Home Theater Receivers - Are 7 Channels Always Better Than 5?

The home theater receiver is considered the heart of the home theater system, making things so real it feels as if were actually there. Kind of a central command base, the receiver is a crucial part that does many jobs - powering our speakers, tuning the AM and FM radio stations, switches back and forth between the audio and video sources, and provides the decoding for movie enjoyment, along with TV and music in surround sound. With less than adequate of a receiver, it simply will not be able to get the job done adequately. If you are in the market for home theater receivers, you should consider your options wisely.

There are many various options when it comes to theater systems but the two most important ones are the home theater receiver or stereo receiver. Surround sound of the home theater system as compared to a musical receiver depends a lot on how many speakers needed or wanted. The stereo receiver is for those who do not have a lot of room and don't watch a lot of movies. There are two new formats of spectacular multi-channel music coming out, SACD and DVD-Audio, with high-resolution music in 5.1 surround sound that require the home theater receiver and a multi-channel speaker system.

How do you select the right receiver for your needs depends on a lot of things - such as the power of the receiver needs to be adequate enough for the speakers and the room size. The sensitivity of the speakers shows how much power the receiver needs to be; the more sensitivity requires more power. And generally, the larger the listening room, the more power the receiver needs to have. Obviously, the most important element in the purchase of a receiver for your new home theater system is the quality of it. While price does matter for many people, the receiver needs to work well and last a long time in order for it to be a good investment. You can find reviews of the various brands of receivers that are offered to you right here on the web. Compare your receivers to find the best possible solution for you through these reviews. You can often find out which is the best solution by listening to what others have had to say before purchasing one.

If the stereo receiver has been chosen instead of the home theater, it needs to be recognized that it only has two channels of amplification. The home theater system offers anywhere from five to seven channels. This is closely connected to the surround decoding formats offered. Any model of today's home theater receivers can do the job; most models offer decoding for soundtracks found on DVDs. They also can decode selected satellite and digital cable TV programs. All home theater receivers offer a minimum of five channels of amplification that is necessary to reproduce the 5.1 surround sound, which has been the standard surround sound since the late 1990s.

Check out http://www.hometheaterreviews.net/ for more articles on home theater recliner and yamaha home theater systems.

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Look Out For Cheap Home Theater Receivers in April

Cheap home cinema receivers are catching up fast among consumers and they are getting more intricate in technicalities and are loaded with several features as well. The receiver is like the brain or the CPU of the computer and budget home theater receivers are available these days both online and offline at land based stores. It is a combination of several different types of units that makes it so exciting.

Amazing performance

If you want to ramp up the quality of the audio and video in your home, the budget home theater receivers like the latest addition from Pioneer has loads of features like the new 7 channel theater system for your home.

The VSX-520-K for $229 and the VSX-820-K for $299 are among the latest models to hit the market with never before features. It can deliver amazing performance at never before prices and make your viewing zoom off to another level.

Low price receivers like the range from Pioneer can deliver great theater performance in a totally surprising package at affordable values. You can avail of great connectivity options as well with the range of cheap home theater receivers and get high definition audio formats.

It will support all audio formats through a front panel mini jacket input and be compatible with Bluetooth with the help of an adaptor that is sold as an extra feature.

Cheap home cinema receivers can also offer very high quality stereophonic performance with great integration facilities. To get the original experience, there is nothing like the low price receivers that are becoming popular coast to coast.

They also support high definition formats like Dolby True HD and DTS-HD Audio to provide you with soundtracks for movies you have never experienced before. You can literally drown in the experience that is mind boggling to say the least.

Onboard upscaling facilities

After Pioneer announced the two budget features, they would naturally fly off the shelves as consumers want power packed performances sitting at home. The Pinoeer VSX-820 for $299 comes with MCACC automatic speaker setups, the Sirius/XM radio access via an antenna or an optional tuner, connectivity with iPod and control, and a USB port for audio content access that is stored on flash drives.

Both the latest models from Pioneer are cheap home cinema receivers and have onboard upscaling facilities. Both the receivers can decode and access the audio contained in HDMU signal stream.

You can expect both of them to hit the market anytime in April this year and the user manuals of both the models will give you an idea of the extraordinary stuff they are made of for being popular and cheap home cinema receivers.

