Home Theater Systems

I'll admit it, as enticing as it is to have a surround sound setup all around you, delivering the cinematic punch of a movie's soundtrack, it's not for everyone…or every room for that matter. For what ever reason, the layout of the room may be prohibitive, or a member of the household may not like the idea. The answer may lie in a 2.1 channel system. Simply put, 2 speakers and a subwoofer.Please do not confuse simplicity...

As many people love the idea of thrilling surround sound in their home, there are those who lack the space for lots of home theatre speakers. There are also those who don't want to place speakers all around the room. Enter the 3.1 channel home theater systems. Depending on the room layout or size, it may be difficult to place surround sound speakers. Under these circumstances even wireless surround sound may not be...

Home movie-makers rejoice! High definition DVD recorders are here! Wouldn't it be great if there were a device that allowed you to transfer all those home movies from now and the past onto DVD? Without a computer? What about burning those high definition videos from your HD camcorder?Now you can. In fact, if you have a Sony High Def Handycam with memory stick or hard drive storage, you can burn HD video at 1080i resolution...

When it comes to surround sound speakers, the most popular configuration is a 5.1 channel setup. This consists of a front left and right speaker, a center channel speaker, a left and right rear speaker, and a subwoofer. The basic configuration is shown in the diagram to the right.When installing surround sound, this setup allows a bit more flexibility when it comes to positioning the rear speakers versus a 7.1 channel...

One of the most important parts of home theater systems is the surround sound receiver, also commonly referred to as a home theater amplifier. It sends power to each speaker and processes the signal, providing the brawn and the brain of every voice, sound effect, and musical cue. Not only providing the power to drive every speaker, this device is also the hub, or central nervous system wherein all of the components,...

We live in an increasingly wireless world. Why not a wireless surround sound system? For many, the thought of installing surround sound with all of the speakers and the subwoofer, placed anywhere in the room without any wires is very enticing. Sadly however, with current technology, this dream remains unrealized and incomplete.Currently, the options are limited to subwoofers and the rear speakers. Even in these instances,...

dts surround sound and Dolby Digital surround formats continue to push the envelope, providing an audio experience to remember. The brilliant sound is enjoyed in both movie and home theaters worldwide.Dolby™ Digital is a surround sound audio format created by Dolby™ Laboratories. The company was founded in 1965 by Ray Dolby and first designed professional recording equipment. They pioneered a method of audio compression...

Rich, clear sound is such an important part of a home theater system. Recognizing the importance of a high quality picture, it's George Lucas who said the sound and music are 50% of the entertainment in a movie. Since it is equally important as the video, make sure you select home theater speakers that suit you, your family, and your home theater design. Thankfully, there are several speaker options to choose from...

If your home theater room design allows for it, the placement of more speakers can offer a more immersive sonic experience. Many of today's surround sound receivers are equipped with the necessary connections and amplification requirements for the connection of 7 individual speakers and a subwoofer, hence the designation, 7.1 channel system. The most advanced surround sound formats can send discrete information to...

Yet another home theater seat to consider is potentially less comfortable, but also potentially more expensive. Classic or modern movie theater seats. These are either original or replicas of actual movie theater seats. They are usually connected to each other in rows and will vary in cost depending on whether they're replicas or originals from an actual theater.They are available in specific quantities which you can...

When it comes to the best home theater design plans, great seating is an important consideration. A home theater recliner is built specifically for this purpose and is available individually, or in rows of 2, 3, and 4 seats.This type of seat usually has armrests (usually with integrated cup holders and some have remote control storage too). Depending on your home theater layout, they can be custom built to your specifications...

A popular choice of home theater seating for those who may not have the space or desire for traditional home theater recliners is a reclining love seat. This item is available at furniture stores online or locally, and is an extremely comfortable and practical solution. It is designed for 2 people and offers the ability to sit upright, or fully reclined. Although it is a one piece design, both sides usually recline...

Back when home theater projectors first hit the market, CRT Projectors were the first type introduced. Just like a television, this technology was based on the Cathode Ray Tube (CRT), on which the viewer sees the television image. The technology may have been around for a while, but it is still interesting to see how it works.Three small CRTs (one for each primary color), coupled with a light magnifying lens, can...

Whether you are watching your favorite sporting event, or a blu ray movie, if your home theater plan calls for the largest screen available, it may be time to look at home theater projectors. This option known as DLP looks very similar on the outside to LCD projectors, but use an entirely different technology. What is DLP you ask? DLP stands for Digital Light Processing, a technology developed by Texas Instruments...

Have you ever been to homes where the people have their very own home theater projectors? Why not you? Depending on your home theater design, LCD Projectors are a typically less expensive method of getting a fantastic home cinema experience! LCD is an abbreviation of 'liquid crystal diode'. These projectors contain three separate LCD glass panels, one each for red, green, and blue components of the image signal being...

Home theater projectors come close to the movie theater experience by beaming the image onto a wall or screen! They offer the largest potential picture size depending on your space. Here is some useful information about this great technology for home theater systems! Talk about providing the biggest picture with the smallest space! Home theater projectors are a great solution for those of you who want a screen size...

