A projector has fewer connections available than a standard TV does. It will be more difficult to hook up all of your home theater equipment on a projector. They also don’t come with antenna or cable connections which will make it more difficult funnel broadcast or cable signals to your projector.

While it will be more difficult to hook that projector up you will be able to get larger images than any TV you could realistically afford.  The drawback to that large screen is the poor image quality that you will get on it. HDTV and Blu-ray movies will look pretty good but anything less than that will be much worse quality than a television picture.  With a projector you also have to worry about replacing the bulbs every few years and they can be expensive.

If you are trying to build a home theater, a television will be a better value than a projector. You can use it more often without having to worry about replacing bulbs. You can also hook up your components more easily. If on the other hand you already have a room for normal television watching and you just want a room for special occasions like the Super Bowl then a projector might be the way to go. You will be able to have the largest possible screen size for the money and it might be more affordable than buying a huge TV just for those occasions.

Any basic home theater setup as a TV (or projector), a DVD player, and surround sound. If you leave out any one of these items, you’d be hard pressed to call it a home theater.

Display

This is the one single part of your home theater that will have the biggest impact on price. If you already have a TV that you want to use, then adding the rest of the home theater components could cost less than $500. Otherwise, you could pay practically any amount depending on the size of your TV. Of course, the bigger the TV, the higher the price tag. Prices easily range from several hundred to several thousand dollars.

Surround Sound

Getting good sound is critical to having an enjoyable home theater. Unless you score a great deal on eBay, you shouldn’t spend less than $200 here. Depending on the quality and volume you want, prices for surround sound could range up to a thousand dollars or so. However, there are lots of great systems in the neighborhood of $500.

Media Player

The third primary component of a home theater system is your chosen media player. DVD players can now be had for as little as $30 with no significant loss of quality. If you step up to Blu-ray, you can now find many players priced just above $100.

Surge Protector

Although not technically part of your home theater, you shouldn’t be without a good quality surge protector. You can buy plenty of protection for $20 to $40.

So what does this add up to? With your own TV, you could probably be happy at $350. At the high end, you could spend around six grand. However, this doesn’t include any media furniture or improvements to the room where you’ll install this gear.

One thing that makes the home-theater-in-a-box so attractive is its price. Most of these systems are very affordable simply because they are built to appeal to novices. Since everything is included in the box, there are no hidden costs or unexpected purchases. You can choose the level at which you want to enter the home theater game by choosing the most comfortable box price.

Most of these simple systems are compact. By combining several functions into a single control unit, stacks of components and mazes of wiring can be eliminated. The speakers included in the box tend to be small, at least compared to some high-end systems. That makes it much easier to integrate the home theater setup into an existing room.

Ease of setup is probably the number one reason that people choose to buy a home-theater-in-a-box. It doesn’t get much easier than just pulling everything out of a carton and hooking it up. When you put together your own system, you have to check for compatible inputs and outputs. You have to make decisions on the best cables to buy and how long you want them. But a total solution in one package eliminates the need for any decisions in this area. And the instructions can be crystal clear because the author will know exactly which items you’ll be working with.

With all these benefits, you might be wondering if there’s a catch. Well, these complete systems might not offer the super high quality that you might get in a custom system. But since you’re most likely a newcomer to the home theater arena, chances are the extra measure of quality might not be that noticeable. A home-theater-in-a-box is an excellent way to get started in high-quality home entertainment without stress or the need for lots of research and shopping.

The first advantage of wireless home theater is that there are no complicated speaker hookups. This may not be an issue for you, but there are many people who are completely intimidated by the tangle of wires involved in setting up surround sound speakers. Wireless systems eliminate the need for figuring out which wire goes to what speaker. Just unpack the box, position the speakers and you’re ready to go.

Related to this is the fact that going wireless means there will be no messy speaker wires running through your living room or dedicated home theater. For many of us, wires are beautiful, not messy. But that isn’t true for everyone. Wireless means there’s no need to hide the speaker wires as they travel back to the rear speakers. This can be a big advantage, especially with 7.1 systems.

The only disadvantage I’ve heard about with wireless systems is complaints about the quality. Audio purists have complained loudly about poor quality sound, but improvements have been made. The only way to be sure that you will like what you’re buying, never buy a system without listening to it. Remember, you don’t have to buy a system just because you listen to. This is your time to choose the system you want. Shopping for price is a separate step.

Finally, don’t be afraid to return your system if it doesn’t sound right in your house. Many stores have highly optimized listening rooms that may enhance the sound of a bad system. Come to think of it, this may be one final advantage of wireless systems-it’s much easier to put them back in the box if it comes to that.

HDTVs offer the clearest and sharpest video that is currently available with today’s technology. The screen is normally large and flat, mimicking the look of a theater screen while providing excellent viewing from several different angles. The picture it displays is also a much higher resolution than anything a normal television can reproduce.

An HDTV can also display older media in something very close to high definition. Obviously, to get the most out of your system, you would need to feed it high definition material, either HD channels from your cable or satellite, or Blu-ray content from your disc player. However, many disc players can “up-convert” normal DVDs to look very much like HD quality.

Of course, if you do have a Blu-ray disc player, then having an HDTV is essential for getting the most out of your Blu-ray discs. The Blu-ray format is specially designed to fit more data than ever onto a single disc. So not only do you have stunning picture quality and high-quality surround sound audio, you can also access more special features than ever before.

