How to pick a TV Stand

Step 1- Determine the size of the television.
With such a wide variety of stand styles and sizes, there should be no problem finding a stand to accomodate your television and audio/video accessories.

Step 2- Determine the viewing angle.
Your TV will look its best when viewed on-axis (from straight ahead), at a height where your eyes are level with the middle of the screen. There is a wide selection of TV stands to support your TV and raise it to the correct viewing height for peak performance level.

Step 3- Choose a stand to fit more than just a TV.
When choosing a stand or cabinet for your television, you'll definitely need to compare the dimensions of the shelves to those of your TV and other components. You might even look for a stand with enough shelves to accomodate new components you might pick up down the line. It's also important to check the stand's weight capacity. Another thing to remember is that racks with open backs allow for easy access to your components' rear panels. Plus, televisions and home theater components generate heat during normal operation. If you're planning on keeping your gear in a fully enclosed cabinet or custom-built wall unit, consider installing vents in the top and bottom of the cabinet's back panel. Many stands and cabinets feature some type of cable management system, which helps keep a clean, clutter-free look.

How to pick an XM Tuner

Step 1- Choose what type of provider you want.
XM Radio- You'll get 68 channels of commercial-free rock, country, blues, jazz, classical, and Latin, plus another 32 channels of news, entertainment, and special programming. You'll also have access to 21 channels of XM Instant Traffic and Weather.

Sirius Radio- including more than 60 original music channels of rock, jazz, rap, country, Latin, blues, classical, techno, and comedy. You'll also receive over 50 world-class sports, news, and entertainment channels. You can listen to live NFL football and NHL hockey games on SIRIUS.

Step 2- Choose what type of satellite tuner you want.
There are many types of tuners all with different sound qualities.

FM modulator- This give you an easy connection, but sound quality is generally not as good. You tune your radio to an unused FM channel to receive the signal.

Cassette Adapter- The tuner tramsits the signal through your cassette player, but the sound quality will be only slightly better than through a wireless FM modulator.

Auxiliary Input- You can add on a satellite tuner via RCA outputs for a direct audio connection. It gives you good sound quality.

In-Dash Radio w/Tuner Control- You can buy an in-dash receiver with built-in satellite controls and connect a same-brand tuner via a cable for a direct connection. Great sound quality.

In-Dash Radio w/built-in tuner- You can buy an in-dash receiver with a built-in satellite tuner. It has the best sound quality.

How to pick a Radar Detector

Step 1- Decide which type of Detector you want.
You can choose from wired, wireless, and radar detectors that are hard mounted to the front or rear of your car.

Step 2- Decide which options you want.
City Modes- These turn down the range or sensitivity so that you get fewer false alerts in a frequency congested area.

Laser Detection- A detector with one laser sensor can detect laser beams in front of you, but not behind you or off to the sides. 360 degrees laser detection uses two sensors to look for laser pulses to the sides and behind you.

VG2 Protection- let you know when police are using radar detectors. Some detectors offer Stealth protection, which warns you and then shuts down the detector, while more expensive detectors offer Invisible protecion; these can be shielded from VG2, so they'll continue operating without being discovered.
Digital Voice Alert- Digi
tal voice alerts tell you what your radar detector has picked up. You don't have to take your eyes off the road to look at the detector's display.

Step 3- Mount Radar Detector
It is important to remember to mount the radar detector in a specific location so that its view is not blocked. It should be placed above the wipers and below the sunstrip. This will give you the best results and less interference.

How to pick an Alarm

Step 1- Decide what type of alarm you want.
You can choose from basic alarms to alarms that communicate with your remote control, letting you know if your car is being tampered with or the doors are unlocked.

Step 2- Choose the options you want.
2-Way Communication Remote- Lets you know when your car is started or if your alarm was set off and why.

Glass Break Sensors- They sound the alarm when they "feel" a window breaking. This protects you from someone trying to bypass your alarm by not opening the door.

Remote Outputs- You can expand the alarm's capabilities by adding features like a remote starter or window controls. Most alarms come with at least one remote output. Consider everything you want the security system to do (now and in the future) when choosing an alarm.

Passive Arming- Most alarms have passive arming which will set the alarm for you if you forgot the hit the button to arm it. They usually activate 20 seconds after your ignition is turned off.

