WHAT IS HOME THEATER?

WHAT IS HOME THEATER?
Do you dream of having a huge television screen with unhindered surround sound? Are you a TV buff, craving for improved quality in your system? Do you dream of watching cinema every day in your living room? Well, a Home Theater is the answer to all your dreams.


BUYING HOME-THEATRE COMPONENTS TV Screen: Well, first things first. You definitely need a large TV. Remember, the buzzword here is THEATRE! The size, resolution, and flatness etc of your TV will be of prime importance.

Speakers: Again, a good set of speakers, and I don't necessarily mean expensive, but carefully chosen speakers would give life to all your viewing.
HiFi VCR: The VCR is a relatively old technology and as a result, even the most feature-packed units are now very affordable. Make sure your VCR has HiFi stereo outputs in order to enjoy surround sound from a VHS tape. If you are buying a new VCR, you should also make sure it includes 4 video heads. 4-head VCR's provide cleaner looking slow motion play and freeze frames. It's a must have for a home theatre, you do want to record your favourite programmes to watch later don't you?

DVD Player: The world over, the DVD has brought the movies to your living room. A much better quality than VHS, digital technology also is better as it keeps away the fungus and no jhanjhat of tracking!
Satellite and Cable Broadcasts: A cable connection is good, but a Digital Satellite Broadcast can offer the most programming choices. However, you need to buy and keep, or lease the equipment. And unlike most cable programming, local TV stations are not available.

Audio/Video Receiver: Think of the A/V Receiver as the hub, which determines which source (CD player, Radio, DVD player, VCR, Tape Deck, etc.) will send the audio (and sometimes video) signal to the speakers and Television. There is no difference between an amplifier and receiver except that a receiver includes a tuner for listening to AM and FM stations. If the receiver includes a processor, then the audio signal can be "processed" to produce the surround sound experience.

Add-ons: Adding a Dolby amplifier to an existing stereo system easily converts it to a multi-channel home-theatre. Amplifiers are available right from 35 watts upto 100 watts RMS (per channel). Always match the amplifier with the speakers; an underpowered amplifier can damage the speakers. So, if you have 35 watts speakers, go in for a 35 watts amplifier.

Dolby ProLogic: Dolby Pro Logic separates a Dolby Surround Sound encoded stereo signal (two channels) into four separate channels- One for the Front Right, One for the Front Left, One for the Center, and one for the Rear (both rear speakers get the same signal). While Dolby ProLogic does not provide a separate channel for Low Frequency Effects (LFE), a powered subwoofer can, and should, still be added for separate amplification of the bass frequencies.

Dolby Digital and DTS: Dolby Digital and DTS includes 6 separate audio channels. Five of these signals carry the full range of frequencies audible to the human ear (Front Right, Front Left, Center, Right Surround, Left Surround) and one signal carries only low end, or bass frequencies for special effects. Basically, the DTS is just a better, fuller sound. It gets better and better…

You can either buy HtiB (Home theatres in a Box), which includes all the components together (amplifier, speakers, subwoofer etc) or buy them separately. The second option will cost you more, but gives a better sound output, flexibility to choose according to your choice and also gives the option of upgrading later on.



HOME THEATRE ARRANGEMENT

SPEAKERSHow you place your speakers can determine whether they will work at their best or not. Each speaker in a home theatre system has its own, unique feature.

Left, Right They carry primarily music and sound effects, and should have the same wide, smooth response as good stereo speakers.

CentreThe centre speaker carries much of the dialogue as well as music and effects, so ideally should be identical to the left and right speakers. A smaller speaker can be used, however, thanks to the "Normal" mode that feeds center channel low bass to the left and right speaker (B). You can even do without one.

SurroundSurround speakers need not reproduce low bass, so can be small and inconspicuous. Nevertheless, their overall sound balance should be as close as possible to the front speakers. Proper placement is vital to establish an evenly distributed sound field.

SubwooferA true subwoofer designed to reproduce powerful low bass effects (explosions, the rumble of spaceships, etc.) dramatically heightens involvement with the action on the screen. Some models are powered by built-in amplifiers, while others are designed to be driven by your existing amplifier, or, for better results, by a separate bass amp. It is not necessary that the subwoofer is of the same make as the speakers, but it should be of the same quality.

Magnectic ShieldingSpeakers placed less than two feet from the TV set must be magnetically shielded models to prevent picture distortion. Virtually all speakers designed specifically for center channel use are shielded, as are many other "A/V" models.

Add-on SpeakersCenter and surround models from virtually all speaker manufacturers make it easy to convert an existing stereo system to home theatre.

In-wall SpeakersMany speaker manufacturers offer high-quality in-wall systems that effectively "disappear" in the room. All five speakers can be in-wall units, or just the fronts or surrounds.

Satellite SystemsMany speaker manufacturers offer high-quality in-wall systems that effectively "disappear" in the room. All five speakers can be in-wall units, or just the fronts or surrounds.

AlignmentAlign the center speaker evenly with (A), or slightly behind (B), the left and right speakers, but not ahead of them.

