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Leo Laporte A technology journalist, author and broadcast personality. His specialties lie in computers, the Web, video games, digital music and consumer electronics. |
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No longer does the joy of an immersive home theatre experience require a ,000 price tag. Although the old adage “You get what you pay for” still holds true, in this case a little immersion in surround sound and wide screen viewing can be significantly better than no immersion at all. In this segment we discuss two budget home theater set-ups that go much easier on the pocket book.
High-tech TVs have been known to drop in price over time, but until now audio systems haven’t followed the same trend. Ironically, now the drop in price of audio systems is the result of advances in audio technology and understanding how the human brain processes sound information.
If you already have a TV with two quality speakers built in or otherwise, you can create a home theatre feel for under $100. Australian-based Xitel’s SoundAround (www.xitel.com) creates a virtual surround sound experience by taking the 5.1 and 7.1 audio information from your game console, DVD, Digital Cable, or Digital Satellite source and emulating the full surround sound using a two speaker set-up.
Pros:
- Easy two cable setup
- Very large “Sweet Spot” from just about anywhere in the room
- Fitting for small spaces or rooms that are not suitable for 6 speakers
- Richer 3-D sound than TV’s built-in stereo audio system with:
- Improved dialogue
- Improved bass
Cons:
- Limited fidelity – that is surround sound is not as clear as that of a true 5.1 system
- Poorer 3-D sound than 5.1 systems - poor performance when echolocation is required to complete tasks like surviving in a video game.
This system is good for users who do not have the disposable income or are not geared for setting up true multi-channel theatre. But if you are able to spend a little more for a more immersive experience you can create a budget home theatre system for under $2000. The following setup is an example of one such system:
- Sony 26" HDTV LCD - $1100 to $1500 (www.thesonystore.ca)
- Kenwood HTIB - $250 to $280 (www.digitalhomenetwork.ca)
- Sony Remote Control - $130 to $150 (www.thesonystore.ca)
The Sony LCD has the following characteristics:
- HDTV ready
- 16:9 aspect ratio for an engaging wide screen experience
- Component Video Input (best analog signal support)
- Light sensor Light sensor to auto-adjust the brightness of the TV to match ambient room light.
- HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface)
- PC input
The video display is usually the most expensive item in a home theatre. However, there is the opportunity to create a more immersive experience by increasing the TV size or save some money by simply changing to a more bulky traditional CRT technology. For the same price you can get 10 more inches of TV by switching to a 36” CRT; a Sony 30” HDTV CRT will run about $900, a $600 savings.
The Kenwood HTIB has the following characteristics:
- Supports 5.1 Surround Sound
- Built-in DVD player
- Component Video Output
- Built-in speaker wall-mount bracket
- Magnetically shielded speakers
The Sony Remote Control has the following characteristics:
- Large touch-key LCD screen
- Controls up to 12 components
- 24 Macro Control Functions
- Lap top or table top form factor
Cheaper remote controls are available but again quality and usability usually decrease with price. The remote control is the gateway to using your home theatre and is often an overlooked item. Do not skimp on the remote control, and you will spend less time worrying about getting your system ready to watch a movie and more time enjoying your viewing experience.
RELATED WEBSITE LINKS
www.xitel.com – Xitel SoundAround supplied courtesy of Xitel Pty Ltd.
www.thesonystore.ca – Sony products supplied courtesy of Sony of Canada
www.digitalhomenetwork.ca – Logitech and Kenwood products supplied courtesy of the Digital Home Network
PRODUCTS SHOWN
Xitel SoundAround
$99.95 USD
Sony LCD HDTV, KLV-S26A10 BRAVIA
$1067 to $1499 USD
Kenwood HTIB, HTB-S310
$249.99 to $279.99 USD
Sony Remote Control, RM-AV2500 $129.99 to $149.99 USD
ABOUT THE GUEST
Herman Colquhoun Jr., is a Professional Engineer with a Bachelors (BASc) degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Waterloo. Herman also posseses a Masters (MASc) degree in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering where he focused his studies in the field of Human Factors and Cognitive Ergonomics. He is an active member of Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) and the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFES). Over the past 10 years Herman has gained experience in the areas of home theater, automation, and systems design; and has worked for organizations such as the Honeywell Labs, Spar Aerospace (now MacDonald Detwiller S.P.A.R. home of the Space Shuttle’s CanadArm), and DCIEM (now Defence R&D Canada). Herman is currently President and owner of DotTV2 the Power Inc. (DotTV2), a leading Canadian home theater, electronics, and cable installation company with technicians located in major population centers across Canada. DotTV2 offers packaged and custom home electronics installation services (see www.DotTV2.com) to its customers and the customers of its corporate client base including but not limited to Sony of Canada, United Van Lines, and Atlas Van Lines. DotTV2 is an active member
