Please Help Me Pick An A/V Receiver

[jyl]

Guys, I need help picking an A/V receiver. I'm only modestly knowledgeable about this stuff, and worse yet I am just not very interested in it - so I'm hoping someone who is more of an enthusiast, or is in the business, can point me to the right brand/model and I'll just go out and get it without confusing myself with a bunch of research. Hey, I'm being honest.

Here's the problem. We have several things we need to connect to the receiver, but most of them have the old-fashioned composite video jacks (yellow video, red/white audio). And I just can't seem to find an inexpensive receiver with enough composite inputs. Seems like every receiver I look at is stuffed full of HDMI and S-video inputs that I cannot use. And the rest of the problem is, I'd like to spend not much more than $200.

What we need to connect:

Outputs to:
- LCD TV - accepts composite video, component video, or HDMI
- speakers - I'm using a two-channel system now, down the road I suppose I'd like the option for 5 channel. Don't need a lot of power, 30 watts/ch is ample for our room.

Existing inputs from:
- TIVO series 2 - composite video, but eventually I might get a series 3 which takes component video and HDMI (I think)
- WII - composite video or component video, I'd prefer to use composite since the Wii component video cables are said to be flakey
- DVD recorder - composite video or component video
- VCR - composite video

Future inputs from (i.e., things we might add later)
- DVD player - composite video (this would be to play European DVD's, i.e. a region-free machine)
- Bluray or Sony PS3 - HDMI I assume

So, by my count, I need a A/V receiver that accepts at least 5 composite video inputs, plus at least 2 or 3 HDMI inputs, and is 5.1 audio with say 30 watts/ch. And has a street price around $200, or not much higher anyway.

I don't care about the brand, look, fancy digital sound processing, or anything like that. I don't actually care about having an AM/FM tuner or CD/tape inputs, but I guess they pretty much come with.

Can anyone suggest a model I should go out and buy?

I'm really be thankful for help. When our old A/V receiver died, the wifely unit wanted it replaced ASAP so I rushed to Best Buy and came back with a Sony - but after a while realized the damn thing didn't have enough component inputs, the back panel was utterly confusing so it took a while to realize this. Weird stuff like the DVD is supposed to be hooked up using component or composite video but the sound is supposed to be via coaxial cable - what the heck is that about? So it doesn't work for us at all and I will sell it on Craigslist for $40. Grrr.

[Rusty Heap]

You're only wanting to spend $200 or under?

Just go to the Local Circuit City/Best Buy/Radio Shack.

for under $200 you'll get a Sony or other basic gear, maybe even a cheap off brand that comes with 5.1 speakers too but don't expect any thing with any real power or "good" sound.

[jyl]

That's what I did. And I came home w/ a receiver that didn't have enough composite video inputs. Trying to do it right the second time.

For example, here's the Best Buy website blurb for a couple of $200-ish A/V receivers.

Inputs: 2 HDMI, 1 optical digital audio, 2 coaxial digital audio, 6 stereo audio, 1 front A/V, 2 S-video, 2 component video, RF antenna

Inputs: 2 HDMI, 3 stereo audio, 4 A/V (1 front, 3 rear), 1 coaxial digital audio, 2 optical digital audio, 3 component video, 1 RF

Inputs: 3 composite A/V, 3 component video, 1 optical digital audio and 2 coaxial digital audio

Inputs: 2 HDMI, 3 stereo audio, 4 A/V (1 front, 3 rear), 1 coaxial digital audio, 2 optical digital audio, 3 component video, 1 RF

See what I mean? I can't find a unit with enough composite video inputs. Drat. Our old receiver had more composite video inputs than I could count.

[m21sniper]

You'll probably have to spend more $ to get one with more inputs.

[jyl]

This is the Sony I bought.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8724455&st=receiver&lp=2&type=product&cp=1&id=1200703058274

I guess I need to spend some more time figuring out if I can get this thing to work.

Oh, hey, this $300 Denon seems to have enough inputs, barely:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8821475&st=receiver&lp=8&type=product&cp=1&id=1207352153785
Inputs
2 HDMI, 2 component video, 3 S-video, 4 composite, 7 analog audio, 7.1-channel analog EXT, 2 digital optical audio, 2 digital coaxial audio.

[Rusty Heap]

If you're going to sell the Sony other one for $40, I might be interested and am just up in Seattle.

PM me the details on it.


you want to play, you're going to pay.

