# Hidden cost?



## WolF_00 (Mar 29, 2011)

Hello,


Are there any hidden costs in Home theatre system? I mentioned there are special wires needed to utilize the system perfectly. So share me with your experience what are extras that cost you a $$ other than the speakers and the AVR? 

Thanks in advance


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## eugovector (Sep 4, 2006)

Wire should cost you about $50 from monoprice. Any more, and you're paying too much. 

Media is the only other "hidden" cost. If you are on cable/dish, you need to have hd to make tour system look/sound it's best. Same goes for bluray over DVD. 

One cost that is not hidden, but often ignored, is acoustic treatments for your room. There are some rooms that need lots, some that need little, but every room could probably use something. Of course, NEED is a strong word, but you get the idea?


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## Guest (Apr 6, 2011)

As already mentioned, cables can add a lot of cost. Monoprice is a great place to get them.

I worked with someone who used to work at Best Buy and he said when they had major sales on TVs, they would sell them at the same cost or maybe even a little less then they bought them. TVs have the least wiggle room. He was saying they make up the money by talking them in to buying the cables in store. If your not careful, you can find yourself spending hundreds extra on the little stuff. It's the biggest market in stores. The mark up on cables could be a 1000% or more.


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## Anthony (Oct 5, 2006)

Cables, surge-suppressor/power strip, speaker mounts/stands, and TV mounts all come to mind. But avoid buying them in the store and check out Parts Express or Monoprice and you can get just as good products for a lot less money. 

Then use that savings to buy a lot of movies and popcorn


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## koyaan (Mar 2, 2010)

Furniture could be a hidden cost. You could need stands for your speakers,. A console to set your big screen TV on could cost as much as the TV itself. Media racks and something to set te equipment on or in could be a consideration. :yikes:If you get into home theater seating, your talkin' som bucks.


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

If your building a room from scratch. make sue you somewhat futureproof the room by running extra wire to accommodate at least 7.1 channels, cat6 cable to not only the receiver but BluRay player. Are you going to upgrade to a projector down the road? you will need a screen, long HDMI cable to the Projector location as well as power. Also depending on how much equipment you plan to run a dedicated power circuit would be a good idea as well.


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## TypeA (Aug 14, 2010)

Your remote control will be your main interface with all your gear, yet often even high-priced and well-engineered gear includes a very poor remote control, go figure eh? I consider a remote with back-lighting, learning, good battery life, comfortable ergonomics and strong usability to be critical features in any complicated home theater remote. IR repeaters and a good secondary remote are necessary for multiple zones, if that applies to you...


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## TypeA (Aug 14, 2010)

I think netflix blu rays, cable with pvr, and internet services for streaming of music and movies are so often overlooked in new home theaters. Integral part of my home theater and we're talking almost $200 a month of reoccurring costs :thud:

However I did just dump my $165 comcast services, for knology, whos offering the new 25/5 meg internet services using the very first fiber optics in my town, excited to finally be getting fiber! :yay: 

Anywho, about $100 ($130 after the first year) for their cable and internet, plus 15 for netflix. A little cheaper than $200, but a combined cost essential to any blu ray player, receiver, netflix machine, game console and htpc! I dont even have Game Fly's game rental service, its $25 a month!


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## WolF_00 (Mar 29, 2011)

eugovector said:


> Wire should cost you about $50 from monoprice. Any more, and you're paying too much.
> 
> Media is the only other "hidden" cost. If you are on cable/dish, you need to have hd to make tour system look/sound it's best. Same goes for bluray over DVD.
> 
> One cost that is not hidden, but often ignored, is acoustic treatments for your room. There are some rooms that need lots, some that need little, but every room could probably use something. Of course, NEED is a strong word, but you get the idea?





Generic said:


> As already mentioned, cables can add a lot of cost. Monoprice is a great place to get them.
> 
> I worked with someone who used to work at Best Buy and he said when they had major sales on TVs, they would sell them at the same cost or maybe even a little less then they bought them. TVs have the least wiggle room. He was saying they make up the money by talking them in to buying the cables in store. If your not careful, you can find yourself spending hundreds extra on the little stuff. It's the biggest market in stores. The mark up on cables could be a 1000% or more.


