The most important thing to recognize is that a cable cannot improve the sound of a home stereo system any more than an electrical wire can create extra electricity when you plug it into the wall. That’s actually a very good example, because when you’re listening to audio for instance, what we’re hearing is an electronic representation of acoustic sounds that is to say, the actual sounds have not been captured and stuffed into a compact disc like fireflies in a child’s jar they have been copied, imitated, and a representation stored on the disc as a series of numbers.

These numbers are then scanned and transformed into electrical signals which travel to the speakers to nearly produce the original sounds. With that in mind, it makes sense that poor quality wires don’t physically change the sound instead it’s like a game of ‘telephone’, in which the band tells the CD, the CD tells the player, the player tells the wires, and the wires tell the speakers, with something being lost at every step so that the message “Aunt Betty baked a pie” is altered to “Fat Eddy wants to cry” or what should be a great live recording sounds tinny, distant, or otherwise just plain wrong.

Selecting the proper home theater cables is significant and cable characteristics like gauge size of the copper, a tough but flexible outer cable sheath and whether the cable safety standards for home theater cables in your local area are have been satisfied are the most significant cable features you should remember when choosing your home theater audio and video cables. A good cable will change the signal as little as possible, but all cables do damage your signal a bit it’s simply a matter of degree. To the extent as to which home theater audio and video cables are the best? That’s up to you or your local audio guru to decide much is up to personal preference, with the rest probably being left up to your budget to decide.

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A home theater design generally comprises of input devices, processing devices, audio output, video output, and proper ambience and atmosphere.

Home theater input devices are sources of audio and video. There can be a single or multiple input devices for the same system. HD-DVD (High Density DVD) and blue-ray are one of the most preferred high quality formats that are being used. Often, VHS (Video Home System) and Video game systems are also included. They are available now, also have a home theater PC that acts as a library for video and audio content.

The processing of the input devices is carried out by either an AV amplifier or a Preamplifier and sound processor. These are used for complex surround sound formats. Before forwarding it to the output devices, the user should first select the input device.

The audio output system consists a minimum of 2 speakers. The number of speakers can be as high as 11, in addition to the sub-woofer. Sub-woofer is important as it reproduces the bass audio frequencies. Regular floorstanding or bookshelf speakers cannot do this work.

A large HDTV (High Definition Television) forms the video output system. LCD TVs (Liquid Crystal Display Television), Video projectors, plasma TVs, rear-projection TVs, or a traditional CRT TVs are other available options.

Comfortable seats and proper arrangement of all the devices with respect to the seats is also important for that great `cinema experience`. Sound insulation for preventing sound from escaping the room and specialized walls for sound balancing within the room are a part of the higher end systems.

There exist two options for purchasing a home theater system. One can either, purchase and assemble various components, or purchase a home theater box kit. Assembled systems provide the best combination of components for the consumer`s budget. System in box kits includes a set of speakers, an amplifier or tuner for volume adjustment and video source selection, and at times a DVD player.

Few enthusiastic of the lot of home theater lovers take an extra step and build a room in the house, that functions as a home theater. To create a perfect listening environment, sophisticated acoustic design elements, like `room-in-a-room` construction, can be added to the system. Recreation of an ideal cinema experience does not stop here. A projector enclosed in a projection booth, specialized furniture, curtains in front of the projection screen, movie posters, etc make the experience much more real.

It is possible to set up systems in backyards too, provided proper outdoor atmosphere exists. Considering the availability of space, either a temporary or a permanent system could be installed. A temporary system could be a basic arrangement of foldable screen, a projector and a few speakers. On the other hand, an outdoor version could be elaborate with permanent fixtures, large video display components and dedicated audio output components. These backyard home theaters are one of the favorites with outdoor parties.

The rapid development in audio and video technologies has brought down the prices of home theaters. This in turn has enabled a do-it-your-self enthusiast to experience a true digital home theater at his doorsteps.

This article is under GNU FDL license and can be distributed without any previous authorization from the author. However the author’s name and all the URLs (links) mentioned in the article and biography must be kept.

