Kenwood Car Stereo

Kenwood Car Stereo Lets You Listen To The Future Of Car Audio.

This brand is a household name for every car audio enthusiast. Mention the name Kenwood car stereo and they will know what you’re talking about.

Kenwood car stereos have produced high quality consumer electronics, test equipment and communication equipment since 1946. Kenwood car stereos primarily specialize in the design, engineering and manufacture of wireless communication infrastructure but are also renowned in the production consumer mobile and home entertainment systems. Kenwood car stereos are also committed to creating the finest quality components with state of the art technologies that has earned them a huge following in the audio products scene.

At present, Kenwood car stereos have a very impressive product lineup that would make anyone drool over, whether he is an audio enthusiast or not. For the regular Joe who isn’t really into technical stuff, and is just looking for something nice to put into his ride, Kenwood car stereos offer sleek designs that will surely satisfy anyone’s craving for aesthetic. Tech-freaks and geeks will also be impressed with the specs a Kenwood car stereo has.


A lot of Kenwood car stereo units nowadays include popup LCD panels for watching VCD/DVD movies. The Kenwood KVT-717DVD 7.0” Wide, Fully Motorized In-dash Monitor DVD/WMA/MP3 Receiver is a good candidate for any situation.

• 7.0 inch Wide Color TFT Active Matrix Display
• Full-automatic Open/Close with slide and angle adjustments
• Interactive Touchscreen Control with OSD
• Audio Easy Control Mode while Playing Visual Source
• Selectable Wall Paper (6 Patterns)
• Installer/Backup Memory of Audio/Video Setup
• Maximum Output Power : 50W x 4 (MOSFET Power IC)
• 3 Preouts with 5V Pre-out Level
• 2 RCA AV Inputs / 1 RCA AV Output
• Video Input for Rear View Camera
• RGB Input for Navigation System
• System Q/ System E's+
• DVD Menu Direct Touch screen Control
• MPEG 1/2 Video files (.mpg) and JPEG files (.jpg) Playback
• Dual Zone Source & Volume Control
• DVD±R/RW Compatible
• External Media Control — iPod Ready
• Optional TV Tuner

For those who might not get what the hell all of these means, just imagine this: a really thin monitor panel that smoothly retracts and extends at the push of a remote, crystal clear movie and picture playback, all encased in a beautiful black matte finish polymer casing done with a space age design.

If all you want is a just a regular car stereo for playing CDs’, listening to mp3s or the radio, Kenwood car stereo have a lot to choose from. A good head unit would be the KDC-MP928 AAC/WMA/MP3/ CD Receiver with External Media Control.

• Auto-Slide Detachable Faceplate
• Rotary Encoder & Jog Control Knob for Easy Operation
• 4096 Color OEL Display
• Display Customize Function
• Maximum Output Power : 50W x 4 (MOSFET Power IC)
• ACDrive (Advanced Codec Drive)
• AAC/WMA/MP3 Playback
• G-Analyzer (Graphic Motion Analyzer)
• Built-in DSP : DTA/System Q(4band P-EQ)/Digital E's/SRS
WOW Digital Effect
• O.D.D. (Offset Dual Differential) D/A System for Sound Quality
• Installer/User/Backup Memory of Audio Setup
• SIRIUS Satellite Radio Ready
• HD Radio Ready
• External Media Control — iPod Ready
• Dual Zone Source & Volume Control
• AUX Input
• Gold Plated 3 Preouts with 5V Pre-output Level

The Kenwood car stereo auto slide detachable faceplate allows you to take the faceplate (one which has all the buttons) in order to prevent theft by taking away the functionality of the unit left in the car.

Car Stereo!

Duh, It’s A Car Stereo!

Pretty self-explanatory isn’t it? It’s a stereo system in a car, you say. Whoa, hold your horses, it’s not that simple. Although some people like to put home stereos in their cars and vans (out of dire need for some sounds), sometimes it just doesn’t work. Yeah, maybe before it could have worked just fine, all you needed was radio and a cassette player (or 8 tracks, for the inner dinosaur in you) so sure, lug those big box speakers into the back seat and you’ll be blaring down the highway. But nowadays there are things like cd players and mp3 players and your pop-up LCD panels and all that techie knickknack you’d think they’d like to build a home theater system right smack on the console of your van. If you don’t know anything about these things but would like to have some sounds in your car anyway, here are some things to know about a car stereo.

As mentioned above, at first units and speakers from home audio systems and professional markets were just simply installed into vehicles. However, they were not well suited to the extremes of temperature and vibration which are a normal part of the environment of an automobile. Car stereo enthusiasts were not satisfied with the sound quality of regular car sound systems, and with the advent of the CD player, they really had to start modifying some of these home stereos in order to work well in a car environment and voila!, now we have the modern car stereo.

If you have a new car, first hand bought, say from about 90 to present, chances are you already have a “factory” car stereo in your car. It means the car manufacturer already included a car stereo system in your car, unless specified in the car model but most often this is the case. Some car manufacturers make their own car stereos, like BMW which includes a pretty decent car stereo package head unit and speakers. It is a standard which comes with all their cars (which isn’t surprising considering that BMW is included in the league of “luxury car manufacturers”). Or like Mercedes Benz or Volkswagen, they use car stereo systems from a German audio manufacturer called Blaupunkt.

