Ok, I am currently working on a new "Vo-Plex" section so until then, here are some images I took of the system. Subtle, but noticeable differences.


<-- 2001

 

2004 -->

 

And here are some snapshots taken of my TV screen. None of these pictures have been altered. All the images after Toy Story 2 were shot with a Casio Exilim Z40 so excuse the crappy shots (this camera is known for lousy low-light images).

I shot these pics with all the lights off so what you are seeing is the actual screen. Mitsubishi Widescreens RULE!





 

Equipment List

Electronics

  • Mitsubishi WS-65908 65inch Widescreen HDTV Diamond Series
  • Denon AVR-3805S Receiver *New 10/1/04*
  • Outlaw Audio 1050 Dolby Digital/DTS Receiver
  • Samson S700 Amplifier (powering my subwoofer)
  • JVC XV-S65GD Progressive Scan DVD Player
  • Behringer Feedback Destroyer Pro DSP1124 Parametric Equalizer
  • Panamax 1500 Power Center
  • Echostar 6000 HD Satellite Receiver w/8VSB and 8PSK modules
  • XBOX
  • Pronto TSU-2000 Touchscreen Remote

Speakers

  • Divas by Swan 6.1 -- Front Channel Speakers
  • Divas by Swans C3 -- Center Channel Speaker
  • Divas by Swans R3 -- Dipole Side Channel Speakers
  • Divas by Swans 2.1 -- Rear Channel Speakers (not yet, but very soon!)
  • SVS 20-39CS Subwoofer (a second one coming very soon!)

Cables

  • 3-Meter Canare V3-5C Component Video Cable (Receiver to TV)
  • 3-Meter Canare V3-5C Component Video Cable (HD Satellite to TV)
  • 3-Meter Canare V3-5C Component Video Cable (XBOX to Receiver)
  • 1-Meter Belden 1694A Component Video Cable (DVD to Receiver)
  • 3-Meter Belden Brilliance S-Video Cable (Receiver to TV)
  • 1-Meter Belden Brilliance S-Video Cable (SD Satellite to Receiver)
  • 1.5-Meter Canare LV-77S Digital Coax Cable (DVD to Receiver)
  • Generic Optical Cable (Satellite to Receiver)
  • Generic Optical Cable (XBOX to Receiver)
  • Onix SP-100 Solid Copper Core Speaker wire to all speakers.

Equipment Racks

My Opinions

Mitsubishi WS-65908 HDTV: This TV just plain rocks! I researched all the big screen HDTVs available on the market for about six months before finally deciding that this TV was THE one. It is highly tweakable and after an ISF calibration, will surpass ANY other TV in its size class. Update 5-12-02: This TV is no longer available as it has been replaced the the 65909 which includes the integrated HDTV tuner. I have heard that there are some problems with the new model so if you can find any of the 908s, then buy them!

The only thing I have to do to this TV is get a full calibration by Craig Miller. He is really a perfectionist and will tweak every possible bit of performance out of my TV. I can not wait! The AVIA DVD and Video Essentials DVD are both great starts for calibrating your system and are highly recommended! There is also a Digital Video Essentials which is an upgraded version. However, Craig will be able to fix your grayscale, fix your color decoder, perfect your geometry, and many other things that you would not be able to do yourself. And he does this for ALL of your inputs.

Update 7-08-02: I ordered an alignment template from AEC printers. It is a big plot of template lines that I used to perform an in-depth geometry calibration using the service menus of my TV. You can read about it HERE. Instructions on how to use the template can be found HERE. It has made a very big difference in the picture quality of my TV.

