OTHER TECH

GAME PIECES Configuring the system was a challenge since it would have to accommodate four game consoles - an Xbox, an Xbox debug console (used for playing prerelease versions of games), a PlayStation 2, and a GameCube - along with a Pioneer 301-disc DVD megachanger. Drew decided on Pioneer's VSX-1015TX receiver because it's one of the first featuring the THX Games mode, which takes the Dolby Pro Logic sound from GameCube and PS2 games and the Dolby Digital audio from Xbox games and creates a back surround channel for 7.1-channel playback.

While he says that the $650 receiver is a solid performer, there was one snag during setup: not enough component-video and optical digital audio inputs. The Xbox, the Xbox debug console, the PlayStation, and the megachanger all provide component-video output, but the receiver has only three component inputs. And the game consoles have optical digital audio outputs, but the Pioneer has only two optical inputs. Drew's makeshift solution was to hook up the PlayStation with S-video and analog audio for casual use, swapping out the component-video and optical connections from the Xbox when he needs to review a PlayStation game. Going with a more input-laden receiver would have busted his budget, so he had to compromise here.

A huge fan of epic movies like the Lord of the Rings and Star Wars sagas, Drew wanted the biggest screen his room could hold. He considered a front projector, but he would have had to put it above the seats on the platform - a problem with the relatively low 73/4-foot ceiling. And he didn't feel comfortable mounting a projector himself, but didn't have the money for an installer. Also, the strong ambient light would have made daytime viewing difficult. "I ultimately decided against a projector," Drew says, "because I didn't want to be stuck sitting in the dark all the time when I wanted to watch TV." He went with a 62-inch Mitsubishi DLP rear-projection HDTV ($4,999 list), which gives him a large, bright image without overwhelming the room. "The 52-inch model in that line won a 2004 S&V Reviewer's Choice Award, and when I asked Al Griffin what set he would get, he recommended the 62-inch version."

Despite having to jack in so many game consoles, system hookup was straightforward - except for one hitch. The receiver has assignable inputs for digital audio and component video, and the TV has assignable inputs for component video, but information on why and how to assign these inputs was cryptically buried deep within the respective owner's manuals. "I knew I'd have to do the assigning, so it was just a matter of finding the right menus," Drew says. "You have to feel sorry, though, for anybody who wants to use the best possible connections but isn't up to speed on this stuff."

Having 7.1-channel sound was always part of Drew's plans. "I wanted to take advantage of the THX Games mode, and with a 7.1-channel setup, I'm ready for whatever comes down the pike sonically." He also knew he liked the sound of Klipsch speakers. "I wanted speakers that would be great not only with games and movies but also with my kind of music - Mötley Crüe, Foo Fighters, Kiss. Klipsch's horn drivers are really solid here - they have a lot of punch without losing detail." Klipsch's RVX-54 system gave him front speakers and a subwoofer big enough to fill the room with sound, but surround speakers that could be mounted unobtrusively.

Rounding out the system are wireless controllers for Xbox and PS2 and a Harmony 880 universal remote, all from Logitech. Harmony remotes have received glowing reviews in these pages, especially for their ease of programming. And since Drew's budget wasn't big enough to hire an installer, he wanted a remote that would make entering and integrating commands for all of his components as simple as possible.