Home Theater Systems

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 out there, their entry into the mainstream home theater realm has yet to take place.

Fear not, blu ray fans! As of this writing, blu ray recorders with hard disk drives have been introduced in Japan for home theater use. These recorders allow the user to record full high definition content onto the hard drive and then burn it to blu ray disc.

A blu ray recorder that is available with an internal hard drive in various sizes, sounds like a great addition to any component rack! It should only be a matter of time, so check back here for the latest information on their availability status in the United States.

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 compatible and will play both blu ray movies and DVD movies too.

Chances are you already own a dvd collection. Whether it is just a handful of titles, or a library of hundreds. You might even be concerned that your investment in DVD technology is so substantial that you have no interest in upgrading to blu ray.

Well, one of the greatest features of every player is what it can do for your DVD collection too. Maybe you are not ready to invest in a whole new library of movies right now. In fact, if you have your DVD player connected to an HDTV, the picture looks pretty great anyway. So what's the point? When you add a blu ray player to your home theater system, it will upscale, or up-convert the resolution of the DVD to take full advantage of the High Definition capabilities of your HDTV! It's not quite high definition, because DVDs are not recorded that way, but the technology in the player can significantly improve your viewing experience without even putting in a blu ray disc. That is why these devices are sometimes called blu ray dvd players.




So even if you are not ready to invest in a high definition movie library, adding a blu ray player can improve your current DVD library, and if you rent movies, you can enjoy hundreds of blu ray titles from Blockbuster, Netflix, or your local video store. Once you see the picture quality of blu ray, you will really appreciate the investment in your high definition TV even more!

Today's blu ray players can do more than just play back movies. Depending on the title you are viewing, you can access interactive content that allows you to see the movie making process with picture in picture commentaries and behind the scenes material that you can see on screen while the movie is playing. Many titles offer a feature called 'BD Live', which allows you to download additional bonus content from the internet that is related to the movie you are watching!

Many of today's players are also compatible with blu ray 3D which will add the ability to playback content in 3D when connected to a compatible 3D HDTV!

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 regard to home theater seating options, there's a whole page dedicated to that too.

Some home theater systems have only one or two electronic components (not including speakers) and can thus be easily integrated into the rooms decor.

Other systems like those consisting of separate components may need to be neatly stored in a cabinet or shelf type system.

I myself use a wood cabinet with glass doors to store all 8 of my components. I place my 46" LCD TV on top of it and it looks great! It is a nice solution that was very inexpensive, and blends with the decor of the room.


If your home theater design includes mounting your flat HDTV on a wall, then you only need to be concerned about where to house your electronic components. Some people may not want to do this, however. Perhaps the construction of the wall, the hassle of performing the task, a rental property may not allow it, and of course, you may just not want the TV on the wall look. Whatever your reason for not mounting a TV on the wall, there are many great looking and practical choices of home theater furniture that can store your gear and support your TV.

Besides attractive and affordable cabinets that hold components on the inside, and allow you to place your TV on top, there are modular shelving systems that add a modern flair. Many of these offer metal and glass designs that keep your electronics visible, but well presented, topped of with a glass surface for your flat screen TV to sit upon.

Another type of home theater furniture to consider is becoming very popular for those who like the idea of mounting their flat screen TV, but not necessarily on the wall. This home theater design features a modern glass and metal design including shelfs or closed compartments for your home theater system electronics, but has integrated a fully supported mount for your flat LCD or Plasma TV!

They are also available in traditional wood varieties in sizes that range from small all the way to a large wall unit. This all in one solution is great because, it allows optimal placement of your entire system without compromising any walls, many can easily be disassembled, and with so many designs available, it is something the whole family can agree on!

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 2D or the 3D presentation when viewed on a 3D HDTV.

You will need a 3D compatible blu ray player, or a Playstation 3. The firmware update on September 21st, 2010 made all PS3s fully 3D compatible for both 3D movies and 3D games.

There are other ways to get 3D programming, such as high definition satellite television, or high definition cable, or even with high definition antennas.

With the use of sophisticated stereoscopic cameras in both film production and installed in arenas, stadiums, and other venues worldwide, 3D programming is starting to take off. You'll also find the selection of 3D blu ray discs continues to grow at a healthy pace. You can check the upcoming blu ray release dates for more information on upcoming titles.

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 all three of these formats, a laser is used to read and write information on the disc. These discs are the same size as a CD and DVD, but it can hold as much as 10 times the information of a DVD. The reason is due to the type of laser used in the process. DVD players utilize a red laser to read and or write information while blu ray players use blue lasers.




The blue laser can be focused to a much narrower point than the red, therefore much more information on the disc can be recorded since it can be placed closer together. The name is derived from the 'blue' laser 'ray' which makes the technology possible.

So what does all of this mean for you? Well, to put it simply, Better picture and sound take up more space on a disc. This technology allows the movie studios to put full length high definition audio and video versions of films on a single disc for you to enjoy and be blown away by. As prices of players continue to fall, adding one to your home theater system is easier than ever.

The library of movie titles making their way to this amazing format keeps on growing!

You'll see that plenty of high definition entertainment is coming to a home theater near you!