How to pick Subwoofers

Step 1- Determine the size that will fit in your car.
Subwoofers range in size from 8" to 18". As they increase in size, the box that it needs also increases in size. Certain subwoofers only work well in certain enclosures as well. Check the area you are putting your sub in for hinges, wheel wells, or other obstacles that may interfere with the install. Some trucks might not be able to fit deeper subs behind the seat.
Step 2- Choose an amplified or non-amplified sub.
If you already have an amp for your sub then you can skip to the next step. If you don't have one you'll need one. Bass notes need a lot more juice than the high frequency information in your music. To produce the low bass you can feel as well as hear, you need plenty of amplifier power driving your sub. You can get a sub in a box that has a built-in amp, so all you have to do is run power and signal cables to the unit.
Step 3- Choose the type of box for the sound you want.
Sealed Box- If you prefer a cleaner sound (more suitable to jazz, classical, pop, etc.), subwoofers in sealed boxes tend to produce tighter bass, allowing you to hear more of the sharp, punchy edges that define each note.

Ported or Bandpass Box- If you like rap, reggae, alternative or heavy metal, you'll probably want a boomier sound. You'll get this sound from a sub in a ported or bandpass box.

How to pick Speakers

Step 1- Determine the size you'll need.
Check your vehicle specs to see what size speakers you'll need. Be sure to check the speaker's mounting height or tweeter protrusion so that door panels and grills fit in place after the installation.

Step 2- Choose the right speakers for your system.
Factory Radio- If you plan to drive your speakers with a low-powered factory receiver, you need highly-efficient speakers. Check out the speaker sensitivity to find the most efficient speakers for your vehicle. If you use your factory receiver, get speakers with an RMS power rating of 2-5 watts.

Amplifier- When using an amplifier, make sure its RMS wattage is within your speakers' power range. High-power amplifiers can power most speakers.

Step 3- Choose the type of speakers you want.
2-Way Speakers- Most speakers are 2-ways, or coaxials with a single tweeter mounted above the cone of its woofer.

3&4-Way Speakers- A 3-way (triaxial) adds a midrange driver for improved clarity. A 4-way adds a supertweeter for even more detailed high frequencies.

Component Speaker- The separate woofers, tweeters, and crossovers with components give you better power and performance than coaxials. You can improve the imaging in your car depending on mounting location. They usually can't be installed in factory locations.

How to pick an Amplifier

Step 1- Determine the job the amp will perform.
Choose the right amp for the job. If you want to power 2 speakers buy a 2 channel amp, if you want to power 2 speakers and a sub, buy a 4-channel amp, you can also power 4 speakers and a sub with a 5 or 6 channel amp. If you are using your amp strictly for bass, consider a mono subwoofer amp. The single-channel amps are designed specifically for low frequencies with specific controls for maximizing bass output.

Step 2- Choose the features you'll need.
Subwoofer amps- amps with bass boost circuit and a built-in low-pass filter are good to have on an amp driving a sub. Bass boost provides increased deep bass impact. A low-pass filter sends only bass notes to your subwoofer.

4-Channel Amps- A built-in high-pass filter relieves your smaller speakers of the burden of tyring to reproduce low bass that they aren't designed to handle. With this filter your speakers can play louder with less distortion.

Factory Radio- If you just have a factory radio, make sure the amp has speaker-level inputs. Speaker-level inputs also allow you to use the factory speaker wires to send the signal into the amp.

How to pick a CD Headunit

Step 1- Determine what will fit your car.
Most CD receivers will fit in your car with the help of a dash kit. These kits are made to specifically fit your vehicle.

Step 2- Determine what features you'll need.
You need to know which discs you want to play. Most new CD receivers play home-recorded CD-Rs, with some of them playing MP3 files. Other features you might need are:

High Power Amplifiers- Most headunits have good built-in amps for loud sound played through factory speakers.

Pre-amp Outputs- If you want a really clean and loud sound you'll need pre-amp outputs to add on amplifiers and subwoofers, preferably 3 outputs (front, rear and subwoofer).

Satellite Radio Controls- These controls let you connect the satellite tuner box to receive and control digital broadcasts of XM or Sirius satellite radio.

Security features- There are many choices in theft-deterrence, detachable faces, stealth-type hide-away faces, and programmable security codes.

