Amazon.com 100 Hot DVDs

Before I succumbed and converted to Home Cinema, I was already a HiFi enthusiast and had a decent set of high quality separates consisting of:

Upgrade No. 1

In order to convert my HiFi setup to a Home Cinema System all I needed to do was to add a Dolby Surround Pro Logic Decoder as well as dedicated Centre and Surround Speakers. The items I selected were the multiple award winning

Upgrade No. 2

My HiFi system had a good overall sound if only lacking slightly in bass depth. I always attributed this lack of low end thump with the safe sound characteristics of the Onkyo Amp. Furthermore I was always aiming at the 100 watts rms per channel mark and had been considering some more powerful amps from the Yamaha stable. I opted for the Yamaha AX590 Integrated 100w/ch Stereo Amplifier rather than a Home Cinema Amp. I still wanted to have a separate stereo amp for listening to Music, not to mention other features that I look for in an amp and that aren't always available in an AV Amplifier or Receiver, such as separate record/listen selectors, a good MM/MC phono input etc.  This was again hooked to the Yamaha DSP E390 Pro Logic Processor. Bass has improved considerably especially with the Yamaha's Variable Loudness control.  However I was convinced that for movies Bass was not going down enough in frequency.  I started looking in depth at subwoofers reading all the tests that I could lay my hands on. The choice in subwoofers lies between two types: passive or active. Passive subwoofers are driven by the power of your existing amp and are wired between the amp and the main speakers. They absorb and deliver the low frequencies themselves through their driver/s and pass the remaining frequency bandwidth to the main speakers. However it is a fact that passive subs drain more of your amp's power than you gain in actual bass punch. Active subwoofers are self powered low frequency drivers i.e they contain their own dedicated low frequency amplifier built into their cabinet. All you need is plug into a mains socket and feed the signal to it from a dedicated low pass preamp output from your home cinema amp or processor.

I opted for the Yamaha YST SW150. The difference or better still the transformation in low end frequencies was unbelievable. I started to hear low end passages in movies that were previously undetected by my ears. Low end frequencies are non directional, so you have more freedom to place the sub in the confines of your listening room and it is also possible to place it behind furniture, sofas etc. Experiment with different locations until you are satisfied with the Bass sound that you want. The place that works best for me is immediately behind my sofa. The atmosphere this gives makes explosions feel like they just went off outside my house and make punches feel like they went straight in your stomach. Such is the effect of a well balanced and integrated subwoofer system.

In preparation for Dolby Digital I bought a Yamaha DVD S700 DVD player and have my sights set for the Yamaha DSP A1 Dolby Digital/DTS Amplifier which although being a Home Cinema amp, has also got all the necessary ingredients to make it also a worthy HiFi amp.

Upgrade No. 3

In order to enjoy the benefits of DVD digital surround sound in it's various guises and in order to fulfill my dream of owning the best Home Cinema Amplifier ever made to date, I bought the mighty Yamaha DSP A1 Dolby Digital/DTS Amplifier. Weighing more than 23 Kgs. you will need a sturdy piece of furniture to support it. It has a performance and specification that more than justifies the weight penalty. There's no less than 110 watts rms (8ohms) to each of the five channels as well as 2 x 35 watts for the extra two front effect channels, 42 DSP modes, built in Dolby Digital and DTS decoding, discrete 6 channel input for adding future external decoders, 6 video (all with composite and S video sockets) and 5 audio inputs, preout terminals for adding external power amps for each channel (in case you're not satisfied with what you get), dual centre channel speaker connections, dual subwoofer output, comprehensive setup menu with onscreen display, RF digital input for AC3 laserdiscs, multiple optical and coaxial digital inputs, illuminated learning remote control with macro facilities, full AV record out selector and more. The list is just endless.

The Yamaha DVD S795 (Region 2) player was purchased to replace the older S700 due to the fact that the European version of the latter player did not support the DTS Surround sound signal. Otherwise the two are completely identical.