Finally, you can order the templates from:

AEC Print Shop
201 Center Park Drive
Suite 1150
Knoxville, TN 37922
Phone: 865-966-9600
Fax: 865-966-7216

*Update 10/10/2004: This TV is still going strong. Countless hours of gaming and movie/tv watching and still no burn-in (knock-on-wood). Clarity is still awesome and I still prefer it to the flatscreens for movie watching. If I had the money, I would by a 65" LCD screen for Xbox goodness. Donations anyone?*

JVC XV-S65GD DVD Player: I bought this DVD player on the suggestion of Craig Miller who is just a super super guy. He will be the one calibrating my TV. This DVD player has NO Chroma bug, excellent auto-scaling (formats non-anamorphic DVDs to fill the widescreen), and is just a tremendous DVD player. Furthermore, the DVD player converts PAL to NTSC as well as plays MP3s. What is even better? This DVD player costs WELL under $300.

*Update 5-12-02: This DVD player has now been replaced by newer versions that play DVD-audio. You can now find the XV-S65GD for well under $200 which makes it an even better buy, if you can find one.*

*Update 10/10/2004: NO!!! My trusty JVC is slowly going on the fritz. Sometimes, while navigating DVD menus, things start disappearing. Oh well, I've been eyeing the Denon DVD-3910S, muahahah.*

Outlaw Audio 1050 Receiver: I heard about this receiver through various Home Theater forums. Since they only sell online, I was not able to audition it before buying. However, with all the glowing reviews, I went ahead and purchased it knowing that I could return it without a hassle. Goddamn this receiver kicks ass! No other receiver in this price range even comes close. I am waiting for them to release the Outlaw Audio 950 preamp and the Outlaw Audio 750 7-channel amp so that I can upgrade to separates.

*Update 5-12-02: I do wish there was a feature that allowed me to store different subwoofer settings for each input. Maybe I should look into the Onkyos.*

*Update 10/10/04: I sold the Outlaw today because I picked up a Denon AVR-3805S to replace it. The 1050 is a great machine and the new owner is going to be very happy with it as I kept it in MINT condition.

Diva by Swans Speakers: Now here was a scary purchase. Speakers people RAVE about that you can only purchase through the Internet. They have a money-back guarantee but you really need to give these speakers about a 75 hour break-in period before you can really get a feel for how they perform. In a word...FANTASTIC. This is one of the best purchases I have ever made. There are threads about these speakers in different online forums that go for over 1000 posts. Check em out!

SVS 20-39CS Subwoofer: Talk about another leap-of-faith purchase, these subwoofers truly kick ass. Again, these are only available online but enough good things cannot be said about them. This purchase has made the most profound improvement to my sound system. Words cannot describe. Watch the Monsters Inc trailer and you feel like someone is kicking you in the chest. Watch Titan A.E. during the Ice Ring sequence and the floors and walls won't stop shaking. And it's not muddy bass, it is CLEAN TIGHT BASS that MOVES SOME AIR! I have it running through my Samson S700 amplifier. What is even better is that the Samson is a two channel amp, running 350W into each channel. That means I can add my second SVS subwoofer at anytime without having to buy any more equipment.

Update 6-6-02. I have updated the subwoofer with the newer driver. I was told that there would not be a huge difference, but there would be a noticeable one. Well, there is a huge difference. Not in the sound quality or output because those were great already. What the upgrade allowed me to do was push the subwoofer a lot harder. Let's just say that the new THX intro with the exploding ball (found on The Phantom Menace DVD) no longer bottoms out my sub. Awesome!

Behringer Feedback Destroyer Pro: A parametric equalizer is a must for every subwoofer. There is no way you can get a flat response without one (unless you are in an anechoic chamber). Anyway, this one has 12 filters for each of the two channels and is extremely customizable. What's even better is that it costs WELL UNDER $200. Compare my before (blue) and after (pink) response curvers with the BFD enabled.

Pronto TSU-2000 Touchscreen Remote: This remote is the best thing ever. I have it totally customized for one-button-push operation! No longer do I need to have ten remotes lying around! Of course, in an ideal world, I would have purchased a Marantz 9200 color remote, but that puppy is $1299 MSRP. Ouch.