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The TV

Let’s start with the television. Now technically, any basic TV will work, but if you want to begin to duplicate a movie theater experience, you have to start with a bigger screen. For home theaters, at least a 27inch TV is the minimum. There are a few things to keep in mind when purchasing a TV for your home theater. The idea is to get a big screen, but remember where you’re going to put it. There’s no point in buying a huge TV and then it’s so awkward in the space that it makes viewing uncomfortable.
Also, note the quality of the picture when buying a TV. What’s the point of a TV that’s big on size but small on quality? And lastly, make sure your TV has at least one set of audio/video inputs and one set of outputs. This will be very important when connecting the sound system of your home theater system.

The Surround Sound Receiver

Besides the big screen, sound is one of the major things enjoyed at the movie theater. But how do you get theater sound at home? Well you need to make sure you connect the surround sound receiver, also known as the home theater receiver, because it is one of the most important parts of how to build a home theater system. It is like the brain between your audio and video components. The receiver takes all the signals from the movie or show you’re watching and transforms it into surround sound that comes out of the speakers.

The Speakers

Now speakers are another big part of your home theater system. Good sound quality depends on them. You need at least 4 to 5 speakers to create surround sound. It is important to focus on features such as loudness, crispness, and space when choosing speakers. Depending on what your want and your budget, you can choose speakers that deliver a certain level of sound and you can get them as small or as big as you want. If you want to really go the extra mile in replicating your movie experience, you may look into a subwoofer. This is not a necessity, but it does make a big difference when watching an action-packed movie with lots of explosions, for instance. If you’re not sure, compare the sound of a movie with and without one when shopping for subwoofers.

VCR

When creating your home theater, you’ll probably watch a lot of home movies in addition to your regular TV shows. The VCR, though once really popular, is losing its demand with the increase of DVD players. But if you already have home movies or other items in VHS format and don’t want to part with having a VCR, you can still have a great home theater system. The one thing to look out for is to make sure you VCR is compatible to your surround sound system. One way to know if it’s compatible is if the words “hi-fi” are on the VCR somewhere. If this is on your VCR, you probably don’t have to worry about buying a new one. But if not, instead of buying a new VCR, maybe it’s time to invest in a DVD player all together.

DVD

The letters DVD (digital versatile disk) are becoming so common today that VCRs are almost obsolete. If you want to experience the closest thing to actually going out to the movies, watching a video on a DVD player is the next best thing. DVDs allow you to view movies at an intense level and the images are much sharper and crisper with unbelievable sound quality. You can’t get these effects with a VCR.
Everyone’s idea of how to build a home theater system is different and there’s so much to choose from. The most important thing to remember is to make sure you purchase what works best for you.

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Consequently, it is important that thoughtful consideration be paid to each home theater component you purchase to ensure you get to enjoy the ultimate experience when it comes to watching your favorite movies and shows.

What Home Theater Products You Can’t Live Without

Given your desire to enjoy a good home theater system, you can use the tips provided below to help you find the essential components for your ultimate enjoyment.

Television

The visual component of a home theater system is the most important piece of your home theater experience. However, this will probably be the most expensive purchase on your home theater-shopping list. Remember you are trying to imitate as close as possible a theater experience so choose the largest television screen that fits both your budget and the room where it will be viewed. Plasma and LCD screens continue to come down in price and have the added advantage of being able to be hung from your wall giving you more flexibility when it comes to arranging your system. Projection screen televisions are still available and provide the largest viewing area for your money.

DVD Player

A quality DVD player is an essential home theater component to watch movies on your big screen TV. When purchasing a DVD player choose one that plays multiple DVD formats such as DVD-Video, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, and DVD+RW. Today you can also purchase a DVD player that will spin your digital photos and MP3 files burned to CD-R/CD-RW discs. You will want to find a DVD player with the highest resolution possible so that it will last you well into the future. The latest DVD players can detect image changes at the pixel level resulting in a picture that is more faithful to the source, whether it is from film or video.

As the high definition marketplace continues to advance and improve so do the DVD players. Look for a DVD player that supports the enhanced features of the HD DVD format. These enhanced features include; picture-in-picture video, audio commentary, and Web-enabled network capabilities. Many new DVD players have an Ethernet port and can connect to the Internet for firmware updates to keep the DVD player up to date with the latest features, and to support the growing number of HD DVD titles with interactive online features. At the time of this writing $150.00 will enable you to purchase a DVD player with an HDMI (High Definition Multi-Media Interface) cable that will carry both a video and an audio signal in one cable for the highest quality and convenience. With an HDMI cable your DVD player will output video at 720p and 1080i for a detailed and sharp image. There are many choices for DVD players on the market today and you will be able to find one at a very affordable price.

