Home theater system installation tips, trick and advice for beginners … great idea you are probably thinking I haven’t got a clue? where to get started with my home theater installation and I could do with some handy hints so I don’t make a total hash of it.

Well have you noticed that most men … myself included always start to do things the wrong way round? Let me give you an example we decide we are going to decorate the bedroom don’t know one end of paint brush from another but it will save money.

3 Weeks Later You End Up Paying

But after 3 weeks we have? the wife or girlfriend saying we are not sleeping with them until it’s finished we eventually give up and go and call a painter and decorator. Who after various tut’s and? hmm’s that’s going to be expensive ends up costing us twice what it would of if we gave him the job in the first place.

Well? doing it yourself? home theater installation is a bit like that for many people, they get everything home from the store decide the couple of hundred the guy was going to charge for setting it all up? was money better in? their pockets and? they start getting everything out of the boxes throw the instruction books in the corner and start assembling this mass of wires and components.

Good DIY Project or? Dumb Idea??

So you might be asking is? home theater installation a good DIY project or a recipe for disaster?? The answer to that question will depend both your experience level? (which if? your are a newbie is likley to be pretty scant)? and on the exact nature of the home theater system in question.?

A good rule of thumb is if you paid more than a few hundred don’t even dream about trying to set it up yourself if you spent thousands of dollars on top end home theater equipment and don’t know your woofer from your tweeter or your center speaker from your decoder you are asking for trouble.

If the work involves wireless installation or cutting holes in panels and you are hopeless at DIY don’t even go there…

Mistakes Cost Money!

But? few of us, however, are looking for anything quite that extreme but remember a simple mistake can cost a lot to put right.?

If however you simply? paid a few hundred dollars on an all-in-one home theater system? which you brought off the net or second hand off eBay don’t bother paying for a professional instal unless you are a complete techno? phobe.These low-end systems are particularly built for ease of installation and can be handled by pretty? much? anyone who reads the intructions.?

Again, however, most of us don’t fall into this category either even less read the instructions…

The? greater number of us fall somewhere between these two extremes.

Perhaps we have purchased separate components and a nice five-speaker surround sound set, but have stopped short of making a huge investment that would obviously warrant professional help.?

Those of us in the middle and have read? the? manuals properly? can generally handle? a pretty basic? home theater installation when it just involves connecting all the home theater components? .

First, and most importantly,? if you a? novice or even if you? are upgrading some home theater componets you? should read all documentation and instructions things change. I had never even heard of an Optilink when I brought my first system and if you import from the Far East like I did a few years ago? you can forget scart as they moved on from that years ago.

It is also? important to have a clear understanding of how to hook things up and why they are hooked up this way.? Don’t be tempted just to? dive in immediately, read the supporting materials provided by the manufacturer even if they are? poor translation which looks like it was written by a 7th grader or worse. I have found some manufacturers provide very useful information and with high end equipment this can be essential.

Second, use the right tools for the job.? Home theater installations that? involve? using the? kitchen equipment are likely to have several weak links.? Take the time to use the right tools for the? job? and don’t compromise on quality of connectors,speaker wires and the like…?

Finally, stop if it isn’t working!!!

It is possible to do permanent damage to components during installation and you if not done properly. You don’t want to hear a big bang and kiss goodbye to hundreds of dollars of equipment in puff of smoke.Most equipment has protection circuitry but it is not designed to be a substitute for stupidty or lack of understanding.

Generally, damage of this sort is not covered by warranties.? Don’t risk your investment by experimenting when something goes wrong.? Consult the documentation and troubleshoot likely problems.? If nothing seems to work, put the project down and call in a pro every time…

Most of us can handle our home theater installation needs.? All we need to do is remember a few basic guidelines and we are likely to emerge from the process with a fully operable home entertainment center that will make movie watching at home a real joy just follow my home theater installation tips. and tricks and you’ll be OK.

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So which home theater selection mistakes are you? making or have made in the past?

We all want to? own home theater equipment but so many people don’t carry out the required research to get it right first time round.?

As a result, they end up with systems that don’t do what they need them to do which I have to confess has been me on more than one occasion.

I still frequently kick myself knowing that I should have brought that Bose system I was offered in Malaysia for less than half the cost of the US. Still no point in living with regrets as long as you learn from your mistakes right??

