Build Your Own Perfect Home Cinema

When I ask my friends or people that I know why they don't have a home cinema, they answer that they don't need one. They think it's to expensive or that they don't care about it. When I point out that they have a $1500 television but the sound is bad or i doesn't come across as it is supposed to, they admit that I have a point. Some people have never experienced a movie at home with the right equipment so they just aren't aware of the possibilities.

I then go on and explain the main reasons to buy a home cinema to them:

1. A better experience of movies, TV and games
Surround sound is the standard with DVD and Blu-Ray movies, Digital TV and modern game consoles. The experience is so much better, once you've heard it you can't do without it.
It adds another dimension to movies, games and television. The producers added the special effects to impress the viewer, with images AND sound!

2.For inexpensive entertainment
Have you been to the movies lately? If you treat the whole family on a movies, drinks and popcorn, it costs you an arm and a leg! Sure if you want a decent home cinema it's a big initial investment, but you'll get a good return on investment because you can save on all the extras.
It gives a real cinema experience in the comforts of your own home, especially when you decide to get a more expensive set.

3.Remember that expensive TV?
I already told you about my friend who bought a $1500 TV. Now the sound is OK if you want to watch the news, but if you want to watch movies it's just a bit sad in my opinion.
When you hook up the right equipment to your TV, you'll be surprised of the entertainment experience! You'll never want to go to the cinema again and just enjoy from the comforts of your own couch.

The installation of your home cinema can be a difficult task considering all the new technical terminology. I'm going to explain as simple as possible what you're going to need and do, to set up your own theatre.

First of all it's important to plan the components of your home cinema.
There are three main parts in your home cinema:

1. Input devices, like Blu-Ray player, Media player or TV decoder
2. Processing devices, like a Receiver
3. Output device, your speakers and television of course

1. Input devices
Input devices are basically anything that will provide an audio or visual signal to be played on your home cinema system. Normally this is a DVD or Blu-Ray combo player, the TV decoder signal, and an audio source like an iPod or radio. I myself use a network media player that combines a lot of functions into a single unit that can play a range of media formats.

2. Processing devices
Usually a home theatre receiver, this device takes the input signal and amplifies or processes the signal and sends the video to the TV and the audio to the speakers. For example, the digital movie sound from a DVD is sent to the receiver and translates it to analog signals the speakers can interpret. Receivers can handle a lot of incoming signals and offers a lot of convenience when you have a lot of connected devices.

3. Output devices
These are the most exiting parts of your home cinema and quality counts! Don't be cheap and spend some money on this, because you can make or break your set up with this part.
While a simple home stereo setup can get away with good quality 2.1 speakers, surround sound speakers immerse you in audio, with a choice between 5.1 or even 7.1 surround speakers for those with the room to install them. My personal experience is that 5.1 is the way to go, unless you have a dedicated a room for your home theatre other than the living room.
In the movie below Veronica explains how to set up your home cinema. Enjoy!