A standard car stereo (also called a head unit) usually includes an auto-reverse tape deck, a CD player and sometimes the optional changer – a device which automatically changes the CD in play. On newer car models, the car stereo can also play mp3s and other digital audio file types like WMA and AAC, whether on a CD or a memory device which can be hooked up to the head unit.

The car stereo head unit is connected to several speakers. Older car models usually just had one speaker mounted underneath the dashboard, pointing through perforations towards the front windshield. The standard for car stereo nowadays is a pair of “tweeters” (used to bring out high treble) on the driver side/front passenger side dashboard, a pair of normal “mid” speakers on both doors, sometimes even the backseat passenger doors if it’s a large car and larger speakers capable of bringing out low ends at the back portion of the backseats.

Your car stereo is probably okay as it is, as car manufacturers ensure that the audio products that come with their cars can handle most driver’s listening demands. But if you think that what you have isn’t enough, you can always CUSTOMIZE.

Whats HDMI ?

HDMI stands for High Definition Multimedia Interface. It is the industry
standard for HD audio and video signals between HD capable devices. You
can connect your Playstation 3 to your HDTV with just one cable - and it
will carry both video and audio. All HDMI cables are digital. To do the
same thing with analog cables, you would have to connect 3 component
cables (red, blue, green) to carry the video signal and 6 analog audio
cables to carry the surround sound audio signal.

In addition to being more convenient, HDMI provides the best quality of
video since there are no analog to digital conversions as are required
with component or S-video - both analog connections. The difference is
especially noticeable at higher resolutions such as 1080p (Blu-ray and
Playstation 3 games). Digital video will thus be sharper than component.

HDMI has bandwidth capacity of up to 10.2Gbps - that's twice the
bandwidth currently needed to send a 1080p data signal from a Playstation 3.

HDMI works with faster 120Hz refresh rates of some LCD TVs.

HDMI is ready for 1440p resolution.

HDMI or Component? Which is Best?

HDMI or Component: Which is Best?

By Kenny Hemphill

You've just bought a new HDTV, complete with HDMI connector and are delighted that you had the foresight to buy a DVD player with HDMI interface a while ago, even though you couldn't use HDMI at the time.

So you can ignore those component outputs and inputs and plug an HDMI cable between your two favourite bits of home theater kit. After all, HDMI, being all digital, is bound to be better than component, isn't it?

Well, no, actually. Not necessarily. It's true that converting a DVD signal to analog, sending it over component video and then switching it back to digital in the TV will result in a slight degradation of picture quality. And it's true that HDMI removes this issue. However, the degradation in the signal over component is virtually imperceptible and HDMI does introduce a few problems of its own.

Firstly, although DVD players "up-convert" video from 420p resolution to the native resolution of the HDTV (720p or 1080i), the signal still has to be "re-clocked" in the television before it is displayed. Some experts suggest that this re-clocking introduces more artifacts than the process of digital-to-analog-to-digital conversion. And the quality of the processor in the DVD player doing the "up-converting" is important here, if it's not up to scratch that could have a negative impact on picture quality.

Secondly, any equipment with HDMI (or DVI for that matter) connectors must support an anti-piracy measure known as HDCP (High Bandwidth Digital Content Protection). This takes the form of a code which is embedded into the digital video signal when it’s sent from a content player, such as a DVD player, and must be de- coded by the HDTV or HD projector. This puts additional pressure on the TV's video processor with no benefit to picture quality and so could, potentially, result in a slight loss in picture quality. Using component video connections means that no anti-piracy protection is necessary. None of this means that you should avoid HDMI. However, it does mean that you shouldn't take it for granted that HDMI will always be better than component. The only way to find out which is best for your equipment is to try both and see which one you prefer.

Kenny Hemphill is the editor and publisher of The HDTV Tuner - a guide to the kit, the technology and the programming on HDTV.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Samsung LN46A550 LCD HDTV - A Review

User-friendly and a certified eye candy--two reasons why this TV set is an excellent choice.

Save for some minor slips like images on shown on the set that’s lacking detail and user’s manual isn’t completely helpful, the Samsung LN46A550 is almost a complete package. It is easy to see that this TV is almost perfect.

First up is an image test. We scouted nine 46- and 47-inch high definition sets .And among these; it is the one from Samsung that got attention. This set particularly got a high rating for its Blu-ray discs. The set makes pictures look like they’ve come straight from 35mm print as shown when we viewed Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. Vizio’s VO47LF and the Syntax-Brillian’s Olevia 747i followed the ratings of the Samsung.

Speaking of audio, the TV’s audio system isn’t primed for high-end sound experience. But if you’re in for talk and regular shows, then the set’s audio will just be fine and you can omit the surround sound stereo. However, if you prefer to listen to deafening sounds of your movies, an external gadget can easily be used to improve the sound quality.

Yes, this TV is easy to use. It has an icon-based on-screen menu that can be understood easily. Need help? Then there’s an explanation about the menu as well. When you need to check up on options for the current input, all you need to do is to access the separate tools button on the remote control.

This works just like your pc’s mouse. There’s more; when you need to play a connected device, the easy-to-use LN46A550 instantly switches the input to that source. A major feature of the Samsung is the convenience factor. Much of the controls that need to be used can be used automatically, without the need of a few extra steps.

One of the only problems that you will find involves the remote control. It has backlit buttons that are large enough to be viewed by almost everyone, however if you like the picture in picture option and use it frequently, you will have to go through the menu option each time, there are no buttons assigned to it. Another issue with the remote is that you cannot use it to control other electronics such as a VCR because there is no way to program it.