Dig around on Crutchfields website to find the tech specs of a receiver with oodles of inputs or shake the wallet a couple more times than $200 falling out.

Do you really need a Wii hooked up through your stereo? Just feed it into the TV inputs?

Too funny, you mention you don't want a ton of power more than 30 watts a channel (major distortion for any real volume right there) and then you go buy a 5 x 100 500 watt receiver? You don't want any fancy signal processing, But that sony has 12 different DSP sound effect fields?

Better read up on the specs next time of what you're wanting I guess.........

[jyl]

Its the one I linked to above. If I cannot make it work, I will sell it to you for $40.

[Rusty Heap]

Sold to the lucky guy up in Seattle. PM me with paypal info if/when you're ready to part with it.

And congrats on post 7001 John.


I run alot of Sunfire Audio gear, but you'll have to add a ZERO to the end of your $200 price point.

6 composite inputs though, as well as a ton of other inputs/outputs and a slew of other features.

http://www.sunfire.com/TGP5.htm


but then again, I think it's $2000.

[jyl]

$2,000 for the kids to watch SpongeBob SquarePants - no, I'm not quite there. I wish.

[legion]

I got this one before Christmas for $225 from Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Onkyo-TX-SR606-Channel-Theater-Receiver/dp/B0015S8PGW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=audio-video&qid=1230955531&sr=1-1

They seem to have raised the price.

[Rusty Heap]

Actually I think I made a mistake, the Sunfire might be $3500-4000.........

Sponge Bobs laugh would never be the same.

And to think I grew up even before TV remote control clickers and TV's had both colors - black and white. heh heh, For kid torture hide the remote and hear the howls from the kids "DAD!, you can't expect me to walk across the room to change the channel !!!"

[jyl]

25 years ago, my school classmate's TV had a slider control for the volume. He had strings tied to the slider, that went through eyelets at each corner of the room and met at his couch. We thought no-one could possibly get lazier than that.

[ruf-porsche]

Originally Posted by jyl

$2,000 for the kids to watch SpongeBob SquarePants - no, I'm not quite there. I wish.

Our daughter loves watching Sponge Bob Square Pants on the 50 inch plasma with the Sherwood AV receiver and 5.1 digital surrround sounds. It's make you feel like you are under water with sponge bob.

[74-911]

Originally Posted by Rusty Heap

And to think I grew up even before TV remote control clickers and TV's had both colors - black and white. heh heh, For kid torture hide the remote and hear the howls from the kids "DAD!, you can't expect me to walk across the room to change the channel !!!"

Even better, tell them to go outside and turn the antenna, channel 4 picture has to much snow in it.... i'll yell when the picture is better.

[Paul T]

I think you can make do with the Sony that you bought. The problem is, if you go out and spend more $ just to get more composite inputs, you are going to end up with a much better receiver than you need, and you'll be not using anywhere near it's potential for video switching since you are stuck with composite. Since you are admittedly not that into it, why go nuts?

Why not run HDMI or component from the Sony to the TV. The hook your Tivo and DVD video to the Sony using your composite. Then run the VCR and the Wii video directly to the TV. You'll need to run audio for those to the Sony and switch inputs each time on both the TV and the Sony so you can see/hear, but this could be automated with a relatively cheap remote with macro capability. Then your future blu-ray or other can go hdmi or component to the Sony since that's probably all they will have anyway. I think that will work?

[scottmandue]

I'm an audiophile with millionaire taste but a thousandarie budget.

I picked up a Pioneer elite receivers and I'm very happy with it.

It also had a bazillion inputs/outputs and would serve you well into the future.

I got the seven channel 100 watt version for $600 off evilbay, more than you want to pay but it is a small price to pay for a level of overkill that guarantees your receivers will be able to handle anything you can throw at it.

Here is a similar Pioneer for $313

http://shopping.yahoo.com/p:Pioneer%20VSX-1017TXV-K:1995017704

Or what I got for $589, This thing will blow your mind!

http://cgi.ebay.com/Pioneer-Elite-VSX-01TXH-7-1-Receiver-VSX01TXH-New_W0QQitemZ400021635936QQcmdZViewItemQQptZReceiv ers_Tuners?hash=item400021635936&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1234%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C 240%3A1318%7C301%3A0%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50

[jyl]

Hmm, I do see what you are saying, when I get over my head hurting a bit. I'll go peer at the back panels today.