What is Home Theater?
The same sense of magic you feel in a movie theater when the lights go out can be re-created in your home, and it's much simpler than you might think. Home theater is basically an enhanced combination of two key elements: sound and video. And the excitement generated by a home theater system doesn't extend only to the movie experience - it can also enhance TV-watching, sports events, and video games. It's an entertainment center for the whole family.
In the same way that it's created at the movieplex, movie magic in the home is delivered through high-quality video images and spectacular audio soundtracks. Directors create a film experience by piecing together sensory details, whether sounds or silence, music or dialogue, or dramatic images. There's a reason they don't make silent movies anymore!
What You Need to Know
A home theater system can be a simple and inexpensive project, or include the latest technologies and products. But in either situation the fundamentals are the same: a TV, five speakers (a sixth speaker, a subwoofer, is optional but recommended), an A/V receiver or separate amplifier/preamplifier, and the sources of movies - cable, satellite system, VCR, and DVD player.
The TV set can be a standard direct-view television (27 inches or larger recommended), a larger-screen rear projector, or a front-projection system for serious home theater.
The five speakers needed for surround sound include left, center, and right front speakers, and left and right surround speakers. A subwoofer is optional for providing the low-bass impact of many soundtracks.
And there's a wealth of A/V receivers available that combine the five necessary amplifier channels with all the Dolby Pro Logic and Dolby Digital soundtrack decoding you need. Plus, A/V receivers let you select what source you're watching and listening to, whether it's cable, the VCR, or a movie in the DVD player.
Getting Going
The best part is that a home theater system can be set up to your needs and provide worry-free performance for a long time to come. You don't need to understand how it works to enjoy it, or playing with the gear and all the available movie and music software can become an exciting hobby. But one thing is certain - once you experience the thrill of a movie on your own theater system, you'll never be able to watch plain old "TV" again.