What kind of equipment to buy depends on your budget, how much time you have on your hands, your technical prowess and - of course - how much you tend to drool over the latest high-tech gizmos. Those inclined toward do-it-yourself projects can buy a high-definition set or projector, hook it up to a DVD player and surround-sound system for $3,000 or less.

But if money is no object, you can get your home cinema professionally designed, acoustically engineered, installed and tricked out to look like a real movie theater … for $25,000 and up. Like luxury cars or motorboats, there’s practically no upper limit for those with money to spend.

Sal Alfano, a retired Wall Street executive, had a $9,000 home theater system built in his Pennsylvania home last fall as part of a $50,000 basement renovation project.

It features theater-style seats, a 103-inch screen (measured diagonally) with a high-definition projector, a popcorn machine and soundproofing to preserve neighborly harmony.

Having the system professionally installed made sense for Alfano. “I’m not a technician. Let them do it,” he said.

Since then, he has enjoyed having his three grandchildren over to the basement to watch DVDs, and friends to watch sports games. “Even my doctor came over one night,” he said.

Home theater aficionados say a digital projector, which can display a high-definition image on a screen mounted on your wall is the best way to get a movie-theater experience. But flat-screen televisions remain far more popular among U.S. households than the projectors favored by home-theater purists.

Shipments of flat-panel TVs of 40 inches or larger are projected to rise to more than 11 million this year, from 9.3 million last year, according to market research firm Pacific Media Associates. By comparison, shipments of projectors are far lower: about 150,000 units last year.

Possible reasons include the immense marketing behind flat-screen TVs and the fact that projection systems don’t carry quite the same bling factor for most consumers. While projection systems are able to deliver a larger picture at a lower price, “the projector itself is not showy,” said William Coggshall, president of Pacific Media Associates.

Among those who are able to afford new home theaters despite the tough economic times, some are trying to make their theaters a more active space for their families.

They are installing small stages where kids can set up their musical instruments, or play virtual tennis on a Nintendo Wii. “They don’t want to have it be a space … where their kids are just brain-dead, watching TV,” said John Baumeister, president of Illinois-based Baumeister Electronic Architects, which specializes in custom-designed, high-end systems ranging from $50,000 to $1 million.

Clients can get such features as a curved screen that gives you that wide-screen “Lawrence of Arabia” look, or a remote control that scrolls through a list of movies stored on a computer server.

Another plus: moving curtains that replicate a movie theater’s look. “You want the lights to dim, you want the curtains to open up,” Baumeister says, just like in the movies.

Consumers were also influenced by information from blogs, manufacturer, and store Web sites prior to buying.

The Ad-ology survey also indicates consumers consider quality, price, and availability the most important factors when purchasing TV, audio, or home theater equipment.

“Considering the importance consumers place on quality, it’s no surprise that product-review Web sites are a major influence on their purchases,” said C. Lee Smith, president and CEO of Ad-ology Research. “Manufacturer Web sites list technical specs, but consumer reviews give real-world experiences — what happens when you get the set home — that consumers feel they can trust.”

Despite doing online research for these products, the study shows 80.3 percent of consumers still prefer to purchase TV, audio, and home theater equipment in-person at a store.

But with the advancement of technology in HDTV 1080p Flat Panel Televisions, they are becoming more and more amazing to watch as the screen pictures are crisper and cleaner even with all the larger size Flat Panels.

So, How to choose a 1080P HDTV?

Pixels play the major role in the newer quality screen shots as it helps focus light into a mirror which is called fluorescent back light. It also helps to match the right color tones which adds to the sharper and more realistic, true-to-life images.

Some of the more popular HDTV 1080p models that have benefited from the advanced technology are Samsung LN40A650 40-Inch 1080p, Philips 37-Inch Flat Panel HDTV LCD Digital TV, Samsung LN52A550 52-Inch 1080pLCD and many, many more.

So with all the brands available and with all the advancements that have been made which HDTV 1080p television, How to choose a 1080P HDTV these days? One of the main things to consider would be the size of your room where your new Flat Panel would go and the size of your budget.

