AVR arrive!

Have you considered going with a Projector?

Joe

Hmm I've seen this mentioned a few times now since digging deeper into 4k. Why would they screw early adopters? Seems insane to screw those that paid out big bucks when 4k sets first hit the streets...

Projectors - not something I've considered really. 1k euro budget would be a stretch for projector and screen wouldn't it? I'd want one that disappeared into the ceiling due to cats and claws. Ideally I'll try and keep them out of the room, but cats are sneaky bastards and we have 19 (rescues)...

Maybe matey was right, 1080p might have to do until 4k becomes more established. I'd get a bigger and better set for my money. Still, I was sorta looking forward to 4k goodness. :D
 
Display Resolution - look at the recent Reviews here on AVF, it'll make little difference with your 1080i/1080p Sources (the vast majority of your viewing for a while yet I'll bet) if you go with a 1080p or 2160p Display.

Motion handling, colour accuracy, contrast levels - now those are much harder to get right vs. increasing resolution!

UHD Displays started shipping long before the UHD BD Standard was agreed - so yes you now have the bizarre situation where folk with 1st Gen '4K' Displays and AVR's will not be compatible with the New Ultra HD BD Players when they arrive later this year!

Joe
 
Thanks for your thoughts!

I will hold off on UHD then. I don't want to be shafted with old gen technology. Maybe I'll fight my urge to be a cheapskate and upgrade next year when the dust settles. ..
 
Sony Bravia KDL55W8??

Prob find that for 1k euro or so.
 
You have the 'bug' :)

Buy now and replace once UHD BD beds in (assuming you see that as something you will want!) or hold out until UHD BD is fully supported???

Joe
 
Buy large 1080p now and upgrade to 4k once it's established seems the best route given all the info....

Means I'll need to upgrade everything except speakers when the time comes....that irks the cheapskate in me lol
 

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