Home Theater Basics
Jul 09 '00 (Updated Aug 27 '00)
Okay, so you want to set up a full on home theater system. You already have a TV, you have a stereo receiver, 2 speakers and so you're thinking, ok, all I gotta do is buy myself a DVD player, a few movies, and I'm all set.
Well, not quite. Yes, you could do this, and admittedly, it'd be the most cost effective way to do it, but you wouldn't really be taking full advantage of the potential of the amazing new medium of the new decade - DVD (yeah, i know it's been around for awhile, but it hasn't really become mainstream until recently, so :P).
In the following review, I'll go over the basic equipment you'll need and what kind of specs you should aim for minimally and more importantly why. Also I'll give you some ballpark estimates on how much to spend on each part give you some idea of how much you should budget.
Here are your basic equipment requirements:
TV
Receiver
5 speakers + 1 subwoofer
DVD player
Simple enough, right? Well, let's get into the details...
TV
You'll want at least a 27" TV with either s-video or component color video connectors.
You'll want 27" because most DVD's are presented in a widescreen format (you'll have to read about video screen formats somewhere else - that's a whole review in itself). Without at least the 27", the screen is going to feel cramped.
You'll want the s-video input or component color video connectors (as opposed to composite video which just about every TV has) which transmit video color information through separate distinct connections giving a sharper cleaner picture.
Component video is actually better than s-video, but you can't really tell the difference with anything smaller than a 40" TV. I'm sure there are some HT perfectionists out there who will argue this point. If you get a demo in the store and can tell the difference, go for the component video, otherwise just get the s-video. Probably a moot point anyhow since few TV's under 32" have component video, for the reason I just explained.
Price? Expect to pay at least $350.
Receiver
You'll want a receiver that is capable of (1)*decoding* DTS and Dolby Digital (not Dolby ProLogic - just about every receiver can do this).
Beware of buying a receiver that is DTS/DD 5.1 ready. This does NOT mean it will decode a 5.1 signal.
[**A little sidebar about DTS and Dolby Digital - there are other, better reviews on epinions about these sound formats than this, but I'll provide a short synopsis so you don't have to go hunting around. They are BOTH digital 5.1 sound formats. The 5 indicates the number of speakers. The 1 indicates the low frequency channel (the subwoofer). When a receiver says it is 5.1 ready, what it means is that it will accept an already decoded 5.1 signal, whether it's DTS or DD. However, it does not do any decoding itself. AND, the connection will be analog. You will have 6 separate cables to hook up to the receiver for each of the sound channels (5 speakers+1 subwoofer). There ARE DVD players that decode the DTS/DD formats and can pass those channels to the receiver, but I do NOT recommend this method even if you are planning on getting a DVD player that does the decoding. The reason is that you are going to be hooking up the DVD player to your receiver via analog cables instead of a digital cable. Besides being messier (6 cables vs 1 cable), the sound won't be as good. To the undiscriminating, there may not seem to be much difference, but *HEY, you wanna do this RIGHT, don't ya???*]
As for power, that will depend on your speakers and the size of your room. If you have a large room, bigger than 20'x20', I'd go with at least 70 watts per channel. Also note that different receiver manufacturers will either underrate or overrate the power. Look for a receiver that runs on high current. This will give you better dynamic response in movies (like when bombs explode, or dinosaurs roar).
Recommended models: Onkyo TX-DS575 or the Sony DB930
Price? Expect to pay at least $400.
Speakers
You'll want the front left/right speakers, rear left/right speakers, and the front center speaker. In addition, if your speakers do not have a GREAT low bass response (at least as low as 40Hz, try for 20Hz), as most normal non-floorstandings do not, then you will need a subwoofer. Yeah, you could live without one, but like I said, you wanna do this right, don't you??? And this component is one that will make a HUGE noticeable difference in your movie watching experience.
If you already have 2 speakers, you can simply add on a 2 speakers for the rear and also the center channel. You may have heard that you should timbre match your speakers. Yes, but to me, that's not as important as getting all 5 speakers and a subwoofer. So if you already have 2 and don't want to spend the money getting a whole new set, build on what you already have. You don't necessarily have to get the same brand (but try if you can), but more importantly, for the center channel, get a speaker which matches the front left/right speakers at least in frequency response specs, efficiency, and tweeter/woofer size (and material if possible). For your rears, you don't need the full frequency range. If your current speakers aren't that great, try them out as your surrounds.
I will probably be crucified by HT/audiophiles for my recommendations here, but again, if you're on a budget, better to have all 5 speakers and a subwoofer than to be picky about which speakers you have. If you want minimal audiophile quality and you have the cash to burn, I'd recommend spending a speaker/subwoofer set that costs at least $700 (rough estimate). I'd increase the budget too, if you're building an HT system in a large room (larger than 20'x20') since you will need larger, better speakers to cover the area.
Price? For decent quality expect at least $60 per speaker and at least $200 for a subwoofer. Here's a review on a set of incredibly small speakers which I love. <a href=http:/http://www.epinions.com/elec-review-541C-CF3B3F1-39278D91-prod5>Click here</a>.
Note: if you wanna splurge on one area, this is where you should do it. The audio in your HT system will make a bigger bang for buck improvement than spending it on the video.
DVD player
If you wanna skimp on one area, this is it, believe it or not. Even the cheapest DVD player will do a decent job of passing on the video signals to the TV and the audio signals to the receiver. In fact, there's not really much for me to say here. The only way to significantly go up in quality is to splurge for an expensive progressive scan player (we're talking northwards of $700 here) in which case you probably wouldn't bat an eyelid at spending several grand on a progressive scan TV (an HDTV) to support the progressive scan. For the other 99% of us on a budget, those sub $400 dvd players will do just fine. Look for little details like zoom, dual trays, display dimmer, quick startup, CD-R compatibility, even MP3 compatibility (the Apex DVD player). Whatever floats your boat here.
Price? Expect at least $200.
Recommended beginner model: Toshiba SD-1200.
SUMMARY
That $250 DVD player isn't looking as cheap anymore is it? Well, it all depends on how much enjoyment you'll get out of your system. If you're like me and you LOVE movies and like to entertain your friends, it's worth every penny. If you're perfectly happy with your VCR (although I doubt you will be after you see a DVD played on an HT system), then keep it. Whatever you do, don't be half-assed about it. Either get all the basic required equipment, or don't do it all. Good luck and e-mail me with any questions or comments. I'll edit my commentary as people comment to correct any mistakes I've made or change my mind about something.
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Epinions.com ID:
flux73
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Location: Portland, OR
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