If you purchase a HDTV 1080p that is 37-Inches and under you are going to have more options as with this size you can move it from room to room, like a den, bedroom etc, along with your main living quarters.

Plus with a smaller LCD television you have a smaller purchase costs which can give you the option to buy two smaller TV’s instead of one larger one. This way you can have your TV viewing in more that one area of your home.

The advantage of the bigger HDTV Flat Panels above the 37-Inch models is it will give you that home theater feel that can really enhance your entertainment experience and will be a very welcomed addition to your home.

The price will generally go up as you increase the size of your HDTV Flat Panel, but for many of us it is the best option to go big and create that bigger home entertainment feel.

The great thing is that your options are many and with more options you have the more you can find the HDTV 1080p that will best meet your needs.

So I hope I have helped you in How to choose a 1080P HDTV. If you have any more questions please let me know.

About the Author
Roderick Powers has been a business owner for over 20 years. He reviews and promotes many online products and services. His goal for you is to provide information and easy access to the products that are of interest to you. For a best deals this holiday season please visit our store today at http://astore.amazon.com/1080p_lcd-20

The PRO-HD ($299, shipping now) isn’t the first Slingbox capable of receiving an HD signal (both the low-end Solo and the high-end, four-input Pro can accept 1080i sources), but it is the first to actually sling HD-quality video (maximum resolution: 1280 by 768) to a remote laptop or desktop PC. And when I say PC, I mean PC-the SlingPlayer software is available for both Windows and Mac, but you’ll need the latest version (2.0) to receive HD video, and for now it’s Windows-only (although a Mac version is “coming soon”).

Anyway, setup for the PRO-HD is essentially the same as with previous Slingboxes; you just connect your various set-top boxes (such as cable/satellite boxes, DVRs, DVD players, or even an Apple TV) to the PRO-HD’s A/V inputs (component, composite, and S-Video inputs are available, along with analog and Toslink audio inputs), then connect passthrough cables from the PRO-HD to your TV. After that, you connect the Slingbox to your home broadband connection via wired Ethernet, while a three-way IR blaster lets the PRO-HD control all your video components.

Once the Slingbox hardware is all set, you then install the SlingPlayer software client on your desktop and/or laptop; a setup wizard takes you step-by-step through the configuration process. Overall, the process was pretty simple, although I ran into a hiccup when the wizard couldn’t automatically configure my older-model Apple Extreme Wi-Fi router for remote Slingbox streaming over the Internet (after manually tweaking the necessary Port Mapping settings (easily done), I was good to go). After that, the SlingPlayer connects to your Slingbox and starts streaming; a software remote lets you control all your set-top functions, including changing channels, recording, watching saved shows … anything. Pretty cool.

I ran most of my tests on the Vista partition of my Boot-Camp’d MacBook Pro (2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo with 2GB of RAM), and while I was slinging video over my local Wi-Fi network, the results were impressive, if not quite 1080p impressive. Streaming at about 3Mbps, HD images looked much sharper than I expected, especially when watching the talking heads on CNN HD or ESPN HD. I did notice some dropped frames and choppiness when I switched to channels with more action; for example, a clutch of speeding Tour de France cyclists on Discovery HD Theater looked especially choppy, although not unwatchably so. That said, shows with relatively static indoor shots, such as “Gossip Girl” and other network dramas, fared much better (my screenshots don’t do them justice).

Slinging HD video over the Internet is another matter, however. I use Road Runner cable broadband at home, and speedy though my service is, it can only manage about 500Kbps or so upstream, leaving me with just blocky QVGA video (see the screenshot below) when watching SlingPlayer remotely over the Internet-watchable, but a far cry from 768p HD video. Sling Media reps say that you’ll probably need at least 1.5Mbps upstream from your home broadband connection to stream HD over the Net (you can test your bandwidth right here). You can always force the SlingPlayer software to try and display HD even with middling bandwidth, but be prepared for seriously choppy video.

Read More at Yahoo

Let’s start with the basics.  For a “net-friendly” A/V pre/pro/tuner, or for any home entertainment component, that means a high capacity and well shielded power supply so each circuit has all the current it needs and stray leakage from the transformer doesn’t interfere with data signals.  To that end, Marantz engineers specified a low-flux toroid transformer and encased it in an anti-magnetic steel shield for even greater stray flux control.

