Today it would appear that more people today then ever before are interested in getting the best home theater system possible in their home or apartment. So one of the most often asked questions is “what exactly is required to have a home theater?
Actually the standard home theater comprises about three primary components. Ranked in basic order of importance, you could say that anyone planning to experience even the nominal home theater experience will have to have a good sized video display, a digital surround sound system and a DVD player. Of course the best home theater system for any individual depends upon their specific needs, available space and budget.
A DVD player will function as your video source so taking into consideration today’s products, it could be foolish not to obtain a top quality Blu-ray dvd player. Nearly all people will go with a HD capable tv at least, so selecting a Blu-ray player ensures you you will have accessibility to all of the hottest movie releases. Dependant on your budget, one may look at one of several new DVD players capable of playing 3D Blu-ray Discs in 1080p if you have a 3D-ready HDTV in your sights. At the time of this writing, the Samsung BD-C6900, Sony BDP-S570, Sony BDP-BX57, Panasonic DMP-BDT350, LG BX580, and Samsung BD-C5900 3-D Blu-ray disc players are among the most popular. If you go with more affordable models, just be sure your chosen component has progressive scan capability and has a component video output. Actually for all those on a restricted spending budget, an entire home theater in-a-box could possibly be the ideal solution.
At one time when you talked about a complete home theater in-a-box, one naturally thought of cheap junk. Nowadays that is not very true. Several high-end theater in-a-box systems are the Yamaha YHT-591BL, LG LHB953, Yamaha YHT-390BL, LG LHB977, and the Onkyo HT-S5200 7.1 system. I’ve noted some excellent deals on a Onkyo home theater system. Choosing a home theater in-a-box makes it possible for an uncomplicated purchase and all the buyer has to add is a HDTV.
The next part of any home theater system is a Digital Surround Sound System or the
home theater speaker systems. If you opt for a component Blu-ray dvd play, you need a quality sound system composed of satellite speakers and a receiver. The usual surround sound system will be a 5.1 system meaning it features a center stage speaker, four satellite speakers and a subwoofer. If space permits, a 7.1 surround sound system adds another two satellite speakers for a more theater-like experience. When looking for a receiver, bear in mind you may get lost in the numerous options such as 5.1, 6.1, 7.1, video switching, HD and more. For anyone who is not willing to do some homework at this point, it could be a good move to consider those high-end theater in-a-box packages described earlier. If you’re determined to go the component option, you can find outstanding video receivers such as the Sony STR-DN1000 7.1, Sony STR-DG520 5.1, Sony STR-DH510 5.1, Pioneer VSX-1020-K, and the Pioneer VSX-920-k.
The last, but key to any home theater is going to be your video display. If you’re on a limited budget, you can find some excellent buys in regular 32″ TVs. However consider the weight of that size TV before you decide to settle for anything but a thin flatscreen. Your best option obviously will likely be a LCD or plasma TV in the 46″ to 50″ range for family viewing. In recent years most of these have also come down significantly in price. A number of popular and affordable models are the Samsung LN40C630, Samsung LN46C630, LG 32LD450, VIZIO VA370M, LG 42LH40, Panasonic TC-P42S2, Sharp AQUOS LC32LE700UN, and Sony Bravia S-Series KDL-40S5100. When looking for a flat screen TV, think of how you’ll use the TV. Nowadays they come with all kinds of things from online connections and wireless access to home networks. However you should look for a model providing 1080p and 120Hz refresh rate in the event you view a lot of action sports. Of course you could really move to the top end and consider the new 3-D TVs on the market also. You will find some good offers on the Samsung UN55C7000 and Samsung UN55C8000 if you buy their 3-D DVD player at the same time. In addition to the the flat screens, a number of home theater builders will go with a video projector or a rear-projection TV. Needless to say the video projectors call for the biggest amount of room as well as the extra cost and installation of a screen.
If you think about your alternatives in home theater systems, you are going to discover that you’ll be able to incorporate some level of movie theater experience no matter your available space and budget.