Step 3- Decide if you want to add on entertainment.
If you choose a changer-controlling receiver, you can add a CD or Mini-Disc changer for up to 12 discs. Many CD receivers have an auxiliary input, so you can plug in even more sources of entertainment: portable MP3 players, satellite radio tuner, audio outputs from a DVD player, VCR or TV tuner.

How to pick Mobile Video

Step 1- Decide where in the car the system is going.
Practically speaking, mobile video can be divided between front-seat and back-seat systems.

Front-Seat Systems- They consist primarily of in-dash receivers with monitors. These receivers fit in a standard DIN-sized opening, and usually have a monitor that's motorized and retracts into the receiver's chassis for storage.

Back-Seat Systems- They usually involve monitors that can be installed in various locations, such as in the headrests, on the ceiling, separate DVD players, and audio components (such as wireless headphones).

Step 2- Choose the accessories you want.
You can add a TV tuner or video game system in a multi zone system, where you can watch one thing up front and hear that sound through the car's speakers while the passengers in the back seat are watching something else and listening to it on wirelss headphones.

Navigation- You can also add on a navigation system that can be used on the front monitor while movies are playing on the back-seat monitors.

How to pick a Laptop

Step 1- Choose the operating system you want.
There are two main types of operating systems on the market, Macintosh and Windows based systems.

Step 2- Choose the size of the laptop you want.
Screen size- The screens keep getting bigger; most laptops range from 12" to 17" screens, with a few coming in 9" sizes.

Weight- As the screen size increases, so does the weight. Some have a lightweight aluminum design which cuts the weight.

Step 3- Choose the type of performance you want.
Processor- There are two types of processors, mobile and standard. The mobile processor is slower, but has a longer battery life. It is good for word, internet and email. The standard processor is faster up to 3.06 Ghz, but it has a shorter battery life. It can be used to replace a desktop computer.

Systems Memory- Don't get any less than 256MB if you want to do more than word or email; high end grpahics need 512MB.

Step 4- Choose the options you want.
Hard Drive- You may not need the space but most hard drives now come with at least 20GB or more, some have 80GB.

Optical Drives- Some laptops come with DVD-RW drives, the next best thing would be to get a DVD-ROM and a CD-R combo.

Wireless Networking- Many laptops come with built-in wireless or PC card slots that you can add wireless cards later.

How to pick a GPS unit

Step 1- Choose the function of your GPS unit.
Non-Mapping GPS Receivers-They show no map detail on screen, but include a "plotter screen" that displays an overhead view of your location.

Basemap GPS Receivers- will usually display major roads, lakes and rivers, railroads, coastlines, cities, airports, and exit information for the federal highway system.

Mapping GPS Receivers- The maps displayed on your receiver's screen can show business and residential streets, restaurants, banks, gas stations, and much more. A mapping receiver can let you look up any street address, and navigate to it using an electronic map.

Step 2- Choose the GPS options that you want.
Built-in Memory- The more internal memory your GPS receiver has, the more data you can download into it. If you are using it in your car you should have a lot of memory.

Communications- incorporate 2-way radio technology, so you can stay in touch with other users while navigating.
WAAS Capability- A GPS receiver with WAAS is capable of accuracy to less than 3 meters (the standard GPS signal gives you accuracy to about 6-12 meters).
Compass and Altimeter- Most GPS receivers can't tell you in which direction you're pointing when you're standing still. You'll need a true electronic compass to get a bearing while standing still.

How to pick a Portable DVD Player

Step 1- Choose the size screen that you want.
Portable DVD players screen size ranges from 5" to 11" screens. Most new models feature a 16:9 screen ratio, while the others have 4:3 aspect ratios.

Step 2- Choose the options you want.
Headphone Output- Most DVD players have a built-in headphone jack. Some even have multiple headphone jacks or wireless transmitters for wireless headphones.

Video Outputs- you can use those outputs to connect your DVD player to a TV, perfect for the hotel room.

Rechargeable Batteries- Most DVD players have lithium-ion batteries and some have the ability to add on AA batteries to the back. n They all come with AC adaptors to work in your home.

DC Power Capability- Some DVD players have AC/DC power adaptors that allow you to plug in to your cigarette lighter.


Step 3- Decide if you want car connectivity.
Audio Connectivity- You can connect your portable DVD player to your car to play the sound through your car speakers. Some models have the ability to connect to your factory car stereo via an FM modulator or to an aftermarket radio that has auxiliary audio inputs.