This baby has a price tag of $2500 or so.

And because interference can come from outside as well as inside, they gifted the AV8003 with a heavy copper-plated steel chassis to lock out electromagnetic and radio frequency noise as well as external vibrations.  On the practical side, the chassis is shallower than conventional designs, too, so the AV8003 fits where others don’t.

Inside the chassis, you’ll find premium parts carefully arranged in a short-signal-trace configuration so that entertainment signals don’t suffer corrupting influences.  And analog audio outputs include balanced connections via XLRs (configured to the “pin 2 = hot” standard) to insure noise-free data transmission from the AV8003 to a multichannel power amplifier such as Marantz’ new eight-channel MM8003.

As you would expect from a Marantz pre/pro/tuner, the AV8003 handles all the latest audio sources, even Dolby TrueHD and dts-HD Master Audio, for the best no-compromise sound from today’s advanced media.  Connections abound for both contemporary and heritage sources, too, so you’ll have no trouble connecting even tape or CD recorders.  Audyssey’s MultEQ automatically creates a surround soundfield that’s best matched to your main listening/viewing room.

Worried about the sound quality of compressed audio formats like MP3 or WMA?  Or maybe concerned that you won’t enjoy FM or AM as much as you used to because they just don’t hold up to Blu-ray’s high def audio tracks?  Relax and enjoy!  M-DAX (Marantz Dynamic Audio Expander) recreates the missing high frequency spectrum so well that you might mistake even a low bit rate MP3 file for a CD!

The AV8003 gives you extensive radio capabilities too.  In addition to tuners for FM, AM, and HD Radio terrestrial broadcasts, it’s also XM and Sirius satellite radio-ready!  Just add an XM Mini-Tuner and dock or a Sirius Connect home tuner kit and you’re ready to go.  Of course, you’ll need a subscription to enjoy these broadcasts but having easy connectivity is the major step.  And the AV8003 has done that for you already.

Just to reinforce the AV8003’s audio capability, it’s earned a THX Ultra 2 certificate! So you can rest assured that this pre/pro/tuner is at the top of the performance scale.

Four HDMI inputs and two HDMI outputs (all adhering to the newest version 1.3 specs) complement composite, S-, and component capability.  The AV8003 supports Deep Color and xvYCC Color Space for even better video performance when these technologies finally make an appearance.

Speaking of video, the AV8003 incorporates the latest processing and scaling (up to 1080p) capability from Anchor Bay Technologies.  So the video image you’ll see with be mountain-air clear.

As impressive as these capabilities are, the real story behind the AV8003 is its networking prowess.  The rear panel Ethernet port brings the world of streaming audio and video from your computer, NAS (network-attached storage) device, or Escient Fireball, etc., to your home theater system. And that includes photos – JPEG or BMP format – so you can display your vacation shots on the big screen with musical accompaniment!

As far as compressed audio formats go, the AV8003 handles MP3, AAC, WMA, and WAV files.  Video formats include MPEG2 and MPEG4, as well as WMV.

Three zone audio and video distribution means you won’t be restricted to one-room enjoyment either.  With the AV8003, you can watch or listen to movies, music, and other entertainment files wherever it’s most convenient.

Obviously, the AV8003 belongs in advanced A/V/Network systems.  So installation ease and connectivity are paramount.  We’ve already mentioned the rack-friendly chassis size.  And there’s an RS232 port for control, internal IR repeater functions (input and output), two 12-volt DC “trigger” outputs, a detachable AC cord, and an easy front panel “key lock” so younger family members or guests can’t accidentally change your system’s setup parameters.  You’ll also find two remotes, one computer-programmable full-function hand held, and a simpler “zone” remote for a secondary room.

Last but not least is the face the AV8003 presents to everyone who sees it.  Rather than the flat surfaces common to lesser home entertainment components, the AV8003’s radiused corners, three-dimensional front panel, and simplified control layout add a touch of designer elegance that complements any décor.  This new look is inviting in itself and is a reflection of the Marantz heritage of outstanding industrial design begun by Saul B. Marantz himself.