Peter Zaby is an Home Theater Enthusiast. Visit his blog for the latest information about budget and cheap home theater Receivers. http://cheaphometheaterreceivers.net

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Cheap Home Theater Receivers - What to Decide Before to Buy

Home theater systems today are becoming more complicated and special. Many had been added to stack of other remedies for that surround sound effect. What was not told is that a receiver is the most critical equipment in any system configuration. Consider this as your home CPU or its brain. This is a medium for you to inject other materials such as your speakers, television and even computer unit, and combining them completely.

With such a highly weighted role, the question is should you buy cheap home theater receivers or go to the more expensive? Is the price an indicator of the performance of the receiver itself? Or are there some alternatives that can still do something good for a fraction of the price? Currently there are thousands of receivers on the market. But before you consider buying the high end or even the cheapest you can find, consider these tips to come up with the suitable and the best even at a very small price.

o Set-up decision. Even before seeking for that most coveted receiver you have to take a decision as to which part of the house should you keep and mount it. There are some rooms that are quite small where speakers can not be inserted thus a stereo receiver would be better. But if you have some space where you can possible house the receivers and other equipments, then a home theater receiver would be the best solution.

o Consider the purpose. This is another important decision which must be taken into consideration before you buy an expensive or inexpensive home theater receiver. If you are just simply into music and sound, maybe putting up speakers would do well with your receiver. But if it is a total home entertainment then a massive receiver that can be attached to all necessary equipment with digital modes and even surround sound is the proposed selection.

o Performance. There are some receivers which have a tendency to distort when you turn it to high volume levels thus becoming unlistenable. Thus a 50 WPC (Watts per channel) with low distortion is better in comparison with more powerful amplifiers with high distortion possibilities. Be sure to get receivers with 0.01% distortion level given a full scale volume. You must also assess the signal to noise ratio or S / N. This criteria is perfect for separating sound effects and background noise. Thus a 70 decibel of the S / N ratio will be proposed if you are into acoustic than the usual 50 decibels.

o Ease of use. This phrase is consistent with the different things that are also necessary even for a cheap receiver. Check the connections and make sure even if they are of low cost, the quality is not substandard. You can also try to check the number of input and output jacks, so as to estimate how many devices you can attach it with. Never buy a receiver, unless you tried it first, and you listen to it.

Receivers are essential in any home theater systems. Whether they are sold cheap or quite expensive so long as they comply with your needs, quality and money, then they are absolutely the best choice. Actually, this is a worthy device to begin with and must be invested upon. After all, the value of the entertainment you can get would be dependent on the quality of the receiver that you have.

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Blu-ray Players - Movies and Home Theater - All You Need to Know

Blu-ray players and Blu-ray movies are generating a lot of excitement. Now that the "format war" is over with Blu-ray crowned the victor, consumers are getting ready to embrace high-definition on a disc, namely, Blu-ray Discs! This guide will make sure you understand Blu-ray and get the most out of your experience.

What do you get with Blu-ray?

There are four primary advantages Blu-ray Disc movies have over their DVD equivalents:

o Improved capacity and durability. Blu-ray Discs have up to 50GB of disc capacity for a dual-layer disc, which is over 5x more than a double-layer DVD. Blu-ray discs carry the data close to the surface of the disc, so a hard coat is applied to protect the fragile data. This hard coat is extremely durable and resists scratches and fingerprints.

o Improved video quality. Blu-ray Disc movies have up to 6x the picture detail of a standard DVD. Numbers are not the way to describe the difference, though! Suffice it to say the sharpness, depth, color and detail is far greater than anything you have ever experienced before. No matter what they say about upconverting DVD players providing "near high-def quality," after you experience Blu-ray it is more of a country mile than "near." The bigger the screen size, the bigger the difference.

o Improved audio quality. Most Blu-ray Discs have lossless audio, which, obviously, means no loss of sound quality. In short the sound quality from Blu-ray Discs is capable of matching the master tapes from the studio. If you have a sound system capable of using the lossless audio formats, the difference in sound quality is just as apparent as the difference in video quality. In fact, when doing demonstrations in my own home theater before I even get to explain that the sound as well as the video is high-definition the viewers make comments such as "Wow, the sound!" or "I've never heard sound like that anywhere." You need a relatively recent surround sound setup to experience the lossless sound; more on that later.

o Improved interactivity. Blu-ray Discs and players use BD-Java, a version of Sun Microsystems's Java programming that is ubiquitous on the Internet. Using Java allows the studios to put games and other interactive features on the discs, as well as menus that can be accessed while the movie is playing. (Once you have experienced the latter, it's even harder to go back to DVD!) The downside to the BD-Java is that it requires a lot of processing power and early Blu-ray players may take several minutes to load the discs once they are placed in the player. Compatibility problems may exists as well and the player may need a firmware update to function properly. Blu-ray will soon be introducing Profile 2.0, or "BD-Live" which will bring Web interactivity to Blu-ray and allow you to download bonus materials, play games, and much more.