With large and easy to see buttons, you’d think that the remote control is perfect. Not quite. Missing is a helpful PiP button for your easy access to Picture-in-Picture. Also, that ratio button is mislabeled. Who will immediately know what a P-Size is? Playing your devices like DVD will be tasking as well since it isn’t programmable. Well you can still play these devices if you want to, granted that you use the brand’s proprietary Anynet technology. The HDMI ‘s Consumer Electronics Control channel will make it possible.

The set-up guide and bilingual manual is supposed to facilitate that easy set-up. But the opposite happens. The guide is difficult to comprehend for the non-techie person and the manual is long and too complicated. While the price of some flat screen TV’s are too high due to a bad product, the Samsung offers enough options to justify the price.

So why is the LN46A550 such a good buy? That’s because of its features. Its USB port is helpful when you view pictures and listen to music. On the side of the set are the easy-to-access HDMI, S-Video and the USB. Want to change the angle of the set for viewing pleasure? Then you can do that as well, as the set can swivel on its stand. Reasons such as these help make the set a well-rounded HDTV and a winner.

Identifying your Home Theater Needs

If you are in the market for a home theater system, chances are that you have a pretty good idea of the individual components you will need in order to make your system complete. Most people find questions when it comes to specific information about the individual pieces and parts of the system. However, in an effort to educate all about home theater systems, this will be a brief break down of components that one might expect to purchase during the course of building a premium home theater system. Keep in mind that everyone will have their own specific needs and preferences and you may have some perfectly acceptable components already. This of course, will save you money on the overall purchase if you choose to keep the pieces you currently own.

First of all, there are all kinds of 'home theater in a box' kits on the market today. These kits are already put together in order to help you get the home theater you desire in one fell swoop. While you can get perfectly good home theater systems in this manner, I honestly believe you will get better value for your money by building your own system one component at a time. If you are impatient in a hurry or simply do not wish to spend the time researching your options then the home theater systems that are sold on the market may be a good idea for you.

Now that we've gotten past that, you should notice that some people consider the actual television to be a part of the home theater system. You can go many routes when selecting a television that will work with your home theater needs. It is entirely up to you what kind of television you select. I do however recommend that you seriously consider the lighting in any given room before choosing your television. Projection televisions do not do well in rooms with a great deal of light. Otherwise, go with what works within your budget and the overall look you prefer for your home theater viewing.

Sound is another important component of most home theater systems. The amount you spend on your sound system should depend entirely on how much sound impacts your enjoyment of movies. You can spend a lot of money on a good set of speakers and sound system or you can seriously cut costs by spending less on this particular component. Everything when it comes to building a home theater depends entirely upon your personal preferences and the overall system you wish to build.

In order to get the greatest benefit from your speakers you will need a receiver in order to process the sounds and present them in the best possible light. The receiver basically receives information from all manner of devices and sends the signal where you tell it to go. Your receiver is one place that most people tend to spend a good portion of their budget and with good reason. This is by far one of the most important components and one that many people do not already own.

Your DVD/DVR is another thing that can impact your viewing experience. You shouldn't opt for a high definition DVD or DVR unless you have a high definition television and only then if you plan to purchase high definition DVDs rather than the regular DVDs you will find on the market at the moment. Doing so will only result in a waste of money while the technology is new. Instead, wait a year or two until the prices drop and upgrade slowly rather than buying the top of the line most expensive component that the remainder of your system cannot keep up with.

While this list is by no means exhaustive of everything you might wish to include in your home theater system it will provide a good start for most home theaters. Only you can set your budget and decide how much you are willing to spend on each individual component. My best advice is to start with a receiver and build your system one component at a time around your receiver.

Gabriel Turntable

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Compare Home Theater to Movie Going

Many people shy away from purchasing a home theater for fear of the great costs involved in doing so. I recommend that you put serious pen and paper to those assumptions rather then merely assuming it is too costly for your limited budget. The truth of the matter, when compared with the costs of going out to watch a movie you might find that you will be spending less money in no time by watching movies at home rather than paying for the 'movie going' experience.

You might want to pay careful attention to how much money you spend each month going to the theater. Don't forget including any costs involved in hiring sitters, going out to dinner (most people don't do McDonald's before or after going to theaters), concession stand purchases in those figures. Even if you go to the theater once a week as a couple or as family the costs can really add up. If you visit the theater less or have a smaller family those costs might be less but you could also seriously raise those prices by going more often or having a larger family.

The important thing to remember when pricing a home theater system is the value it will bring to you and your family. If this will bring the family together at home for a couple of nights a week it is well worth the investment in my opinion. If it will keep the teens in your home and off the streets on the weekend it is worth even more. A home theater is an investment in the enjoyment of your home for everyone involved and many families find that this is a great way to enjoy a night at home. It's also a great way to insure super-Super Bowl parties will be taking place in your home rather than the homes of others (it's a small price to pay in the grand scheme of things).

With this in mind you can buy kits for anywhere between $200 and $2,000 (and upwards, but if you are going to spend more than $2,000 I seriously recommend building your own home theater). Box systems are rather easy to find in local and mass-market retailers and are rather simple to install (even for the uninitiated). These systems may not provide the best possible system but for those who have significant budget concerns they are a great place to start and you can get some really great systems if you are willing to seriously shop around and compare the different quality between brands as well as which bells and whistles you require and which you can live without.