Both internally and externally, the AV8003 is the newest expression of our continual quest for excellence in performance and aesthetics.  Marantz tradition and today’s technology in harmony for your enjoyment.

You’ll see this immediately in the elegantly simple front panel where aluminum extrusions and glass-reinforced resin meld their respective qualities to shield internal circuitry while absorbing extraneous resonances. Only three controls interrupt the smooth three-dimensional flow – power/standby, input selection, and volume. A drop-down door hides secondary controls until you need them. The result is another visual milestone in the Marantz pantheon of superb industrial designs.

A high-density fluorescent front panel display gives you all the feedback you need to set up and operate your SR6003. In addition, a color GUI (graphical user interface) appears on your TV to help make system setup simple and error-free.

Befitting Marantz’s engineering heritage, the SR6003’s circuits derive operating current from a high capacity linear power supply built around an oversize EI-core transformer and Marantz-custom storage capacitors.

The seven channel in-line amplifier array keep high voltages isolated from low-level circuitry for cleaner sound. Each channel produces up to 100 continuous watts for exacting control of difficult speakers. A finned continuous aluminum heat sink keeps power transistors well within their SAO (safe area of operation) even under high-drive conditions.

The balance of the SR603’s audio circuitry sits on a separate circuit board to prevent contamination by video or control signals. As an example of the dedication Marantz engineers devote to continuous refinement, we’ve relegated digital and analog segments to their own section of the audio board.

You’ll enjoy the latest high bit-rate audio formats such as Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD in both High Resolution and Master Audio implementations, as well as DSD (the data structure behind the SA-CD) and legacy formats such as Dolby Digital, etc. thanks to an advanced Texas Instruments microprocessor.

The SR6003 lets you get the most out of these sources regardless of your home theater room by including Audyssey’s remarkable MultEQ system. After “listening” to test tones sent to all your speakers, it provides a virtually perfect acoustical environment for up to six individual seats. In addition, MultEQ detects speaker wiring errors resulting in “out of phase” performance losses, automatically configures bass management for ideal integration of subwoofers and full range speakers, and calculates proper delays and speaker levels to produce the best possible surround soundfield.

Marantz’s proprietary M-DAX (Marantz Dynamic Audio eXpander) makes even compressed audio signals (MP3 files, AM/FM broadcasts, etc.) sound closer to CDs than you ever thought possible. As it dynamically analyzes a compressed signal, MDAX recreates the missing high frequency spectrum for your enhanced enjoyment.

You‘ll probably appreciate MDAX most when you take advantage of the SR6003’s front panel USB input. Not only will you have easy access to your favorite playlists, but they’ll sound better, too!

Video performance? It’s every bit equal to the SR6003’s audio circuitry. Three HDMI inputs, all version 1.3 capable, and two HDMI outputs help you connect your high definition TVs to the newest source components. The SR6003’s wide-bandwidth HDMI circuitry is ready to bring you advances like Deep Color and xvYCC Color Space for visual reality that exceeds your expectations. Need more HDMI inputs? Just add a Marantz VS3002 for up to eight HDMI sources.

For older but still valued analog video sources, the SR6003 includes extensive video format conversion and scaling capabilities thanks to the new i-Chips Technology video signal converter. This remarkable VSC accepts any video signal from 480i to 1080i and upscales it to the resolution of your choice. It even provides HDMI output for lower-resolution signals. So you’ll even be able to convert 480i images to full 1080p format and view your videotapes through the HDMI link to your high definition TV. How’s that for maximum enjoyment?

You’ll also find dual component video outputs for additional TVs either in the same room or in different areas of your home. These complement analog and digital Zone 2 audio outputs, making the SR6003 an ideal starting point for a whole-house entertainment system.

The SR6003 provides inputs for either XM or Sirius adaptor so you can enjoy your choice of satellite programming. (Yes, you’ll need a subscription to the service of your choice.)

