In Search of a Small Home Theater Receiver

[FuzzFace]

I'm in search of a small home theater receiver, my entertainment center only has room for equipment less then 13cm's high but i want a home theater receiver that has a few optical inputs and would like to have hdmi inputs. I'm open to both HTIB's and component system and would like to keep the price less then $500, is this an imposable search?

[d0hboy]

Also looking for something along those lines -- I know it's not the best for heat dissipation but I would really love to see a smaller receiver. Everything seems to be 17" wide or larger.

[TECHNOKID]

I'm open to both HTIB's and component system and would like to keep the price less then $500, is this an imposable search?

Even cheap Sony HTIBs are slightly more than 500$ and will more likely not provide any HDMI connectivity.

Everything seems to be 17" wide or larger.

17" is standard size for gear... another option could be a sound bar with built in receiver/DVd such as the yamaha which could be installed under your plasma/LCD. Same here, you can not expect to be in the above 500$ price range.

Typically, a good entry level receiver is in the 500$ price range (on sale) and same with speakers, 500$ on sale speakers would be minimum. Anything below a 1K$ investment isn't really worth while unless you go for use equipment.

Good luck!
René

[pharsyde]

currently there are good deals on really good HT systems for well under your budget. good names too ..such as Onyko. it's a non_HTIB setup but a stand alone reciever w/5.1 speaker configuration. separate reciever based setup allows you flexibilty to extend your range in the furture ..add your STB, DVD ..even BluRay source. not bad for a great price. **if you have a DVD player now ..your out the cost if you buy a video based HTIB. you'll possibly have just an idle separate DVD player by your using the HTIB's player all the time.

**open a thread on the Digital Deals portion of the forum. many subscibers will be more inclined to openly talk prices and whose selling the good buys.

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/show...104#post858104

[RCNitro]

In the under $1000 range, I got a Yamaha HTR-6140B receiver and the Energy Take Classic 5.1 speaker set for about $700 after finding some sales. Even without the sale prices I found them for, they're still under $1000, and make a great entry-level setup that you can build on over time (which you generally can't do with an HTIB).

[pharsyde]

nice deal. FS also offer a couple of Yamaha HT systems for under $ 500

head up to the Fredericton store and have a browse.(fuzzface)

[eljay]

... i want a home theater receiver that has a few optical inputs and would like to have hdmi inputs. I'm open to both HTIB's and component system and would like to keep the price less then $500, is this an imposable search?

Pretty much the only way you'll get a receiver less than 13cm. in height is in an HTiB, and it's highly unlikely that you'll find an HTiB that offers HDMI and all the other connectivity you might want or need plus a decent set of speakers for under $500.

The HTR-6140 is a decent receiver, but it's ~15cm. tall.

[TECHNOKID]

The HTR-6140 is a decent receiver, but it's ~15cm. tall.

Also, you have to consider that what you feed in is what comes out: component in = component out, NEEDS HDMI in in order to = HDMI out! NO up-conversion either! The lowest model has to be 6160 to provide up-scaling and HDMI in/out!

[TECHNOKID]

Eljay, isn't there any possibility of considering some cheap Onkyo? Wouldn't there be any possibility that those low end receivers offer HDMI capability at low price range??

[brianl]

For HDMI repeating and not audio, there is the Onkyo 506, Yamaha 8130/8140, Denon 688, Sony 520/720, Pioneer 918 - all can be found under $400.

I'm looking too, and I'm wondering why you need HDMI repeating if the receiver doesn't do HDMI audio, just to use the receiver to do the switching? I plan to connect my sources by HDMI directly to the TV and by fiber or coax to the receiver. What am I missing?

[TECHNOKID]

For HDMI repeating and not audio, there is the Onkyo 506, Yamaha 8130/8140, Denon 688, Sony 520/720, Pioneer 918 - all can be found under $400.

Most of the receiver you have mentioned, will not convert therefore you have to stick with what is fed in at the output.

I'm looking too, and I'm wondering why you need HDMI repeating if the receiver doesn't do HDMI audio, just to use the receiver to do the switching? I plan to connect my sources by HDMI directly to the TV and by fiber or coax to the receiver. What am I missing?
Today 12:10 PM

For some dark reason, many people prefers to hook-up everything to their receiver and often expect the receiver to do the scaling. In my situation, using a projector it is a nice feature to have the source plugged in to the projector in order for it to make sure even lower resolution signals are scaled to the projector resolution.

In the case of an HDTV panel, you are right as it would be better of for users to plug in their gear to the panel instead of the receiver. I guess people prefer everything going to their receiver. Also, a very important point is that receivers which don't have any HDMI will more likely not have the latest audio codecs either. If this matches your wants and needs, fine!

However, for people that truly want the HT experience, they'll want those options. What is the sense of investing in gear which can not accomplish the wanted end result because of a receiver lacking the options?? Why would one waiste money on BluRay for example if ALL the latest audio and video aren't playable due to the receiver lacking the features? You have to realize that lower pricing means lower options and features unless it's simply cheap. The old saying applies big time here, you simply get what you pay for!

Cheers!
René

[eljay]

Originally Posted by TECHNOKID

Eljay, isn't there any possibility of considering some cheap Onkyo? Wouldn't there be any possibility that those low end receivers offer HDMI capability at low price range??

It's possible, yes, but one of the OP's two conditions was that the receiver be less than 13cm. in height and I'm pretty sure there aren't any Onkyo receivers which satisfy that requirement.

[pharsyde]

Originally Posted by FuzzFace

I'm in search of a small home theater receiver, my entertainment center only has room for equipment less then 13cm's high but i want a home theater receiver that has a few optical inputs and would like to have hdmi inputs. I'm open to both HTIB's and component system and would like to keep the price less then $500, is this an imposable search?

head up to prospect st in fred. too fuzz ..AT store there. maybe you can work a denon rec'er - paradigm speaker package.

denon deal (they may have a demo to sell you, alternatively ) + L/R cinema 70's with a CC center perhaps

[FuzzFace]

Thank you all for your replies. my main requirement is that is be less than 13cm in height, the hdmi was really a want not a need as i can connect it by optical, as for speakers i have a set that i would use until I had saved up to purchases a better set, the reason i mentioned HTIB is because i suspect thats the way i will have to go to satisfy the less then 13cm in height.