This is a basic book covering the basics for the purchase and installation of Home Theater systems. Written to provide information on all price ranges of equipment to everyone from the beginner to the experienced home theater owner. It contains valuable consumer information on the latest digital home theater components and technology, including digital surround sound receivers, DVD players, digital television & HDTV, digital satellites (DBS), digital camcorders, and digital hard-drive video recorders. It also features easy-to-understand explanations of surround sound technology and set ups—including Dolby Digital, THX Surround EXTM, and DTS-ESTM.

The book covers:
The current state of Home theater. What Home Theater means; Creating a master plan; Basic terms and concepts; Audio/video receivers and amplifiers; Choosing and hooking up sound and video---various configurations; all of the Dolby Surround encoding/decoding technologies; Speakers; DVD; Laser disc; WebTV; Digital satellite dishes; Camcorders; Specially designed home theater furniture; Picking the right room; Background noise; Acoustic insulation; Eliminating echoes and vibrations; How to save money; Building a home theater one piece at a time; Complete systems; Dealing with dealers; Mail order; TV resolution; Rear-projection TV vs. tube TVs vs. front-projection TVs; Home theater lighting; Complete explanations of THX®, Dolby® Digital, Surround EX™ and DTS sound; Maximizing home theater audio; Controllers; Loudspeakers; Amplifiers; Room Equalizers; How many speakers; Surround sound speakers; How to audition speakers; Speaker power levels; What to look for in a VCR and Video Hard-Drive; What to look for in a DVD player; What to look for in a camcorder; What to look for in a video game console; What to look for in a digital satellite system; Cable television; Digital Television; How to wire a home theater set-up; How to place your speakers and equipment for maximum sound; Troubleshooting; The future of home theater.