What do I need to experience Blu-ray's spectacular video quality?

This is an easy answer! You need a high-definition TV, a Blu-ray player, and a connection cable or cables. If you have an HDMI input on your TV, you should use an HDMI cable from your Blu-ray player to the TV. Do not overpay for your HDMI cable. Most big box stores only sell overpriced brands such as Monster Cable and charge from $90 to $150 or more for a single HDMI cable. You can get a perfectly good, well-made HDMI cable for under $5.00 from monoprice.com.

If you have an older HDTV with component video connections, you need a set of component cables and a set of stereo audio RCA cables.

What do I need to experience Blu-ray's lossless sound?

This is a lot trickier! First of all, if you are just running the sound through your TV speakers there isn't going to be much difference. You need a separate sound system to really appreciate Blu-ray's fine sound.

There are several lossless sound formats available and older receivers, and even many current ones do not support these new sound formats. Not all of the players support them, either. I'll start with the different surround formats, and then explain what equipment you need to experience them at home.

PCM, LPCM: These are the same thing. Some studios call it PCM, for Pulse Code Modulation, a lossless method of digital recording. LPCM stands for Linear PCM. Sometimes you will see "20 bit LPCM" or "24-bit LPCM" on the disc cases. The more bits, the higher the resolution and the better the sound. To experience lossless PCM sound you need a receiver with an HDMI input capable of receiving multichannel PCM, or a Blu-ray player with multichannel analog outputs and a receiver with multichannel inputs. If your receiver has an HDMI input the player will send the audio over the HDMI cable and the receiver will amplify the sound and send it to the speakers.

If you are using the analog outputs, the player will convert the PCM sound to analog and send the high-resolution sound from its analog connections to the receiver's analog inputs. In this case the surround settings are set on the player and the receiver is just a volume control and an amplifier.

Dolby TrueHD: This format uses lossless compression so the audio information takes up less space on the disc than a PCM file, but no sound quality is lost in the compression process. There are several ways to experience lossless sound from Dolby TrueHD. The first is with a receiver with an HDMI input capable of receiving multichannel PCM, and a Blu-ray player that can decode Dolby TrueHD and convert it to PCM. The player will decode the Dolby TrueHD, convert it to PCM and send it via HDMI to the receiver for playback. The PlayStation 3 is an example of player that uses internal TrueHD decoding and an LPCM output via HDMI.

The second way is with Blu-ray player with TrueHD decoding through multichannel analog outputs and a receiver with multichannel inputs. If you are using the analog outputs, the player will decode the TrueHD, convert it to analog, then send the high-resolution sound from its analog connections to the receiver's analog inputs. In this case the surround settings are set on the player and receiver is just a volume control and an amplifier.

The third way is via "bitstreaming." Bitstreaming takes the digital data from the disc and transfers it via HDMI to a receiver with a built-in Dolby TrueHD decoder. The receiver decodes the TrueHD and powers the speakers. According to many who have tried all three methods, bitstreaming is the best possible way to reproduce TrueHD.

DTS-HD: DTS-HD consists of two streams: a "core" with a high-resolution (but lossy) DTS track and a DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) track. The MA track is a lossless track capable of duplicating the studio master tape. At the time of publication no players with internal DTS-HD decoding exist so the only way to reproduce the lossless DTS-HD MA track is with a player capable of bitstreaming the information and a receiver with DTS-HD decoding. The major studios currently using DTS-HD are 20th Century Fox and New Line Cinema.

Dolby Digital Plus: Improved Lossy Sound

Many Blu-ray Discs have Dolby Digital Plus, an improved version of Dolby Digital. While it isn't lossless, the sound quality is noticeably better than standard Dolby Digital soundtracks.

Blu-ray Profiles

Blu-ray players conform to one of three profiles, each having different capabilities.

Profile 1.0 players simply play the movie. This is called the "grace period profile."

