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General discussion

affordable sound system for a bedroom!

Mar 6, 2005 6:56AM PST

yeah.. im thinking about getting a suround sound system in my bedroom (its a pretty small room). but im confused as to what would be a good system and what other stuff i should get. my tv doesnt have all of the AV jacks.. only white and yellow. so the guy at radio shack said i would need to get an RF modulator thing. I was thinking about getting this one RCA sound system that had 5 speakers and a subwoofer that was on special for 120 bucks at radioshack, it also had a dvd player with progressive scan and stuff. but i also want to have my xbox hooked up to the system so will that work or is there something else i would have to get like a receiver or w/e.

honest to god, i know almost nothing about this stuff, so please do talk to me like im a 3rd grader.. i really dont want to mess anything up.

Discussion is locked

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Slow down..
Mar 6, 2005 7:00AM PST

Ok, first, it's not the system you have to worry about so much, but more, whether or not you can hook up a DVD player to your TV. The sound sytem will be hooked up to the DVD player, so don't worry about those 2 items as far as compatability. You may need a new TV, because you want a mimimum of an S-Video connection from the DVD player to the TV. You definitely don't need progressive scan on this TV you mentioned, nor could you hook it up that way (component connections)

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s video?
Mar 6, 2005 7:03AM PST

yeah.. im not to sure what a S-video connection is..and if i cant hook up a DVD player that way then how would i hook it up normally then? (on a regular tv that is.)

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cont'd
Mar 6, 2005 7:04AM PST

In answer to your main question, consider HTIB (Home Theater in a Box). Sony, Panasonic, and Yamaha make very good HTIBs (most come with 5-6 speakers, subwoofer, DVD player) all for less than $300-400 (some cost more). Then, consider a newer TV. Doesn't have to be an expensive TV, just newer than the one you have (it will have the necessary connections)

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S-Video
Mar 6, 2005 7:07AM PST

It's just a better quality video signal than a regular yellow jack. Without progressive, or s-video, you would just used the Yellow (video), and thre red & white (audio). With S-video, it's the s-video cable, plus the red & white for sound (just leaving the yellow cable unplugged, if it's attached to your red & white audio cables)

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my tv is somewhat new
Mar 6, 2005 7:09AM PST

its only a few years old. it has a great picture and everything.. it just does not have all 3 AV jacks..

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It should work
Mar 6, 2005 7:14AM PST

It's okay. As long as you have a yellow (video), red, and white jack (audio), a DVD player can be hooked up to it. Just don't worry about the surround sound.. that is between your DVD player, and the theater system you get. The only thing you need to worry about is getting video from the dvd player, to the tv. Tv speakers are irrelevant when you're using a sound system.. really, you only need to hook up a yellow video cable from the dvd player to the TV.. that's it.

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so my tv would work?
Mar 6, 2005 7:24AM PST

so i wont have to worry about the video then? i think that HTIB thing you were telling me about was what i was looking at at radioshack.. ive seen them at costco too for pretty affordable and stuff.. will i be able to have the suround sound working when i play xbox as well?

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...
Mar 6, 2005 7:41AM PST

yes

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HTIB
Mar 6, 2005 7:54AM PST
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no dvd?
Mar 6, 2005 9:18AM PST

so this one doesnt come with a DVD player?