getting bored with HT

[Tarheel_]

I jumped into this hobby back in 99 and since then have gained valueable knowledge from mainly this site. (Thank You!)
I now run a 7.1 system in my basement and don't have the urge to upgrade the audio pieces.

So now, I've bought most of my favorite DVDs and watched them countless times...too many times.

Plus, i just don't see any exciting new movies either out or coming soon. I sure miss the LOTR each year and the Star Wars DVD saga. Own both by the way.

I haven't upgraded in years and see no need until HD content expands....

Speaking of HD...i have Directv and an old 2000 4:3 analog 50". I thought about HD, but really not sure if the cost is worth it. Maybe HD can get my juices flowing again.

Am i the only one experiencing burn-out/boredom?

[GMichael]

I jumped into this hobby back in 99 and since then have gained valueable knowledge from mainly this site. (Thank You!)
I now run a 7.1 system in my basement and don't have the urge to upgrade the audio pieces.

So now, I've bought most of my favorite DVDs and watched them countless times...too many times.

Plus, i just don't see any exciting new movies either out or coming soon. I sure miss the LOTR each year and the Star Wars DVD saga. Own both by the way.

I haven't upgraded in years and see no need until HD content expands....

Speaking of HD...i have Directv and an old 2000 4:3 analog 50". I thought about HD, but really not sure if the cost is worth it. Maybe HD can get my juices flowing again.

Am i the only one experiencing burn-out/boredom?

Not yet. I still have the upgrade bug, but not enough cash to scratch my itch. And the Sci-fi channel has new movies every weekend. OK, so most are "B" movies, but there are some good ones now & then. SG1, Atlantis, Battlestar, & Dr. Who are all fun to watch and have great sound tracks. Smallville & Charmed also have good sound tracks even if they are aimed more at the younger crowd.
I think HD is just what you need to spark up your HT life.

[kexodusc]

I've been rediscovering television through DVD.

Bougth a few seasons of the Sopranos and 24...hooked on both of them. Got into Lost the same way. Maybe this could fill the gap for you? Xbox has been a good outlet for me too...the new Godfather game is great.

[Resident Loser]

Am i the only one experiencing burn-out/boredom?

...after all, it's only tee-vee...it's like everything else...when I first got a VCR, I was taping things, renting movies/buying music videos...same with DVDs...then after a while, when the oh cool! impulse wears thin, it's who gives a r@t$ @$$...

Actually it's part of my whole tirade re:HT...I can listen to 2-channel (or mono) music 24 hrs. a day...how much time do I have to waste to be anchored to one spot for any length of time, whether tethered to the tube or a multi-channel sweet-spot?

jimHJJ(...that's why they're always re-inventing the wheel dontcha' know...)

[PAT.P]

I too was getting bored with HT ,so bought Dvd-A SA-CD .Listen to classical on Sa-CD,red book .Bought at least 60 DVD concert ,Music Video (cheaper than going to concert)Plug in my old Sega saturn for kareokee and it makes it multi -purpose.

[Woochifer]

Big part of it is that you've simply moved the bar higher. Multichannel is just a part of your everyday existence, sort of like an appliance. The novelty and thrill of discovery might have worn off, but I doubt that for your home video viewing you'd ever go back to piping two-channel audio through your TV speakers.

Remember how big a deal it was when you first got onto the internet? Nowadays, you probably don't think twice about turning your computer on and surfing over to a few websites. When you first got onto the web, it was probably a world of wonder surfing from one site to another. For me, it was a world-turning event when Real Audio 1.0 came out and I could stream out-of-town radio stations over the web. Now, webradio is just another station that's on all day while I work.

I think with home theater and the DVD in particular, it's no longer in that ascendant stage where everything is new and rife with untapped potential. Most of the really sought after movies have now come out on DVD. Plus, most of the new releases coming out are either recent movies (if you're not a fan of any of them, then those releases won't thrill you) or double dipped "special editions" of previously released DVDs (also not thrilling if you already own the previous version and have to decide whether the new edition offers enough to warrant a repurchase). And if you've owned your system for a few years, you have likely already purchased all of the "must own" DVDs for your collection, leaving only the new releases and double dips to add on.

With home theater/audio hardware, the big leap forward occurred when Dolby Digital (and later DTS) 5.1 became available for home use. That represents the first time that full bandwidth discrete multichannel audio with split surrounds became available for consumers, and the first time that theatrical sound could truly be reproduced at home. Everything that has followed suit has basically been an incremental enhancement rather than a huge forward step. If you already own a 5.1 setup, moving up to a ES/EX 6.1 or "7.1" system or adding Neo:6 or DPLIIx does not represent nearly as a fundamental a change as the step up to 5.1 did.

Personally, I took over two years building up my system, and that was actually a very gratifying process because I saw the big improvements and the potential with every new addition, as well as the big payoff when I completed the system. Until I added a SACD player last year (which was more a replacement for a CD changer than anything), I had not updated anything in over two years. I was simply enjoying movies and music on my system, and not worrying about the next upgrade. I focused instead on populating my movie and music collections -- more about the "what" than the "how."

Otherwise, my next upgrade will also be at the video end. I'm sure that when I get a HDTV and upgrade my video sources to HD, there will be yet another exciting period of rediscovering my favorite movies and programs, and wasting a lot of time watching stuff just because it's in HD. And just as assuredly, HD will gradually blend into the background and become just another part of my everyday entertainment. The only time I'll notice HD is when it's not there, just as I don't realize how much multichannel audio adds to my movie enjoyment until I watch something at a friend's house and have to hear the audio on a pair of TV speakers.