Mounting Capability- Some of the portable DVD players come with mounting straps that allow you to hang your portable DVD player between your front seats, on the back of either front seat or right to the rear armrest.

How to pick an MP3 Player

Step 1- Determine your computer's capability.
Most of the newest players require Windows 98SE or later, Macintosh OS 9 or OS X. Also, nearly all MP3 players offer USB connectivity for speedy file transfer and easy setup.

Step 2- Choose the features and accessories.
Recorders- Some players are also recorders, capable of capturing voice snippets, audio from other sources, like a CD player, or even radio broadcasts.

LCD Display- An LCD display, another useful feature, lets you view track information. They vary in color, size and shape.

Accessories- Most MP3 players come with headphones of some type. Most usually include a neck strap, arm strap or belt clip, USB or firewire cables to connect to your computer, and some sort of charging device (if it has rechargeable batteries).

Step 3- Choose your music media software.
Some PCs include music management software for handling downloaded audio files and CD tracks. Conveniently, most players come with a program of this type as well. If you're going to rely on the application that comes with your portable, you should select a player and software package carefully. Software usually has a set of hardware requirements, specifying which platform (PC or Mac), which kind of operating system, how much memory it will need and how much hard drive space it will need to operate.

How to pick an Audio System

Step 1- Choose the type of audio system you want.
Shelf System- Shelf systems are designed to fit comfortably on the average bookcase shelf. Typically, shelf systems include all the components of a full-size stereo system: CD changer, dual cassette deck, AM/FM radio, an amplifier, and stereo speakers.

Micro System- Micro systems are generally even smaller than shelf systems. They also feature sleek, contemporary designs that blend seamlessly with modern decor. Typically, micro systems offer a single-disc CD player, an AM/FM tuner, a built-in amplifier, and stereo speakers.

Clock/Table Radio- Smaller still than micro systems are clock and table radios. Some clock and table radios offer single-CD players, but all feature an AM/FM radio, an amplifier, and at least one built-in speaker. Many models add a second speaker, allowing you to enjoy the spaciousness of stereo music.

Step 2- Pick the options you might want to add.
Some systems offer auxiliary inputs that let you add sources to your system. You can add on cassette decks, MiniDisc players or the audio output of a TV or VCR. If you want to add a turntable and your system doesn't have a phono input, you'll need to get a phono preamplifier.

How to pick a Cordless Phone

Step 1- Choose how many phones/handsets you need.
Dual- and Multi-handsets operate independent of the phone base, and collectively use only one phone jack. They're a great alternative to using separate phones throughout your home. Most multi-handset phones offer features such as handset speakerphone and handset-to-handset call transfer. Currently, certain phone systems can be expanded from 2 to 10 total handsets, depending on your needs.

Step 2- Choose the features.
Speakerphone- This feature allows you to talk hands-free from the phone base, and sometimes even the handset.

Dual Keypad- A keypad is offered on both the handset and the phone base. When used in conjunction with speakerphone, it's a very helpful feature when your handset is MIA.

Digital Answering Machine- Stores messages on an IC chip instead of a tape. Your messages are easily accessible, and can be selectively skipped, repeated or deleted.

Step 3- Choose the range you need.
2.4 Ghz- This range is relatively uncrowded, making it less susceptible to interference.

5.8 Ghz- With a 5.8 Ghz cordless phone, there's even less possibility of interference from other devices.

Digital Spread Spectrum- Provides a higher power output for greater range, and offers constant switching from channel to channel for further improved security.

How to pick a Printer

Step 1- Choose a printer that works with your camera.
You can choose a photo printer with a media slot for the same kind of memory card your camera uses, or a printer that connects directly, via proprietary cable, to your camera.

Step 2- What type of printer do you want?
The two main kinds of technology you'll see in photo printers are dye sublimation and inkjet.
Dye sublimation- (uses heat to reveal color on special paper) excels at continuous tone printing.
Inkjet- provides crisp colors, relatively inexpensive supplies, and print flexibility. Remember that a printer designed for photo printing will do a significantly better job at that than a general-use printer.

Step 3- Choose other features you need.
Portability- Some printers work with batteries.

PictBridge Direct Printing- A newer format, called PictBridge, enables you to print without a computer, as the camera directly connects to the printer.