In order to be able to make good use of the huge power available an upgrade in the main and surround loudspeaker department is on the agenda. I will be looking at the new 700 series from Mission for front main duties as well as Yamaha speakers for surround effects.

Upgrade No. 4

In order to safely handle the immense power of the DSP A1 the surround speakers were the first to be upgraded as the Jamo Surround 200 will only handle continuous power of 50 watts and short bursts of up to 70 watts. Mind you I did give them a run for their money as at normal listening levels (and I don't mean low listening levels), an amp is seldom delivering more than a fifth of its rated output power! The Jamos did exceptionally well but I like to be safe so I went for a pair of Yamaha NSE105 surrounds, happy to handle up to 200 watts! The reason why I chose these is because they are relatively flat and fit inconspicuously nice behind the curtains when not in use.

For the front main the choice was more difficult as the 700 range of Speakers is really impressive. The sound that comes out of these boxes is simply awesome. I admit to having a preference for big floorstanding speakers. They deliver more punch than any decent bookshelf or standmount loudspeaker. My choice was left between the 3 models. I chose the 704's, a 3 way, 1.05 metre, 70.5 litre dual chamber dual ported speaker with a frequency response of 35Hz to 20Khz, 89db/w/m sensitivity and power handling of 250 watts. 

The low frequencies delivered by the Missions are out of this world. The Bass Extension button on the DSP A1 has been switched off and the subwoofer is best left unswitched! Such is the delivery of these huge speakers. I admit that they are a little over the top for the size of my room but I find myself needing to crank the volume knob much less now to achieve a true cinematic sound which will happily go very loud without the slightest strain!

Upgrade No. 5

After a few months listening to my system with the front Mission setup made up of the Mission 704 fronts and the 75C centre, it was evident that I had excessive bass. I did not need to switch on the subwoofer as there was plenty of low end power. 

It so happened that my local Yamaha dealer had just received the latest range of Yamaha speakers and I thought that I should give them a test and have an all Yamaha speaker setup that would match the rear surrounds and the sub. Both the NS200 floorstanders and the NS C200 centre handle up to 250 watts of punishment with ease so I was confident that they would be working comfortably with the DSP A1.

My first impression was that these Yamaha boxes had more clarity and were more refined. Not that I had any complaint with the Mission 704's (see my comments in Upgrade 4) but I realised that the latter's sound was more suited to big halls and modern dance music. Clarity and refinement was certainly not as prioritised as with the Yamahas. 

The Mission 75C is an excellent but dated centre speaker. It was a class act when it was introduced but modern driver technology clearly turns it into an ageing performer. 

Dialogue from the NS C200 is more crisp and clear while bass and midrange delivery appears to be more controlled. It handles much more power than the 75C thereby making it more compatible with today's high powered hardware. I have to admit that the 75C often struggled when partnered with the DSP A1 and subjected to above average volume.

Future Plans

Earlier, in Part I of the Home Cinema article, I said that a Home Cinema setup is nowhere as near to a true cinema with a good sound system alone. The bigger the picture, the closer to the real thing you are likely to get. My suggestion is to go for the biggest picture that the budget and viewing room will allow.

Having said that, my next upgrade will be in the picture department. I am looking at a number of LCD and DLP projectors from Philips, SIM2, Sharp and a few others.

However it would be quite a while before you see the details of Upgrade no. 6.

Upgrade No. 6

For quite a while I have refused to walk into HiFi shops or read through HiFi magazines in order not to be tempted into another upgrade exercise. Regretfully I have even lost touch with the latest technology and admit to not being so abreast with the current products on the market. This was further augmented following the birth of our son. Gone were the days of movie enjoyment with appreciable sound levels and subwoofer effects. The home cinema room went suddenly dumb.

Now things are a bit different. Nigel is now feasting himself with a growing collection of favorite cartoon features as well as children's movies. Furthermore I have always promised myself that I will be watching the next season of Formula 1 or Premier League Soccer on the BIG Screen. The time has come to do some research once again, this time in the video projector field. So much time has passed since my last enquiries that none of the models I reviewed then are available today. They are all superseded with better models, superior technology and at times, even lower prices.

