Our home theater system is still a dream system right now but we have been doing some research on the different systems. The choices are many from what type of video display unit, dvd unit, receiver unit, speaker system to video service provider.

Now we should learn about some technical terms and standards so that we know how to build a home theater system. This should be an easy home improvement project, but can be a very expensive project.

HDTV, or High Definition TV, ATSC is the new broadcast standard format for digital TV signals for the USA and DVB is the standard for Europe and most of the rest of the world. HDTV may also supports surround sound.

The USA plans to stop broadcasting analog signals on Feb. 17, 2009 for large metropolitan areas, rural areas will still have analog signals. If you live in a rural area, check with your local TV stations to see if they are going to switch to digital broadcasting.

If you have a newer analog TV set in the USA , you may still be able to use the old TVs. There is a "TV Converter Box Coupon Program" that USA house holds can use for two $40.00 coupons which can be used to get a qualified converter box. The new HDTVs have an HD tuner built into it.

HDTV systems are describe by three parameters, frames or fields per second, the scanning system, and number of lines in the vertical display.

The progressive p scanning system draws a complete image per refresh frame. The interlaced i scanning system draws every other line first then fills in the other lines on a second pass per refresh frame.

A TV with 1280 x 720 pixels and progressive scanning at 60 frames per second is called a 720p60 format. A TV with 1920 x 1080 pixels and interlaced scanning at 50 frames per second is called a 1080i50. Some newer HDTVs boast of a 120 HZ or frames per second refresh rate.

Picking the best home theater receiver for your home theater is a challenging effort. The price varies from a few hundred dollars to many thousands of dollars. How do you pick the right one for your home. Well first you need to understand what all the receiver can do and what you need to build a home theater.

Ok the wait is over Blu-ray has won the DVD battle. The cost of the Blu-ray DVD unit is still very expensive. It may be a year or so until the price of these units start to become more affordable.

Do you want a stereo system or a surround sound system? If you want a surround sound system, should you choose a 5.1, 6.1 or 71. system? How big of a theater room do you have? You need to coordinate the size of the system to your space.

The Telephone companies are adding fiber optic cable that will support internet access, telephone service and video. So this is another choice for a distribution system of either fiber,cable or satellite.

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Families play video games, listen to music from multiple speakers placed strategically around the room, and watch the latest movies without having to leave home or even open cabinet doors. Designers of the audio and video components no longer try to make the television itself appear as traditional furniture. Instead, the units are big and sleek with blank and stainless steel or chrome. These TVs are meant to be seen!

The next step was a logical one - seating. Comfortable couches, often with recliners built in. Chairs you sink into with a small table for drinks and snacks. Recessed lighting has become the standard and it is even possible to purchase stadium-type seats for use in your home.

It is no longer necessary to drive miles to a movie theater, pay high prices for entrance, popcorn and drinks.
Whether you place your home theater system in a corner of a large room or designate an entire room for the purpose, one thing is certain - this will be an area of your home that will be heavily used by your family.

As the technology became mainstream, the prices dropped and the demand for large home video systems continues to grow. More and more often, homeowners are including a video room when choosing the design for their new home. The large screen led to rooms designed for viewing TV and movies. This is quite a change in direction from years of trying hide home entertainment from view.

Interiors designers no longer recommend cabinets or closets to hide the entertainment components as they did year after year. Instead, they design seating areas and sound systems, turning rooms into real family theaters. The rooms are multi-purpose, with the goal of an area where technology is the center of attention.

The next step was a logical one - seating.  Comfortable couches, often with recliners built in.  Chairs you sink into with a small table for drinks and snacks.  Recessed lighting has become the standard and it is even possible to purchase stadium-type seats for use in your home.

It is no longer necessary to drive miles to a movie theater, pay high prices for entrance, popcorn and drinks.
Whether you place your home theater system in a corner of a large room or designate an entire room for the purpose, one thing is certain - this will be an area of your home that will be heavily used by your family.

As the technology became mainstream, the prices dropped and the demand for large home video systems continues to grow. More and more often, homeowners are including a video room when choosing the design for their new home. The large screen led to rooms designed for viewing TV and movies. This is quite a change in direction from years of trying hide home entertainment from view.

Interiors designers no longer recommend cabinets or closets to hide the entertainment components as they did year after year. Instead, they design seating areas and sound systems, turning rooms into real family theaters. The rooms are multi-purpose, with the goal of an area where technology is the center of attention.

For those who enjoy their movies, a home theater system is rapidly moving away from being classified as a luxury. Not too many years ago only the most expensive and opulent homes were graced with a room designated for view movies.

The expense and floor space required for projection televisions were beyond the reach of middle class family homes. Technology introduced the flat screen and shortly thereafter digital and plasma TVs became available.