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Home Theaters/Components

Look at = your home theater system as a puzzle, which require many different pieces to = fit together just right to create the total presentation. Unlike a = puzzle, each piece belongs in a different place and together they project = a theater-like picture and realistic sound. Understanding the role = of each component will make it easier to decide which ones you need and = want. Here’s a breakdown of all the primary components you will = need to consider when creating your home theater.

Television

There are two things to pay attention to when buying a television: = shape and size. To watch movies in their original wide screen format, = you'll need a TV with a rectangularly shaped 16:9 aspect ratio rather = than the traditional, square shaped 4:3. When it comes to size go for the = largest screen you can afford (27 inches is probably the bare minimum). = For optimal viewing, the distance between the viewer and the screen = should equal about three times the screen size. For example a 40-inch TV = is best viewed from a distance of 10 feet (120 inches). Before buying your = TV it is best to figure out where you’re going to place the = television and calculate the screen size = accordingly.

 

= Cathode-ray tube

While traditional tube televisions have some of the sharpest = pictures and lowest price tags ($500-$2500), the downside is they aren’t = available in large sizes - 40 inches is the maximum. If you favor a tube TV, = than look for a flat-screen CRT, because they don’t have the = distortion that effects the curved edges of older models, and most can = display the widescreen formats of DVDs.

Projection TV - Front or = Rear

In contrast to conventional TVs, projection TVs form a small image = on a device inside the projector, either a CRT or LCD, and then shine = that image onto a large screen located elsewhere. There are two types = of projecting TVs - rear or reflective projection and front or = transmissive projection. On a rear projection, the screen is located within the = TV box itself. In this type, light reflects off the projection display = panel and is then projected onto the screen. A front projection has a = separate screen (which allows for greater size) and send the picture across = the room to a screen, much like a traditional movie projector. Both = systems have four basic parts -a projector, screen (separate or built-in), control panel (separate or built-in) and a sound system (separate = or built-in). Most rear projection TVs for home theater systems tend = to look like very large-screen (up to 80-inches) conventional televisions. = Each one is basically a large box that contains all of the above parts, = while front projection TVs are spread out across your room in f