Buying Guide to Home Theater Systems
First of all a home theater system ties all your entertainment components together. Plasma screen TV, DVR, cable and or satellite , CD and M3P player Into one virtual home theater.
What to look for:whenn putting together your own home theater system
Home theater receiver
DTS or Dolby Digital
Universal remote
Speakers, especially center channel
Theater-in-a-box system
Before you go t o buy, here are some steps to take
First decide where your home theater is going to be If you have a spare room that you can dedicate to it all the better, but you can easily set one up in your living room or even your bedroom, Here are some things you need to consider once you decide where your theater will be.
Make a detailed list of what you already have. Tv DVR, VCR,DVD, M3P and speakers You will need about 5-6 speakers. Six speakers make up the ideal home theater: left and right front-channel speakers, left and right surround speakers, a subwoofer, and a center-channel speaker. The center-channel speaker is probably the most important, since most movie dialogue comes from it.
If you’re watching the bottom line, forgo the subwoofer.Decide what sized receiver you need to buy. Receives are measured in watts per channel For a small room such as a bed room or den, a 40 watt receiver is sufficient, For a living room go a bit bigger, For a real dedicated home theater room go for the 80 watt
Very important If you have any questions about the comparability ask before you buy. Deal with someone who knows what they are talking about.
Buy a receiver with at minimum Digital Theater System (DTS) or Dolby Digital. (Dolby Digital and DTS are competing, incompatible formats for home theater sound. Check your DVDs – they’re more likely to have Dolby Digital sound.) Avoid receivers with Dolby Surround or Dolby ProLogic unless they also have Dolby Digital. Dolby Digital EX and DTS-ES are the next step up; THX is the top of the line.
Starting to sound complicated. It is not as hard as it sounds.
If you are really technology challenged, you can buy what they call a system in a box, but be carefully they can be very very good or very very bad. Read the reviews below and see what is right for you.
Having trouble deciding how big to go is it worth it to turn the basement or family room into a theater so should you go smaller. But do you really want to change your living room into a home theate?r Of naturally cost is a big a factor. Also consider how much you are going to use it. Are you going to invite the neighbors in fo movie nights or to watch the Super Bowl, World Series , Indianapolis 500 and every other sports event , or do you just want it for yourself And with 6 speakers and an amplifier, a home theater is not the quietest entertainment. Take a look at what is required to turn a room into a theater maybe it will help you decide.
If you are planning to use the basement rec room, make sure it is waterproof check the electricity make sure you have enough power.( Get an electrician make sure it is done the right way.) You will need about 6 grounded outlets where the speaker system is going to be. Before you finish the walls, install insulation. Don’t forget to put it in the ceiling too it will keep both floors warmer and help in sound proofing, which is another thing to take into consideration.`
If your basement has a high enough ceiling build a platform to hole chairs You can get chairs that actually will plug into the system for real surround sound. Or you can just use a sectional or big cushions .
Most importantly, before you begin any construction, check out your local codes, and get any permits necessary. You don’t want to go through all this just to have to take it down again.
Lets give a quick look ast some prices There is a wide range, to fit almost any budget.
Amplifiers can range from about $200 to a high end of about $7,000. Be careful some amplifiers can only be used with certain systems.
Speakers cam be bought individually for about $89 on in complete sets for approximately $2,000
A good theater in a box will run between $400 and $800 But don’t forget you still need the TV, DVD ets.
So you are ready to get your home theater. Weather you buy the speakers and amplifiers separately, or buy a theater in a box, make sure you know what you want before you begin to look And don’t forget to take into consideration the equipment you already have, tv, DVD, M3P ets. Good luck