Speakers

Properly positioned quality speakers surround your senses and turn a normal movie experience into a lifelike 3-D adventure. Today’s speakers take only a fraction of the space older speaker systems took and deliver a broad soundstage with smooth, yet powerful reproduction of movies and music. You will pay more for a quality surround sound speaker system but if you want the full force of the home theater experience this is one component where spending extra money is well worth it.

Conclusion

When you contrast your investment in a new home theater system against the thousands of hours of premium viewing pleasure over the course of the next ten years your initial investment looks very smart. If your current budget can support it, consider spending slightly more than you would like, as you want to make sure the home theater system you purchase today is as state-of-the-art as possible and lasts you well in to the future.

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In many ways this is wonderful news. You really 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 purchase 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 may have the room in mind, but do you have the wiring you need? Are outlets in the correct location in order to provide 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 avoid 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 buying one component at a time and building a home theater system rather than simply 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 too 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 all of the connecting wires? How about a reliable method for disguising the wires so that they do not provide 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 new 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 all the equipment? While built in entertainment centers may 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 few of those and that you are brimming with wonderful ideas for your current or future home theater.

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Containing sound within a room involves the approach of soundproofing all six containing surfaces of the room. All four walls, the ceiling and the floor are culprits for bleeding noise into the other rooms of the home, thus all six surfaces must be treated to help prevent sound transmission out of the theater room. Treating walls and ceilings entails increasing density and establishing a disconnection from the surface, modifications which work together to break down sound waves and prevent them from traveling through surfaces to adjacent rooms. A common system for implementing such wall and ceiling treatments is increasing density through the addition of a layer of a mass loaded vinyl such as dB-Bloc, then affixing strategically spaced horizontal furring strips and a new layer of drywall to create the disconnection.

Applying soundproofing treatments to the floor cannot be neglected, as a home theater system can transmit noise through the common floor surface to other rooms in the home. The most common floor soundproofing treatment is the installation of a rubber based underlayment beneath hardwood floors, carpeting, linoleum, and practically any other type of floor surface.

The final step in obtaining the highest quality sound for your home theater is applying wall and ceiling treatments to control reverberations throughout the room that interfere with the originally intended sound quality. Panels for this purpose come in a variety of colors and styles that can be coordinated with other decor and add flair to the design of the home theater while delivering quality acoustics.

An experienced and reputable soundproofing company can supply the soundproofing materials you will need for your home theater as well as guidance on the appropriate steps you should take to ensure that you consider the variables and obtain superior quality sound in your home theater room.

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A wireless speaker home theater system allows you the freedom to place your speakers anywhere in a room without having to figure out how to hide the speaker wires.

There are two types of wireless speaker home theater systems – add-on systems and integrated systems.

Add-On Wireless Home Theater System

If you already have a home theater system you can purchase an add-on system consisting of a transmitter, a receiver, and surround-sound speakers if you don’t already have them.

The transmitter is connected to the home theater amplifier and sends out the audio signal to a receiver. The receiver, which is connected to the rear speakers, picks up the signal from the transmitter and sends it to those speakers.

Most wireless home theater systems have front speakers and a subwoofer that are connected to the amplifier with audio cables, and rear speakers that are connected to the receiver to create surround-sound audio.

You can purchase a decent amplifier/receiver system for less than $100.

Integrated Wireless Home Theater System

If you’re in the market for a new wireless home theater system, you can purchase a complete system consisting of an amplifier with built-in transmitter, a front center speaker, two front side speakers, a subwoofer, and two rear surround-sound speakers. Some systems also include a DVD player.

Prices for an integrated wireless home theater system start at $175 and go up to $2,000.

Comparing Wireless Home Theater Systems

The best way to get the best price on a wireless home theater system is to try them out in person, then go comparison shopping online.

Start by taking a trip to your local discount or electronics store so you can try out the various wireless home theater system models. Test the controls and listen to the models in your price range until you find the one you like best.

After you find a system you like, go home, fire up your computer, and start comparison shopping online.

