How Home Theater Works

Until in recent times, the best way to watch a movie was to go to a movie theater. The introduction of VCRs made it easy to hire or pay money for movies and watch them at home, but TVs just did not compare to movie theaters' huge screens and surround-sound systems. Not only did TVs have comparatively small screens and lower class speakers, formatting a movie to fit the screen disposed of a substantial part of the picture.

At this time, more and more people are turning their ordinary TV rooms into home theaters. This used to engross a projector and a screen, and it was too costly for most people to afford. But advances in technology have presented people more choices for home theater setups, and some people get that a home theater is quieter and more expedient than a movie theater -- and the picture and sound are great.

If you are seeking a home theater system, you have many decisions in front of you. In this article, we will go over all the components that structure a home theater system. You will learn what each component does and what to remember when you make your selection. If you are thinking of turning your den into a completely functioning home theater, this article will assist you get started

What Do You Need?

In the last section, we saw that the main components of a movie-theater experience are a large, clear picture and a surround-sound system. To make a home theater, then, you want to restructure these elements. At the bare minimum, you necessitate:
A big-screen television (at least 27" across, measured diagonally) with a clear picture
At least 4 speakers
Equipment for dividing the surround-sound signal and sending out it to the speakers
Something that plays or transmits movies in surround sound, preferably with a clear picture
And, of course, you will need a room where you can arrange all this stuff.
There are any number of ways you can meet these criteria. In the end, your home theater system depends on how much money you're willing to spend and how important certain areas of performance are to you

If you are not looking to expend much money and already have a large-sized television and a stereo system, you can improve your entertainment system into a rather crude home theater with a few extra speakers and a few other low-priced components (see Accessing the Surround Channel to observe how). If you spend in a basic surround-sound system and a latest DVD player, you might spend $500. For a more advanced system, with a larger television and an advanced sound system, you might spend about $8,000. For $30,000, you could arrange a real theater, with a projection television, built-in speakers and bolted theater seats (and maybe a concession stand).

In the following sections, we will look at the various options for televisions, surround-sound receivers, speakers and video sources. We will realize the advantages and disadvantages of different types of equipment, and the price range and continuing benefits. We will also look at some of the additional components you can add to put the finishing touches on your home theater system.