Sometimes they end up with systems that are far too powerful than what they really need that was why I should of brought the Bose instead of the system? with subwoofer which sounds like the San Adres fault is cracking open. Great for the blockbusters but? sucked on the? concert video’s.

Being a ? well-informed and researched? buyer can avoid all of this although I have to say I should have know better at the time.?

Today I? will discuss a few common errors in home theater selection in hopes of providing? you with the information you need to avoid such? problems.

One of the most common errors I come across? is putting together a system that lacks adequate amplification infact it is to an extent the manufacturers fault but let me explain why…

This error? is particularly common among those who purchase less expensive systems and then attempt to use them in larger spaces.? Often, bargain systems utilize smaller amplifiers that are not able to power speakers adequately to handle larger rooms.? An absence of amplification is a common problem for new home theater buyers and can lead to feeling that the whole investment was a waste of money.

Fortunately, it is one? home theater mistake? that is easy to prevent.? You must simply look not only for a low price tag but for adequate power, as well.?

Usually the? biggest cause of this difficulty is the attempt to save a few bucks or preferring a more gimicky set up that one that delivers the goods. Don’t buy your home theater equipment based on it looks but on it’s suitability and sound.? Ask a sales associate or a knowledgeable friend about how much power you should really have and take their advice.?

? That small increase in upfront cost will represent a savings over an otherwise inevitable upgrade and often by shopping around good quality equipment can be brought at very reasonable prices.

Often, speakers fail to adequately perform as you would have expected? once they are brought in to the confines of your home.

What sounded great in the showroom when demonstrated by the knowledgeable salesman? sounds muddled and weak in? your living room or den.?

Some people might think they were sold something different a scam known as bait and? switch but more often than? not it was the set up at home? did not mirror the acoustically perfect room of the demonstration room at the Home Theater Store.?

Although it might be tempting to put your speakers at either end of the bookshelf to make them look good you must remember that speaker aesthetics are not as important as the sound they produce.

Use? the manufacturer’s directions and/or utilize a trial and error strategy to optimally place the speakers or if your HOme Theater? Store provides the service pay the extra to get them to set it all up for you for maximum impact.

? The results of simple shifts in elevation, angle and distance can be remarkable and make all the difference.

Another? often encountered problem is that of space.? We all love the idea of a huge screen.Commonly we? will measure the space to determine what size of screen we can accomodate? and will buy based on that calculation.

However, that size does not reflect the screen’s casing or the actual footprint of the unit.? People frequently underestimate the amount of floor space that will be required and often end up purchasing a screen that is far too big for their available space.

? A large screen is wonderful in the abstract, but it is nothing less than annoying when one is sitting only a few feet from it and can count every pixel!?

Which incidently was another classic mistake I made with my 56″ Front Projection Toshiba on the Malaysia trip? works great in the huge living? room but when? I tried moving it to the den it was a nightmare.

Take into account the amount of floor space and don’t forget to compensate for the size of the screen’s casing when making a purchase even ultra modern LCD and Plasma screens require space.

People tell? me almost? daily that they screwed up buying home theater equipment.? Fortunately, all of these? small? errors? are easily avoidable with a little bit of care and attention and most importantly engaging your brain before handing over your credit card.

Take a few moments to make purchases wisely and conduct sufficient research before entering the store and you can avoid many common problems altogether.

Don’t get this wrong and turn against your system from Day 1 you wouldn’t buy a new car without driving it would you?

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Sometimes a? reader? thinks they have assembled the perfect home theater system only to find themselves dissatisfied with the performance which more often than not is a sound issue rather than picture.

? In some cases, this is attributable to just simply? making a? poor purchase or buying incompatible equipment.Today I am going to look at some common causes of disappointment and will look at how such problems can be avoided by choosing products that better meet your needs and will enhance your pleasure with your home theater equipment.

Sound problems are incredibly frustrating because one of the most important? parts and in my view the most important part? of the home theater experience is the sound.?

? A great sound system will really bring a movie to life and can absolutely destroy a great movie when it is flat and weak or just downright annoying.Many experts and enthusiasts as well would argue that home theater sound is at least as important, if not more so, than home theater video playback. I have to say I agree whole heartedly.

On rare occasions the problem are so bad that the system really cannot be rescued but to be honest this is less common than you might think.

? In other cases, the problem can be simply corrected by making only minor adjustments to the system or even just the system set up including placing of speakers,connectors, speaker wires etc.?

Sound problems are frequently encountered.?

