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Buying advice Home theater in a box
Get an all-in-one system to add to your TV with few setup hassles
Even the priciest digital TV can't convey the rich multichannel sound you'll find on most DVD movies and high-definition television programs. To remedy that, you have two basic choices: You can buy components and assemble your own system, or opt for a home-theater-in-a-box system.
Buying separate components can be time-consuming and expensive, and connecting them can be a challenge. You can avoid some of the hassle by buying a prepackaged system that combines a receiver with a set of matched speakers, wiring, and often a DVD player. The package will cost less than building your own system from scratch. Still, unless you’re a serious music listener, you’ll probably find the functionality and sound quality to be just fine. However, these systems typically have less power and fewer features than separate components and don’t let you add or replace speakers.
WHAT'S AVAILABLE
Home-theater packages include a receiver that can decode digital-audio soundtracks and six to eight compact speakers--two front, one center, two to four surround speakers for the rear, and a subwoofer--that have been matched for sound. Some systems have wireless surround speakers or speakers with flat styling to complement a flat-panel TV. You get all the cables and wiring you need, usually color-coded or labeled for easy setup.
Most systems include a progressive-scan DVD player, either built into the receiver or as a separate component, and a powered subwoofer. Some bundle in a VCR as well. Price: $50 to $1,500 for typical systems, and $2,000 or more for systems aimed at audiophiles. Panasonic and Sony are among the best-selling brands in the market.
HOW TO CHOOSE
Decide whether you want a DVD player. If not, you could save money by buying a system without one. If you want a DVD in the bundle, consider whether you need a multidisc model that will provide uninterrupted play of CDs and DVDs, or if a single-disc player will do. All the DVD-equipped systems we’ve tested have a progressive-scan player. These offer regular DVD picture quality with a conventional TV but can deliver a smoother image when used with a high-definition (HD) TV. Some DVD players can play multichannel DVD-Audio and SACD music discs, some even in their original, high-resolution format.
Do you want a separate DVD player or one integrated with a receiver? Systems that integrate the DVD player and the receiver in one box tend to offer a bit less functionality and fewer connections than those that have two separate components. Integrated units are somewhat simpler to set up, but they may not allow you to connect video devices other than a TV to the receiver.
Make sure there are enough inputs. You might want to route video as well as audio signals through your receiver so you can easily switch among sources such as a VCR, cable or satellite box, and DVR. Consider which devices you’ll want to channel through the home-theater unit and which you can hook up directly to the TV. Be sure you have enough of the appropriate inputs and outputs. For instance, you’ll need an HDMI or component video input to feed high-definition signals from a cable or satellite box through the receiver to your TV.
Each type of connection is capable of conveying a different level of video quality. If you’ll be connecting a DVD player to your TV through the receiver, look for a model with S-video, component-video, or HDMI connections, which should give you better picture quality than a composite-video hookup.
With audio inputs, you’ll need a digital-audio input for relaying undecoded digital audio from your DVD player, digital-cable box, or satellite receiver. Make sure the input on the home-theater system matches the output on the other device. Some of these units have an optical digital-audio output, while others have a coaxial digital-audio output. (An HDMI connection carries the audio along with video in one cable.)
If you want to connect a turntable, see if the one you have requires a phono input, which is hard to come by. Look for a front-video input on the receiver if you want to make occasional connections--say, for a camcorder or a game system--and your TV doesn’t have front-panel inputs.
Get features that suit your needs. With any system, you can be assured of such basics as AM/FM tuners, Dolby Digital and DTS surround-sound support, and enough speakers for at least a 5.1 surround setup. Some systems now include an integrated XM satellite-radio tuner or a USB port for connecting an iPod or other portable music player so you can listen to your music through the sound system.
Extras such as switched AC outlets are less common than on component receivers, so make sure a system has what you want. An onscreen display is handy for setting up and adjusting functions using the TV screen rather than a small display on the console. Among our tested systems, only those with a DVD player integrated with the receiver had an onscreen display.
A few models offer newer Dolby and DTS surround formats that process 6.1 or 7.1 channels, which support an additional one or two rear-surround speakers, respectively. Those formats still aren’t widely used in movies but could become more common in the future.
Also consider the warranty. Manufacturers provide 24 months of coverage, rather than 12 months, on some models.
See our latest Ratings of home theaters in a box and related information (available to ).