[Florian]

I got bored much quicker of it. I ran a dedicated THX Ultra Theater, i even set everything up acording to specs. I loved it for movies, but just got bored of it. All changed when i discovered planars and music...

[L.J.]

I still got some steam left. I plan on getting into some more DYI in the future as well as learning more about room acoustics and treatment. I do have periods when I slack off on movies for abit. As you've mentioned, I've purchased most of the DVD's that interest me, but I do have a few gems up there I haven't opened up yet. There's always something on the shelf for me to grab.

[superpanavision70mm]

I suppose that there is a huge difference between getting bored with the medium or the media. I don't think i'll ever get tired of home theater or music, but I certainly go through dry spells with the content. I mainly have to listen to older stuff or watch older movies because the majority of the newer stuff is garbage. Sometimes you have to broaded your own horizons and discovery things like avant-garde cinema, indy films, foreign films, etc etc. Or tap into some undiscovered artists...the internet helps with that!

[topspeed]

I think a new HD monitor or projector could be just the spark you need. I enjoy tons of stuff I never even considered watching before just because it's on DiscoveryHD or HDNet. Plus, most HD content is in DD. The U2 - Vertigo concert on HDNet was terrific and Into The Liquid on DiscoveryHD had some of the most breathtaking surfing imagery you could possibly imagine.

Of course, nothing is better than watching Trojan football in HD (aka Cops )

[robert393]

I think a new HD monitor or projector could be just the spark you need. I enjoy tons of stuff I never even considered watching before just because it's on DiscoveryHD or HDNet. Plus, most HD content is in DD. The U2 - Vertigo concert on HDNet was terrific and Into The Liquid on DiscoveryHD had some of the most breathtaking surfing imagery you could possibly imagine.

Of course, nothing is better than watching Trojan football in HD (aka Cops )

I totally agree with topspeed here. HD has gotten me completely spoiled, and I rarely watch anything else. With Dish Network's HD-Package, VOOM, and OTA-HD, I have well over 20 HD stations. Lots of HD movies. Most all sports are in HD now too.

It sounds like it's time to get excited again.

Happy viewing!
Robert

[wayner86]

It doesn't sound to me like you're bored, but more like you're content with what you've got. Bored is when you've lost interest and you could care less, its sounds to me like your no longer stimulated by the movies you own and you need something new to come along. I feel the same way, i have a handful of my fav's on dvd and im bored of watching them over and over again. You need some new stimuli. I love LOTR, but im bored of watching it time and time again, i've seen each of the movies at least 15 times each (but after a few months i can throw it in again and re-enjoy it). Since i upgraded my system i couldn't go back to my $400 HTIB, im thrilled by the quality upgrade of the sound & picture, and im sure it will bring me years of enjoyment. I'm excited to watch new movies and get jolted by the experience. HD is a cut above SD and certainly adds to the experience. I don't own an HDTV myself but every time i watch one i nearly envy the picture quality. I enjoy many nights in just watching movies, but i can't do it every day with the same material. Perhaps you could expand your movie horizons and look at some foreign films. If you can handle sub titles check out City Of God, IMHO it's an excellent film worth not only renting, but adding to the collection.

Wayne

[Tarheel_]

you guys make some great points... i guess bored isn't the best word to describe my situation...just content....the new movies seem like junk and as wooch mentioned, i've had the 5.1 thing for a while and loved moving to 7.1 but after a while even that became the norm.
I listen to tons of music on my sirius sat, but never can sit and listen....so the HT doesn't see much music.
I know HD will get me excited again, but i wanna go projector and need to finish the basement first...maybe that 2nd job at taco bell will finance it.
Anyway, thanks for the good points and suggestions!

Oh yeah, i did enjoy the he!! out of watching my Carolina Hurricanes close out the Canadians in 7 channel stereo !!!!

[BadAssJazz]

I'm in the same boat right now.

I find myself hoping that the movie studios will start releasing better straight-to-DVD flix, so that I can enjoy movies without having to wait 4 - 6 months for the big screen releases. My Netflix Queue is filled with movies that I've already seen half a dozen times. Same goes for my at home movie collection. It's time for the studio execs to keep up with consumer demand. Sure, save the mega-blockbusters for the summer, but establish a better straight to DVD market for those of us who can't wait. After all, not even the mega-blockbusters are surefire successes. They could have released Mission Impossible 3 concurrently to DVD and not skipped a beat in terms of sales. I have a feeling it will be the same way with the Superman movie.

As for electronics aspect, plasma was the only relatively new thing to hit the market that made me bum-rush the local audio/video retailer. But having purchased a 42" Panasonic plasma a few months back, I'm done for now. Unfortunately I'm not as eager for Blu Ray and some of the other new technologies mentioned on this and other boards. My next purchase will probably be a new HT receiver and Center speaker, but I'm in no rush. The old Denon still performs as well as any receiver I've heard currently on the market at the sub-$2K pricepoint.

[nick4433]

I still have the Proton DD/DTS processor running 5.1 surround. I watch movies on my X2 projector on the weekends and my main TV is my trusted Hitachi 36" Ultravision. My EE friend actually repaired my processor and brought it back from certain death. I have zero desire to go HD or 9.1 yet but maybe in the future. BTW, I successfully beat upgraditis and am living proof of it. It is a different matter that I now spend my money on cameras and lenses. (LOL)
Good to know everyone is doing OK.

[jocko_nc]

Get HD and purchase the HD package of your favorite sport. I had a blast with NFL last year. A few dollars, yes, but it brought many hours of fun.

jocko