Often, you might notice? the sound doesn’t sound? sufficiently rich or varied and maybe lacks depth of base.? In many cases, the? first reaction? will immediately? to assume there is a need for a better set of speakers and often? you? will immediately be tempted to make a purchase of a new surround sound speaker collection.

But hold on just a minute…before doing anything quite so radical and costly

You might be suprized but quite often? the problem in many cases is not the speakers at all.? The problem is either in the connections from the amplifier or amplifier/receiver and the speakers or may be with even be? the amplifier itself.

You? should first check to see if the speakers are correctly connected? at? both ends of the system.? Which means at the speaker end and the amplifier end and they are not cross wired which will put the speakers out of phase. Which means sound for the left speaker comes out of the right and vice versa.

If they are correct you? should next spend some time determining if the speakers are at fault or if it is an amplification problem.?

This might sound obvious but is the amplifier switched on or working (some times they can switch of? if protection circuits are activated due to? shorting a speaker wire or something)?

? Many all in one? home theater systems feature relatively low-powered amplifiers.? These weaker? smaller amps, commonly encountered in cheaper “all-in-one” systems are often unable to sufficiently power speakers to produce the kind of sound one might want especially when used in the larger room.? ?

A good way to test to see what the real source of the problem is,to hook up the same speakers to a different stereo of amplifier and compare their performance if you don’t have one ask a friend to bring there’s round for a couple of hours.?

Generally speaking? there is more power output from a traditional stereo so if you still have a seperate one use that, ? it can be amazing how much better a set of speakers will sound when adequately powered.?

However, if the speakers continue to under-perform when used with different amplifiers in different settings it is likely you have either brought a defective speaker or again check the wiring to check the pets or kids haven’t dislogged or chewed anything.

I spent 4 hours testinge everything only to find the kitten had chewed through the speaker cable at $50 per meter I was not happy pet lover that day.

Is I mentioned another potential cause of poor sound is poor cabling.?

The cheaper cables sometimes provided with home theater purchases can occasionally be inadequate for the production of optimal sound.What? never ceases to amaze me is people spend hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars on home theater equipment but resent paying? for quality speaker cables.?

Cheap speaker wire can bring with it enough resistance to decrease the quality of sound, as well.? If? you are? experiencing a sound-related problem of any sort,? you should always consider that the problem may not be with a component, but with the connections between the components.

Home theater sound problems can be avoided in many cases by following a few general? basic ideas?

First, make sure everything is correctly connected after setting up your equipment.? Second, be sure you have invested in an amplifier that will adequately power your speakers and produce enough sound to fill the space in which you will be placing the home theater.?

Third, always check cabling carefully and strive to use only high quality cables with your home theater system.

If? you take these relatively simple precautions a great deal of frustration can be avoided.? If your home theater’s sound isn’t where you need it to be, use these tips? to identify common solutions to home theater sound problems.

PS:? If it really is time to look for new components, take a good look around hometheater fanatic before buying new home theater equipment and sign up for our newsletter on the homepage.

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Prices are crashing and with increased demand the cost of video projectors for home theater are set to drop even further.

The truth is there has never been a better time to consider buying a video [tag-tec]projector[/tag-tec] for your home cinema set up.

If you have just forked out for the latest amplifier and speaker set up and were looking forward to that ultimate movie experience and then felt robbed when the TV set just didn’t do it for you then you could be the ideal candidate for a home theater upgrade to a video projector either an [tag-tec]lcd[/tag-tec] projector or a [tag-tec]dlp projector[/tag-tec]

The harsh reality is if you have the space even a massive plasma screen can’t match he image of a projected image the size of the wall in your living room or den.

Over the last 2-3 years the technology behind video? projectors for home theater has moved on by leaps and bounds which has lead to more and more people looking seriously at using a projector in their homes? to create massive picture sizes for watching their movies , play video games and even enjoy their favorite sporting? occasions.?

Just imagine watching the Superbowl or the US Grand Prix life size ? Or maybe you could see yourself playing with your new wii? – Got to be an experience to be lived? in my book.

But the best thing about the projectors of today? and the advances that have been made is that they are now with in reach of the average American home theater enthusiast and no longer the preserve of those that have six figure bank balances.

Of course? with this increase in quality and reduction in price the video projector is now also? increasingly also turning up in the boardroom of even smaller companies to assist with presentations. All this as projectors become more accesible and portable their range of? uses expands and now when combined with a decent laptop any company can create a credible multi media presentation for use in their business.

