HDTV HOME THEATER

The Price is Right gave away a set of “home theater” recliners today. I’d be surprised if there wasn’t an HDTV sensor installed allowing the recline position only if you are watching high-definition television. HDTV has exploded and for good reason. It’s spectacular! The incredible picture clarity shows us what we’ve been missing all these years without even knowing it. Now that we do know we’ll never go back. Now that we’ve seen and heard the HDTV difference, we’re going to want all our components to get involved in the high-definition experience so that whether we’re watching television, a pre-recorded movie, or playing a video game, we haven’t left HDTV behind.

Home theater, literally theater at home, runs the gamut from Home Theater in a Box (HTiB) in a modest family or living room to special furniture, carpet, popcorn machines, speakers that rock, a room-size screen and a whole host of other paraphernalia.

There’s budget to consider, of course, and the amount of room you have available but for a modest set-up that doesn’t take up the whole house HTiB is a great way to enjoy your high-definition television. Although it doesn’t come with absolutely everything you’ll need, it has the essentials in that the speakers, amplifier, cables, and control center come pre-packaged. Some HTiBs come with DVD players and all come with the most important component: directions! Prices range from as little as a few hundred dollars to 2000.00 or more. The best thing about home theater in a box is you don’t have to worry about compatibility between components or which cables to use. You will want to make sure that your HDTV has enough digital video and audio inputs to connect all the components you plan on having as part of your home theater.

Some home theaters in a box come with a DVD player. This is another important consideration, especially right now as we are on the eve of the new HD DVD and Blu-ray high-definition disc player being released. If you’re planning on buying a high-definition DVD player, you may not want to purchase a theater system with the standard definition DVD player. However, not all pre-packaged theater systems come with a DVD player.

It’s up to you. You can pay a professional to come to your home and install a professional system, buy the components piece by piece yourself or go with the convenience of HTiB. I do highly recommend that popcorn accompany whatever high-def decisions you make. Buttered, of course.