Other conveniences include an updated backlit remote controller, the ability to lock out front panel controls so your favorite settings can’t be disturbed by accident, and a shorter chassis that fits easily in a rack or on a shelf. A variety of system integration options (RS-232 communications port, DC trigger output, and a flasher input) let you enjoy your SR6003 in any system from a simple one-room theater to the most complex multi-zone entertainment system.

Although its capabilities are superb, please remember that each feature in the SR6003 wasn’t included just for the sake of “bragging rights”. Instead, Marantz engineers carefully examined each circuit and operational aspect to assure both superb performance and easy access.

No, we didn’t design the SR6003 for spec sheets. We designed it to bring you the quality you deserve. That’s what has made Marantz a premier home entertainment icon for almost six decades. And it’s what you can put your trust in today.

So I found a del on the Toshiba 42AV500U 42 inch 720P LCD.

I am right now looking at the box that holds my TV. I have had this new Toshiba TV for two weeks now but did not want to open the box and have trouble transporting it so it has stayed in the box and I look longingly at it everyday. On Saturday I will be getting the Satellite hooked up and tomorrow I will be getting a stand and then everything will get pulled together.

Tomorrow the Wii gets pulled out, no component video for the Wii yet but maybe I will get the Wii component video cables tomorrow as well. I will hook up the surround sound stereo. I will pop in a DVD, either Fight Club (my favorite) or maybe Almost Famous with that great concert footage.

Anyway sometime in the next couple of days I will go through everything on this cheap HDTV and do a thorough review in case you are in the market for your first HDTV.

Just a few months ago it seemed that there would be plenty of competition between the Microsoft-Toshiba backed HD-DVD having it bundled as an addon to Xbox 360. The porn industry got a bit of press with their backing of the spec and there was word that cheap players were coming down the pipe. At the same time Sony was having a hard time winning the game console war with the new Playstation 3 against the Wii and Xbox 360 but the battle continued.

Over the last couple of months the press seemed to be pushing Blu-Ray but in my mind the cheap HD-DVD players on the market as well as WalMart selling only standalone HD-DVD seemed like enough that the major studios would have to go with the HD-DVD over Blu-Ray, but strangly a couple of studios mainly Warner last month went to Blu-Ray and everyone said that blu-Ray had won.

Nothing had changed over the last month and then last week there were a spate of announcements that in just a couple of days killed any chance for HD-DVD.

First NetFlix said they would go Blu-Ray by the end of the year
Best Buy said they would go Blu-Ray by the end of May
Walmart said they would sell only BluRay

And then there were rumors that Toshiba was going to pull the plug on the manufacture of HD-DVD drives. Rumor is enough to kill a technology and today HD-DVD is dead.

I am pretty happy actually that there is a decisive sinner in the HD disk market. There was a combo dirve planned a couple of months ago that was going to keep both formats alive but really why would we want two formats. I have not seen anything that tells me that one format is better then another, this is no Beta vs VHS part two and the support of two formats is not going to help anyone, manufacturers, studios or consumers so good news that a standard is here that everyone can coalesce around and offer cheaper media and Cheaper players. Also hopefully we will see more and more features as we have seen with DVD players over the last few years supporting MP3 and DivX.

Since the rise in popularity of the VHS tape, the home theater business hasn’t really known much in the way of down economic times. For decades now, the size of one’s television could be socially equated with the speed of their sports car. Bigger is better. Flatter is better, and High Definition is the ultimate. Back the tape up to five years ago when only the upper middle class and above could afford a plasma TV, dealers were converting their retail businesses from more traditional store front shops to slick, design oriented, custom install firms so that they could install $10,000 plasma HDTVs in houses by the dozen.

It was a good living that left room for mid-level dealers like Tweeter, as well as hundreds of regional AV dealers. They could make a healthy living selling flat TVs along with all of the goodies, and they were poised for even more boom times as interest rates hit 50 year lows and the real estate market took off like anycompanysname.com circa 1998. Ah, those were the good old days.