I will be? talking about the potential of the use of video projectors? in your office and business in a future post and you can bet you will be excited as I will be showing you how your company can benefit in more ways than you could imagine possible.

But for now I want to explain why things have changed and what that means for the typical home theater fanatic..

Just a few short years ago the vast majority of video projectors used a techology LCD (you might be more used to seeing it in the context of TV’s) and whilst many people are still using this type of projector and with new and ongoing? developments it may come to the top again. But for the time being at least Digital Light Processing (DLP) has started to establish it’s self as the more popular choice amongst those buying home theater projectors today.

The advantages it offers are perfect picture geometry, higher contrast and ratio levels and potentially longer lamp life with out any picture degradation.

So lets look at what at what some of these terms mean and what you should be looking for in a home theater video projector ?

Projection Distances:- This is the distance between the screen and the projector to achieve a sharp image of a given size. The shorter the figure the nearer the projector can be to the screen or wall. Technology has now made it possible to reduce these projection distances making the home theater video projector suitable for smaller rooms as well as giant ones.

By knowing this distance before buying your home theater projector you can calculate how large you expect the image to be in realtion to your intended location of your projector and viewing area.

Contrast Ratio :- A problem associated with projectors of afew years ago was the fact that they would not function well unless the room was totally blackend out. This was quite simply due to the fact the light was not intense enough (contrast ratio was to weak) whilst there have been significant improvements in this area it is still pretty much impossible to use a video projector in a fully lit room.

But it is now quite possible to enjoy movies with out sitting in total darkness and provided attention is paid to the siting and use of lighting in the room you should no longer experience major problems.

Of course as would be the case for a front or rear projection TV or even a plasma or LCD TV of for that matter a standard CRT TV they won’t function in direct sunlight. In my view just? some discrete lighting helps add to the ambiance and movie type experience without making it dangerous to move about if needed.

Connecting Your Projector : – Depending what type of equipment you intend to use with your projector will to some extent determine the type of connections you will need. HDMI and component video cables will normally be the best and will be essential for any High Definition images . For? older set ups SCART? will be used or possible in some cases Super VHS cables. I have found that cables from? Best Cables have worked great for my setups so you might want to check them out.

High Definition:- If buying new equipment make sure you purchase HD as anything less will leave your system obsolete in a few years and this could have been avoided for few extra bucks.

Aspect? Ratio? :- The standard for most of the world? now is widescreen or an aspect ration of 16:9 with the advantage of video projection you will be able to enjoy the full benefit of this enhanced viewing? option to the full creating a true movie theater picture.

Keystone Correction :- This is clever? technology which allows you to site the projector where it is best to do and the circuitry with in the projector? makes adjustments so that the picture displays perfectly on the screen. This means until now you needed the projector to be directly in front of the? screen or viewing wall but using keystone correction the images can be projected from the corner of the room and still appear straight . Pretty neat? huh !

Noise? Levels – Nothing could be more off putting than when the leading man and lady of the movie are about to go in to a romantic clich and all you can hear is the helicopter like fan of your home theater projector whirring in the background so make sure the fan is not so obtrusive as to kill the mood.

Hopefully by now you can not only see why but what to look out for when buying a video projector for your home theater system and to help you with your choice I have included some of the models I think are worth checking out.

Super Slim DLP Projector with 2000 Lumens? ? ? ? ?

1024 x 768 pixel resolution 2000:1 contrast ratio Texas Instruments DLP digital light processing 2X optical zoom enables you to fill a 60 inch screen in an office that s less than 6 feet deep Inverse Meniscus Condenser (IMC) lens makes it possible to reduce the size of the lens by 30 Digital vertical keystone correction & manual focus 10 5/8 inch W x 1 11/16 inch H x 7 13/16 inch D.

Professional Series HDTV Compatible DLP Projector with 3500 Lumens

1400 x 1050 native SXGA resolution 3000:1 contrast ratio 4:3 native, 16:9 and 5:4 compatible aspect ratios Innovative Wind Tunnel cooling system designed for whisper-quite operation and minimal light leakage DVI-I HDCP, VGA, component, composite, and S-Video inputs 16 3/16 inch W x 12 5/16 inch H x 4 5/8 inch D; weight: 10 lbs. Includes remote control with laser pointer, S-Video cable, VGA cable, USB cable, and lens cap.