Once you make the decision to buy a home theater the best thing to do is check out what is available. You should then take complete advantage of the great competition on the market today by searching for the most features for the lowest price. You just might be shocked and amazed at the great bargains that you can find, especially in the months following the big consumer expo show each January.

You should combine the home theater and excellent movie experience in your home with a membership to Netflix, Blockbuster, or some other home delivery DVD system and you can have frozen pizza, microwave popcorn, and all the pillows to hide behind you can ask for in the comfort of your home for a fraction of the price of going to the theater once a week.

The Great Installation Debate

One huge questions looms in the minds of many who elect to purchase massive home theater systems for their homes: Do I install it myself or pay for installation? This great debate seems to consume consumers the world over and there really is no easy answer as it completely and entirely depends on your own confidence of your abilities and whether or not you will postpone the work for six months or get right to it once you get your home theater-well home.

In my house it all depends on who wants the product most and who has the ability to handle an installation. I've learned that when it comes to things such as home theaters my husband is an ace at getting it done right away. On the other hand I lugged my laundry to the laundry mat for 6 weeks while a washing machine and dryer sat in my basement waiting for him to install them. With this in mind, I pay for installation on anything that I want installed quickly and if it doesn't matter too terribly much to me, I'll leave it to him to install on his own timeline.

Of course timing isn't the only consideration when it comes to the installation of your home theater equipment. Knowledge is actually a key component. If you break something during the course of installation it may not be covered by the warranty, particularly if it is easy to prove that it was broken and not the result of a factory defect. At the same time you do not wish to get down to the last little bit only to discover that one small part is missing, which may actually require you to take everything out, box it up, and return it to the store. Time is money for many of us and going through the installation process twice is not only frustrating it is expensive (even in terms of the amount of our leisure time it robs us of).

There are of course other considerations when it comes to the decision of whether or not to pay the price of professional installation and one of those is the warranty on your home theater system and its components. There are some warranties that are nullified if you do not have your home theater factory or professionally installed. You need to be certain if you are installing your own home theater that your warranty won't be wasted as a result.

There are positives to consider when it comes to installing your home theater as well. Number one on that list is the amount of money you will save. Professional installation (anything with professional in front of it for that matter) is quite costly and many consumers neglect to consider that when budgeting for their home theaters. In many cases professional installation can be a real deal breaker when it comes to getting the home theater system that you really want.

The second positive when it comes to performing the installation yourself is that you know without a doubt how to take it apart and move the pieces if you ever have the occasion or need to do so (such as a move or the need to repair or replace certain pieces or parts). It is also a good idea to know where everything plugs in and doing the installation yourself will give you a clear indication of that as well.

Finally, there is a sense of pride that comes with knowing you did it yourself and you did it well. Being able to accomplish something that not everyone is able or willing to do on their own is impressive and something you should take great pride in doing. Whether you decide to go with professional installation (there is no shame in this decision) or installing your home theater system for yourself I wish you many years of enjoyment with your new home theater.

Building a Home Theater on a Budget

Building a Home Theater on a Budget

Americans tend to spend a lot of time in front of our television sets. Whether we are movie junkies with multiple memberships to Internet movie rental companies or are serious addicts to all things reality on television we are addicted to our entertainment. Since we spend so much time watching our televisions it makes sense that we make a sizeable investment in our home theater in order to get the best possible quality picture and sound from our systems.

We do not, however live in a one size fits all world, which has lead to a good deal of healthy competition within the entertainment industry as well as the electronics industry. This is excellent news for consumers that must live within the constraints of their budgets. As competition emerges along with newer technologies we see a downward trend in the prices of existing technology. The real trick however is to be content with last year's technology today and you could actually save thousands on your home theater.

If you are even willing to go a step back as far as technology, trust me it isn't evolving all that noticeably fast when it comes to home theaters, you can still get a great home theater on Ebay or even in your local paper that is of excellent quality for a fraction of the cost you would have paid for the system had you purchased it brand new. If you are merely budget conscious or are going through a budget famine you should find that there are some outstanding options available through second hand home theaters.

If you are like many (and there is absolutely nothing wrong with this) who do not like purchasing used items for whatever reason, the most common being a lack of a warranty, then it makes perfect sense not to consider this particular option. Selecting this option however does not leave you without options by any means. Perhaps my favorite option is to build your own home theater one piece at a time. You might be surprised to find that in the end you have a superior system to most of those you will find on the market today.

Life is a series of choices and that process doesn't end at all when you are choosing the right home theater for your home and needs. Unfortunately neither does the fact that we often must live within budget restrictions that we do not appreciate nearly as much as we enjoy the idea of Dolby Digital Surround Sound or Bose speakers. The good news is that if you look and take your time by checking out and comparing your likes and dislikes in many systems you will have become an informed consumer. This is the best gift you can give yourself when shopping around.

Compare prices, beg, bargain, and barter. See if stores will match the prices of other stores or throw in freebies in order to compete. You should also remember that unless you have the equipment and skills necessary for the installation of your home theater it is quite likely that you will need to pay for that as well. A retailer that is willing to throw in free installation might be a bargain worth giving a little more thought.

In the end, the goal is to get the best possible home theater for your home for the least amount of money possible. By learning about your options you will know when you leave the store whether or not you got a good deal on the home theater you bought. There cannot be enough said about the knowledge you will gain about home theaters through this process or what you will learn about the price of things compared to their value. More importantly you just might learn the real price we often pay simply to go with a name that we know. You can save a great deal of money by taking a chance on emerging companies but do your research fist and learn as much about the company as possible before you give them your hard earned money.

