The cost and scope of your home theatre system will depend on several factors, including the size of the room it’s going to sit in, and how much power you actually want for your system. Regardless of what you can accommodate, a home theatre system is comprised of three very basic areas: the television set, your DVD (or blu-ray) player, and the audio system. All three can be argued as more important than the other, but it’s best to view them as integral to each other.

If you already have a television, that’s great. For others it may be time to upgrade to an HD set; you’ll get a much better picture than standard definition and prices are definitely coming down for HDTVs. Size is a big concern, since you’re probably looking for an effect similar to going to the movies – but your main concern should be with getting a widescreen television. Widescreen sets have a 16:9 aspect ratio, which is the standard for most DVD/Blu-Ray discs. HD programming provided from your cable company is also generally in 16:9 ratio, because that ratio looks best in HD. Standard sets have a ratio of 4:3, so look for the ratio on the box. Most HDTVs over 27 inches are widescreen, so you may not even be able to find a 4:3 HDTV.

Picking your disc player is important: are you happy with standard DVDs, or would you prefer Blu-Ray discs? If you’re getting an HDTV, you definitely want to go with Blu-Ray. Most players are backwards compatible with DVDs, meaning they will still play your old movies and sometimes even enhance the quality. To find the right player you’ll need to do some basic research, but a sales associate can sometimes suffice when finding a new player. You definitely won’t get HD quality picture on your HDTV if you get a regular DVD player, so keep that in consideration when shopping around.

Audio is the last huge component to consider when buying home theatre systems. Standard full systems provide you with 5.1 surround sound, and often come with 5-7 speakers. The number of speakers should be determined by how much space you have available. If your TV room is smaller, as little as two speakers will greatly enhance your viewing and listening experience. You can always add more speakers to your system if you move your system to a larger space. In general though, 5 speakers should be sufficient in getting quality audio, and you don’t need to get expensive speakers either. A middle-of-the-road system, as long as it’s treated well and not constantly at full blast, will last you a long time.

Lisa has been a writer all of her life mixing up her writing arsenal with short stories, editorials, and product reviews. You can check out some of her product reviews to find the best deals on the crib bumpers and the diaper changing table.

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Choosing the best home theatre system for you.

Choosing a home theatre system doesn’t have to be hard if you have a clear idea of what result you want. Some factors might include

o    Do you want to invest time in research and putting together components yourself, or do you prefer a ‘one box’ solution which you simply assemble and plug in?

o    What is your budget?

o    What are the constraints of the room you will be using? For example, how big is it? Some systems require a certain size room in order to give best results

o    The last factor is one you need to at least do a little research on. Some screens require a certain viewing distance and the audio requires a certain special displacement for best results. If your room isn’t big enough, you won’t get optimal results. Choose a system that is compatible with the space you have available

Home Theatre Systems in a Box have several things going for them;

o    They are usually affordably priced, being anywhere from about $300 to $2000

o    They are easy to assemble and use

o    They look good

o    Some are even colour coded so hook up is fool proof

On the other side of the coin, they have limitations which include

o    Far from optimal sound. A pre packaged home theatre system doesn’t have the flexibility to change speakers around according to requirement, and generally the quality isn’t as good as stand alone speakers

o    Limitations for add ons. You may find some systems don’t allow you to connect extra devices at a later stage because they simply do not have the sockets. In this sense they tend to be less flexible

If you are going to the bother of buying a home theatre system you at least want it to sound like one, so the argument for investing a little extra time and money becomes stronger.

So what are the best home theatre options?

Out of a box or separate components? It really depends on how far you want to take your search for the perfect home theatre. If you are certain you will not want to add on any extra devices and you are happy with fairly generic sound quality, an out of the box solution is affordable, looks good, and does the job. But if you want to keep your options open in terms of what else you may want to run through it, and sound quality is important to you, you may want to do additional research and buy separate components. At a later stage you can then modify your set up and change components as required. This is a more expensive option and will take a little more time, but you may be glad you considered it.

Nigel Price is from Australian Online retailer Big Brown Box which stocks a wide range of Home theatre systems, LCD TVs Appliances, Whitegoods, Computers, Exercise equipment and cameras.

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These days, a good home theatre system can easily equal the quality of any local cineplex, and except for the screen size, it’s easy to exceed it!

But if you are thinking of dipping your toes into home theatre for the first time, you may be a bit daunted. It doesn’t help that most sales people don’t know, or don’t care about what they are talking about, as long as they get the sale. Unless you know someone who is already into home theatre, you may find yourself lost for good advice. Luckily, it really not hard at all.

First, here’s what you should not buy under any circumstances: A home theatre in a box.

My reason is a little different from most. In general they have a reputation for poor sound quality, due to the cheap speakers. In reality, some of them are actually not all that bad, if used in a small room. The real problem is build quality, I have seen so many of these broken very early if their lifecycle its not even funny. My advice is just don’t bother.

What you should do it purchase a decent receiver and speakers separately. It need not be the most expensive receiver in the store. In fact, for most casual users, the difference between a cheap receiver and an expensive one probably won’t be obvious. Just be sure that it has HDMI, and support for the latest sound formats, such as Dolby Digital HD, as these are used on current Blu-ray discs. Some good receiver brands are Denon, Pioneer, and Harmon Kardon.

The speakers are the most important feature of you home theatre, and what will contribute most to duplicating the theatre experience at home, not the TV! That being the case, do not cheap out, buy the best speakers you can afford. There are many fantastic, inexpensive speaker brands on the market. I am partial to Infinity, but take a look as Paradigm, Energy, and Klipsch, to name a few.

I suggest buying bookshelf speakers for home theatre and avoiding the fancier designs. This will allow your system to double as a stereo more seamlessly. A home theater has a minimum of 6 speakers to mains, a center channel (for dialog), two surrounds, and a subwoofer. Many modern formats use up to 8 speakers (adding a left and right rear speaker, and addition to the standard two surround speakers.) In my personal opinion, the difference of adding the two extra speakers is extremely subtle, and really only noticeable in a very large room. I recommend you save some money here, or put it towards your other speakers.

Make sure you don’t cheap out on the subwoofer, a good place to get an amazing sub for your money is SVS Subwoofers.

Now hook it all up to your TV and blast the floorboards away.

The Limelight is about living life creatively and finding inspiration to do so. It is not restricted to any one narrow focus, and so you will find articles here on topics ranging from money to food to photography, and anything else that contributes to living an inspired, creative life.

Jonathan Timar is a naturally creative person. Creativity is his life’s blood. He’s an actor and filmmaker, a writer and a photographer. He is also a graduate of broadcasting school. He is and avid reader of both fiction and non-fiction. His favourite novel of all time is Tai-Pan by James Clavell followed closely by Shogun, also by James Clavell.

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There also is new technology wherein such sound systems perform their own sound checks and optimize their sound capability based on the size of the room and the location of the speakers thereby eliminating the need for doing experimental sound checks and constantly relocating the speakers manually. It has also been slashing their prices to make it more affordable for people to purchase sets. Single or Double Chairs can now be bought for prices a bit over 200 dollars and there are some 4 seat sets that cost just over a thousand dollars. Most of this home theatre furniture has their own set of recliners, huge arm rests with great cup holders.

The feel of a home theatre is never complete without home theatre furniture. Big leather sets that recline along with their self contained TV trays, huge arm rests and cup holders almost makes one feel like they are on a first class section of an airplane, which for the most part can be true since the subcontractors for such seats are often the ones that do make it. Again, it is the economies of scale as making more of such seats enables the manufacturer to bring down their prices.

But even if one cant afford home theatre furniture, there is still that old reliable coach that is cozy enough for one to sit or even lie down to enjoy a great television show or better yet, a DVD movie.

Do you want to experience fantastic movie experience at home? I found a great resource if you want to buy home theatre system’s best that was helpful for both my movie experience and my budget! Have complete access to home theatre furniture, projectors, speakers, and designs now!

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There is some debate on whether one should use home theatre projectors or TV based screens when it comes to home sound systems. Some purists argue that home theatre projectors are the closest things to a movie theatre. Others say that when it comes to HDTV, TV based screens such as plasmas, LCDS, and LEDs have better resolution. Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages of home theatre projectors compared to LCDs, LEDs and Plasmas:

o Projectors are light and inexpensive. Projectors are portable and they can be easily placed in any part of the room. They are significantly cheaper than LCD’s and the like. These days however, there are LCD’s that start for less than 500 dollars and if the price differences between a projector and an LCD or LED start getting lower, there may be a shift to LEDs, LCDs and Plasma Television Screens

o Projectors are adjustable. The viewing size of your screen can also be adjusted with a projector. You can have a viewing room of a whole white wall with your projector. Some projectors have their guides on how to optimally use them

o Lifespan. Projectors use lamps and bulbs that do have a lifespan between 2000 to 8000 hours. Some more inexpensive projectors have a bulb lifespan between 1000 to 3000 hours. This is a major consideration especially if one is a frequent viewer

o Visibility. Some projectors need low ambient lighting levels when viewing. This means that during the day time, perhaps the viewing quality of a projector needs some adjustment in contrast as compared to LCDs, LEDs and Plasmas

Whatever the case may be, whether one chooses projectors or plasmas, there are other considerations in your home theatre system. After choosing your viewing vehicle, the next choice would be your sounds. This again involves the size of your viewing room. Some people prefer a 2.1 set up most especially if the sound system is perhaps in their bedroom or in a small private study room. Most opt for the 5.1 set up especially if it is a multi-utility area like the living room or the den.

There are lots of resources for you to check about which technology is suited to your needs. The Internet is full of information that can help you get started in your home theatre system.

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A surround system does not only add louder music and movies to your home theatre, but it also immerses a viewer in the movie-watching experience. It has a system called multichannel that allows several speakers deliver a specific sound. As a result, you will feel in the middle of the action, and the reality of the movie is intensified.

The key to the best system is the set up. The excitement you feel in opening those boxes that contain your new system component usually turns into despair as you start to anticipate the assembly task ahead. There are some things you can do to get your home theatre system up and running sooner than possible. Bear in mind that installation is much an art as it is science, and that since you paid for it, then you and your family should enjoy it. Go with what sounds and looks right for you and the rest of the family.

Plan your installation properly. Be aware of the limitations of the room and plan accordingly. A sunny, bright room with several windows may not be the best location for a projection TV. If there is no other room, you can put blinds, drapes or shutters to shield out sunlight. Plan on where to place your system to allow placing the surround wires along the baseboard walls. Consider wall mounting the speakers to avoid them being knocked over. Find out the weight of the speakers and make sure that the mounts could handle more than the speaker weight by fifteen percent. Ensure that the mounts are securely held in the walls.

The surround system has at least five speakers and an optional subwoofer and receiver. All the components must be wired through the receiver, and install all the speakers in the best positions in your living room or anywhere you will be watching movies.

All TV DVRs have white and red stereo audio output jacks. You can use the red and white ends of the system to connect to one of the stereo audio inputs in your home theatre system or A/V receiver. Remember to turn on your theatre system and choose the right input when watching shows.

Some TiVo DVRs have optical digital audio outputs. If your home entertainment theatre supports digital audio, you can use optical digital cable, which is sold separately to connect your TiVo DVR to the optical digital audio on your theatre system.

If your home theatre system supports video connections, use the yellow end of to connect video from your TiVo DVR to the video input jack on the system. For a better video quality, you can use an S-Video cable if the system supports it.

Above everything, take your time in installing your home entertainment theatre. A few moments could save you a lot of time undoing a mistake. You are going to have plenty of hours enjoying your system, so take some extra time to ensure that you do it right. This especially goes to measuring and running the speaker wires, setting up the cable wires behind the equipment. Each extra time spent in proper setting up of your home theatre will save you from hours of fixing later on.

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According to a recent poll by Ipsos for the Associated Press and AOL News, 73% of Americans prefer to watch movies at home, with only 22% preferring to see a movie in a movie theatre.

If there is any room in your house to paint a dark color, this is the one. If you have existing furniture that you will be using, pick a color that works with your furniture, but from the dark end of the paint sample card. There are also wallpaper borders available that depict movie motifs. Home Theatre Interiors (www.hometheatreinteriors.com) has a nice selection.

Do you have windows in this room? You will need room darkening window treatments, whether shades, drapes or a combination of the two. Many custom drapery and shade fabricators offer blackout lining as an option. You can find a wide selection of blackout lined curtain sizes at HTmarket.com, with over 30 fabric colors to choose from.

There are several types of lighting you can use to enhance your home theatre experience. For “raising the house lights,” recessed lighting on a dimmer switch will allow you to have overhead lighting where you can control the brightness. If you set up a counter/bar area (or for the purposes of this article a “concession” stand) you can use a couple of pendant lights on a separate switch, so at “intermission”, people can see what they are eating and drinking. Sconces spaced along the walls will add that theatrical touch. Cinema Shop (www.cinemashop.com) has wall sconces with movie themes, as well as other lighting, that is functional while enhancing the décor.

Movie posters can be found at many sites on the internet. You may be able to get some for free at your local movie theatre; ask if they have any they are going to throw away. Poster frames can also be found on the internet, at very reasonable prices. Frames-Direct (www.frames-direct.com) has a large selection to choose from.

You can also find movie reels at online auction sites that you can either hang on the walls with your posters, or use them to make other home theatre accessories. For example, a couple put together can become a wine rack; one laid down on a coffee table or counter area could hold small bowls of nuts, candy or dip. Several of the websites listed have signs, lighted and unlighted, that you can personalize for your theatre or place in your “concession” advertising your favorite drink. To really bring the drama home, you can put up velvet drapes on either side of the television.

If you do need furniture, many stores and warehouse clubs offer theatre seating. Cinema Shop, amongst all the other items it carries, also offers theatre seats, as well as cinema loungers. La-Z-Boy (www.la-z-boy.com) offers a line called “Matinee”, which has a wealth of choices in fabric and leather. From Home Theater Mart (www.htmart.com) you can find studio chairs, which are the height of a bar stool, for your concession/bar area. These chairs can also be used as extra seating, and can be folded up and stored when not in use. There are coffee tables, side tables and DVD storage shelves that have a movie reel look to them.

You can also find those little finishing touches at many of the businesses listed in this article, such as pillows, throws and area rugs keeping with the home theatre theme. The possibilities are endless.

Finally, pop some popcorn, pour yourself a soda and get comfortable – it’s show time!

Kathy Passarette is a Certified Interior Decorator and Affiliate member of the Interior Design Society. She is the owner of Creative Home Expressions located on Long Island, New York. You can contact Kathy through her website at http://www.creativehomeexpressions.com

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Many people think that setting up your own movie system is expensive and only rich people can afford it. But that’s not true at all. Let’s have a closer look at two types of home theatre systems. This will help you to make a decision on which is best fro you.

A typical system has only 3 basic components.

1) Television to view the movies

2) DVD player to run the DVD/VCD

3) Speakers to create a good real theatre like effect.

When it comes to locating these three in a home there are two straightforward options available.

1) Locate them in a separate room

2) Locate them in an existing room with other things occupied

If you go with the first option then one great recommendation is that you hire a home theatre designer to do the job for you. This will ensure that you get the best possible design ideas to generate that dramatic effect.

A professional designer will help you on every aspect of the design process, including design ideas to which electronic equipment to buy (or not to buy). A professional designer will also help you on certain interior design aspects such as flooring patterns, acoustic treatments using acoustic panels on interior walls, placements of speakers, TV unit etc for better viewing, seating arrangements and their design. So it becomes a fairly good experience and you get the best quality theatre, the way you want it to be.

However if you are tight on budget, then you can always convert a space in an existing room into a mini home theatre. Living room or a family room is good choice for this. In such type of setup you do however have certain limitations such as placement of speakers to create a “surround sound effect”. This will have some limitation because design wise the living room is a part of the entire home plan and has it’s own functional demands.

For a mini theatre a TV with 27-inch screen, a DVD player and at least 3 speakers is fair enough for creating a good effect. Now in most cases you probably already own the TV and DVD player, so the only thing that remains is a nice speaker system that is compatible with the output of your TV and DVD player is necessary. Always remember that when you buy speakers make it a point to test the speakers in your home. Ask the store owner to play the speakers in your home because sometimes some speakers only sound good at the store but when you play then in your home, you may get a different effect because of the surrounding furniture pieces in the living or family room. There is an acoustic component attached to this whole experience, which must be taken into consideration.

All in all home theatres are easy to set up when you know how are you willing to spend and what kind of effect you are looking for. Many options are available today in the market. A little research can easily save you time and money when it comes to home theatre design ideas.

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Not everyone can afford to buy the top of the line in everything, however. Fortunately, there are some places where corners can be cut without greatly impacting the overall viewing experience. The home theatre speakers are one consideration that can be found on a budget and still perform quite well. Shopping for the best within a budget will be important to make sure quality is king in a set that runs $200 or $2,000.

When looking for home theatre speakers, it’s wise to do the following things:

Budget: Setting a budget is a first and foremost concern. Since home theatre set ups can run into the thousands, having a dollar amount for the home theatre speakers can really assist in the process of locating the best for the family in question.

List out requirements: A lot of bells and whistles can be found even on a budget, so go ahead and list out what features are important for your personal set up. If Dolby is a must, put that down. If having a master control device included with the speakers will be necessary, jot that down, too.

Look at makes and models: With desires for home theatre speakers clearly stated and a budget set, it’s time to start researching different makes and models. Start out by finding all those that fall into the right budget range. Then weed out different designs based on the desired features. When a few potential winners are found, it’s time to hit the books, so to say.

Look at what consumer reporting agencies or magazines have said about particular makes and models and even seek out reviews from past users. The important things to consider are sound quality, warranties and overall performance. A $300 set of home theatre speakers might just happen to have better consumer reports than that $2,000 set that looks fantastic.

Home theatre speakers purchased in sets should include at least five separate speakers to create the surround sound effect. A main control device might also include a stereo receiver, but the important thing is that it takes input from the projector and or DVD player. Make sure a minimum set up is included and that past user reports are good and almost any speaker system that’s set up correctly will sound a thousand times better than a regular television set.

Shopping for home theatre speakers can be a little intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. Do a little homework in advance and the purchase should be a snap.

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