How to Buy a Home Theater System

The Specs Explained

You'll find a plethora of displays, DVD players, and speakers at any home electronics store. Distinguishing one from another can be difficult, but the specs can help if you understand them. With that in mind, we've grouped the specifications for these products into three categories: important, somewhat important, and minor.

Important: Display Type

This is the physical mechanism that the TV uses to display the image. Flat panels (both LCD and plasma displays) and rear-projection TVs are capable of producing large, wide-screen, high-definition pictures. Front projectors can create sharp images in still larger screen sizes (up to 10 feet or so). Make your decision based on your budget, on the image size you desire, on where the screen will be located in the room, and on the lighting conditions. LCD panels, for example, can work well even in rooms bathed in bright sunlight, whereas front projectors virtually require that the room be darkened or dimly lit.

Important: Video Inputs and Outputs

These determine how a TV receives signals from a DVD player (or from another external device, such as a cable box or a satellite receiver). S-Video inputs provide a cleaner, slightly higher-resolution picture than standard composite inputs do, while still using a single wire. Component inputs deliver the luminance and color components of a video signal on three separate wires and allow connection of progressive-scan and high-definition sources. HDMI carries digital video signals, primarily from high-definition video sources but also from upconverting DVD players. For best picture quality, use an HDMI or component connection whenever possible.

Important: DVD Player Output Resolution

Conventional DVD players deliver what is known as 480i output, which means 480 video scan lines in interlaced format--the same type of signal that regular TV broadcasts use. Most current players can also provide 480p, or progressive-scan, output, which typically looks better on HDTVs and other sets capable of progressive-scan display (this includes all models except CRT-based sets). Upconversion by DVD players produces HD-resolution (720p, 1080i, and sometimes 1080p) output from a regular DVD. The higher resolutions are produced by interpolation, however, so the picture doesn't look as good as an image from a true high-definition source, plus, almost all current HDTVs perform such upconversion internally anyway. The best pictures are produced by new models that can play true high-definition HD DVD or Blu-ray Discs in addition to standard DVDs.

Important: Number of Speakers

How many speakers do you want? For a complete surround-sound experience from DVDs and from HDTV broadcasts, you'll need five to seven speakers, and for best performance you'll probably want a subwoofer as well (to produce strong, deep bass). In low-end systems or in a cramped area, you may prefer to buy a smaller number of higher-quality speakers; you can always add more later, including a subwoofer. Even if you start out with just a pair of stereo speakers, you'll enjoy significantly better sound than the speakers built into a TV would provide.

Somewhat Important: TV Display Resolution

For 30-inch or larger screens, you'll get better picture quality from high-definition broadcasts and DVDs if you buy an HDTV model. The display resolutions of HDTV sets vary; typical examples include 720p (1280 by 720 pixels), 1080i or 1080p (1920 by 1080), 1366 by 768, and 1024 by 768. The exact display resolution of the set you buy may not matter much unless its screen is relatively large and you sit unusually close to it. The difference between 720p and 1080p resolution, for example, isn't visible on a 50-inch screen until you get within about 10 feet of it.

Somewhat Important: Disc Formats Supported

DVD players can do more than handle DVDs. In addition to running DVD movies, bargain players will play music CDs as well as CD-Rs and CD-RWs with music recorded on them. They will usually play MP3-encoded music on CD-R and CD-RW discs, and video recorded on at least one of the available recordable DVD formats (DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW, DVD-RAM). Some higher-end players will also play high-resolution DVD-Audio or SACD music discs. Today's best players support one or both of the new high-definition videodisc formats, Blu-ray and HD DVD.

Minor: Disc Capacity

This is simply the number of discs the DVD player can hold at once. A multidisc changer can be convenient, especially for playing CDs, but it will not affect the setup's picture or sound quality.