DLP Projector With 1000 Lumens

854 x 480 pixel resolution 2000:1 contrast ratio 4:3 and 16:9 compatible aspect ratios 6 segment 5X speed color wheel helps achieve flicker free, high grade images with accurate color reproduction Sealed optical system prevents dust, dirt and smoke from entering the core components of the projector 12 1/2 inch W x 4 1/4 inch H x 11 1/8 inch D.

DLP Projector with 1100 Lumens

1280 x 720 WXGA pixel resolution 2500:1 contrast ratio 16:9 Native (5 aspect ratio selectable) Component, composite, S-Video, and HDMI inputs 480i, 480p, 576i, 576p, 720p, 1080i signal compatibility Senseye technology De-interlace with 3:2 pull down 15 inch W x 4 1/2 inch H x 11 13/16 inch D Includes remote control and BNC to VGA adapter.

Sharp XR -20X DLP HOme Theater Projector, 2300 Lumens XR-20X

Sharp XR-20X DLP Home Theater Projector, 2300 lumens – 2000:1 Contrast Ratio, 1024×768 Max Res

Optoma Movie Time DV10 DLP Digital Projector DVD w/speakers DV10

Optoma MovieTime DV10 DLP Digital Projecter DVD w/Speakers -1000 Lumens.

This is quite a selection at varying price points so check out the different offering and decide for yourself I will be looking at each one of these in greater detail in a further post hopefully just after Christmas and the Holiday Season.

So if you want to treat yourself to a new years gift this could be a good time?

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This new feature? provides you a myriad of choices including free, premium and subscription services from Microsoft and other selected third party providers.

from Online Spotlight you can watch movies, download the latest soundtracks and music as well as access to news, sports updates and a huge range of [tag-tec]entertainment programming[/tag-tec] which is set to expand.

Showcase : – With the show case section of windows XP? media? center edition you can access a? massive data base of [tag-tec]music downloads[/tag-tec] as well as being able to buy offerings from MTV , AOL Music ,? Napster and many more ..

Music and Radio :- Within this category you will find satellite radio , napster , aol , live 365 and MTV which gives you access to more than 5,000 internet radio stations spanning dozens of generes.

TV and Movies :- Using your broadband? (ADSL) or cable connection you can download and stream movies currently there are more than 1200 movies available to browse, buy and watch through services by Movielink and Cinema Now. Just select you favorite’s and download to enjoy. In addition in addition you will find great TV from ABC , and Titan TV.

News and Sports :- Get the latest news and sports offerings from Fox Sports, Newsgator, Msn and Reuters and NPR.

Games:- No multimedia entertainment program would be? totally complete without at? least some gaming options and media center has certainly not? ignored this either. Discover Games and Games on demand being available to satify the gamers needs.

Lifestyle :- Gallery Player , Kodak? offer a? wide range of pictures from all different walks of life as well a black and white photography? and fine art images. In addition the life style offers a suite of organisational software which includes contacts, calendar and a home organiser.

Without doubt this is the future if Microsoft and Bill Gates have anything to do with it and I I feel it is only a few years down the track that visting your favorite DVD store or DVD rental outlet will become a faded memory.

If you have experienced the new windows multi media system lets hear what you thought about it ?

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To use a shipping analogy if the Tv or monitor is the top deck then the receiver is the engine room and control room in
one. That’s right get the choice of home theater receiver wrong and your home theater system is doomed to sink from the very start.

Let me explain further…

The receiver as well as generating the power to your system (amplification) it also carries out several other crucial functions required in your home theater system and acts as sort of junction box or if you prefer and automated control system to all the other home theater components in the a/v setup.

Your receiver handles the processing of the audio/video signals from the DVD player or other source such as an HD or TIVO and then feeds these out via the audio and video outputs to cables to the other components as required from the information encoded on the DVD or source material.
For example:- Tthe audio signal from the DVD is converted to sound by the home theater speakers and the video
(picture signal) is displayed on the tv or monitor or by the home theater projector if you have one.

Whilst this might be an oversimplification for some tech heads?. This basically is how we get a little silver disc (DVD) to
create an action movie in our living room.

Some new and more advanced receivers such as the Sony STR DG 800 features Digital Cinema Sound , Dolby Digital,Dolby Pro Logic II,dts 96/24,dts NEO:6,Dolby Digital EX,Dolby Pro Logic IIX,Dolby Pro Logic and dts-ES so at under $400 this [tag-ice]Sony[/tag-ice] is pretty much as highend as you are likely to want with a comprehensive choice of [Tag-Tec]decoders[/Tag-Tec] .