Profile 1.1 players play the movie and have picture-in-picture capabilities via secondary picture and audio decoders. The picture-in-picture feature is called "Bonus View" and the profile is called "Final Standard Profile." All Blu-ray players announced from the present onwards must conform to at least profile 1.1.

Profile 2.0 players play the movie, support Bonus View and provide an Internet connection for Web interactivity.

Will I need a Blu-ray player and a DVD player if I have DVDs?

All Blu-ray players will play DVDs and upconvert them to high-definition resolutions, if not high-definition quality. Upconverting quality varies widely by Blu-ray player so if you have an upconverting DVD player, use the same DVD in both your Blu-ray player and your DVD player and compare the picture quality. You may want to keep both hooked up, or simply use the Blu-ray player for all your playback needs.

Firmware Updates

Firmware updates are software updates for your player's operating system. Firmware is updated either by web (Samsung BD-P1400 and Sony PlayStation 3) or via CD (all others.) To update via CD you must visit the manufacturer's website, download the firmware file and burn it to a disc. Be sure to follow all instructions when burning firmware discs! As Blu-ray is a new and evolving format, using the most recent firmware is critical for best performance so be sure to register your purchase so you are notified when updates are available and check the manufacturer's website frequently for new releases.

Recommended Blu-ray Players

There has been a lot of info provided thus far. Now it's time to put it together, starting with a player! This list will be edited and updated as new players are introduced and tested.

Sony PlayStation 3 (40GB) $399: I am listing the Playstation 3 (PS3) separately because not only is it the best Blu-ray player currently available, it is truly a breed apart.

What makes the PS3 the best Blu-ray player? It has extremely powerful processors that make loading times fast and BD-Java compatibility a breeze, it is extremely responsive, and firmware is easily updated automatically and wirelessly. It can also surf the web with a built-in web browser and works as a multimedia center and can display digital pictures and play music from its internal hard drive. It supports profile 1.1 now and will support profile 2.0 with an announced firmware update, so it is future-proof.

Oh, yeah, and it plays games too! It is easy to forget that, sometimes!

A Blu-ray Disc remote is available for $24.99, making a complete PS3 Blu-ray outfit a mere $425... a bargain for a future-proof profile 2.0 player that is rock-solid reliable. If you don't like the idea of using a "game machine" (which the PS3 admittedly is) in your home theater, try to think of it as a multimedia entertainment system instead.

The big downside to the PS3 is it doesn't support bitstreaming of Dolby TrueHD or DTS-MA (and never will due to hardware limitations) so you can't currently use it to experience all of the lossless sound formats. Because it will never bitstream in its current form if you have a receiver that supports TrueHD or DTS-MA you can't use it in the superior bitstream mode- only PCM. A firmware update to allow the PS3 to decode DTS-HD MA and output LPCM has been rumored, but not yet announced.

In short- at $399, the PS3 is not only the best Blu-ray player you can buy but one of the least expensive, as well.

Profile 1.0

A profile 1.0 player may get the movie on your screen but if you can get a PS3 for only $100 more, you are much better off getting a PS3. Unless it is being sold at a super-bargain price (under $300) or included for free with purchase of an HDTV, I recommend you avoid profile 1.0 players and look to the PS3 or a profile 1.1 model. The following players could be a good buy if the price is right but unless it is well under $300 you are really better off looking elsewhere. Because of this I have not listed suggested retail prices for these players- if it isn't under $300, stay away.

Samsung BD-P1400: A word of warning: with this player you really need to watch the firmware updates as there have been problems playing certain discs (mostly Fox titles) on Samsung players. The BD-P1400 has an Ethernet port for firmware update via web, which makes it much easier than burning a disc. Audio support is excellent. The BD-P1400 can decode Dolby TrueHD to LPCM, bitstream Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD MA, and the analog outputs can provide lossless sound from PCM and Dolby TrueHD. No DTS-HD MA from the analog outputs, though.

Sony BDP-S300: Load times are slow but playback is reliable. Lack of Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD support make this player best suited to setups without a sound system... in other words, just a TV and the player.

Sharp BD-HP20U: This player has reliable playback of Blu-ray movies but performance with DVDs is subpar, as is audio format support. Like the BDP-S300, this player is best used in systems comprised of a TV and a player.

Profile 1.1

Panasonic DMP-BD30 ($499): Panasonic's Blu-ray players have proven to be extremely reliable and the BD30 offers loading times second only to the PS3. The BD30 has multichannel audio outputs for lossless sound from Dolby TrueHD and PCM/LPCM.

