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General discussion

need help (I know nothing and don't want to get crap)

Jul 28, 2009 3:04PM PDT

Two Questions

First
I have heard 10 different stories from 10 different stores about what would be best for me and my head is spinning. I need a new 5.1 HDMI receiver and don't know which one. I currently have an Integra Dtr 5.1 I liked but it's time for an upgrade.

I have a Panasonic 42" TC-P42S1, HD sattalite, and am shopping for a Blu-ray player(see question 2) Wharfedale speakers and Cerwin Vega powered sub. I believe in the best cables I can afford so no worries there.

This setup will be used for mostly movies and sports in that order. I have a budget of $350USD(500CDN) to spend. What should I look at? (Denon, Yamaha, Sony, Pioneer, Onkyo, Other) The ones that come up the most will be what I go after.

Second
I see Blu-ray players that go from 199-499 and I don't know the difference. What is important in a player? I have a budget of $199USD(399CDN) Any recomendations would be great here aswell.

Thanks in advance

Jason

The budget prices are based on what I see here locally in Canada and what I see for Pricing on American websites for the same models.

Discussion is locked

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Well
Jul 28, 2009 5:21PM PDT

Your going to have to save a little more money. I like Yamaha's, great bang for your buck, if I would to look at getting a diffrent brand I would 1st look at Marantz then Denon recievers... Pioneers are good too.

For bluray players, there are Sony's, Panasonic's, best to stick with brand names. I do not like Samsung BD players (and their other stuff), I have had very bad experance with there CS and they are slow at updates, sometimes taking months.
Any new Sony or the panasonic bd60 will meet your needs. Sony is coming out with some new players very soon and I do not know the model numbers, one is a 400 or 500 disk changer and it will be costly, but it will mostliky be about 2-3 months until those come out. It the mean time there is the Sony 350, nice little thing but lacks some of the setup options found on the Panasonic.

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Edit
Jul 28, 2009 5:26PM PDT

Sony bd 360 not 350