On a more modest budget you will find receivers like the Yamaha HTR5940BK at $299 which still offers a very good specification which offers Dolby Digital-ES,Dolby Prologic II and[tag-tec] DTS[/tag-tec] 96/24 Compatibility so you won’t need to break the bank with recievers like the[tag-ice]Yamaha[/tag-ice]

With these higher end new spec receivers the digital ouput will be transferred from the receiver via a component video cable or HDMI cable to the various components of your home theater system.

As you can see some receivers will have a whole bundle of features some so advanced you will probably never even work out what they do or even care. My view is if it’s that obsure chances are you don’t need it but you never know ?
Many people are taken in by the massive list of features when buying a receiver they don’t carry out the most important test of all which is the listen and watch test.

If that sound technical don’t panic what I am saying is you don’t buy a receiver for it’s specification you buy it for how it
makes Lord of The Rings look and sound or maybe your more into To Fast to Furious ? Do not buy a receiver because the specification says it has 95 different presets or what ever ….

In case you are wondering both the Yamaha and Sony models you see won’t leave you feeling like you have been sold down the river. Click on those images to get the full details.

I am of the view that DVD and movie producers have spent many millions of dollars creating superb soundtracks so why would you want to try and ‘enhance these’ using digital sound processing (DSP) and a bunch of other gymicks?

I never turn mine on..

But What Should You be Looking For In Your Home Theater Receiver ?

When choosing to buy a home theater receiver or upgrading you will find with just a few exceptions there are 4 options. OK there are probably a few more including lucas THX but in the mainstream it’s four. Who’s splitting hairs ?

These are basic stereo, home theater 5.1 , 6.1 and 7.1 which relates to the number of audio channels your receiver outputs too.

Stereo

This is just a basic left and right and is still best for hifi audio in my book if I am honest I think using your home theater system for audio is normally a bad idea. If you can afford it run your hifi system for listening to music through a different system. My reasoning is what is required for home theater is not what is required for audio.

I sat through a number of my favorite CD’s through my home theater system and quite frankly hated them this was such audio classics as Mary Black , Alison Krauss and Radiohead what these tracks need is precison not hard earth shattering base which is the norm for home cinema. In the end I relented and brought a seperate amplifier and speakers for audio.

I am interested on your views on this one and will write about this some day soon maybe even take a vote on it ?

Receivers for Home Theater 5.1 0- 7.1

As a basic starting point for home theater you should be looking for at very least Dolby Prologic II (which is pretty much the miniumum ) or ideally Dolby Digital and more often than not DTS surround sound will also be included.

Some home cinema people claim that DTS offers a sharper sound but I find it is pretty much six of one and half a dozen of the other how about you ?

Home Theater 5.1 Sound Proccesing

Both Dolby Digital and DTs use 5 discrete audio channels consisting of two front and center channel and two rear channels. Plus they use a extra channel which creates the bass (low frequency) effects. Hence this is known as 5.1.

This channel is often known as the bass channel and can sometimes be boosted by the use of a subwoofer which can either be either an active subwoofer or powered subwoofer which has it’s own built in amplification circuitry or unpowered or passive subwoofer (uses the amplification output of the receiver).

I personally recommend an active subwoofer and look for a fast acting one or instead of crash , boom , bang you will get a mixed kind of thump.

Home Theater Receivers With 6.1 and 7.1

The more advanced or powerful step-up receivers may additionally include Dolby Digital EX and DTS-ES processors which creates further background effects or fill in effects to the main sound track.

A receiver is know as a 6.1 or even now 7.1 it has the same basic system and proccesing abilities of the standard 5.1 processor with dolby digital or DTS. But then is equipped with additional channels (1 in the case of 6.1 and 2 in the case of 7.1) to play back the additional background surround channels (fill in) when watching DVD’s which are encoded with Dolby Digital EX or DTS- ES information.

These additional channels further enhance the viewer experience and bring authenticicity to a sound which is produced in the
state of the art home theater of today to that of a top notch movie theater at a fraction of the cost.

With the gradual but ever accelerating growth of HD DVD and Blu Ray there is increasing justification if buying today to purchase 7.1 receiver as for a couple of hundred extra dollars this will eventually become the new minimum standard.