As far as projectors are concerned, I have limited myself to LCD types. CRT projectors are huge and heavy compared to LCD or DLP and are not suitable for small rooms like mine. Furthermore they are very difficult to set-up and also still relatively expensive. DLP's offer the latest technology in Home Cinema projectors. They are very good, compact, but they are prohibitively expensive. On the other hand LCD technology has improved considerably while lamps are now brighter and last longer. LCD projectors are also becoming smaller and lighter. As I mentioned elsewhere already, I think that Philips have a range of compact, affordable and versatile multimedia LCD projectors that are equally good in the conference room as well as in the average enthusiast's home cinema room.

Enter the cSmart by Philips

Following the success of the Fellini and later the compact Hopper LCD models, Philips have introduced two new models aimed at the lower end of the Home Cinema/Conference Room projectors. They still boast quite impressive specifications similar or better than their earlier stable mates. No less than 1000 ansi lumens of brightness, 1.44 megapixel resolution, SVGA resolution, 350:1 contrast ratio, multiple standard video inputs, and in the case of the cSmart, a record breaking 6000 hour lamp life! All this at a lower price than any of the earlier Philips models. You can read the cSmart specifications here or read the Brochure here. Adobe Acrobat^® reader is required to view these documents. Download it by clicking here.

I have opted for the cSmart projector and have to admit that it is very good value for my money. Provided that the picture comes from a good digital source, there is little to fault here. Brightness and contrast are good. The cSmart has all the necessary settings conveniently available through a tiny remote control. It can be installed in any position both in front or behind the projection screen. Electronic Keystone correction will ensure that you have a perfectly square picture on your screen no matter what inclination angle the projector is mounted at. Picture sources can be connected to Composite Video, S Video and SVGA Computer Inputs. There are also audio input connectors for driving the built in tiny speaker. Focusing and zooming are manually operated and this is one point where Philips have been saving you money. To be fair though, once the cSmart is mounted permanently in position you would not normally need to change these settings often. Zooming is a very convenient feature that saves you a lot in the projection distance that would be required to achieve the desired screen size. In my case I have managed a 6 feet diagonal image size in less than 3 metres of projection distance.

Entering Set-up is easy enough by pressing the Menu button on the remote control and using the Jog dial to navigate around the menus and settings available. There are also a few buttons that act as quick function buttons that help you set frequently used menu options with a single push. these are used to switch between the input sources (S Video, Video or Computer) and using the Digital Freeze or the Digital Zoom functions. However I cannot understand how Philips have totally forgotten to include a single button option for selecting the picture format, a setting that you are continually changing when switching between different video sources. Changing the picture format from Standard to Widescreen to Letterbox etc takes a lot of navigation on the menus. This in my opinion is a serious omission as far as the provided one touch controls are concerned. Home Cinema users will find this annoying as much as I have. To further aggravate the issue, moving around the menus is a very slow process.

Complaints apart, the cSmart is fairly unobtrusive in use with the cooling fan emitting acceptable noise during normal operation. If temperatures rise though, the fan will shift to high speed and this will only go unnoticed if you're watching movies on a home cinema sound system. Having said that, I have placed my cSmart quite close to a rear wall thereby restricting somewhat the flow of hot air out through the rear vent. I can't really complain if in my case the fan shifts too often to high speed. It's doing it's job and so far and despite the close proximity to the rear wall the cSmart has never overheated even after hours of continuous use.

Picture quality is very good on both NTSC and PAL formats. A large degree of the picture performance is also dependent on the type of projection screen used. In my case I am using nothing but an ordinary matte screen. In most cases ordinary screens absorb much of the picture's brightness and do little to help an entry level projector perform well. However I have to admit that the cSmart does a good job at delivering a crisp sharp picture even on an unforgiving screen such as the one I have.