Print sizes- Unless you're getting a printer for a very specific purpose, and are happy with limited print options, you shoud probably get a printer that can handle at least two different print sizes, such as wallet and 4"x6". Of course, with a printer capable of 8.5"x11" prints, you'll end up with a wide range of smaller prints to choose from as well.

How To Pick a Digital Camera

Step 1- Choose how many megapixels you need.
A 3 megapixel camera is great if: you'll primarily be printing small, snapshot-sized photos or you'll mainly be snapping shots to use on the Web. A 4 megapixel camera is great if you're interested in printing 8"x10" photos or larger. A 5 or 6 megapixel camera is great if you plan on doing a lot of large-size prints and professional-quality work.

Step 2- Choose the adjustments you'll need to make.
A camera's features can be the real deal-makers. Features like optical zoom, telephoto or wide-angle shooting ability, auto and manual focus, aperture adjustment, and shutter speed adjustment all affect your camera's ultimate flexibility.

Step 3- Choose the type of battery you want.
Because digital cameras use a lot of power, many cameras use rechargable batteries. Otherwise, you may end up spending a lot on alkaline batteries.

Step 4- Choose the type of connections you want.
Nearly all digital cameras today come with a USB interface, for easy connection to a USB-capable PC. Other kinds of connections include video or A/V outputs on the camera and direct printer connections (for connecting to a photo printer without having to use a PC).

How to pick a camcorder

STEP 1-Determine which format is right for you.
MiniDV-Compact videocassette format which records picture and sound information as digital data. MiniDV provides exceptional resolution, accuracy and color richness. Available in either ultra-compact or standard sized models, the MiniDV is smaller than Digital8. Being digital video, it has a great picture, easy editing, digital audio, and digital photo mode.
Digital8-It allows you to record digital-quality video onto a standard Hi8 or 8mm tape. This type gives you the benefits of digital video, like a great picture, easy editing, digital audio, and digital photo mode at an affordable price.
DVD Camcorder-It uses DVD media that's compatible with most newer DVD players. It delivers crisp digital video, digital editing, long lasting picture quality and they won't wear out.

STEP2- Choose the Features that you want.
Zoom- the ability to magnify your subject for close-ups, or pull back for wide shots. Most camcorders include a variable optical zoom lens, as well as electronic zoom.
Digital Photo Mode-Some digital camcorders also let you snap digital still photos, just like a digital camera.
Image Stabilizer-If you're a little shaky when shooting movies, this feature will eliminate shake, resulting in clear pictures.
Webcam Function-You can transfer live or taped footage to your PC and show that video to friends or family on the internet.

How to pick Surround Speakers

STEP 1-Choose the number of surround speakers.
5.1 System- The basic most popular surround system includes a center channel, 2 front speakers, 2 surround speakers and a subwoofer.
6.1 System- The next step in the surround systems includes a front center channel, rear center channel, 2 front speakers, 2 surround speakers and a subwoofer.
7.1 System-The latest in surround systems includes a front center channel, 2 front speakers, 2 side surround speakers, 2 rear surround speakers and a subwoofer.

STEP 2-Choose the type of surround system.
There are 2 types of surround systems that you can buy:
Compact Speakers-Compact speakers offer good sound in a small package. They'll pretty much fit in any room situation. Their only drawback, is the lack of low end bass they produce.
Full-Size Speakers- Full size speakers give you a fuller sound, including the low end bass. The only drawback is their size, you can either get them as floor standing speakers, bookshelf size speakers, or in-wall speakers.

STEP 3-Pick your subwooder-powered or passive?
A sub provides the rumbling bass that makes you feel everything.
Powered Subwoofer-A powered sub has a built-in amplifier that provides all the power, instead of needing an add-on amp.
Passive Subwoofer-Available but rare, passive subwoofer needs a separate amplifier or can be powered by an A/V receiver.

How to pick Speakers

STEP 1-Choose what type of speakers you want.
Bookshelf Speakers-They are smaller speakers that you can place on stands or shelves, they are almost always a two-way design. They provide tight overall sound and accurate stereo imaging, but they cannot reproduce low frequencies that well.
In-Wall & In-Ceiling-They are mounted in a frame and set into the wall (or ceiling). They use the wall itself as the cabinet. These speakers sound great and blend seamlessly into your rooms decor. Keep in mind however, installation is more involved that setting up traditional speakers.
Floor-Standing Speakers-They are larger than other types of speakers,they reproduce a wide range of frequencies including deep bass. They are usually more efficient, giving you more volume per watt of power.
Subwoofer-The sub provides rumbling low tones, for music you can actually feel. You can choose either a powered subwoofer, which has power provided by a built-in-amplifier, or you can choose a passive sub. These are rare but still available, and you need a separate amplifier or an A/V receiver for power.

