Building a home theater is a great way for families who enjoy watching movies on a big screen to save money and provide entertainment at the same time all in the comfort of there home.

A big misconception when you mention the words home theater are they cost to much, but you can have one out of the box for a very reasonable price that in the long run will cost you less than taking the family to the movies every week.

A home theater consists of a big screen TV, surround speakers, DVD, or VCR that duplicate the same experience you would get out of going to the movies.

There a couple ways you can have a home theater. One type home theater is the “Out Of Box” and the other way is to build your own.

Home Theater “In A Box”:

This home theater system comes with speakers, surround sound receiver, DVD player, or VCR and some with a DVD/VCR recorder and all you need is the big screen TV, preferably a 27 inch, or larger to create your home theater.

The biggest factor you will notice with “In A Box” home theater systems is the cost. Some systems you can get for as little as $200.00 which is a great savings when compared to the cost of going out the movies and spending $50.00 plus.

When purchasing one of these systems do not worry about the technical stuff because all the instructions come with easy to follow directions for setting up your home theater.

Although “In A Box” home theaters are very affordable do not expect perfection in the sound department if you want top quality sound. If this is the case you may want to go a different direction and select your home theater parts separately.

Another factor to consider is that “In A Box” home theater are not that versatile when it comes to adding plug in components, making multiple connections, or changing the speakers later if you decide you want better quality sound.

Creating A Home Theater Separately:

By creating your home theater with separate components you will save money in the long run and be closer to your expectations of quality and what your needs are.

Start by noting what is the most important to you in a home theater then shop around for bargains and select each piece according to your needs and price you can afford.

Better home theaters have a DVD player with channel programming with special recording features, come with five speakers in the 100 watt range that deliver good sound, sub woofers to pick up bass tones and an amplifier.

When shopping for a quality home theater system do not assume that a high price home theater system is always the best system to buy. For around $700.00 you can get a quality brand name system with DVD and speakers with good quality sound.

When purchasing separately you may want to hire someone to install your system because it can be quite complex for the novice to install.

With either type home theater you can get as extravagant as you want by building a complete theater room, or converting a garage with seating and vending machine, pop corn maker or whatever you desire that is within your budget.

The important thing to remember in selecting a home theater system is your needs. Know what you want in a home theater system and what you are willing to spend for quality and always get a good warranty from the dealer.

By: Chet Holcomb