Avoid Pitfalls When Shopping for Home Theater Systems

Millions of homeowners will flock to electronics stores in the next few weeks, hoping to surprise their loved ones on Christmas Day with a flashy new Home Theater System.

But, for the inexperienced consumer, shopping for Home Theater components can be time-consuming, frustrating and even risky. Home Theater systems are evolving at an incredibly fast pace, and it's easy to get stuck with outdated technology that is hard to service or add on to. So how's the average consumer expected to make a wise choice?

Wayde Robson, editor of www.hometheaterfocus.com, offers these 10 tips to keep in mind when shopping for the Home Theater aficionado on your list. Follow these tips and you're sure to be greeted with nothing but smiles on Christmas morning – and for years to come.

1. Future-Proof Your HDTV
Shopping for an HDTV this year will be more affordable than ever. Some picture tube (CRT)-based HDTVs can be found for less than $1,000. When looking at HDTVs, make sure you get an HDCP-compliant video input. These special digital video inputs come in two basic types: DVI and HDMI. They're critical to future-proof your video connection even if you don't have a device that can connect to your TV right away.

2. Plasma is Overrated
There, I said it. Plasma displays provide beautiful high-contrast images and they're wafer-thin. They're also extraordinarily expensive, which makes many consumers assume plasma is the ultimate TV choice. It's not! Other display types look just as good as plasma and are almost as light and thin and won't cost as much as a new car.

3. CRT Still Rules
If you have the space (we're only talking a few square feet) you can't do better than good old-fashioned picture-tube TVs. Whether it's a rear projector or direct-view TV, tube TVs are big and heavy but a good one can exceed the picture quality of any other display type out there. Most Plasma, LCD and DLP TVs have to down-convert 1080i images to 720P. 1080i happens to be the native resolution of most CRT rea-pProjection TVs. No other TV can display black as well as a CRT-based TV and no other display type is as much of a bargain today.

4. Beware of "Full Screen' DVDs
DVDs make great Christmas gifts and this season there will be some important releases like Lord of The Rings: Return of The King – Director's Cut. When buying a DVD for that Home Theater aficionado, be sure to select the "widescreen' version. A "full screen' version usually accompanies widescreen in any major DVD release, but "full screen' is sure to make true fans of any film cringe. And cringe they should: "full screen' is formatted to fit onto a square TV, so you lose up to 20% of the picture.

5. X Marks the Box
Game consoles are as popular as ever. There is only one real choice when it comes to the Home Theater savvy gamer – Microsoft's Xbox. The Xbox is the only console of the three major consoles available today, including PS2 and Gamecube, that has the ability to present games in high definition and Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound. PS2 and Gamecube can both do deinterlaced 480P images, but only Xbox can go up to 720P or even 1080i in certain games. Gamecube is a two-channel audio component only, and PS2 can only do multichannel audio in cut-scenes on certain games. Only the Xbox can present full-blown, subwoofer-blasting, pin-drop-from-behind-your-shoulder thrills in 5.1 Dolby Digital surround sound.

6. Beware the DVR Hangover
Many believe TiVo is synonymous with DVR, the ability to pause and record live TV. But TiVo is really just a brand name for a premium service that charges a fee to search for programming to record. DVR is a feature (specifically a hard drive) being included on satellite receivers, cable boxes and DVD recorders. Buying someone a TiVo receiver may seem like a great gift but you're also buying something that requires a monthly fee. If someone on your Christmas list already uses a satellite or digital cable service they're happy with, why not just get them a DVR receiver that is compatible to the service they already use?

7. DVD Recorders For All
DVD players have outsold VCRs long enough, it's time we started recording on this new dominant media. DVD recorders are sure to be a hot gift this year and can now be found for less than $200 (check out the Yamakawa DVR-628 for example). DVD recorders will record your favorite TV shows on schedule and make excellent DVD players as well. Most DVD recorders have basic editing features when recording to DVD-RW.

8. Sound in a Box? Sounds Suspicious!
HTIB is seen as the shortcut to Home Theater sound, but it's usually anything but. The alarming trend represented by HTIB is for consumers to think nothing of spending several thousand dollars on display but resist spending more than a few hundred on a sound system. Some HTIB systems might sound good in a very small room, but for a full-sized living room it's sure to leave much to be desired. Box systems lack the punch and impact of the true Home Theater experience. The biggest problem with HTIB is that you can get stuck with a dead end system that cannot be incrementally upgraded with more a powerful amplifier, bigger sub, etc. Chances are that for little more than you pay for a HTIB, you can get a real receiver and 5.1 speaker system.

9. 5.1 Ways to Great Sound
Speaker manufacturers today have complete 5.1 speaker systems, a convenient way to get high-quality speakers for a surprisingly low price. Quality brands like Energy and JBL have systems from $500 to $800. These systems will include bookshelf or satellite-sized speakers and a mid-sized subwoofer. Remember that speakers are mechanical devices that move air, so larger rooms will require larger drivers. Beware of speaker manufacturers that make hollow claims of research in breakthrough technologies that create big sound from tiny speakers. Shortchange the audio portion of your Home Theater and even the Star Wars Trilogy on your 65' HDTV will have all the power and impact of a 60 Minutes re-run.

10. Even Braniacs Need a Setup DVD
The most often overlooked aspect of Home Theater is calibration and fine tuning. Most people set up their system and let it run, never sure if they're getting the best performance possible from their system. No Home Theater system should be without a setup DVD like Avia: Guide to Home Theater. A setup DVD will cost no more than a movie and will walk anyone through a series of tests and calibration procedures to help unlock the full potential of a Home Theater system. A $20 SPL (Sound Pressure Level) meter from Radio Shack is a valuable addition and turns your gift of the setup DVD into a Home Theater calibration kit. This will easily be the most valuable DVD in your HT buff's collection, making you a veritable Yoda of Santa Clauses!


For more information contact:

Wayde Robson, Editor
www.hometheaterfocus.com
email: editor@hometheaterfocus.com

Member, Home Theater Alliance