Common Home Theater Mistakes to Avoid

A home theater is no small investment, particularly if you are going for a good quality home theater. With that in mind there are many mistakes that people make along the way when it comes to their home theaters. What you want to do is learn from the mistakes of others rather than dooming yourself to repeat those that have been made so many times before. Below you will find information on some of the most often made mistakes when it comes to creating a great home theater for you and your family.

Windows

I'm not talking Microsoft either. One thing that is a killer for your home theater is a room full of windows. At night, every car passing by will prove distracting and during the day little can be enjoyed on your television from the sunlight pouring in. Even normal curtains allow some degree of light into the room, which will provide a distracting glare on you television screen. If you have no windowless rooms in your home you will at the very least want to install some heavy duty blackout drapes or curtains in order to prevent the glare and distraction that windows provide.

Cheap Speakers

Sound is one of the most important factors in imitating a theater quality movie viewing experience. If you have cheap speakers you will not receive the quality of sound that you will need in order to achieve that experience. The first five or ten minutes of the movie Top Gun provides one of the best sound tests I've ever seen. Grab a copy of the DVD and take it with you to the stores, compare speakers using that DVD and go with the set that provides the best quality of sound. It's a good litmus test and you will be glad you did if you ever listen to a favorite movie on a friends inferior speakers.

Poor Installation

It makes no sense to invest thousands of dollars in a home theater system only to bring it home and do a poor job of installing it because you didn't want to spring for the extra two hundred dollars for installation. Improper installation of your home theater will result in much less quality than you paid for, which makes a good quality system a complete waste of money. Pay the price now for professional installation if you have any doubts at all about your ability to properly install your system.

Not Reading Directions

On the other hand if you decide to do your own installation the number one problem is the result of not reading the instructions for not only installation but also the operation of your home theater. We may feel that we are intuitive by nature but sometimes it helps to have a roadmap to follow. Instructions for installation and operating manuals are our road maps and reading them first will not only save a great deal of time but also increase your enjoyment of your home theater.

Avoiding these common mistakes can go along way towards helping you get the most possible enjoyment from your home theater. It's amazing how much of a difference little things can make along the way. Good luck with the selection, purchase, and installation of your home theater. I hope you enjoy many wonderful hours of movie, television, and game watching on your new system.

Buying Home Theater Systems Online

In today's world many of us find the convenience of online shopping to be second to none. This is especially true at certain times of year and with certain items. There are still some items that need to be tried before they are purchased. This however doesn't mean that you can't enjoy the wide variety of pricing options that are available online if you do not like the price of your favorites in the store. One of these items that must be seen (and heard) in order to have a proper idea of its actual value to you is a home theater system.

You need to visit local stores and compare the products on hand with one another. You need to hear these systems and view these systems in order to determine whether or not you think they will provide the quality you are seeking for your home theater system. Viewing the systems that are sold as part of sets also allows you to have a good idea of what should be included in your average home theater if you decide to purchase the components individually, which I highly recommend, rather than as one complete kit.

The good news is that once you have narrowed down your selections and have a good idea of what local retailers are charging for the same items you can begin looking for bargains online. The problem many people come across is finding new brands or systems online at even better prices. While this may not seem like much of a problem on one hand, you are never really sure of who you are dealing with online and not all dealers are reputable just as all products are not created equally. There are times in life when you are truly getting what you are paying for when it comes to bargain hunting.

If something online seems too good to be true, this is generally a sign to pass. However, if you can find comparable bargains online to the same product you've seen in stores it may be worth purchasing provided you are going through a secure and reputable dealer. When shopping online for home theater equipment, systems, or components you should always make safety your first priority. If you feel you are being asked for too much personal information it may be a good idea to pass. If you are not certain the website is secure it's a wise plan to pass, and most importantly if you have any questions, doubts, or concerns it is a good plan to pass rather than pay a steeper price later than you had intended.

The Internet has done much to bridge the gaps around the world and while it has made many things that much more convenient and enjoyable it has also made it possible for the unscrupulous to have an extra playing field among us. Be careful when giving out information online, especially personal and financial information, as you never really know who is on the other end of that information. This is not to say that you shouldn't conduct business online only to encourage you to go through well-known companies and study reviews of companies and products before going with those you aren't too familiar with. This can save a great deal of time, money, and hassle later on. It is not worth risking identity theft in order to save a few dollars.

Home Theater Speaker Basics

One of the most essential components of a good home theater is its speakers. You simply cannot achieve that theater atmosphere if you do not have good speakers from which to enjoy the sound that is such a vital part of a good 'movie going' experience. The problem is that most people are easily confused as to which speakers they really need for their home entertainment systems as well as the proper placement of those speakers in order to create a true surround sound.

The following are the basic speakers that are required to complete a good home theater: front left and right speakers, a center channel speaker, surround sound speakers, and subwoofers. Center channel speakers are overlooked and left out of many home theaters. I recommend against doing so as these speakers supply a good portion of the soundtrack in many movies as well as add fullness and depth to the dialogue.

Surround sound speakers are what provide the background sounds that make the movies seem more real. These are the things that draw viewers into movies and add a little bit of excitement to the process of watching a movie. As such, they are very important to include in your home theater, as they will help match the theater experience. Common options for surround sound speakers include 5.1 channel, 6.1 channel, or 7.1 channel surround.

