If you are in the market for a home theater system, chances are that you have a pretty good idea of the individual components you will need in order to make your system complete. Most people find questions when it comes to specific information about the individual pieces and parts of the system. However, in an effort to educate all about home theater systems, this will be a brief break down of components that one might expect to buy during the course of building a premium home theater system. Keep in mind that everyone will have their own specific needs and preferences and you might have some perfectly acceptable components already. This of course, will save you money on the overall buy if you choose to keep the pieces you currently own.
First of all, there are all kinds of 'home theater in a box' kits on the market today. These kits are already put together in order to support you get the home theater you desire in one fell swoop. While you able to get perfectly good home theater systems in this manner, I honestly believe you will get better value for your money by building your own system one component at a time. If you are impatient in a hurry or simply do not wish to spend the time researching your options then the home theater systems that are sold on the market might be a good idea for you.
Now that we've gotten past that, you should notice that some people consider the actual television to be a part of the home theater system. You able to go many routes when selecting a television that will work with your home theater needs. It is entirely up to you what kind of television you select. I do however recommend that you seriously consider the lighting in any given room before choosing your television. Projection televisions do not do well in rooms with a great deal of light. Otherwise, go with what works within your budget and the overall look you prefer for your home theater viewing.
Sound is another important component of most home theater systems. The amount you spend on your sound system should depend entirely on how much sound impacts your enjoyment of movies. You able to spend a lot of money on a good set of speakers and sound system or you able to seriously cut costs by spending less on this particular component. Everything when it comes to building a home theater depends entirely upon your personal preferences and the overall system you wish to build.
In order to get the greatest benefit from your speakers you will need a receiver in order to process the sounds and present them in the best possible light. The receiver basically receives information from all manner of devices and sends the signal where you tell it to go. Your receiver is one place that most people tend to spend a good portion of their budget and with good reason. This is by far one of the most important components and one that many people do not already own.
Your DVD/DVR is another thing that able to impact your viewing experience. You shouldn't opt for a high definition DVD or DVR unless you have a high definition television and only then if you plan to buy high definition DVDs rather than the regular DVDs you will find on the market at the moment. Doing so will only result in a waste of money while the technology is new. Instead, wait a year or two until the prices drop and upgrade slowly rather than purchaseing the top of the line most expensive component that the remainder of your system cannot keep up with.
While this list is by no means exhaustive of everything you might wish to include in your home theater system it will provide a good initiate for most home theaters. Only you able to set your budget and decide how much you are willing to spend on each individual component. My best advice is to initiate with a receiver and build your system one component at a time around your receiver.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Friday, July 24, 2009
Home Theater Speaker Basics
One of the most essential components of a good home theater is its speakers. You simply cannot achieve that theater atmosphere if you do not have good speakers from which to enjoy the sound that is such a vital part of a good 'movie going' experience. The problem is that most people are easily confused as to which speakers they very need for their home entertainment systems as well as the proper placement of those speakers in order to make a true surround sound.
The following are the basic speakers that are required to complete a good home theater: front left and right speakers, a center channel speaker, surround sound speakers, and subwoofers. Center channel speakers are overlooked and left out of numerous home theaters. I recommend against doing so as these speakers supply a good portion of the soundtrack in numerous movies as well as add fullness and depth to the dialogue.
Surround sound speakers are what give the background sounds that make the movies seem more real. These are the things that draw viewers into movies and add a little bit of excitement to the process of watching a movie. As such, they are very important to include in your home theater, as they will support match the theater experience. Common options for surround sound speakers include 5.1 channel, 6.1 channel, or 7.1 channel surround.
Subwoofers are responsible for the deep bass sound that lines so numerous movie soundtracks. These sounds are responsible for creating emotion and drama within the soundtrack and are excellent at establishing suspense and different emotions that are an important part in the movie experience. A good set of subwoofers is essential in your home theater speaker package or you will miss out on a good deal of the adrenaline that is created as a result of sound in theaters.
While there are numerous brands from which to choose it is important that you choose speakers that will work well together by creating a similar sound. The best option for this is to buy completely speakers together in one kit by one maker. It may be tempting in order to save funds to mix and match speakers but this will not make the true quality of sound you are hoping to achieve in your home theater.