Most cable systems and satellite subscriptions now offer a full range of your favorite channels in high definition. This means that not only will you be able to view dramatic entertainment more clearly, you can also experience sporting events in a completely new way. Building your home theater around an HDTV ensures that you are able to display your entertainment as close to the vision of the director or broadcaster as possible.

Although Blu-Ray discs represent the highest achievement of quality in a physical disk, the world seems to be moving steadily toward of total reliance on streaming entertainment. Netflix has offered streaming entertainment for some time in even their most basic membership. In what will probably be an unsuccessful attempt to stave off bankruptcy, Blockbuster has also developed its own streaming video service. In addition, services like Hulu allow users to view the latest television entertainment.

In recognition of this explosion of streaming services, DVD and Blu-Ray disc player manufacturers have added streaming capabilities to their machines. The newest players from Sony, Samsung, Panasonic and others include all the hardware and software needed to connect to your Netflix account and play movies on demand. Assuming you have a broadband connection to handle it, movies and television can be viewed in HD quality. Granted, it’s not Blu-Ray quality, at least not yet.

With the ability to stream movies on demand, you may be able avoid waiting for the mail or making a late-night run to the rental store. Considering the television offerings available from Hulu, it may even be possible to drop your TV cable bill. I met people who’ve done this and they’re perfectly happy with their entertainment choices. You certainly shouldn’t buy a new Blu-Ray disc player without streaming capability.

Like the answers to most questions, will you give up all depend on how cheap you go and how you managed to lower the price. For example, one way that you can get a cheap home theater system is to buy it used. You might be able to find a system a secondhand store, or better yet on an auction site like eBay. By purchasing a used system, you might not have to give up anything in quality even though you’re saving a significant amount of money.

Another way to lower the price on a home theater system is to seek out the budget brands. Some manufacturers clearly positioned themselves as top-of-the-line, while others target buyers at lower price points. By doing your research into the various brands of home theater equipment, it will soon become clear which brand you can afford and which you can’t.

In terms of sound quality, it’s quite possible you might not have to give up anything at all. Some high-end systems may include features for which you have no use. The true test of a home theater system is how it looks and sounds to you. So regardless of where you intend to buy your system, you need to spend lots of time looking and listening to see if you can tell the difference. With just a little comparison shopping, your choice will soon become clear.

The Panasonic G25 televisions are considered “entry-level,” but their features can satisfy most home theater enthusiasts. There are four different models in the series, each with a different sized screen. At the low end, a 42″ screen will comfortably fit any living room. If your room is big enough, go with a 54″ screen, the largest model in the series. The screens are designed with an “Infinite Black” panel for reduced glare and colors that are rich and deep. The black colors actually look like they have depth – as if you could reach out and touch it. However, the Panasonic G25 series are not 3D HDTVs.

One unique feature of the Panasonic G25 series is the ability to make video calls with the Skype program. It connects to a network camera through Viera Cast, which is a technology feature that lets users stream Internet media content directly onto the TV screen. This means you can watch free movies and shows on websites like Hulu.com right on your wide-screen HDTV. You can save a lot of money on your cable by switching to free or inexpensive online media websites.

The Panasonic G25 series HDTVs are almost the ultimate movie experience, barring 3D. They are the perfect introduction to the plasma HDTV market for people who are not interested in a 3D television. Panasonic is a well-known company that has an excellent reputation for producing quality televisions.

The most important aspect of home theater seating is comfort. Nothing can ruin your enjoyment of the movie or sporting event like being uncomfortable. You want to install seating that cradles viewers in comfort and helps keep them from getting too hot or too cold. Recliner theater seats, leather sofas or sectional seating are very popular choices.

Good lighting is essential for home theater enjoyment. Indirect lighting and recessed lighting are best because you don’t want any light shining in your eyes. Wall sconces that direct light up or down can really help the room look more like a theater. Of course, it’s a given that all lights will have dimmers on them. If you want to take things up a notch, all of them are should be remotely operated. Make sure whatever you buy can be integrated into a universal remote.

Don’t forget to decorate the walls. Movie posters are an excellent choice, especially if you have a few lifelong favorites. If you browse eBay occasionally, you may be able to pick up some cardboard movie character cutouts.

Once you get started, the most difficult part of decorating your home theater will be stopping before you go overboard. Choosing a theme at the beginning and sticking with it should help you avoid a cluttered look.

One of your primary concerns when choosing a home theater projector should be the brightness. The brightness of the projector is measured in lumens. A higher lumens rating means a brighter image. Exactly how many lumens you need depends a lot on the theater room where the projector will be installed. If the room is can legally closed off with no windows whatsoever, then you may be able to get by with a lower rating. However, if you are not in complete control of lighting in the room, then you need to make sure you get a projector is bright enough for all lighting situations.

Home theater projectors are available in two primary technologies, DLP and LCD. The DLP projectors can usually achieve a higher contrast ratio than an LCD, but the LCD projectors can usually produce a brighter image. Like most home theater purchases, discovering your preference is an important part of comparison shopping.

One advantage that projectors have over HDTV’s is that a ceiling mounted projector won’t take up any room space. Home theaters based on projectors always seem to be a little more open and airy. Don’t forget that you also need to go shopping for screen. You can’t expect to project an image on a bare wall and achieve a high quality picture.