Subwoofers are responsible for the deep bass sound that lines so many movie soundtracks. These sounds are responsible for creating emotion and drama within the soundtrack and are excellent at establishing suspense and other emotions that are an important part in the movie experience. A good set of subwoofers is essential in your home theater speaker package or you will miss out on a good deal of the adrenaline that is created as a result of sound in theaters.

While there are many brands from which to choose it is important that you choose speakers that will work well together by creating a similar sound. The best option for this is to purchase all speakers together in one kit by one maker. It may be tempting in order to save funds to mix and match speakers but this will not create the true quality of sound you are hoping to achieve in your home theater.

In addition to the many brands of speakers for your home theater you may also find that there are also many different styles of speakers. There are those that sit on bookshelves, satellite speakers, and floor speakers. Floor speakers in most cases provide the best sound. On the downside they also take up the most real estate within your room which can be fairly limiting and make them an unattractive option for many. You even had the added bonus of wireless speakers emerging in quality and capacity.

There is no right or wrong when it comes to speakers for your home theater. They will make a huge impact on the overall theater affect of your system but like every other component the speakers are still a matter of taste. Some people prefer watching movies at home because they can control the volume and do not feel the suspense and such as significantly as they do in theaters. For those you may want to lower the volume for your surround speakers or your subwoofers. However, the primary objective is to create a home theater you can enjoy and proper speakers contribute greatly to that enjoyment.

Why Buy Home Theater Kits?

You will find all kinds of homes around the country and around the world. Some are big, some are small, and some are simply average. When you are searching for home theater systems you will find the same thing. This is particularly true of the home theater systems that come as a package deal. While I do not normally endorse these purchases, just as all homes are not alike, neither are all people. This means that what may be best for me and my home theater may not be the best plan of action for you and your home theater.

I definitely recommend listening to any home theater you are considering before taking the plunge and purchasing. There are many times in life when you get what you pay for. While most of us live within some degree of budget constraints you will find that most of us have certain things we simply will not go 'cheap' when purchasing. You should keep in mind that there are great ways to get outstanding bargains however, when it comes to purchasing electronics. One of these ways is by purchasing a home theater kit where all the pieces (generally with the exception of the television) are included.

Seeing is believing when it comes to value for most of us. The best way to find a home theater kit that you are going to be confident about purchasing is to take a look at the kit, listen to the speakers (the first 5 to 10 minutes of the movie Top Gun is an excellent test for sound), and take a look at the system to see how you find the interface. It doesn't matter how great a system sounds if you can't figure out how to use it once you've taken it out of the box. You might also want to look into the price of professional installation if you are electronically challenged when it comes to matters of programming and installation. These kits are also often appealing to those who find the prospect of shopping around for the parts and components tedious.

While it is difficult for me to accept at times, we were not all born shoppers. For people such as this, home theater systems that come as a package deal are often life rings tossed out in a sea of shopping among sharks. This convenience for some is worth any price that could be stamped on the box. The good news is that there is enough competition that prices are typically competitive according to quality.

Box kit home theater systems are appealing to many consumers for many different reasons. Those who live in small apartments or have very small home theater rooms typically find that it makes no sense to invest in a system that will rattle the walls or have the neighbors complaining. Those with limited budgets find that this is an economic way to get everything at once. People who have little time to invest in researching all the items they will need find it incredibly convenient that they will not need to worry about missing something important such as a receiver during the process. Still others find that they like knowing up front what the price for the total home theater experience is going to be, at least the electronics component at any rate.

It is important to remember that a home theater means different things to different people. Finding the ideal home theater for you may not necessarily equate to the ideal home theater for someone else who has grand visions of a cinema themed room with dark rich colors on the walls and muted lighting effects along with blacked out windows for the ultimate movie viewing experience.

Don't get too caught up in the details and remember that it only has to work for you and your needs. Creating a wonderful home theater is a great way to bring the family together on a regular basis. Buying a pre made home theater kit or system is a great way to begin enjoying the wonderful benefits of a home theater experience while learning the things you like and dislike about your system. This could be a work in progress for many years to come as you learn more about what you do and do not prefer.

Home Theater Practicalities

Today's shoppers are much more savvy than they have been in days past. Perhaps this sophistication when it comes to learning about the products we spend our hard earned money on is the result of instant information at our fingertips through the Internet or a deep desire to know more about where our money is going. Whatever the reason, we are taking the time to learn as much as possible about our investments and carefully planning how we spend our money before it leaves our wallets.

In many ways this is wonderful news. You really can't go wrong as a consumer my educating yourself about the products you are considering purchasing and this holds doubly true when it comes to electronics. More and more consumers are opening up to the idea of home theaters. In fact, this is becoming a selling point in many homes across the country. It is a great idea to research the products you will purchase and the individual components of your home theater system but how much time have you invested towards the planning and design of your home theater?

You may have the room in mind, but do you have the wiring you need? Are outlets in the correct location in order to provide the extra outlets you will need for your components? Do you have the wiring for speakers in place or is this something additional you will need to consider? Will you go with wireless speakers in order to avoid the hassle? There are so many questions you will need to ask yourself when planning for your home theater.

What, of your existing home entertainment equipment will you be keeping and which pieces of equipment, if any, will you be replacing? I always recommend buying one component at a time and building a home theater system rather than simply going in and purchasing a box off the shelf that has everything in one place. While you can get a very nice system by doing this, I think you will ultimately get more bang for your buck if you build your own system one piece at a time and select each piece for the individual qualities your prefer. That being said, once you get the components home you need to be able to install them and incorporate them into your existing home theater.