In addition to the numerous brands of speakers for your home theater you may find that there are numerous different styles of speakers. There are those that sit on bookshelves, satellite speakers, and floor speakers. Floor speakers in most cases give the best sound. On the downside they take up the most real estate within your room which can be fairly limiting and make them an unattractive option for many. You even had the added bonus of wireless speakers emerging in quality and capacity.
There is no right or wrong when it comes to speakers for your home theater. They will make a huge affect on the general theater affect of your system but like every different component the speakers are still a matter of taste. Some people prefer watching movies at home due to they can control the volume and do not feel the suspense and e.g. significantly as they do in theaters. For those you may want to lower the volume for your surround speakers or your subwoofers. However, the primary objective is to make a home theater you can enjoy and proper speakers contribute greatly to that enjoyment.
The following are the basic speakers that are required to complete a good home theater: front left and right speakers, a center channel speaker, surround sound speakers, and subwoofers. Center channel speakers are overlooked and left out of numerous home theaters. I recommend against doing so as these speakers supply a good portion of the soundtrack in numerous movies as well as add fullness and depth to the dialogue.
Surround sound speakers are what give the background sounds that make the movies seem more real. These are the things that draw viewers into movies and add a little bit of excitement to the process of watching a movie. As such, they are very important to include in your home theater, as they will support match the theater experience. Common options for surround sound speakers include 5.1 channel, 6.1 channel, or 7.1 channel surround.
Subwoofers are responsible for the deep bass sound that lines so numerous movie soundtracks. These sounds are responsible for creating emotion and drama within the soundtrack and are excellent at establishing suspense and different emotions that are an important part in the movie experience. A good set of subwoofers is essential in your home theater speaker package or you will miss out on a good deal of the adrenaline that is created as a result of sound in theaters.
While there are numerous brands from which to choose it is important that you choose speakers that will work well together by creating a similar sound. The best option for this is to buy completely speakers together in one kit by one maker. It may be tempting in order to save funds to mix and match speakers but this will not make the true quality of sound you are hoping to achieve in your home theater.
In addition to the numerous brands of speakers for your home theater you may find that there are numerous different styles of speakers. There are those that sit on bookshelves, satellite speakers, and floor speakers. Floor speakers in most cases give the best sound. On the downside they take up the most real estate within your room which can be fairly limiting and make them an unattractive option for many. You even had the added bonus of wireless speakers emerging in quality and capacity.
There is no right or wrong when it comes to speakers for your home theater. They will make a huge affect on the general theater affect of your system but like every different component the speakers are still a matter of taste. Some people prefer watching movies at home due to they can control the volume and do not feel the suspense and e.g. significantly as they do in theaters. For those you may want to lower the volume for your surround speakers or your subwoofers. However, the primary objective is to make a home theater you can enjoy and proper speakers contribute greatly to that enjoyment.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Home Theater Practicalities
Today's shoppers are much more savvy than they have been in days past. Perhaps this sophistication when it comes to learning about the products we spend our hard earned money on is the result of instant information at our fingertips through the Internet or a deep desire to cognize more about where our money is going. Whatever the reason, we are taking the time to learn as much as achievable about our investments and cautiously planning how we spend our money before it leaves our wallets.
In many ways this is wonderful news. You very can't go wrong as a consumer my educating yourself about the products you are considering purchasing and this holds doubly true when it comes to electronics. More and more consumers are opening up to the idea of home theaters. In fact, this is becoming a selling point in many homes across the country. It is a great idea to research the products you will buy and the individual components of your home theater system but how much time have you invested towards the planning and design of your home theater?
You might have the room in mind, but do you have the wiring you need? Are outlets in the correct location in order to give the extra outlets you will need for your components? Do you have the wiring for speakers in place or is this something additional you will need to consider? Will you go with wireless speakers in order to stay away the hassle? There are so many questions you will need to ask yourself when planning for your home theater.
What, of your existing home entertainment equipment will you be keeping and which pieces of equipment, if any, will you be replacing? I always recommend purchaseing one component at a time and building a home theater system rather than just going in and purchasing a box off the shelf that has everything in one place. While you can get a very nice system by doing this, I think you will ultimately get more bang for your buck if you build your own system one piece at a time and select each piece for the individual qualities your prefer. That being said, once you get the components home you need to be able to install them and incorporate them into your existing home theater.
