Hi all,

What do you fellow HT buffs think about all the new advances in home theater entertainment? I finally finished buying my last piece of equipment (a DVD player) last week and am now reading the reviews from the recent CES show telling me about the newer DVD players (w/DVD-Audio), recievers etc. I feel like I have buyers remorse.

I spent some hard earned cash on a pretty nice set-up, (Sony 50ES, Denon DVM-3700 DVD and Paradigm speakers) and still feel like I am missing something or will be soon.

This new DVD audio format (8 ch etc.) is coming on the heels of DD and DTS and I have to ask...what about expanding on (6 channel) DD, DTS for audio and DVD? How many channels do we need? Why can't current DVD's and equipment be compatible. We only have two ears that we can hear with(20-20k hz range). Is this musical presence justified? The ability of DVD audio to go beyond the threshold of human hearing does not make sense to me-unless your golden retriever like Vivaldi. People in their 30's to 40's are not going to have the hearing capabilities of a teenager, but it is these people that can afford this stuff not teenagers who by cd's. I personally like HDCD. How good does the music have to be? For the average Joe Sixpack, we have great stuff, but the manufacturers want us to feel "bad" because we don't have the latest stuff.

Do these manufacturers realize that 1.5 million DVD players, countless A/V receivers etc. have been sold. Do they really think that everyone is going to chuck their gear to upgrade? To take full advantage of DVD audio, a new A/V receiver has to be bought to accomodate the inputs and format.

I know I am delighted with my stuff, and enjoy the quality it, but this keeping up with the Joneses is #$^@&^# NUTS!!!

I just feel that HT is becoming more like Pentium processors...you know you will never have the fastest or the best. What do you think?

I hear ya brother. Personally I think DVD Audio is ridculous. And that it will never take off. Be happy with your dvd player and DVD video. Don't worry about DVD Audio.

Best of luck to you.

Billions of people are enjoying CD quality music and just how many CD Players do we have on the planet. Sure, new format means better sounds, but it's gonna take years to replace all current CD Players.

I think HT is better than computers. At least, manufacturers can only come out with new models every year. Unlike computers, things can be invented everyday and see how the price is dropping like crazy.

I for one would NOT mind the H.T. equipment manufacturers being MORE like the computer industry. Think about how fast the technology is being developed and how much more inexpensive it becomes!

I would love to pick up a top notch Dolby digital 5.1 receiver, 200 DVD changer, HDTV set, speakers, Pronto remote, etc. for $500.00!

Anyone who buys a new system should quit shopping after they purchase! You'll ALWAYS find it for less after you purchase! For those techies...just upgrade regularly!

Faster, better, cheaper = happier (on my part)

Regards,

Scott Funk