Audiophile considering HT

For Speakers the B&W 600 series are excellent for the $$$. For even less the B&W 300 series are also very good. The bookself 302 that retails for around $250 is a stereophile recommended speaker. For a Dolby Digital receiver try an Onkyo. Very reliable and a good value. I am the same as you are. I just want decent movies, my $$$ is spent on audio. I have an the Onkyo 555 and B&W 602 front, 601 rear, and cc6 center.

Jeff- Jeff, you should probably go for a DD (dolby digital or 5.1) set up (DTS optional). You can even get a DD DTV and then move the older one to another room if you have a dual LNB set-up, and then you will have DD from your satellite. Even if you don't get DD, make sure that you can get S-video out from your sat box. DD is a major step up from pro-logic surround, cause there's full range stereo info in the rear channels, and a separate low frequency effects channel (LFE). I have been using 5 NHT superzeros for the L, C, R, and Rear. They don't go low at all, so I have an 8" NHT sub for the L & R, set up in a sub-sat configuration, as well as another for the LFE channel (the .1 in 5.1). Good wires and interconnects really help. I am using a Yamaha 995 DD rcvr with an moderate cost Panasonic DVD. If you can swing the extra $, a good progressive scan DVD would be nice. Biggest factor in cost of all this is probably room size since that will govern your choice of sub and rcvr. If your room is small, you can go with a small sub and relatively low power rcvr. Note that the DSP modes really not important

Oh, my DVD player is an entry level Toshiba. Does what is needed and good quality. Toshiba pioneered the DVD player.

Sugarbrie, I've very familiar with the B&W speakers, I own 302's and 602's. In fact, I thought the 602's for front, 601's for rears, and then perhaps a B&W sub and center channel made sense. The receiver thing remains a bit of a mystery to me; they look a lot like the old Japanese receivers from the 70's lots of lights and gadgets. I suppose that's part of the whole HT gig though, very much consumer market stuff. Swampwalker, when I bought the dish, I got the dual LNB model so I can eventually add another sat box. Haven't added the additional box yet, primarily due to scarce availability of the infamous "Cards" that most people own. I'm not really certain how the various S-Video hook ups will work, since the DVD and dish have S-Video outs, but there's only one S-Video input on the tv. Toldya I was a neophyte *L*. NHT are on my short list, as is Gallo cuz they are so damned small they don't stand out, not sure how good they sound though. The room is reasonable, cathedral ceilings, about 20 by 14 or so. Thanks guys, Jeff

Any A/V receiver that you might consider will probably have s-video switching. PSB has a speaker package in its image line (used to be called century) that isn't too bad and is priced fairly well. I think the hardest thing that you'll have to do, however, is to readjust your paradigm to the 'mid-fi' h/t mentality in which Japanese receivers are a little more respected than in two channel. Good luck.