Gone are the days when the best way to watch a movie was to go to a movie theatre. The introduction of VCRs, then DVD players made it easy to rent or buy movies and watch them at home, but television screens just didn't compare to movie theater screens with their surround-sound systems. Technological advances have given people more choices for setting up a home theatre and now more people are converting their ordinary TV rooms into home theatres and enjoying the convenience, quieter environment and sharper pictures and sounds.
If you're thinking about turning your den into a full on functioning home theater, below are the components of a home theatre system you'll need to know about before making any major purchases. The amount of choices can be overwhelming, but what you're essentially looking for is good screen and sound quality and a basic understanding of surround sound, amplifiers and speakers.
Most of the televisions available on the market these days are high-def, offering a high-resolution 720p or 1080p picture. Some of them even offer a 3D experience! If you have a high-def TV, you'll also want to invest in high-def sources such as a Blu-ray player that will give you the sharpest picture possible.
In order to enjoy surround sound, you'll need to get a home theater receiver, the control centre for audio. A receiver A receiver processes audio signals, amplifies them and sends them to your speakers. Receivers are also great for connecting multiple sources, such as a cable box, a Blu-ray player and a video game console or two, to your home theater system. That way, whenever you want to watch a movie or play a video game, all you have to do is press a button on your receiver's remote to switch to the right inputs, without switching inputs on your TV.
In order to create that surround-sound system in the comfort of your own home, you'll need to get at least five voice-matched speakers and a subwoofer (the bass).
When it comes to speaker cables, don't use old or cheap ones as they'll compromise the sound quality of your home theatre system. You'll need to get new speaker cables, audio cables and video cables. And, while you're at it, look at investing in a power protection unit so you can protect your investment from any power hazards.
Think about your space before you invest in a home theatre system. You'll need a display unit and stands to place your gear on and depending on your room's size and shape, you'll want to make sure everything fits and is functional.
Don't fumble around with all of the different remotes on your coffee table. A universal remote will not only help you simplify your system, it'll clear up your coffee table.