As we time travel back to the present 2007 holiday season, the home theater market finds itself suffering its first real hangover in decades. Even the gutless and unanswered-for attacks of September 11, 2001 didn’t affect the home theater business the way the current U.S. economic malaise has in the past two quarters. Those $10,000 plasma TVs that buoyed the sales of the mid-level retailers and custom installers nationwide wouldn’t fetch $800 at warehouse and mainstream retail stores the likes of Costco, Wal-mart and Sears. Big box AV retailers like Best Buy are thriving this holiday season based on low-end, low-margin electronics like video game systems, digital cameras and cheap computers. Meanwhile competing Circuit City isn’t reporting the same kind of boom times as Santa was on approach to an American city near you. With powerful new players in the marketplace promoting every man’s dream of owning a big, bright, flat HDTV, the specialty retailer sits in his store wondering why his parking lot isn’t as packed as Best Buy or Costco.

In some ways, things are even worse for the custom installer who rode so high during the housing boom of early 2000. When new housing starts were raging in every corner of the country, everyone and their uncle needed new HDTVs and a home theater system complete with whole home distributed audio and beyond. With housing prices in some major cities increasing at a rate of 25 percent or more per year every year, there was always that equity loan you could use to pay for all of your goodies, even if you were mortgaged to the hilt on your home. So, borrow people did, and the party just kept going and going as if the Energizer Bunny was the guest of honor.

Today, analysts suggest it could take as many as 500,000 home sales to start to significantly lower the available “for sale” inventory and to get back to any real growth or even stability in the American real estate market. To get to this level of volume, expect home prices (and the equity that people were spending on that new 55-inch LCD set) to drop, which isn’t good news in the short term for traditional dealers and or installers. Complex and pricey custom installation budgets are likely to be trimmed back to more of the basics like HDTVs, satellite receivers and limited surround systems. Specialty retailers struggle to add value to that HDTV sale as the warehouse stores can beat their best prices by 20 to 30 percent any day of the week.

The time has come for specialty audio video and custom retailers to get back to the basics, as the turbulent real estate market, the weak dollar and an uncertain political situation will not last forever. Today is the day for custom installers to make a truly meaningful New Years resolution to meet with three interior designers or general contractors each week for a year to pitch their services and systems. The days of waiting by the door for FedEx to drop off the blueprints for yet another 6,000 square foot house are over for now. That is just order taking, and when you can get it order taking is nice. In 2008 things are different and today is the day to work on new leads and to diversify the sources for new business in ways that are respectful so that custom home theater installers now work in a more cyclical business, based around market trends in the real estate market.

Read more at Audio Video News

The new home theater systems deliver premium 5.1 surround sound for movies, music, sports, and video games. Typically, they include five small speaker arrays, a hideaway media console, an Acoustimass module, a radio frequency remote, and a standalone display.

All audio/video sources can be connected to the media console, which can be tucked away in a cabinet or closet. The included radio frequency remote can control connected sources, thus reducing clutter and doing away with the need for more than one remote. It’s possible to connect both standard and high-definition sources with multiple digital and analog inputs. For simple HDMI connections, two inputs can be used.

The V20 and V30 systems can also automatically upscale video to the highest resolution acceptable to the connected television, i.e. up to 1080p over HDMI.

Of the two systems, the V30 includes five Jewel Cube speaker arrays while the V20 includes five Direct/Reflecting cube speaker arrays. Both the V30 and the V20 have a horizontal center channel speaker that helps provide clear, focused dialogue and balanced surround sound.

Further, speakers of both systems work with an Acoustimass minimizing audible distortion so that all sound appears to emanate from the tiny cube speakers.

The V20 and V30 systems incorporate advanced Bose technologies such as the ADAPTiQ audio calibration system, which analyzes and automatically adjusts system sounds to particular rooms or locations. With Bose’s link expansion feature, it’s possible to extend music benefits of both systems to as many as 14 additional rooms.

One more feature common to the V20 and the V30 is the Videostage 5 decoding circuitry that provides surround sound experience even from stereo and mono formats like videotapes, stereo CDs, and older TV programs.

Both V20 and V30 home theater systems are available in Black or White through Bose stores, the Bose India Web site at www.boseindia.com, and the toll-free number 1-800-11-BOSE (2673).