Creating a Home TheaterA generation ago, a console television set with a single speaker represented the cutting edge of entertainment technology, and the phrase "home theater" was reserved for Hollywood moguls with private screening rooms. Today, a television is seen as only one component of an integrated audio and video system, and audiophiles who once lavished all their attention on their stereos are giving home theater a whole new meaning.
Bobby Owsinski is a respected expert in the music industry, and as West Coast Bureau Chief for Sound Pro Magazine, he is exposed to virtually every new technology, trend, and technique. As owner of Sound Associates, he embraces the opportunity for more hands-on involvement in an industry he loves. Bobby offers this primer for those wishing to set up their first home theater system:
- Screen position.
Bobby recommends a big-screen television as the first component of a home theater, but warn against sitting too close, as this can make it difficult to focus or reveal the lines in the fields that make up the picture. The optimum distance between the screen and your seat should be two times the width of the screen.
- Surround sound.
A quality surround sound system will enhance your viewing pleasure by bringing the quality of the audio up to the level of the video.
- Center speaker.
Don't forget the all-important center speaker. According to Bobby, studies have shown that this extra speaker tends to anchor the sound in the room and tie it to the picture on the screen.
For more information on home theater systems, visit an electronics dealer in your area or check out the following organizations and websites:
Home Theater Magazine
www.hometheatermag.com | 
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