STEP 2-Choose the size of the speakers you want.
The next step is to pick the size of the woofers for the speaker that you want. Smaller woofers(5 1/4" and 6 1/2") don't reproduce bass frequencies as well as larger woofers (8", 10" & 12"), but larger woofers usually require a 3-way design to help out in the midrange frequencies.

How to pick an A/V Receiver

STEP 1-Choose the amount of power of your receiver.
Make sure that the receiver has enough power for the speakers you'll be using it with, and the room you'll be using it in. In general, the larger the room the more power you'll need.

STEP 2-Choose the type of Decoding you want.
For basic home theater decoding you'll need Dolby Digital and dts decoding. To stay up on the latest in Movie Sound technology you might want to get a receiver with 6.1 or 7.1 channel decoding.

STEP 3-Decide if you want multi-Room capability.
Another option to consider is dual-room/dual-source capability. This allows you to enjoy surround sound in your main room while someone else listens to a different source in another room.

STEP 4-Choose the amount of input options you'll need.
Make sure you get a model with enough inputs to handle all of your audio and video components.
Digital Inputs-allows a direct digital connection between your source and your recorder for maximum fidelity recording.
Composite-to-S-video conversion-it lets you send a variety of A/V sources to your TV through a single S-Video connection. It works with any signal entering your receiver (composite or S-Video)
Component video conversion-is more flexiable, letting you send signals from composite, S-video and component video inputs to your TV via one component video connection.

How to pick a DVD Player

STEP 1-Choose the number of DVDs it can hold.
Many are satisfied with a single-disc player,but a multi-disc DVD changer gives you the same great picture and sounds and holds more DVDs. Choose from carousel models that hold a handful of discs, or bulkier mega changers with room for up to 400 discs!

STEP 2-Choose between progressive scan or interlaced.
Progressive scan video does look cleaner,smoother, and more film-like, especially on 32" or larger TVs. But progressive scan signals can only be seen on HD-ready displays through the component video outputs. Most of the progressive scan players let you select 480i interlaced-scan output (for use with TV) or 480p progressive scan output.

STEP 3-Pick which formats you want it to play.
In addition to playing regular CDs, many DVD players can also play music discs you record yourself on a computer. A growing number can also play MP3 and WMA files burned to a CD-R or CD-RW using your computer. Some new models are also able to play either DVD-Audio discs or Super Audio CDs (SACDs) and a few "universal" models can play both.

STEP 4- Make sure your TV has the right inputs.
A big part of choosing the right DVD players is making sure it has the necessary video and audio connections to perform to its full potential with your other A/V gear.

Flat Screen TVs

What it is: The CRT (Cathode Ray Tube, or Tube TV) television was the first video technology developed. Almost sitting as deep as the screen is wide, they utilize a large glass "cone" that holds an electron gun. Images are created when the gun fires electrons into a matrix of differen phosphors. The phosphors are chemicals which emit the different colored lights we see when hit by the electron streams.

Benefits:

1. Unlike all other TV technologies, flat screen CRT televisions have the widest viewing angle, nearly 180 degrees.
2. CRTs deliver peak luminance, meaning the display can showpure white along with pitch black.
3. They offer excellent color saturation and their tiny picture particles still offer high-resolution displays.
4. CRTs utilize a simple and mature technology that cn be manufactured inexpensively, makeing them cost less to you.

Limitations:

1. CRT televisions are heavy and bulky making it very difficult to hang from a ceiling or off a wall.
2. These televisions have to be deep to enclose their electron "guns", that is great for the picture, but bad for your cabinet space.
3. These televisions are also power hungry, using more power than the other technologies.
   

What is HDMI?

What it is: HDMI, or High -Definition Multimedia Interface is an audio-video transfer standard with enough bandwidth to transmit uncompressed audio and video between a set-top box and an HDTV or other compatible device, and thus maintain digital audio and picture quality. Wow, what a mouthful. If that doesn't make much sense to you, just think of it like this. HDMI is basically just a cable that can transfer a really high quality image or sound from one piece of equipment to another.