Comparing models and prices at an online comparison shopping site will save you countless hours of going store to store or surfing all the Internet stores. Here, in one place, you can find prices for everything under the sun from hundreds of online and offline stores.

The comparison shopping site I use will not only give you a price comparison on wireless home theater systems, it will also give you product specifications, reviews by audio experts, and consumer reviews by people who actually own the product so you’ll know how good the system is.

When you find the store with the lowest price, you can get consumer reviews of that store so you’ll know if it’s reputable and will give you good service.

Some stores even have a lowest-price guarantee so if you find a better price later you can get a rebate on the price difference from that store.

I’ve purchased a number of high-ticket items this way and have always gotten good service and a great price.

Visit the http://www.TheSatelliteTVGuide.com/home-theater-systems.htm to get more information, to compare prices, and to get consumer ratings for home theater systems.

The author, Brian Stevens, is the senior editor for TheSatelliteTVGuide.com and has written a number of articles on home theater systems.

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Properly researching your components is an essential part of the home theater selection process and is essential preventative medicine in the battle to prevent Home Theater Sickness. All too often new home theater enthusiasts jump into the scene with little or no advance preparation other than seeing what’s on sale at Best Buy, Circuit City or the local department store. Such a hasty decision can adversely affect your desired home theater experience and help the spread of Home Theater Sickness. However there are some steps that you can take to assure the results you get at home are much closer to what you desire.

You should first read, read and read some more on what video displays, digital surround audio systems and playback devices are currently available for home theaters. Fortunately there are many web sites dedicated to home theater audio and video systems where you will find preventative medicine for Home Theater Sickness. Do a Google search for home theater systems advice for helpful information. Reading a LOT of info will help lessen the chances that what you buy is not what you were expecting.

Only after reading up on the available video and audio devices you should take a “field trip” to your local electronics store. The big electronics chains such as Best Buy and Circuit City are good places to do field research however there are factors of which you should be aware of there as well. First off — finding a knowledgeable salesperson to assist you can be a chore in itself — so try to find one who seems to be well informed by asking a few questions using terms you have learned from your reading (and reading) and use him/her as an assistant. Be polite and inquisitive yet keep in mind that the salesperson is working on commission and may try to “up-sell” you along the way. Stay focused on your goal of researching the components in which you are interested from your reading and do not be swayed by a young salesperson whose previous job may have been working at McDonald’s flipping burgers.

When checking out big screen TVs it would be a good idea to take along a favorite DVD with which you are very familiar and see how it looks on your selected models. Politely ask the salesperson to connect a DVD player straight to the TV so as to bypass any signal issues as TVs in electronics stores are usually fed signals from a central point such as a DVD player distributed (often poorly) throughout the store. Also you should adjust the display brightness, contrast and color to your personal preferences as they are often set to emphasize chroma (color), luminance (brightness) or detail (sharpness). Use the TV’s remote as that is how you will interface with your new set and you should determine if the remote and image control menus are easy to navigate.

Another basic tip is to make sure the video display (TV) you are getting is a trusted brand name. Trusted brands such as JVC, Sony, RCA, Panasonic and Toshiba have stricter manufacturing quality control practices that will reduce the chance of getting a poorly produced set off the production line.

With regard to digital surround sound there are as many numerous factors to consider. Number one — avoid off-brand systems boasting huge power. That power is usually via the PMPO rating system which is a deceiving way of rating poorly powered systems and those units usually have a high degree of Total Harmonic Distortion (THD). Stick with total RMS power measurements and only consider units with a published THD of .1 or preferably less — .05 is a very good THD rating.

A/V receivers should have component or HDMI inputs (if your TV or DVD is so equipped and it probably should be) and video switching should be present. Other basic needs for an A/V receiver is both optical and coaxial digital inputs for future component connection flexibility. Yamaha, Sony are my favorite manufacturers of receivers. Klipsch, Bose and Athena are excellent brands of speakers.

Then you should consider the amount of clean power (referring to RMS and THD) available. Your powered subwoofer should have the most power of all your speakers — nearly twice as much as your surround speakers. Remember that a system’s loudness is determined by the audio perception level ratio wherein a doubling of power equals one unit of perceived increase in loudness. Therefore a 200 watt system is only perceived as being a bit louder than a 100 watt system. In most cases a system with 100 to 150 watts will be fine for all but the largest of rooms.