If Web interactivity isn't important to you but sound quality is, the bitstream-capable BD30 and a receiver capable of decoding Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD is currently your best option and one of the only ways to experience both TrueHD and DTS-HD MA.

Profile 2.0:

Panasonic DMP-BD50: Panasonic's DMP-BD50 is essentially a BD30 with the addition of BD-Live capability. It will be available in the second quarter of 2008. Though it has yet to be tested the fine performance of Panasonic's BD30 makes it a safe recommendation.

Recommended Blu-ray Movie Retailers

Blu-ray movies are much more expensive than their DVD equivalents if you buy them in stores. I strongly recommend you purchase your movies online from Amazon, where they typically cost $10-$15 less per movie. There's a big difference between $21.95 and $34.95, both financially and perceptually! Keep your eyes open for online sales, too.

Recommended Blu-ray Movies

This list is by no means comprehensive- just some great titles to get your started with Blu-ray and show you what it can do.

20th Century Fox: Some of the earlier Fox titles use MPEG2, an older video encoding process. Recent titles use the more modern AVC encoding and top-notch jobs of film transfer, leading to stunning picture quality. Fox uses DTS-HD for lossless audio. Fox promises to release a great many new titles in 2008, including Patton, one of the best war movies ever made.

Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer: Dramatic action sequences both on Earth and in deep space show what a difference Blu-ray can make in your system. This disc features a near-perfect film transfer with tremendous detail and bright yet realistic color. Be sure to check out the great documentary features, including interviews with comic book artists and writers.

The Simpsons Movie: A must-have for Simpsons fans!

Disney: Many believe Disney to be the finest studio in the high-definition disc business, consistently producing top-quality audio and video and some of the neatest menus and interactive features available. Disney movies should be in your hand when you are in the checkout line with your Blu-ray player. Disney uses 24-bit LPCM on almost all of their titles.

Cars: On a good system this movie looks almost 3-dimensional as the cars race around the track- it's like there are models racing around inside your TV and you are watching through a clear window. Features interactive Car Finder game.

Pirates of the Caribbean 1, 2, and 3: Reference-quality audio and video and a blend of action, reality and fantasy make the Pirates series some of the best films available on Blu-ray.

New Line Cinema

Hairspray: Hairspray has a great story and quirky, interesting and likeable characters throughout. The film bursts with energy, featuring great choreography and music.

Sony Pictures: As a primary creator of the Blu-ray Disc format, Sony's support has been strong. LPCM is the most commonly used lossless audio format and is featured on almost every Sony Pictures title.

Casino Royale: Spectacular film transfer with deep, rich color and detail that makes you feel like you are there in the middle of the action. Tons of shameless Sony product placement in this one- look for the Sony phone and Sony Blu-ray Disc player!

The Life of Brian: Monty Python's classic looks great in HD. You may find the falling-blocks menu neat or annoying, depending on how you like gimmicks. This title has great-looking menus, too. Features both Dolby TrueHD and LPCM lossless audio.

Warner Bros.: The most prolific studio in high definition, Warner produces more titles on Blu-ray than anyone else. LPCM and Dolby TrueHD are both used.

300: Though liberties are taken with historical accuracy regarding the Spartans and the battle of Thermopylae, this film is a triumphant merging of CGI and live action and will keep you on the edge of your seat. Make sure you have the stomach for lots of gore. Features both TrueHD and LPCM soundtracks.

2001: A Space Odyssey: Kubrick's sci-fi classic is a perfect example of how good classic movies can look in high definition. With a good TV you can read the writing on the instructions for the zero-gravity toilet! 24-bit LPCM sound.

Blade Runner: Beautifully restored print of this sci-fi classic looks almost 3-dimensional with a tremendous sense of depth. Director's cut features an ending different than the happier original. Dolby TrueHD sound.

Harry Potter (all titles): Harry Potter's fantasy world is perfect for HD. What more needs to be said? LPCM sound.

Planet Earth: This BBC documentary series is probably the best nature series ever made and an absolute must-have. Iimagery is powerful, magnificent, featuring vistas that are almost, well, unworldly as you see sights you never knew existed on our planet.

Other Studios

Universal Studios and Paramount Pictures have recently announced Blu-ray support and are expected to release titles by mid-2008.