Benefits:

1. HDMI has everything that DVI (another high quality cable) offers, while fixing some of DVI's compatibility problems, and should therefore work with all types of DVI.
2. Unlike DVI, HDMI can carry video and 6 channels of sound over the same wire, which means less cable mess, and it can bring digital audio directly to your HD monitor or Television.
3. HDMI cable is much easier to hook up than DVI cable. Unlike DVI's screw pins, HDMI has a plug that just slides in, similar to that of a USB cable.
4. Truly innovative, HDMI cables allow two-way transmission, which enables the set-top box, the home theater system, and the DTV to "talk to each other." Because communication is constant, the TV automatically adjusts itself to always deliver the finest picture

Limitations

1. The main problem with HDMI devices right now is that they're hard to find. Luckily, HDMI is poised to become the default standard, so it won't be a problem for long.
   

Surround Sound Speaker Systems

Surround Speakers

Surround sound speakers work together to create the sound experience you hear in a movie theater- in your home. There are many brands and models of surround sound systems at various prices that will do a good job of reproducing sound. However you want to make sure that the various speakers in your home theater work well together. Voice-matching is also very important to a surround sound system. Voice-matching ensures the sound moves effortlessly around you, creating a seamless effect.

5.1 System
This system has six channels: five full range channels, a low frequency channel (the .1 of 5.1) that is usually expressed through a subwooder. Most DVDs and digital broadcasts are in a 5.1 soundtrack which closely mimics movie theater sound.

Subwoofer Choices
Subwoofers come in either powered or passive versions. A powered subwoofer has a built-in amplifier that provides all the power, instead of needing a separate amplifier. A passive subwoofer requires a separate amplifier. A passive subwoofer requires a separate amplifier for power or an A/V receiver.

6.1 or 7.1 System
The most advanced home theaters feature six (5.1 plus a back center) or seven (5.1 plus a left back and right back) full-range channels. These allow you to take full advantage of Dolby Digital EX and Dolby Pro Logic llx decoding for greater realism.

Speaker Sizes
There are two types of surround systems that you can get. Compact speakers offer good sound in a small package. They'll pretty much fit in any room situation. Full-size speakers give you a fuller sound, including the low end bass. The only drawback is that they're much larger.

DLP Bigscreen Televisions

What are DLP Bigscreens?
DLP technology is a reveolutionary display solution that uses an optical semiconductor to manipulate light digitally. Each DMD chip has hundreds of thousands of tiny swiveling mirrors which are used to create the image - each mirror represents a single pixel. DLP technology is used in both front projectors and rear-projection televisions.

Benefits:

1. Beautiful and crystal clear pictures. A seamless picture that is sharp at any size.
2. The use of mirror-based technology, use light more efficiently, to create a stunning and bright picture.
3. A range of colors up to 8 times greater than traditional televisions. Creating richer and darker shades.
4. Light in size and weight.
5. Reliable and robust. Not affected by heat, humidity or vibration.

Limitations:

1. Unable to be mounted or hung on a wall.
2. Requires a 12-14" space from the wall due to the lamp based technology.
3. Less effective in producing sharp text.
   

Think you Can't Afford Surround Sound?

Home Theater in a Box

If you want a great home theater system that's easy to set up and won't break the bank, then you should look into getting a Home Theater in a Box. You'll find systems starting at $209.90 in our store. A Home Theater in a Box or HTIB is an all-in-one system that comes with a receiver that has a built-in or stand alone DVD player, a center channel, surround speakers and a subwoofer. These systems are ideal for smaller spaces like a den, bedroom, or dorm room.
Dolby Digital
Dolby Digital enables digital surround sound that is far more dynamic, spacious and realistic. Many HTIB's Give you DVD capability and Dolby Digital decoding for less than the price of most separate component systems.
Format Playback
Most HTIB's will play just about any format CD or DVD. Different formats include DVD-Video, DVd-R & DVD-RW, DVD-RAM. Most will even play MP3 and WMA CDs and digital picture CDs
Pros

1. Easy and cost effective solution to home theater sound.
2. Many systems even come with color-coded connection wires, and can be up and running in less than an hour.

Cons

1. Choosing a HTIB won't let you tailor your system's power and capabilities to suit a larger space.
2. Getting separate components allows you to satisfy your personal taste and to easily add on new gear.