Will you be adding special home theater seating or going with a big comfy couch? This matters when planning the layout for the room in which you will be watching your movies and television favorites. You want the seating to be comfortable or no one will want to spend too terribly much time in the room, no matter how large the television screen is. We like to be comfortable as we watch 24 hours of non-stop action or the nearest planet in a far off solar system explode. Do you have a plan for providing that comfort in your home theater?

Do you have all of the connecting wires? How about a reliable method for disguising the wires so that they do not provide a distraction during your movie and television viewing time? Are you going to add gaming equipment to your home theater system? If so, this opens up an entire new ball game when it comes to wires, as you will be bringing even more cords and wires and controllers into the mix.

The next question is how do you plan to hide all the equipment? While built in entertainment centers may seem like a great idea, they are killers to your bottom line should you need to some day sell your home as they eat up floor space and not everyone will appreciate your home theater. For this reason, I recommend a floor-to-ceiling entertainment center with doors that can be closed around the features you aren't using at any given moment.

While there is no right or wrong when it comes to designing a home theater for your family, there are practical matters that are well worth considering. I hope this has brought to mind a few of those and that you are brimming with wonderful ideas for your current or future home theater.

Home Theater for Small Spaces

One reason that many people who would love the benefits of a home theater avoid making the investment or even considering their options is because they live in situations that allow very little space with which to place the necessary components of a home theater system. The good news is that compact systems are growing in quality and availability as space around the world becomes more and more limited. As the population grows, the problem of space grows as well. Gone are the days filled with huge plantation style homes around the world as communities are more and more often filled to capacity with apartment buildings, condos, and homes built on compact lots in housing communities.

The average family around the world has experience the limitations of space when it comes to things such as floor speakers and bulky home theater systems. The good news is that they days of huge projectors and massive televisions stands have fallen by the wayside to make way for ceiling mounted projectors and rear projector televisions that fit tightly into corners when necessary. We also have the added convenience of wireless speakers that can be mounted on walls or in the ceiling as well as LCD and plasma televisions that can be mounted on the wall rather than taking up precious real estate on our floors.

Space might have been a mitigating factor in the past when it comes to the purchase of a home theater but with the creation of many box kits and emerging technology it is no longer a valid excuse not to move forward into this century of electronic convenience and move quality picture and sound in the comfort of your very own home. More and more people are finding that a good home theater is replacing money spent at theaters or sporting events as they can get superior quality views (and the convenience of instant replays) at home.

Whether you are one of many around the world who has put off this purchase, which will greatly improve how you view home movie viewing, there are options that are worth considering for your home theater needs when it comes to the limitations of space. Even if you live in an apartment that offers a tiny living area you can still enjoy great quality sound from a small home theater system. These systems in fact work better in small spaces than in rooms that are too large for them. Be sure to discuss your options and what might be best for small spaces when you are listening to different systems and kits in the store.

I think the most important thing to keep in mind when using wall or ceiling mounted equipment in your home theater is that you may actually find that you are freeing up more space within your room than would be occupied with your current television (this is especially true if you upgrade to a flat television that is mounted on the wall rather than a bulky rear projector television or a huge entertainment center.

The truth is you never really know what is on the market and what will work in your space until you go out there and check out your options. It is much better to go out there and see what is available than rob yourself of the enjoyment a good home theater will bring based on an assumption that very well may not be true for your home or apartment.

Playing the Field with Home Theater Systems

If you are in the market for a home theater system chances are you are experiencing some degree of shell shock at all the options that are available in today's market. The fact that there are so many options is both wonderful and horrible at the same time. The sheer amount of competition is working well to drive prices down for consumers. With that in mind, there are still levels of pricing according to the quality of home theater system you are selecting. On the other hand, a vast quantity of selection for many makes narrowing down the proper choice for specific needs difficult at best.

There are some things to keep in mind when purchasing a home theater system and the first of those things is to settle on a budget and stick with it. The very process of establishing a budget narrows down your options and you just may be surprised at the quality you can find within various budgets. Even more surprising to many consumers is the fact that you do not have to go with names that you know in order to get excellent quality of sound, picture, and value from your home theater system.

I highly recommend that you see each system in action that you are considering before deciding on one. I also highly suggest that you never let price alone be the deciding factor of which home theater system you purchase. If you cannot afford the system you want right now save up for another month or two in order to purchase the system that you honestly feel will be the best value for your money and your home. You will spend many hours, if you are a typical American, enjoying your home theater system, it only makes sense that you are willing to make a serious investment in getting the quality you deserve from your system. If you do not select a system that is good quality you will only end up spending more by replacing it sooner than necessary in the long run.

The next best suggestion I can make when you are selecting the proper home theater system for you and your family is to make a list of priorities when it comes to features. If you already have an excellent quality DVD player it makes no sense to pay extra for a home theater that includes a DVD player, particularly if that player would be of inferior quality. Do you need good quality sound or is the sound of marginal importance to you? There are all kinds of places you can cut costs when purchasing a home theater system and most of them are exclusively matters of taste, preference, and priority.

Knowing what you want when you begin your search for a home entertainment system is by far the best way to avoid buying a system that is ill suited for your home or your needs. If you have hearing problems and need a set of headphones in order to hear the television as it is, an expensive sound system is wasted money as far as your personal needs. If you are using a sunroom for your home theater or a room that is brightly lit, a projection television would be essentially useless for your needs. You should make every effort not to spend money where money isn't needed and save your big-ticket purchases for items that will mean the most to your system.