AnglePlacing the left and right speakers to form a 45 degree angle with your favorite viewing position will duplicate the soundtrack mixer's perspective.

HeightThe mid- and high-frequency drivers of the three front speakers should be as close as possible to the same height. This often requires placing the center speaker directly atop (A) or beneath (B) the TV set.
SURROUND SPEAKERS PLACEMENT
Place the systems preferably on the sides of the system.

HeightIf space permits, install surrounds 2-3 feet above viewers. This helps to minimize localization effects.

AimingAiming surrounds straight across the room, not down at viewers, helps create a more open, spacious surround soundfield. (Some models may require different aiming; see Special designs below).

Special DesignsSidewall mounting, while preferred for direct radiating speakers (A), is usually required for surround speakers designed to radiate to both the front and rear (B). Check instructions for any special placement or aiming needs for your speakers.

TELEVISION PLACEMENT
The TV should not be too close to where you sit. Apart from the fact that you will strain your neck, the screen will also look grainy. A general rule of thumb is to place the television 3 times the screen's diagonal dimension from the ideal viewing and listening spot. As an example, for a 35" TV, your eyes should be 105" (35 x 3), or about 9 feet away. Flat screen TV's minimize glare from light sources in the room. For all other TV's, the natural bow of the screen will pick up light sources throughout the room. Thus don't place lamps etc in a way that the TV catches their glare.



INSTALLATION AND OPERATION TIPS A do-it yourself guide:
The room:
Too many bare surfaces can cause reflections that add harshness to the sound or muddy the dialogue; carpeting and drapes help to keep them in check.
If you have a choice of rooms, avoid those that are perfectly square, or that have one dimension exactly twice another; they can aggravate resonances that colour the sound.

Center the seating area between the side-walls on which you mount the surround speakers.
Keep out external noise by sound proofing the room to enhance the listening experience.

The closer a speaker is placed to intersecting room surfaces--corner, wall and ceiling, wall and floor--the stronger its bass output (possibly too strong in some cases).

Amplifier power: All three front channels should have the same power if the three front speakers are identical. With a smaller center speaker, less center channel power is required. A total of one-half the power of one main front channel is usually sufficient for the surrounds. Specific power requirements depend on how loud you listen, speaker sensitivity, size of the room, and how much its furnishings "soak up" sound.

Audio/video connections: Use good-quality shielded cables, and be sure plugs are fully inserted into jacks. Follow the color code used on most connectors and cables to prevent confusion.

Speaker wiring: Prepare speaker wires by stripping their ends (A), then twisting the bared strands tightly together (B) to prevent shorts across terminals (C). Or, if speaker and amplifier/receiver terminals permit, use "banana" plugs to ensure solid connections (D).

Speaker polarity: Connect the "+" and "-" (usually red and black) terminals on each amplifier channel to the corresponding terminals on each speaker. To make this easier, speaker cable is coded with a bead or stripe down one lead's insulation, and/or different colored wires. Connected identically, all speakers will operate "in phase," with their cones moving back and forth together. "Out of phase" connections, while doing no harm, muddy spatial effects and weaken bass.

Processing enhancements: Some systems also feature "Cinema" digital signal processing (DSP) modes that simulate the acoustics of large theaters, and/or "THX(r)" processing that also strives for a more "theatrical" experience. These are provided as enhancements to Pro Logic decoding, not as alternatives.

Channel balance: Systems with Dolby Pro Logic decoding feature a test signal generator for balancing the channels. As the signal "travels" from channel to channel, adjust the balance controls until each channel plays at the same loudness level. SOME COMMON MISTAKES

Subwoofers and surround speakers are too loud: Enjoy the quality sound, don't overdo it. Calibrate them with a SPL meter and a noise source. You don't want your neighbours to call the police do you?

TV's set to the cool colour temperature: The "warm" setting on most TV's is much closer to the 6500 degrees K level that most people consider "standard". So set it to "warm" or ask someone to calibrate your TV.

Surrounds blasting in the ears: The surround speakers should be higher up and farther away. You don't want to be easily distracted by surround effects. Envelopement should be the goal.

Turn the sharpness on your TV down: Sharpness is bad, it causes ringing, and in excess it actually lowers the resolution instead of increasing it. Keep it at a comfortable level.

Too much ambient light washes out the picture:Close the drapes and turn off the lights, make it dark. I mean, if you want a theatre experience, why leave the lights on?

Bad room layout symmetry:Not having the TV centered or having the front speakers all akimbo is a very common mistake. Putting the TV in the corner is bad. Putting the left front speaker on the floor and the right front on top of the bookshelf is bad. Putting those satellite sized surround speakers on the floor behind the plant is bad. Most of us can't have a dedicated movie room, usually a room needs to maintain its multifunctional value. But hey, that doesn't mean you strain your neck to watch the TV.

Your home theatre system is supposed to be an experience for you to enjoy the experience, and not to ruin it for others. Too much sound is bad, go for quality sound not noise. Enjoy the experience.