Thanks for the tip, I've checked many local stores that sells theater accessories and could find better deal for most of the TV and home theater cables and amount saving was exceeding 200%; then I compare their prices with monoprice and could find better deals with different brand name. your $0.02 saved $100! 

I already have HD receiver; so I believe that cost has been covered.... 

eugovector; you right about how home theater room shall be different or unique, but I will do that if I have my own house; not on rented flat, which I attend to leave after 3 years. 




Anthony said:


> Cables, surge-suppressor/power strip, speaker mounts/stands, and TV mounts all come to mind. But avoid buying them in the store and check out Parts Express or Monoprice and you can get just as good products for a lot less money.
> 
> Then use that savings to buy a lot of movies and popcorn


I believe you've missed the beer!




tonyvdb said:


> If your building a room from scratch. make sue you somewhat futureproof the room by running extra wire to accommodate at least 7.1 channels, cat6 cable to not only the receiver but BluRay player. Are you going to upgrade to a projector down the road? you will need a screen, long HDMI cable to the Projector location as well as power. Also depending on how much equipment you plan to run a dedicated power circuit would be a good idea as well.


nice idea, but I can't implement it right now, maybe later when I moved to new house. 



TypeA said:


> Your remote control will be your main interface with all your gear, yet often even high-priced and well-engineered gear includes a very poor remote control, go figure eh? I consider a remote with back-lighting, learning, good battery life, comfortable ergonomics and strong usability to be critical features in any complicated home theater remote. IR repeaters and a good secondary remote are necessary for multiple zones, if that applies to you...


You have gave me nice idea and it will be like the "star wars lightsaber"  I will look at different secondary remote; I may start with one you'd suggested. 



TypeA said:


> I think netflix blu rays, cable with pvr, and internet services for streaming of music and movies are so often overlooked in new home theaters. Integral part of my home theater and we're talking almost $200 a month of reoccurring costs :thud:
> 
> However I did just dump my $165 comcast services, for knology, whos offering the new 25/5 meg internet services using the very first fiber optics in my town, excited to finally be getting fiber! :yay:
> 
> Anywho, about $100 ($130 after the first year) for their cable and internet, plus 15 for netflix. A little cheaper than $200, but a combined cost essential to any blu ray player, receiver, netflix machine, game console and htpc! I dont even have Game Fly's game rental service, its $25 a month!


I won't include TV and media services into my cost because they are basic and it is really depend on my need and favorite programs, movies and sport events.


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## sparky77 (Feb 22, 2008)

Everybody forgot the value of your sanity while trying to decide what to get in the first place....... AND, your relationship with your family while spending countless hours on the internet trying to figure everything out, but look at it this way, when your done, your whole family will hopefully enjoy it. (except for your teenage daughter that won't watch anything that doesn't include Justin Bieber, but that's a whole different topic)


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## TypeA (Aug 14, 2010)

sparky77 said:


> Everybody forgot the value of your sanity while trying to decide what to get in the first place....... AND, your relationship with your family while spending countless hours on the internet trying to figure everything out, but look at it this way, when your done, your whole family will hopefully enjoy it. (except for your teenage daughter that won't watch anything that doesn't include Justin Bieber, but that's a whole different topic)


Oh man, I cant believe how this slipped past me. I guess we get so wrapped up in the hidden financial costs that we completely forget the unanticipated emotional tolls that should be considered as well! For me it took, literally, months to convince the girlfriend that the multi zone functions on the new avr are not that hard with a little practice. She is coming around that her 'one and done button press' philosophy is near impossible when dealing with more choices than just an FM radio, its taken time and lots of patience to get her where she needs to be. Activity-based remotes are great but are simply no substitute for understanding basic functions of multiple zones and numerous activities under less than ideal install situations...


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## nholmes1 (Oct 7, 2010)

Additional Heating/Cooling costs for the room, and the associated increased in energy used by the equipment, thus increasing the electric bill.


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