Another important thing to remember when shopping around and comparing home theaters is that you do not have to make the entire purchase in one fell swoop. It is very possible to purchase one piece at a time in order to get the most for your money and truly enjoy each upgraded component as it adds new value to your existing home theater. Buying one piece at a time also helps you narrow down subsequent purchases by learning what features are needed in addition to the items that you currently possess. The most important piece of advice I can give you is this: the purpose of your home theater system is to keep you entertained so you are the only one it needs to impress.

Proper Lighting Makes Home Theater Systems

The best possible location for the average home theater would be a basement room that allows very little or no natural sunlight to sneak into the room. There are so many things you can do in a basement that simply intensify the theater experience of your average home theater. From actual stadium or theater seating to rope lights that line the side of the walls (where it meets the floor) for low ambient lighting that will not distract from the screen or cause any unnecessary glare. Out of the many things you can choose to enhance your home theater, lighting might actually be one of the most important as well as the most often overlooked.

If you are fortunate enough to have a basement, this is an ideal location for a home theater but don't despair if you live in a climate that isn't exactly conducive to home basements. Even in the sunshine basement there are steps you can take in order to prevent too much light from affecting your home theater experience. Some good ideas with which to start would be to purchase black out curtains that prevent sunlight from creeping into your room. This looks much better than the old fashioned quick fix of placing aluminum foil over your windows for sure.

Even within your room if you've taken the time to make sure natural light isn't creeping in you may find that poorly placed lighting adversely affects your viewing pleasure. When installing your home theater system you need to pay careful attention to both natural and artificial light at different times of day in order to see how they affect your ability to see the television (this is particularly important if you have a projection television) as well as in order to see if there is any glare on your television screen from light peeking through your curtains or from lamps and overhead lighting within the room.

Recessed lighting is a good option for most home theater rooms as is rope lighting as I mentioned above. If you have this type of lighting you can see well enough to move around without interrupting what is taking place on your television screen. Additionally, low lighting in the room makes the actual television become the focal point of the room whenever it is on and the overhead lights are down.

If you are creating a home theater themed room you might find some of the interesting film era wall sconces of great interest. These sconces prefer low levels of light that are unlikely to interfere greatly with what is happening on your television screen. You can find all kinds of wonderful sconces in a wide variety of themes. It makes sense that with home theater lighting playing such a pivotal role in the overall enjoyment of the home theater experience that many businesses are being created simply to fill this need within the lighting industry.

Some will argue that the television you choose for your home theater is wildly more important than the lighting in the room by far. I tend to disagree. If you do not take care to insure that the lighting in the room isn't appropriate it is unlikely that you will be able to fully enjoy the television you selected. For this reason I always think you should keep your current television for a while, test it out with the lighting and invest in proper lighting before making an investment in a bigger or better television to add to your home theater system.

All things when it comes to a home theater are relative to personal preference as are all things in life. Take the time to seriously consider the affect that the lighting in the room that will become your home theater will affect your ability to see the movies or television shows that you enjoy so much. Once you have the perfect situation when it comes to lighting you will be amazed at how much more you actually enjoy your home theater.

Basic Components for a Home Theater

Many people never bother looking into purchasing a home theater through sheer fear of the decisions that may need to be made in the process. Many among these aren't even sure of exactly which components are included in a home theater or which ones are needed in order to create an effective and entertaining home theater. For this reason, many people simply do not bother going through the process of looking at their options when it comes to these wonderful systems on the market today much less ever bother actually purchasing one.

If you are one of the many who has experienced some degree of confusion when it comes to the individual parts and pieces that are included in a home theater system and what they do, hopefully you will gain a better understanding once you've finished reading. The first thing to understand is that there are varying degrees when it comes to home theaters. The following components are the makings of a very basic home theater that will provide excellent functionality. They are not however inclusive of every possible piece or part that could make up a home theater system.

Off to the basics, the first thing you'll need when creating a home theater for your family to enjoy is a television. It might seem a little too obvious to some but I have yet to find a box kit that includes a television-mainly because the choice of screen is for many the most personal aspect of selecting a home theater. There are essentially three choices in today's television market: front projector, rear projector, and plasma. There are variations within each of these and the prices fall anywhere from modest to quite costly. This is the component that most home theater owners spend the most time contemplating and it affects the types of components that will be most effective later on in terms of things such as high definition and other choices you can make.

A receiver is another important component. You will probably have a DVD player or recorder of some sort as part of your system; you may have a Tivo and cable box or satellite and will probably have speakers of some sort for your system. The receiver is the box you plug them all into-it receives all of this inputs and correlates it so to speak. This is the ultimate traffic director when it comes to your home theater and I suggest you spend a good portion of your home theater budget making sure that this is a good quality part.

Speakers are where your sound will flow. One of the best things to me about a home theater is the ability to experience surround sound very similar to what I experience in theaters while having the ability to put my feet up or snuggle under blankets (which simply can't be achieved in a theater). Speakers come in all shapes and sizes and are also quite personal for some consumers while give and take for others. You can purchase these are part of a kit in order to make the selection process easier.

Finally, you have your DVD player or recorder. If high definition is important to you, you now have that option. If your television isn't HD ready or capable, I'd pass and go for an older (less expensive) model of DVD player until something more up-to-date is called for. These items are a great start for any home theater and you can build, expand, and upgrade over time for an even better system. Enjoy!