It’s Sunday, which means the newspaper is filled with the latest ads for “Fall Savings” and “Anniversary Blow-Outs.” Our local department store is having a “Mega-Clearance Sale” on electronics. The cover of the sales flyer features a home theater-in-a-box product for $300. At first glance it seems like an incredible bargain. After all, the construction of an elaborate home theater room can run in the tens of thousands of dollars. But, the more I looked at the ad the more I wondered if it was worth the money.
Let’s think about this. Yes, I would love a home theater—who wouldn’t? But, do I have the space? I certainly don’t have enough space to allocate an entire room to a home theater, but improving an existing area of my home to feature home theater electronics is a possibility. How about you? Are you interested in embarking on a home theater project? If you are, the first thing you want to do is to create a budget.
According to my local building association, if you are constructing your own home theater you can look to spend, on average, between $20,000 and $30,000 (remember, that’s when construction is involved). However, you can still create a competent home theater for as little as $2,000 to $3,000.
So what are you going to need for a basic home theater? Experts say you should (at least) have the following:
· Video screen
· Video projector
· Audio receiver
· Audio speakers – preferably–7.1 speaker setup
· DVD player
· DVD changer
· Satellite or cable television — the means by which the theater will get a signal.
· Universal remote control
My brother will tell you that the universal remote provides the biggest “ohhs and ahhs” especially when you hit “play” and not only does the movie start, but the lights dim as well… all with the push of a single button. Of course, he spends all of his money on “toys” like the universal remote and he also has a room that’s acoustically “correct.”
But, what if you are schooled in “Home Electronics 101?” The best practice is to read any and all equipment reviews. You could also subscribe to audio-visual magazines. Or, simply go to stores where they sell home-theater equipment and try it out. In the end, perhaps the best advice is to shop around. Equipment changes so fast, and you want to make sure that you’re not paying more than what you actually have to.
As for that ad I saw for the home theater-in-a-box… I realized not only do I not have space for it… I don’t have the money for it either.