Home Theater 101

Basic answers to basic questions - about TVs, speakers and everything A/V.

Oct. 01, 2007 — by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Do you have a general question about home theater that you’ve been too embarrassed to ask? No problem; we’ve all been there. The following is a list of FAQs about home theater basics. Scan through them, and stop on the one(s) you’re wondering about. And the best part: No one’s looking. No one’s judging you. If someone peeks over your shoulder, you can casually click to another page. And remember: Technical people don’t know everything either.

What is home theater?
Home theater can be a lot of different things. But we generally regard it to be an audio/video system with a 32-inch display screen or larger and a surround-sound system.

What’s a surround-sound system?
A surround-sound system is an audio setup designed to envelop you in sounds from movies, TV shows, even music. A typical surround-sound system has five main speakers, or channels, plus a subwoofer. The five main speakers consist of the three front ones placed near the screen and facing the audience—these are called the front left, center and right channels—plus two surround speakers positioned along the sides or in the back (to the sides is recommended). A subwoofer plays only low bass for thundering booms, explosions and deep tones in music.

What’s a center channel?
Does it go in the center of the room? The center channel is located closest to the TV or video screen. You’ll often find it beneath the screen and positioned horizontally. It carries all the dialogue in a movie or TV show, thus it needs to be near the screen so you hear the words as if they are coming from the actors’ mouths. This makes the center channel the most important speaker in a surround-sound system.

What does 5.1, 6.1 and 7.1 mean?
These numbers denote how many speakers your system uses. For example, 5.1 means full-range speakers plus a subwoofer (the .1), as described earlier. A 6.1 system adds a third surround speaker in the back so you can better hear a car or plane approaching and passing by. A 7.1 system has four surround-sound speakers.

How can I have a home theater if I don’t have a room in my house big enough to house a theater—even a small one?
You don’t need that much space. A home theater can be a separate room set up like a theater, or it can be a much more modest surround-sound system in your family room, living room, den, recreation room, bedroom, patio—wherever you want.

Okay, but I don’t have the room for big honkin’ speakers.
You don’t need them. Many small but powerful bookshelf speakers provide plenty of sound for a smaller room. Tiny surround-sound speakers can be mounted unobtrusively on the walls. There are also in-wall and in-ceiling speakers that are mounted with their grilles flush to the wall surface. And some newer systems have one big speaker that sits beneath the TV and acts as several speakers, even the surround channels.

I definitely don’t have room for a big video projector and screen. You don’t need those, either. You can have a TV screen, preferably 32 inches in size or larger. And you can save space by buying a flat-panel LCD or plasma screen, a rear-projection TV known as a microdisplay—they’re not nearly as bulky as those old rear-projection CRTs—or even a DLP (digital light processing) or LCD projector that’s small, and portable.

What else do I need?
You’ll need an audio/video receiver of some sort and almost certainly a DVD player. Depending on how you receive your TV signals, you’ll need a cable or satellite receiver or an antenna. And if you like, you can add a digital video recorder (DVR) such as a TiVo, maybe a media server to store your music and possibly your movies, a good remote control that can operate everything without having to switch clickers, and some comfy seats.

Do I need HDTV? No, but we strongly recommend it. All TV will become digital in 2009, and HDTV is the best form of digital TV. Lower-resolution digital TVs are called Enhanced (EDTV) and Standard (SDTV), but if you want even a modest home theater, there’s no reason not to spend a bit more to have high-definition TV. You can’t see and enjoy HDTV content without it.

How much is all of this going to cost?
That’s up to you. But figure on spending at least a few thousand dollars on an HDTV of some kind, a surround-sound speaker system, an audio/video receiver and a DVD player. It’s difficult to obtain a good system with a new HDTV for less than $3,000 to $5,000. More advanced home theater systems can cost tens of thousands of dollars.

I have no idea how to hook this stuff up. Can I hire someone to do it?
Sure. We recommend hiring a custom electronics installer. You can find advice on hiring the right person in via our Installer Directory.
All this just to watch a few movies and TV with some extra thump?
You could look at it that way. We’re not trying to sell you a home theater system. But there are plenty of great educational and culturally significant shows now available in HDTV, and without an HDTV, you won’t get the full effect. You’ll also appreciate your favorite movies much more on a good audio/video system. And chances are, so will your spouse, friends and kids.

I don’t think my spouse will go for it.
This is a big purchase, so it should be a mutual decision. Sit him or her down, and explain what you’d like to do. If there are doubts, bring your significant other to a home theater demonstration at a custom electronics dealer, and try to bring along a favorite DVD of his or hers to play. You may have to compromise some to get what you want, but in the end, you’ll both be happy, and you and yours won’t have to go on Dr. Phil.

Is this all I need to know?
That’s up to you. There’s plenty of information about home theater on this web site. We keep it simple, so don’t be intimidated. And the knowledge we share here will make you a better and wiser shopper.

For more information on home theater equipment, check out Keeping Pace with TV Refresh Rates - The New Numbers, Speaker Q&A and Affordable A/V Upgrades.

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