So youre in the market for a new home theater system?  Why not?  Everyone you know either has one or wants one.  Are you sick of having to go to your buddys place to watch the game on the big screen?  Have you been playing that SNES system, circa 1995, since, well, 1995?  Is your prized movie collection in laserdisc format?  Maybe it is time to invest in a new home theater.

The first thing you ought to do is establish a budget.  You could spend thousands of dollars on your new system, so give some consideration to what you are able to spend.  Theres no point spending your rent money on a TV, if you will not have an apartment to watch it in.

Once you have decided what you are able to spend, draft a wish list of components you would like.  Big screen TV or LCD projector?  X-Box or Playstation?  What about surround sound?  5:1?  6:1?  7:1?  There are so many options, and the possibilities are seemingly endless.   Keep it simple.  Do you really need a 51 inch HDTV, for your 10x10 living room?

Either way, your system will definitely need certain components to qualify as a home theater.  For the sake of being modest, why not consider getting started with a home-theater-in-a-box?  These packages generally come with a surround sound receiver, a set of speakers, and a DVD/CD player.  These systems are relatively inexpensive, and will leave you with enough cash flow to buy that new Sopranos box set!  Capice?

A lot of people like to include gaming systems in their home theater, especially if they are able to play on a big screen.  Theres nothing like playing Halo in life size!  If you do most of your gaming on your computer, most decent video cards will have a video line out that you can use to connect to your TV or projector.  Otherwise, you can incorporate any other console system into your home theater.

Your sound system will likely consist of a number of speakers (left, right, and center front, surround left and right, and a subwoofer).  This is the standard surround system.  The wattage of the amplifier you are using will greatly affect the sound being produced, so be sure to use one with enough power to effectively supply your system.

As I said, the options are seemingly endless for home theater systems.  Be sure to buy from a reputable dealer, and do not buy anything that does not have a 30-day money back guaranteejust in case you have to return it to pay your rent!


Warren Thompson is a fanatic audiophile and recording engineer.  When he is not playing Halo on his big screen TV, he writes for HomeTheaterFocus.com an independent home theater guide specializing in the latest information about speaker systems, display devices, DVD players and more.