Just a few years ago, having a flat screen television to home theater systems meant spending a large sum of money on a technology that was still in its early stages of development.Now, prices are a fraction of what they were, and the technology has seen vast improvements over the years. So what is LCD TV? How does it work? An LCD TV is a flat panel television containing LCD panels made of two layers of transparent...

When you are watching a movie, or your favorite team play on the big screen, are you seated comfortably? Now that you are thinking about your overall home theater design, have you considered what type of home theater seating would be appropriate? The type of seating you choose can really have an impact on your home theater experience. You may decide that your couch and/or love seat that you currently use makes for the...

A plasma TV is a flat panel television which looks very similar to an LCD TV but consists of an entirely different technology.This type of flat TV produces a picture using a number of cells that are fed a steady stream of neon and xenon gas. The cells are contained within panels of glass and coated with electrodes. The electrodes charge the cells, which fires up the gas, transforming it into plasma. This process results...

The Playstation 3 or PS3 is the home gaming system from Sony which came on the market in November 2006. This device is very unique, versatile, and, in my opinion, one of the greatest values in home entertainment today. As someone who owns one, I can tell you this, it is much more than a video game console. In fact, In comparison to its use for watching blu ray movies, I rarely play games on it. It is a highly rated...

Do you need a high definition box? If you have cable and you want to receive all of the high definition TV channels offered, you will need a high definition cable box from your provider. There will often be an additional charge for it, but many of these boxes also act as a high definition video recorder which can help justify the monthly fee increase. Another important type of HD box comes in the form of an high definition...

If you've been in an electronics store and perused the flat panel TV section, chances are you've seen 3D HDTV demonstrations from most or all of the TV manufacturers out there. So what is 3D HDTV? It is the latest evolution in 3D technology. For the longest time, in order to watch 3D, we were forced to wear paper glasses with red and blue cellophane in front of our eyes. This did give us the illusion of 3D, but at...

High definition video recorders today are the new VCR of tomorrow.On June 12th, 2009 television changed across the United States and the difference was clear...literally! The amazing clarity of HDTV broadcasts simply blows away the standard definition analog signals we have enjoyed for much of the past century.Depending on where you live, and how long you have had a high definition television, you might have noticed...

High definition television sets come in a variety of styles. If you have had a chance to research high definition television reviews, then you know that the standards for picture quality have changed dramatically for the better. Of course, as with any product, some models will excel over others, but even on value priced brands the picture quality can tower over their analog ancestors.So what differentiates a high definition...

A high definition TV antenna is one of the least expensive ways to enjoy local high definition television stations. It can cost as little as a few dollars at your neighborhood electronics store. The signal strength may vary, depending on your proximity, and the type of terrain between you and the broadcast towers; i.e. hills, mountains, etc. A TV antenna, connected to your HDTV may be the only thing you need to enjoy...

High definition satellite television is a great choice if a high definition TV antenna is not an option, or you simply want access to more high definition TV channels! When it comes to getting a clear digital picture, satellite television enjoys a long history of providing just that.High definition satellite receivers; however, take clarity and content to a whole new level when compared to their standard definition...

DVD technology has been around a long time, over fifteen years, actually. Even with the introduction of blu ray disc, DVD is still essential in your own home theater design. Todays display technologies have evolved, and so has dvd technology right along with them. Even in the best home theater design built today, the DVD player is an important piece of equipment. DVD technology was a breakthrough for home theater systems...

The best home theater design involves many important decisions: Determine the amount of space you can allow for a home theater The location in the home where your system will be set up What if any home theater furniture would be most appropriate the budget set aside for your home theater system investment SPACE There is more than one aspect of space to consider. The first consideration is the size of the place...

Blu ray burners, or blu ray recorders, are the next step in high definition recording for home theater systems. With all of the available recording options such as a high definition video recorder or high definition DVD recorders, the stage is set for the blu ray format to get in on the game.   Blu ray players and burners are currently used in computers across the industry. Although there are a few models...

If you are considering a blu ray player and want to get some information first, you've come to the right place! This page discusses the latest advances in blu ray players available to you. I have searched the stores and the world wide web to find what's out there.Remember, they are sometimes referred to as a blu ray dvd player, but they are the same thing. As of this writing, all of the current models are backwards...

Welcome to the Home Theater Furniture page! There are two main areas to think about: Where do I place all of my great home theater gear? What about my home theater seating options? These two things are equally important because as far as your equipment is concerned, (unless you are able to hide it all away in a closet) you need to have easy access to it, but also make it aesthetically pleasing in the room. With...

With the onset of 3D HDTV, a new way to watch movies at home is here. Enter blu ray 3D. Of course 3D technology has been around for some time, but not like this! Gone are the days of paper glasses, red and blue cellophane, and lackluster standard definition presentations.Now, you can watch your movies in high definition and see clear, accurate color in 3D! With the introduction of 3D blu ray, you can enjoy both the...

By now you have probably heard of blu ray disc. If you haven't, don't worry. By the end of this page you will have a much better understanding of this state of the art home movie format. If you know what a dvd is, then learning blu will be a breeze! You can learn more about the dvd format on the DVD technology. Blu ray disc, also known as BD is similar to CD and DVD which are optical disc storage media formats. On...