Appendix: Upgrading your sound system

As a final note, now that you are ready to embrace Blu-ray you may want to upgrade your sound system to make the most of it. Below are some of the best values available in speakers and receivers. All of them feature class-leading performance in their price range and are sure to satisfy anyone looking for great sound for TV, movies and music. Add your Blu-ray player and you're all set for fantastic home theater!

Speakers

Great speakers are the key to a great sounding audio system. Truly good ones will sound great no matter what you play through them... classical or rock music, action movies, sports on TV, vinyl records or CDs. This is by far the most important part of your sound system and worthy of serious investment, if you have the means. Listed here are some easily affordable options sure to make you smile.

Insignia NS-B2111 $87.98/pair

Sold exclusively at Best Buy, these speakers have crisp, clean sound that is also warm and full-sounding. I never thought I would recommend a speaker selling for under $100 per pair as suitable for use in a quality sound system... yet here I am doing exactly that. Two pairs of these and an entry-level Onkyo receiver make for an excellent-sounding four channel surround system that will blow the doors off of most any home-theater in-a-box system. They are not magnetically shielded so you can't put them too close to a tube-type TV. Listing for $87.98, they are often on sale for $75 or less.

Acculine $249/pair and up

What makes Acculine speakers special is their leaf tweeters, typically found only in very expensive, exotic speakers. These tweeters must be heard to be appreciated, as they render sound so transparently and with so much detail that I liken it to a sonic version of the visual difference between HDTV and analog TV-they are really that good! I imagine a lot of new owners will turn their heads in disbelief as they hear sounds in their recordings they never knew existed. They speakers are very well made, with solid cabinets with high quality aluminum woofers.

To show Acculine's extreme value equation, we will build two Acculine 5.1 channel systems. The Acculine A1s are $249 per pair with two pairs required, one for mains and one for surrounds. This comes to $498. The A-2 Center Channel is $179 and the Acculine ASub is $289. This gets you a top performing home theater speaker system using exotic technology for only $966. That's pretty incredible!

The second Acculine system mimics the one above, but uses Acculine A3 towers as main speakers. The A3s are $499 per pair, a $250 difference which brings the total to $1216. This is equally incredible for a high quality system using tower speakers.

You can substitute the $125 Parts Express Dayton subwoofer for the Acculine sub, saving $114 and you still have an amazing speaker system without compromise. I can't overstate how good the Acculines sound- given the price it is quite amazing. You can see the Acculine speakers at www.theaudioinsider.com and the Dayton subwoofer at www.partsexpress.com

Axiom Audio $296/pair and up

I am especially fond of Axiom Audio's M2 and M22 bookshelf speakers and their complete home theater systems, which use some of the best surround speakers I have encountered. Axiom's QS4 and QS8 surround speakers have very wide radiation that combines spaciousness with effective imaging- great stuff! All Axiom speakers have a full and natural sound that is very detailed, some say is a bit bright. I have found the Onkyo receivers to be a great match with them. Axiom's Custom Design Shop allows you to design speakers to match your decor. See Axiom's speakers at www.axiomaudio.com

Receivers

I recommend the Onkyo TX-SR605 and the TX-SR805 as they are the best values going. They feature clean, strong amplifiers and decoding for PCM/LPCM, Dolby TrueHD, and DTS-HD MA. The 90 watts-per-channel TX-SR605 is available for $400 street price and the 130 watts-per-channel TX-SR805 for $750 street price. Opt for the 705 if you have a large room needing more power than the 605 or if you want its automatic setup features.

Want to learn more?

Don Lindich's weekly Q&A newspaper column Sound Advice is distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Servies and appears in major newspapers nationwide. Visit Don's website at www.soundadviceblog.com for more information on audio, video and digital photography including reviews, Q&A, his past newspaper columns and Don's Dealfinder. Don also maintains www.avglossary.com, the world's largest glossary of audio, video and photography terminology.

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Buying a Home Theater Receiver

Buying a receiver is one of the most important decisions you're going to have to

make when building your home theater. The receiver has a number of functions

including; connecting and switching audio sources; connecting and switching video

sources; decoding surround sound formats; amplifying an audio signal and sending

it to your speakers; tuning in to radio stations; and acting as the interface between

you and your home theater.

The first thing to think about is whether you want a receiver at all or would you be

better off buying a separate decoder, amplifier, and tuner?

Despite being a more expensive route - not to mention the extra space needed -

separates do have some advantages. You can pick and choose your own

combination of components, can upgrade each component individually and won't

lose all the functions if one piece develops a fault. On top of that, having each

electronic component in a separate box does improve sound quality when compared

with having them all on one circuit board.

