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How to give the gift of Home Theater
The digital revolution of home electronics is upon us, and with the country television over-the-air broadcasts going digital early next year, it has never been a better time to find the perfect Home Theater.
Which Home Theater system is right for you and your needs? Only you can answer that question, but we can help you make a more informed buying decision. Get ready to get smart on home theater products!
What Is a Home Theater?
Generally speaking, a home theater system is a combination of A/V electronics components designed to recreate the visual and sound experience of watching a movie in a theater. When you watch a movie or television program on a digital home theater system you are more involved in the experience than when you watch programming on an ordinary television.
On a fundamental level, a digital home theater system consists of a wide-screen digital standard definition (SD) or HD television, HD receiver, multi-speaker surround-sound system, and 1080p HD (Blu-ray) DVD player. The right combination of components can turn your ordinary analog experience into a digital A/V feast for the eyes and ears.
Things to consider when shopping for a home theater system:
Selecting a Television for a Home Theater
The largest and most visible variable in any home theater system is the television. Whether it a large-screen, direct-view (cathode ray tube) television, a front or rear projection television, or a wide screen HDTV, they all have different price-points depending on size and screen resolution. With the coming move to an all digital broadcasting format next year, direct-view televisions will fast become obsolete. Yes, you will be able to purchase a decoder that will allow you to view digital content on a direct-view television, but you will not be able to take full advantage of digital content offered by cable and satellite providers; nor will you be able to fully appreciate digital DVDs. The largest direct-view television screen you can purchase today measures 40 in. diagonally, though you might be more content with a 27 in. model like the Sansui 27 in. CRT w/Digital Tuner.
Front & Rear Panel Televisions:
If you're in the market for a rear-projection television,
consider screen size, resolution and quality. Even a top-of-the-line picture can look unclean on a bad projection screen, so be sure to pay attention to screen material. Better light-and-dark contrast can be had from darker screens, which makes them a better choice, and screens made with anti-glare material should be considered if your new purchase is going to be in a room where natural light is a factor. Screen sizes up to 53 in. are common in rear-projection televisions.Need a much larger screen size?
Consider a front-projection television where screen sizes up to 200 in. are not uncommon. This is due to the fact that the components do not have to be packaged together and you are limited only by the size of the wall or screen onto which you want to project the image, as well as how far you place the projector from the screen.
The downside of front-projection televisions
is that they only work optimally in a darkened room just like a traditional movie theater projection setup. As a result, front-projection sets should really be confined to a separate, specially designed home theater area, rather than a family or living room. Since front projector sets are specifically designed for viewing movies, they usually don't have a built-in analog or digital television tuner, which of course prevents them from receiving television signals themselves. Front-projection systems use the same type of technology as rear-projection TVs. Projectors designed specifically for home theater use can be quite expensive, like the Sony 720p HD Home Entertainment Projector ($1299.99).Flat Panel Screens:
