| Planning | | | | alike. And then there are Home Theater PCs -- |
| Watching a movie in your own home theater is a | | | | computers designed to fit in an A/V rack and play |
| great way to escape reality without leaving the house. | | | | both DVDs and digital music, record TV, and browse |
| But before forging ahead with a home theater | | | | the Web. Tune in and we'll bring you up to date on all |
| construction project, you'll need to put serious time into | | | | of these devices and more. |
| planning the system. The biggest decision will be what | | | | Connections |
| room to put your home theater in. Next comes the | | | | Compared to just a few years ago, the average TV |
| selection of video and audio components, as well as | | | | or receiver has an alarming number of audio and video |
| the accessories that bring everything together. And | | | | connections populating its back panel input section. |
| then there's the issue of cost: Setting a realistic budget | | | | Analog audio and video, digital audio and video, |
| for the project and sticking to it will save you plenty of | | | | computer connections -- just name it and it's there, |
| headaches in the long run. | | | | waiting for you to plug in. Keeping track of all those |
| Another decision to make when planning a home | | | | jacks is hard work, which is why we're going to spell |
| theater is whether to personally install the equipment or | | | | them out in detail in the following connections guide. |
| hire professionals to handle the project. If you're a | | | | The most common A/V connections carry basic |
| tech-savvy DIY type, there's no reason why you can't | | | | analog audio and video signals. They're the ones that |
| do things on your own. Along with saving loads of | | | | you use to plug in those red, white, and yellow |
| money, you'll gain intimate knowledge of the gear -- a | | | | color-coded cables that come free with your new |
| big plus when troubleshooting any future problems. On | | | | DVD player or TiVO recorder. After briefly discussing |
| the other hand, a custom installation company can | | | | those jacks, we'll next dive into the advanced |
| design the system for you, steer you toward the latest | | | | connections that transmit high-definition video and |
| and greatest toys, and then integrate everything in | | | | multichannel digital audio signals in a high-performance |
| such a way that the equipment doesn't clutter up the | | | | home theater. Not all of the digital audio and video |
| room. | | | | connections on TVs and other gear are compatible |
| Your home theater doesn't have to be the only space | | | | with one another, so it helps to know the features and |
| in the house where you watch movies and listen to | | | | capabilities of each when you're putting together a |
| music; you may want to also consider a multiroom | | | | system. |
| system that lets you access tunes or TV from any | | | | Most systems need to juggle a variety of audio and |
| room you happen to be hanging out in. And if you're | | | | video source components. In a typical installation, the |
| really serious about sound and picture quality, there are | | | | signals need to be routed to a single TV and amplifier, |
| several room treatment options to consider that can | | | | which is where A/V switchers come in. After |
| take your system's performance to the next level. All | | | | describing the various types of switchers on the |
| of these topics and more will be covered in our guide | | | | market, we'll finish off by talking about signal extenders |
| to home theater planning. Hopefully, reading it will help | | | | -- a useful device in a large home theater where the |
| you to avoid some common installation mistakes -- | | | | projector is set up a sizable distance from the rest of |
| ones that can cost both time and money. | | | | the equipment. |
| Setup | | | | Receivers |
| Okay, you've decided to install a home theater by | | | | A receiver is arguably the most important component |
| yourself. Now you'll need a game plan for getting all | | | | in a home theater system, switching audio and video |
| that equipment set up and running smoothly. The | | | | signals, driving the speakers, and performing a number |
| following guide will walk you through the main points of | | | | of other essential tasks. Each new generation of |
| home theater setup, from finding the right distance to | | | | products comes packed with a menu of new features, |
| sit from the TV's screen to adjusting room lighting to | | | | processing modes, and A/V connections, so it's |
| get the best picture quality. | | | | important to keep up on the latest developments on |
| After deciding on a TV, the most basic setup step is | | | | the receiver front -- something we'll help you do in the |
| to determine how far away you should sit from it. | | | | following guide. |
| High-definition programs on cable, satellite, and disc are | | | | When shopping for a receiver, it will be a good idea to |
| packed with picture detail, so you'll want to sit close | | | | learn the names and capabilities of the various |
| enough to see it -- but not so close that you can | | | | multichannel audio-processing modes that each one |
| detect the individual pixels that make up the image. Our | | | | offers. We'll cover all the latest modes -- everything |
| guide will provide a few examples of recommended | | | | from DTS-ES Discrete to Dolby Headphone -- and |
| seating distances for common TV screen sizes. | | | | also explain the differences between 5.1, 6.1, and |
| The next step will be to unbox your components and | | | | 7.1-surround sound. Next, we'll get into the particulars of |
| run all the cables that connect them to the TV and | | | | receiver setup, and then move on to the subject of |
| speaker system. A wide variety of A/V furniture, | | | | amplifier power specifications -- another key thing to |
| wall-mounting hardware, and cable-concealing solutions | | | | look at when comparing models. |
| are available to help streamline this process. We'll | | | | Along with A/V switching, signal processing, and |
| cover those bases, and also offer some tips for | | | | amplification, many receivers offer convenience |
| achieving a clean, professional-looking installation. | | | | features like recording loop outputs and multizone |
| The final part of your home theater setup will be | | | | audio connections. We'll be covering those, too, to help |
| tweaking the system for the best possible picture and | | | | you learn how to get the most use out of your |
| sound. Although some of these adjustments can me | | | | receiver. Next, we'll get into the Auto-EQ processing |
| made by using your own gear's setup menus along | | | | found on some high-end models, a feature that can |
| with commercially available test DVDs, there are times | | | | help improve sound quality by compensating for your |
| when you need to call in a pro to take things to the | | | | listening environment's overall acoustics. Finally, we'll |
| next level. And then there are the esoteric areas of | | | | discuss the advantages of buying a separate home |
| home theater setup -- things like room correction and | | | | theater preamp/processor and amplifier combination |
| lighting automation. We'll give you the lowdown on | | | | over a standalone receiver. |
| those subjects and more in the following section. | | | | Speaker |
| Accessories | | | | Buying speakers can be hard work. Not only are there |
| A home theater system can be as basic as a | | | | a huge number of brands to sort through, but there are |
| bigscreen TV and speakers squeezed into your | | | | also several different technologies to consider, all of |
| current living room. It can also be an elaborate, | | | | which have their own distinct sound. Speaker design is |
| custom-designed movie palace with plush seating and | | | | definitely changing with the times. You can still find |
| a projector and screen that slide out of the ceiling. The | | | | plenty of boxy, traditional-looking systems, but most |
| end result depends on how you choose accessorize | | | | manufacturers are now pushing slim, wall-hugging |
| your system, and the following guide will give you an | | | | models that fade into the background beside a large |
| overview of what kinds of home theater accessories | | | | flat-panel TV. Confused about what kind of speakers |
| are available. | | | | to buy? Read our guide to speakers -- it will hopefully |
| Basic accessories that we recommend for any home | | | | steer you in the right direction. |
| theater include a power conditioner and learning | | | | After listing the various speaker technologies and |
| remote control. The first one gives you a place to plug | | | | discussing the relative merits of freestanding and |
| in all your gear, and the second can take over the | | | | on-wall designs, we'll next go through the types of |
| functions of your other remotes to eliminate coffee | | | | connections that you'll find on the back of both |
| table clutter. And while headphones might seem like an | | | | affordable and more costly models. Then we'll talk |
| odd addition for a home theater, they'll come in handy | | | | about newer speaker categories such as in-wall and |
| for late-night listening when you don't want to disturb | | | | in-ceiling models -- products designed to literally blend in |
| others in the house. | | | | with their surroundings. And the final stop on our |
| To help simplify your home theater's operation, you'll | | | | speaker tour will acquaint you with the various |
| want to check out more advanced types of remote | | | | surround speaker options for home theater. |
| controls. These usually have large liquid-crystal display | | | | While familiarity with the various speaker types can |
| screens and can be programmed to perform functions | | | | simplify shopping, it will also be helpful to learn some of |
| like turning on the whole system and starting a movie | | | | the technical terms that show up in speaker |
| with a single button push. They can also control room | | | | specifications. We'll cover two of the most common |
| automation systems that perform tricks like lowering a | | | | ones: frequency response and impedance. Finally, we'll |
| motorized projection screen and opening curtains. | | | | talk about speaker placement -- a discipline that's an |
| Finally, there's home theater furniture. Comfortable, | | | | equal mix of both art and science. |
| theater-style seating can make the difference | | | | Video Signal Formats |
| between an ordinary home theater and one that you'll | | | | The arrival of digital and high-definition TV via |
| gravitate towards night after night. Read on and find | | | | over-the-air broadcasts, cable, and satellite has |
| out about the world of home theater accessories. | | | | changed the television landscape for the better. At the |
| Components | | | | same time, the diversity of formats contained in the |
| TV has come a long way since the days when you | | | | new digital standard has made TV technology more |
| simply plugged in an antenna and clicked through the | | | | complicated than it used to be. If you're in the market |
| four or five channels you could tune in. The range of | | | | for a new high-definition TV and are confused by the |
| video source components now includes high-definition | | | | jargon you're coming across -- terms like 1080i, 720p, |
| disc players, home theater PCs, and game consoles | | | | widescreen, and 4:3 -- our guide to video signal |
| that expand the activity of TV-viewing well beyond | | | | formats will hopefully make the picture a little clearer. |
| settling down to watch CSI. The following guide will | | | | Not all digital TV signals are created equal. |
| highlight the various kinds of A/V sources that are | | | | High-definition programs get produced in a number of |
| available, and take a sneak peek at what's around the | | | | different formats, and there also some lower-resolution |
| corner as well. | | | | standard-definition ones that are in use as well. While |
| The question of whether to subscribe to cable or | | | | chances are that any new set you buy can easily |
| satellite is one that many people find themselves | | | | display all of the digital TV formats, it will be helpful to |
| asking these days. We'll cover the advantages and | | | | know some background on the technology before you |
| disadvantages of both, and also talk a bit about the | | | | make the jump from regular TV to high-definition. It's |
| new hard-disk digital video recorders that are used to | | | | our aim to give you the information you need to speak |
| record programs with either option. Next, we'll get into | | | | digital TV fluently. |
| some of the finer points of the various decks used for | | | | Moving past signal formats and into heavier technical |
| watching movie discs -- a group that includes regular | | | | topics, we'll discuss the color space differences |
| DVD players, high-definition disc players, and a special | | | | between the old NTSC TV system and the new |
| category of players that process regular video signals | | | | ATSC digital one. Assuming you're still with us at that |
| on DVD to help them look like high-definition TV. | | | | point, we'll next get into the advanced digital video |
| Videogames, too, have come a long way since the | | | | compression codecs used for satellite TV transmission |
| days of Asteroids and Space Invaders. With their | | | | as well as disc production in the high-definition HD DVD |
| sophisticated graphics, soundtracks, and storylines, the | | | | and Blu-ray disc formats. After that, you should qualify |
| best titles have something to offer both kids and adults | | | | as a full-fledged digital TV expert. |