Digital Trends

“How much can you spend?”

As is often the case in life, what you get is largely determined by what you can afford to pay. In the world of displays, more money nets you a larger screen size and the latest technology, all the way up to 1080p, the highest available resolution on consumer monitors. One point not to be compromised on is HDMI ("High-Definition Multimedia Interface") input, the gold standard for connectivity which assures the transfer of full-quality HD video and multichannel audio from the latest source components. For Blu-ray, I can heartily recommend the reasonably priced Sony PlayStation 3, a high-end gaming console built around a Blu-ray disc player, one which has consistently offered new and improved features via frequent online firmware upgrades. (The PS3 has high-speed Internet access built-in.) But with the HD format war finally over, look for more traditional CE-type Blu-ray players to drop in price while embracing the newest advancements in high-end video processing. 

You will likely want to watch TV shows in your home theater, and while free over-the-air broadcasts are available with the right antenna in the right location (www.antennaweb.org explains it all), cable and satellite offer the widest range of content. High-definition cable or satellite service often comes at a premium above standard rates, but is well worth the expense. Your service provider likely offers their own DVR as well, although you might be required to purchase your own hardware. HD recordings require more storage space than standard-def, so spring for a high-capacity hard disk drive, 250 gigabytes or more.

As little as $500 USD can procure a respectable HTiB, designed around standard-definition DVD. If you insist upon buying a new standalone DVD player, don't spend more than $100 USD: That price will bring you outstanding features and performance at this point in the product's life cycle, and you won't feel badly when you inevitably upgrade to Blu-ray.

Performance is the key factor when purchasing loudspeakers, as you will simply want the best sound that you can afford, as defined by the "performance envelope" of frequency and dynamic range. A speaker's ability to reproduce lower bass (even in addition to a dedicated subwoofer) and higher trebles is critical, along with the range across which it can enjoyably reproduce soft to loud audio. Proper demos can be difficult to find at retail, so will you be able to audition the speakers at home and return them if necessary? Build quality is not just a matter of old-world craftsmanship, rather it greatly affects the quality of the sound, today and in the future. Durably construicted wooden cabinets can reduce unwanted resonance (step right up and knock on them with your fist), while some designers are big believers in alternative materials such as rigid extruded aluminum, which also brings up the issue of esthetics. How different, or just plain cool, do you want your speakers to look?

Of course your speakers need to be a good match for your amplifier/receiver, and not too piggish in their power demands, noting their nominal impedance rating. Speakers with 8-ohm impedance are extremely common, and lower ratings will mean the speaker is drawing more electrical power. More discerning listeners lean toward separates, that is a dedicated decoder/preamplifier box which then passes the prepared signal to an outboard amplifier, versus a single, integrated audio/video receiver. The performance of receivers--which can function as control centers and switchers for all of your home theater gear, with HDMI ins/out--now approach the level of separates, while their value and versatility can't be beat. Recent receivers also support the most sophisticated audio formats available on Blu-ray, including Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio.

Home entertainment is one of life's great rewards, so do your research, don't skimp, and be sure find a comfortable chair, because your audio/video system will bring you years of enjoyment.