| What do the words home theater mean to you? | | | | so many choices - media stands, audio stands |
| A big screen TV in your living room with surround | | | | that hold 5 to 10 AV components, TV stands for |
| sound speakers hidden behind the couch, or a | | | | any size television (some loaded with features like |
| custom designed room with every possible | | | | wire management systems, adjustable shelves, |
| high-end audio/video equipment and dedicated | | | | open ventilation, tempered glass) - as well as |
| theater seating? The choice comes down to your | | | | choices in styles and finishes, from the beauty of |
| level of use . . . and your pocketbook. Start with | | | | natural hardwoods to contemporary design |
| the room you plan to use as your home theater. | | | | elements. With such a broad variety of audio |
| If it's your multi-purpose living room, think about | | | | video and other furnishings, mounts and |
| mounting a flat-panel LCD HDTV on the wall and | | | | accessories, even the most demanding A/V |
| finding one of the many artistic solutions for hiding | | | | enthusiast or home decorator will be satisfied with |
| the screen when it's not in use. Make sure the | | | | the way your home theater looks. Once you've |
| furniture that houses your audio/video | | | | housed your components, the next most |
| components has a cable management system to | | | | important choice involves your seating. Do you |
| hide power cords and sufficient ventilation. Rear | | | | prefer watching movies in your home theater |
| wheels on the cabinet make accessing your | | | | from the comfort of a recliner, cuddled with |
| connections much easier! There is a large range of | | | | someone special on a couch, or from dedicated |
| possible entertainment centers: a plasma console | | | | custom theater seating? Do you prefer seating |
| or wall system, an entertainment center with | | | | covered with micro fiber fabric, microfiber suede, |
| bookcase or storage, cabinets to hold a large | | | | faux leather or premium leather? Does a home |
| screen display. Be sure to measure your room | | | | theater conjure up visions of kids with large tubs |
| accurately to know what will fit best in the space | | | | of buttered popcorn, beer and chips for the guys |
| you have available. If you're redoing a room or | | | | watching the big game, or romantic glasses of |
| moving to a new place, now is a good time to | | | | wine? Choose an easy-to-clean surface, and have |
| prewire the room for audio, video, security and | | | | sturdy tables close at hand to your seating. As |
| communication needs, including cabling for future | | | | long as you're visualizing your perfect home |
| technologies. It makes for an elegant, nearly | | | | theater set-up, remember to connect the lighting |
| invisible installation of equipment, with more | | | | and the home theater system to a master |
| leeway in the type of furniture you choose. | | | | remote control. With a few taps of your finger, |
| Another possibility - if your "home theater" room | | | | the DVD spins, the lights dim, you sink into your |
| also includes your computer desk, think about | | | | seat, and enter a galaxy far, far away . . . right |
| using your PC to store and play your favorite | | | | from home. |
| MP3 files, patched through an amplifier. There are | | | | |