Reciever Questions
 

In a few months I would love to get a reciever that has DTS encoding and all of the wonderful features that provide a much better home theater experience. I have one problem that I thinking about...

My current setup: (if you could call it a setup!)
RCA HTS-1000 Reciever/ DVD player
5.1 speaker Surround setup that is included

My question is a compatibility issue. Is it possible to keep the RCA DVD player and to buy an actual stand-alone reciever to put the speakers through. If I am able to do this, then I would purchase a reciever first, then start buying additional speakers one piece at a time later on. I know buying a reciever would enhance my DVD watching tremendously. I envy you guys being able to encode DTS!

A price question..is there any quality recievers that do not exceed around $200? I'm only 16 and it is nearly impossible with gas and car payments on a limited hour part time job to but equipment such as this. So do you guys think this would be a good idea for me? I can always count on dvdtalk for some nice responses!

Check Circuit City out, I saw a Pioneer with dts and stuff for like $160.

That reciever is a Pioneer 411 which I have and love it. Glad I didnt spend more money on another reciver. Bought mine at Best Buy for $170 I belive maybe less.

I have the 411 also, great receiver, and not just for the price.. I can't see spending more unless you go up to a THX certified.. It seems to go on sale at CC like every other week reg 199 so you can usually get it for 150-160

Re: Reciever Questions
 

Check to see if you RCA home theater DVD Player/Receiver has an Optical audio output. It looks like it should from the RCA site (couldn't find your exact model, but the only one similar did). You can use this optical audio output (or coax audio output, if it has that) to drive another receiver and ditch the all-in-one thing's receiver/decoder component. If it doesn't have this, a cheap DVD player with this is rather easy to find, and cheap... $75?

You'll need an optical cable, and you might need to turn on optical output as well as DTS audio output options in your DVD player.

As far as a $200 receiver, if it was me, I'd get a low-priced Yamaha receiver like the HTR-5540 (hovers right around $200 at the low-end). It does DD and DTS, easy to operate, does a good job with CDs as well.

Personally, I'd try to wrangle up an extra $100 and do the following:
Sell the RCA thing on Ebay. Hopefully you'll get $150 for it.
Take the $200 you were gonna spend on the Receiver, add the $150 from eBay and the $100 from begging with your parents or girlfriend, and get a low-end DVD player from Pioneer or Sony on sale. Spend the rest on a Yamaha, Onkyo, or Pioneer Home Theater in a Box (Receiver and speakers). You'd be better off.

-Beebs

Panasonic SA-HE 100 - Just a hair over $200 and getting cheaper

DD-EX
DTS 6.1

excellent receiver.