However, the separates route is more expensive, more complicated and needs more

space than buying a receiver. And for most people its uneccessary. Today's receivers

do a very good job in all of their functions.

So what should should you look out for when buying a receiver? The first thing is to

make sure that it has ll the inputs you need for the equipment you need to connect

to it. Sounds obvious, but its very easy to overlook. As a mimimum it should have

digital audio inputs (optical and co-axial) for Dolby Digital and/or DTS. It should

also have analogue audio inputs for CD player, set-top box and possibly DVD-Audio

or Super Audio CD player (the last two currently don't have digital outputs in order

to make it less easy to pirate CDs).

You should also consider whether you want to route all your video sources such as

TV, DVD player, and games console through your receiver. Doing so means you can

switch between sources from one controller, very easily. But if you want to do this

you'll need to make sure the receiver you're interested in has enough video inputs.

These could be S-Video or component inputs are best, or if you're in Europe, Scart.

You should also make sure the video output from the receiver is of high quality, so

again, it should be S-Video, component or Scart.

If you can test a receiver before you buy, its worth comparing the quality of a video

signal from a DVD player when its connected directly to a display and comparing it

with when its connected via the receiver. There shouldn't be any noticeable

difference in quality.

The power rating of the amplifier is also important. The bigger the room you have

for your home theater, the more power you'll need. And makes sure that the power

rating is quoted in Watts per channel - the last thing you want is to get home with

your 100Watt receiver and discover that its power is split between eight speakers in

you 7.1 set-up. It's impossible to specify how powerful your amplifier should be,

but if your home theater is in a reasonable-sized room, as opposed to an aircraft

hanger, 100Watts per channel should be fine.

Finally, don't forget the remote control. It's the key interface between you and the

reciever and you'll spend a lot of time using it. So make sure it's comfortable and

straightforward to use. The last thing you want is to have to spend ages wading

through on-screen menus to get what you want.

Kenny Hemphill is the editor and publisher of The HDTV Tuner [http://www.the-hdtv- tuner.com], a site which aims to cut through the confusion surrounding HDTV and provide surfers with up to date, accurate and easy to read information on HDTV.

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AV Receivers and Their Place In a Home Theater

With so many common components like the LCD flat panel TV and a surround sound home audio system, it can sometimes be confusing when additional equipment such as an A/V receiver is needed to tie home theater equipment together. A good A/V receiver is essential to having a good home theater system since it is literally the piece of equipment that serves as the command center for the entire system and gets all of the audio and video components working together in sync.

The functionality of an A/V receiver relies on everything being connected together properly. Once you've properly set up your receiver, home theater problems will generally vanish. In order to make sure that you can connect your various home theater components to your A/V receiver properly, here is some basic information on how the receivers work and what sort of components can be connected to one.

Function of an A/V Receiver

An A/V receiver is what could be considered the "command center" of your home theater system. This means that it receives input from some of your home theater devices, organizes that input, and sends it as output to other devices that are attached to your home theater system. This allows you to use your home audio system with surround sound in conjunction with your HD-DVD or Blu-Ray player and your LCD flat panel TV, all while controlling only a single home theater component. An A/V receiver sorts through all of the audio and visual signals that are sent by your devices, organizing them so that the appropriate output devices receive only the signals that they need and eliminating the mass of wires that can be required to try and manually connect all of these components without the use of a central receiver.

Perhaps more important is that A/V receivers generally work as a digital amplifier for your audio system. This means that you'll be able to watch movies, play games, and listen to music in digital surround sound. To further improve your listening pleasure, many modern A/V receivers have built-in wireless service or USB ports so that you can stream music wirelessly from your home computer or plug in an external hard drive so that you can enjoy saved music and movies in their digital format without having to burn them to a CD or DVD.

Home Theater Components that Attach to an A/V Receiver

A variety of home theater components can be attached to an A/V receiver. In addition to your television, DVD player, and advanced disc formats such as HD-DVD and Blu-Ray players, you can include a stereo CD player, satellite television receivers, a digital video recorder (DVR) or similar device, and in many cases some older components such as an analog record player. Popular gaming systems such as the Nintendo Wii, the Sony PS3, and the X-Box 360 can also be connected to your receiver with ease so that you can enjoy surround sound to enhance your gaming experience. If your computer is nearby to your home audio system then you can attach the sound outputs to the receiver as well so as to take advantage of your existing surround sound system instead of having to rely on smaller computer speakers.