Get an all-in-one system to add to your TV with few setup hassles
Even the priciest digital TV can't convey the rich multichannel sound you'll find on most DVD movies and high-definition television programs. To remedy that, you have two basic choices: You can buy components and assemble your own system, or opt for a home-theater-in-a-box system.
Buying separate components can be time-consuming and expensive, and connecting them can be a challenge. You can avoid some of the hassle by buying a prepackaged system that combines a receiver with a set of matched speakers, wiring, and often a DVD player. The package will cost less than building your own system from scratch. Still, unless you’re a serious music listener, you’ll probably find the functionality and sound quality to be just fine. However, these systems typically have less power and fewer features than separate components and don’t let you add or replace speakers.
WHAT'S AVAILABLE
Home-theater packages include a receiver that can decode digital-audio soundtracks and six to eight compact speakers--two front, one center, two to four surround speakers for the rear, and a subwoofer--that have been matched for sound. Some systems have wireless surround speakers or speakers with flat styling to complement a flat-panel TV. You get all the cables and wiring you need, usually color-coded or labeled for easy setup.
Most systems include a progressive-scan DVD player, either built into the receiver or as a separate component, and a powered subwoofer. Some bundle in a VCR as well. Price: $50 to $1,500 for typical systems, and $2,000 or more for systems aimed at audiophiles. Panasonic and Sony are among the best-selling brands in the market.
HOW TO CHOOSE
Decide whether you want a DVD player. If not, you could save money by buying a system without one. If you want a DVD in the bundle, consider whether you need a multidisc model that will provide uninterrupted play of CDs and DVDs, or if a single-disc player will do. All the DVD-equipped systems we’ve tested have a progressive-scan player. These offer regular DVD picture quality with a conventional TV but can deliver a smoother image when used with a high-definition (HD) TV. Some DVD players can play multichannel DVD-Audio and SACD music discs, some even in their original, high-resolution format.
Do you want a separate DVD player or one integrated with a receiver? Systems that integrate the DVD player and the receiver in one box tend to offer a bit less functionality and fewer connections than those that have two separate components. Integrated units are somewhat simpler to set up, but they may not allow you to connect video devices other than a TV to the receiver.
Make sure there are enough inputs. You might want to route video as well as audio signals through your receiver so you can easily switch among sources such as a VCR, cable or satellite box, and DVR. Consider which devices you’ll want to channel through the home-theater unit and which you can hook up directly to the TV. Be sure you have enough of the appropriate inputs and outputs. For instance, you’ll need an HDMI or component video input to feed high-definition signals from a cable or satellite box through the receiver to your TV.
Each type of connection is capable of conveying a different level of video quality. If you’ll be connecting a DVD player to your TV through the receiver, look for a model with S-video, component-video, or HDMI connections, which should give you better picture quality than a composite-video hookup.
With audio inputs, you’ll need a digital-audio input for relaying undecoded digital audio from your DVD player, digital-cable box, or satellite receiver. Make sure the input on the home-theater system matches the output on the other device. Some of these units have an optical digital-audio output, while others have a coaxial digital-audio output. (An HDMI connection carries the audio along with video in one cable.)
If you want to connect a turntable, see if the one you have requires a phono input, which is hard to come by. Look for a front-video input on the receiver if you want to make occasional connections--say, for a camcorder or a game system--and your TV doesn’t have front-panel inputs.
Get features that suit your needs. With any system, you can be assured of such basics as AM/FM tuners, Dolby Digital and DTS surround-sound support, and enough speakers for at least a 5.1 surround setup. Some systems now include an integrated XM satellite-radio tuner or a USB port for connecting an iPod or other portable music player so you can listen to your music through the sound system.
Extras such as switched AC outlets are less common than on component receivers, so make sure a system has what you want. An onscreen display is handy for setting up and adjusting functions using the TV screen rather than a small display on the console. Among our tested systems, only those with a DVD player integrated with the receiver had an onscreen display.
A few models offer newer Dolby and DTS surround formats that process 6.1 or 7.1 channels, which support an additional one or two rear-surround speakers, respectively. Those formats still aren’t widely used in movies but could become more common in the future.
Also consider the warranty. Manufacturers provide 24 months of coverage, rather than 12 months, on some models.
See our latest Ratings of home theaters in a box and related information (available to ).