There are many more factors to consider when selecting a home theater system with which you will be satisfied and happy — unfortunately they are too numerous to list in this article — that’s why entire websites are dedicated to demystifying the many factors related to home theater systems. Again I urge you to read, read and read some more as the more you educate yourself the more likely you will make an informed purchase. Do yourself a favor and seek knowledge — it will save you time, money and hopefully help prevent the spread of Home Theater Sickness.

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If you are one of the many who has experienced some degree of confusion when it comes to the individual parts and pieces that are included in a home theater system and what they do, hopefully you will gain a better understanding once you’ve finished reading. The first thing to understand is that there are varying degrees when it comes to home theaters. The following components are the makings of a very basic home theater that will provide excellent functionality. They are not however inclusive of every possible piece or part that could make up a home theater system.

Off to the basics, the first thing you’ll need when creating a home theater for your family to enjoy is a television. It might seem a little too obvious to some but I have yet to find a box kit that includes a television-mainly because the choice of screen is for many the most personal aspect of selecting a home theater. There are essentially three choices in today’s television market: front projector, rear projector, and plasma. There are variations within each of these and the prices fall anywhere from modest to quite costly. This is the component that most home theater owners spend the most time contemplating and it affects the types of components that will be most effective later on in terms of things such as high definition and other choices you can make.

A receiver is another important component. You will probably have a DVD player or recorder of some sort as part of your system; you may have a Tivo and cable box or satellite and will probably have speakers of some sort for your system. The receiver is the box you plug them all into-it receives all of this inputs and correlates it so to speak. This is the ultimate traffic director when it comes to your home theater and I suggest you spend a good portion of your home theater budget making sure that this is a good quality part.

Speakers are where your sound will flow. One of the best things to me about a home theater is the ability to experience surround sound very similar to what I experience in theaters while having the ability to put my feet up or snuggle under blankets (which simply can’t be achieved in a theater). Speakers come in all shapes and sizes and are also quite personal for some consumers while give and take for others. You can purchase these are part of a kit in order to make the selection process easier.

Finally, you have your DVD player or recorder. If high definition is important to you, you now have that option. If your television isn’t HD ready or capable, I’d pass and go for an older (less expensive) model of DVD player until something more up-to-date is called for. These items are a great start for any home theater and you can build, expand, and upgrade over time for an even better system. Enjoy!

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Home Theater Seating – Loungers Provide Comfort & Enjoyment

Home Theater Loungers provide the best in comfort. They come in a range of fabrics from micro-fiber to premium leather. Colors chosen can greatly enhance the overall look and theme of the home theater room. Loungers made with hardwood, although not visible, are the best choices as they are sturdy. Hardwoods to look for include oak, alder, maple, and other tight-grained woods.

One option for home theater seating is motorized loungers which allow effortless reclining to any position. This provides a lounger that is precise in its angle providing the finest in comfort. Loungers that are not motorized have a manual arm or a pushback that places them in reclined positions. If purchasing a group of seats together and choosing the motorized feature, all seats will have the motorized function.

A second option is bass shakers. As the name suggests, bass shakers resonate with the coordinated bass sounds associated with the movie’s soundtrack. The shaker is hidden in the back of the chair and is not visible. This offers an optimal movie viewing experience as the body and seat of the lounger shake as the drama unfolds on the big screen.

Home theater loungers can be purchased in groups or separately. Mostly all loungers come with dual arm rests and dual cup holders. Some 2, 3, and 4 unit home theater seats may also come with additional storage between them.

Home Theater Room Dimensions – Dealing with Limited Space

For many, space is a factor that must be considered. Most people do not have an unlimited space or large area. If space-saving is a factor, wall hugger models could solve the problem. They can be placed just inches from the wall and are still able to function in a reclining position. This type of home theater seating can also be placed in rows for those tight-to-fit places. Measuring the space in which loungers will be placed is important before buying. Leaving 3 feet on each end of the loungers is suggested to permit ample room to walk and maneuver.

Choosing the appropriate home theater loungers for a home theater room should be an enjoyable experience. As with any major investment or purchase, considerable time is necessary before making these decisions. Only after comparing types of loungers and researching many products, can the best choice be made. After the loungers are in place, prepare for the greatest movie experience of all.

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