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    Many Home Owners are deciding to make use of the comforts that
their home provides. Sitting in a cozy spot watching a movie with the kids
can be as entertaining as going to the movie theater.

    Large screen televisions are made in many different forms. There is the
common tube or "Direct View" TV. They can range in size from 13" to 40".  "Rear Projection" TVs have remarkable picture clarity and resolution. Unlike the direct view TV which is comprised of one large tube with 3 internal color guns (BLUE, RED and GREEN) focused on it's phosphorous lined front, the rear projection TV has three separate tubes which converge on a large screen. These tubes are much smaller than the
single direct view tube so they run cooler and generally have a longer life
span. "Front Projection" TV is made up of a screen similar to the screen in a movie theater and a projector. The projector broadcasts a picture onto the screen and because of this, if you have the room, you can get a great picture on a screen that is 12 feet wide. You can even broadcast this picture from the rear of the screen. "Plasma" TV is still relatively expensive as compared to the other formats. The great thing about these TVs is that they are very thin and can be hung on a wall! Plasma TVs can be purchased up to 65 inches wide and have an excellent picture. How about "LCD" or "DLP" TV's?  These sets are available in both rear projection and front view. They have outstanding picture quality and are thinner, brighter, clearer and lighter than other models. Tabletop and Wall Mount LCDs are very thin and light. they are the display itself without any extra illumination. Rear projection LCD and DLP models are illuminated by a large bulb that backlights the displays. Either DLP or LCD are great choices. Some of the experts think the DLP is more accurate and brighter.

     Many of the new TVs have very good audio quality but to really kick things up there are many components you can buy
that will literally make the sound knock you out of your seat. Imagine watching a movie like "Jurassic Park" and the cola in
your glass is moving like the water in the puddle as the T-Rex takes another step, or hearing the helicopters fly from right to
left, back to front and overhead in the movie "BlackHawk Down". Every movie becomes more special. Audio is so important a part of today's movies why miss any part of it?

     The components that make up a "Home Theater" are a TV, a source of output and switching such as an "Amplifier" or a "Receiver", a source for the signal to be generated such as a "DVD" player, a "VCR", a "Satellite Dish Receiver" or "Cable TV receiver" or even the tuner on your television. The right "Speakers" finish up the package and are the most important choice for the overall quality of sound.

     Your receiver or amplifier, for purposes of Home Theater, should have a good deal of inputs to accommodate your DVD
player, VCR, CD and whatever other components you want to plug into it. DOLBY DIGITAL, DOLBY PRO LOGIC, DTS
and THX are just some of the names that bring you up to 7 channels of sound. Most high quality components will be ready to
present to you at least a few of these options. It is not necessary to to have 600 watts per channel. Watts are not an accurate
measurement of how much sound a component can produce. Most high grade components have discrete output transistors
instead of integrated circuit chips to produce a rich, full and powerful sound. The more expensive a component is in the same manufacturer's line the more wattage and bells and whistles it will have to offer you. Determine what you need to fill your space adequately and to give you all the options you desire.

    As mentioned, speakers make the real difference in how a Home Theater system will sound. It is not necessary to buy large
speakers. You can get front speakers that are only a few inches high and wide and along with a "Subwoofer", which will reproduce the very low tones and create the impact you desire, will take up much less space in your room. Speakers can be
placed in the walls, ceilings and floor so you have no speakers taking up any floor space. You will need, at least, 2 front speakers (left and right channels), one center channel speaker (very important for it reproduces about 70% of the sound) and 2 rear, or surround speakers, which will give the system it's fullness and provide the sound for the rear effects. Some systems require more speakers and a subwoofer is always needed, for impact, when a set of smaller front speakers are being utilized.