Will you be adding special home theater seating or going with a big comfy couch? This matters when planning the layout for the room in which you will be watching your movies and television favorites. You want the seating to be comfortable or no one will want to spend terribly much time in the room, no matter how large the television screen is. We like to be comfortable as we watch 24 hours of non-stop action or the nearest planet in a far off solar system explode. Do you have a plan for providing that comfort in your home theater?
Do you have completely of the connecting wires? How about a certain method for disguising the wires so that they do not give a distraction during your movie and television viewing time? Are you going to add gaming equipment to your home theater system? If so, this opens up an entire early ball game when it comes to wires, as you will be bringing even more cords and wires and controllers into the mix.
The next question is how do you plan to hide completely the equipment? While built in entertainment centers might seem like a great idea, they are killers to your bottom line should you need to some day sell your home as they eat up floor space and not everyone will appreciate your home theater. For this reason, I recommend a floor-to-ceiling entertainment center with doors that can be closed around the features you aren't using at any given moment.
While there is no right or wrong when it comes to designing a home theater for your family, there are practical matters that are well worth considering. I hope this has brought to mind a couple of of those and that you are brimming with wonderful ideas for your current or future home theater.
In many ways this is wonderful news. You very can't go wrong as a consumer my educating yourself about the products you are considering purchasing and this holds doubly true when it comes to electronics. More and more consumers are opening up to the idea of home theaters. In fact, this is becoming a selling point in many homes across the country. It is a great idea to research the products you will buy and the individual components of your home theater system but how much time have you invested towards the planning and design of your home theater?
You might have the room in mind, but do you have the wiring you need? Are outlets in the correct location in order to give the extra outlets you will need for your components? Do you have the wiring for speakers in place or is this something additional you will need to consider? Will you go with wireless speakers in order to stay away the hassle? There are so many questions you will need to ask yourself when planning for your home theater.
What, of your existing home entertainment equipment will you be keeping and which pieces of equipment, if any, will you be replacing? I always recommend purchaseing one component at a time and building a home theater system rather than just going in and purchasing a box off the shelf that has everything in one place. While you can get a very nice system by doing this, I think you will ultimately get more bang for your buck if you build your own system one piece at a time and select each piece for the individual qualities your prefer. That being said, once you get the components home you need to be able to install them and incorporate them into your existing home theater.
Will you be adding special home theater seating or going with a big comfy couch? This matters when planning the layout for the room in which you will be watching your movies and television favorites. You want the seating to be comfortable or no one will want to spend terribly much time in the room, no matter how large the television screen is. We like to be comfortable as we watch 24 hours of non-stop action or the nearest planet in a far off solar system explode. Do you have a plan for providing that comfort in your home theater?
Do you have completely of the connecting wires? How about a certain method for disguising the wires so that they do not give a distraction during your movie and television viewing time? Are you going to add gaming equipment to your home theater system? If so, this opens up an entire early ball game when it comes to wires, as you will be bringing even more cords and wires and controllers into the mix.
The next question is how do you plan to hide completely the equipment? While built in entertainment centers might seem like a great idea, they are killers to your bottom line should you need to some day sell your home as they eat up floor space and not everyone will appreciate your home theater. For this reason, I recommend a floor-to-ceiling entertainment center with doors that can be closed around the features you aren't using at any given moment.
While there is no right or wrong when it comes to designing a home theater for your family, there are practical matters that are well worth considering. I hope this has brought to mind a couple of of those and that you are brimming with wonderful ideas for your current or future home theater.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Home Theater for the Little Ones
Your home theater can be one room in which everyone loves to watch television. In fact, in numerous homes it is the one room that is most often used by the family. However, it is obvious that everyone within a family doesn't always agree on what is an appropriate movie or television choice at any given time. I cognize in my family dad and baby girl often disagree on whether Sunday football or yet another viewing of Cars, or whichever Disney flick has her unending attention at the moment, has a higher viewing priority.
In most instances dad wins out as baby girl has almost unlimited access to the television while daddy is working during the week. However a simple solution to this particular dilemma would be to make a pint sized home theater. Of course then there will be fights among the less ones about who's turn it is, but that's better than having them fight over seating position while you're trying to watch a movie or favorite television show (I think).
While some might think that the investment in a second home theater, especially one for the kids, is a rather sizeable investment, it can actually be quite a good investment to say the least. First of all, the system you buy for the kids will not need top of the line components. This is one instance where a box kit might be just what the situation calls for (and you can find those very reasonably priced). Your less ones need neither a plasma television nor a large screen (they tend to sit much closer to the sets than adults so a smaller screen is better) and you just might find replacement parts to tide you over should something ever go out on your home theater system.
Another thing to remember when selecting a home theater for your children is that they are not nearly as demanding as adults when it comes to quality. In fact, they will still be the envy of all their friends merely by having speakers and surround sound. They do not need HD for either picture or sound in their sets and Bose speakers while great are a less bit of overkill for less ears that think the lyrics to Itsy-Bitsy Spider are inspirational.
Building a home theater system for the kids is a great way to make them feel as though they are important to you. Most adults very enjoy (or hate depending on how your team is doing on any given Sunday) the time they share with their home theater. The fact that you are providing something that brings you so much pleasure with your less ones by giving them one to share is a great thing in their eyes and minds. Believe it or not, it will teach them responsibility and to take care of things.
Think about it, we often give our children toys that are broken and forgotten about in a mere matter of days. They see the care we take of our home theaters and are quite probably (and in numerous cases surprisingly) to follow our example. You can further illustrate this by telling them what needs to be done in order to properly care for their home theater and remind them of the consequences of failure to do so (endless weeks of football and no Disney) and they are often more than eager to take good care of their special home theater. Remind them that this is a special treat and they should treat it as that and you will be amazed at how effective your words will be.
The peace and quiet that a second home theater can bring to your household is well worth the minimal investment this system should require. I can think of few greater gifts you can give yourself as an adult than a few hours a week of uninterrupted harmony within the household.
In most instances dad wins out as baby girl has almost unlimited access to the television while daddy is working during the week. However a simple solution to this particular dilemma would be to make a pint sized home theater. Of course then there will be fights among the less ones about who's turn it is, but that's better than having them fight over seating position while you're trying to watch a movie or favorite television show (I think).
While some might think that the investment in a second home theater, especially one for the kids, is a rather sizeable investment, it can actually be quite a good investment to say the least. First of all, the system you buy for the kids will not need top of the line components. This is one instance where a box kit might be just what the situation calls for (and you can find those very reasonably priced). Your less ones need neither a plasma television nor a large screen (they tend to sit much closer to the sets than adults so a smaller screen is better) and you just might find replacement parts to tide you over should something ever go out on your home theater system.
Another thing to remember when selecting a home theater for your children is that they are not nearly as demanding as adults when it comes to quality. In fact, they will still be the envy of all their friends merely by having speakers and surround sound. They do not need HD for either picture or sound in their sets and Bose speakers while great are a less bit of overkill for less ears that think the lyrics to Itsy-Bitsy Spider are inspirational.
Building a home theater system for the kids is a great way to make them feel as though they are important to you. Most adults very enjoy (or hate depending on how your team is doing on any given Sunday) the time they share with their home theater. The fact that you are providing something that brings you so much pleasure with your less ones by giving them one to share is a great thing in their eyes and minds. Believe it or not, it will teach them responsibility and to take care of things.
Think about it, we often give our children toys that are broken and forgotten about in a mere matter of days. They see the care we take of our home theaters and are quite probably (and in numerous cases surprisingly) to follow our example. You can further illustrate this by telling them what needs to be done in order to properly care for their home theater and remind them of the consequences of failure to do so (endless weeks of football and no Disney) and they are often more than eager to take good care of their special home theater. Remind them that this is a special treat and they should treat it as that and you will be amazed at how effective your words will be.
The peace and quiet that a second home theater can bring to your household is well worth the minimal investment this system should require. I can think of few greater gifts you can give yourself as an adult than a few hours a week of uninterrupted harmony within the household.
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