Using Your A/V Receiver

Once you're ready to make use of your A/V receiver, setting it up is relatively easy. Using standard A/V cables, connect the outputs on your DVD player, stereo, satellite decoder, DVR, or similar components to the corresponding inputs on the back of your receiver. From there you simply need to attach your TV and speakers to the receiver's outputs. Once everything has been properly plugged in and set up, you should be able to control many if not all of the functions of your home theater system directly from your A/V receiver.

If you are uncertain about installing your home theater A/V receiver and the corresponding components yourself, consult a professional to make the job simpler. They can get you on your way to enjoying your new home theater system in a hurry.

~ Ben Anton, 2007

Ben Anton lives in Portland, OR and writes for Ronny's 5th St. Audio Vision.
We invite you take a look at new quality home theater receivers and speakers at our custom home theater installation and informational web site.

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The Advantages Of Home Theater Receiver

How does the home theater system works? The soul of the home theater is the home theater receiver. It is probably the best method to centralize your system. They aren't too expensive. They are usually moderately priced. It actually serves many purposes like it powers your speakers; you can also switch DVD players easily with this. It connects all the output and input of your system. They come in various models and the choice will depend on your requirements. The home theater receivers do decoding which allows you to watch your favorite shows and movies. They are also used as radio tuner. The receiver is known by various names like A/V receiver, Dolby Digital receiver, surround receiver etc.

The working of home theater receiver

The receiver performs a number of audio signal processing functions like bass management, digital audio decoding and simulated soundfields. The home theater receiver has three components. These are the tuner, preamp and a multi channel amplifier. These three components work together for the proper functioning of the receiver. Each one serves some specific functions. The function of the tuner is to receive FM/AM, HD and internet radio. It also receives Sirius satellite radio. You can choose the source of your AV. It can be a DVD player or a CD. iPod is also a AV source. So this function of choosing the audio/video source is provided by the preamp. The preamp can also process the incoming signals and send them to various channels. Finally, the surround sound signals are distributed by the amplifier. This multi channels amplifies powers up the speakers. Amplification is a process by which a low signal is converted in to a high one. More amplification results in better and louder sound. Basically, the receiver takes the signals from the source, performs the required information and amplifies it. This is how it works.

Choose your receiver carefully

You have to keep certain things in your mind while buying home theater receiver [http://www.1hometheaterreviews.com/Home_Theater_Wiring/]. A power listing is always given with these receivers. The rating mentions the watts per channel. So always take notice of this rating when you are buying the receiver. A higher rating does not imply that the receiver is good. The watts required will depend on the type of receiver you are opting for. The distortion should also be good. Distortion measures the level of amplification of sound and music.

A good receiver should have low distortion level. A low distortion level means that there will be low noise even when the receiver is used at high volume. So you will have no disturbances while you are watching your favorite shows. The distortion level should be always taken into consideration. Go for a receiver which has low distortion level as well as low watt.

A good receiver is one which can maintain full power output for a long time and that too continuously. Receivers should work for a considerable period of time. Buy a receiver which fulfils this criterion even if it is low in watts. RMS measure is something which tells you about the watt output. This will tell you the level of volume that can be tolerated with a particular output. Do not be interested in the maximum power the receiver can generate. Instead, one should always look out for the continuous power. RMS stands for root mean square and it is a measure of continuous power.

There are several things which you must consider before you finally buy the home theater receiver. As mentioned earlier it should have a low distortion level. It should also have a low power rating. In addition to all this, the receiver should be compatible enough with your home theater. It should be easy to use and easy to connect. You must also not compromise on sound quality which should be excellent. Thus, you can get the best receiver for yourself only when you take into account all these things. You have to choose a model which fulfils all your needs.

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How to Select a Home Theater Audio-Video Receiver

The popularity of Blu-ray is causing a lot of formerly happy owners of audio/video receivers to be in the market for a new one. If you're the owner of a good home theater system or plan to have one in the future, instead of settling for a simple Blu-ray player, you will probably want a new multi-function AVR.

Things You Should Consider Before Making A Purchase

Before you purchase a home theater audio/video receiver, there are some things you should do. The most important is to research the internet and find customer reviews and read them, or find someone who has done the research for you and compiled the results and put them into an honest review. Look for an overall customer rating of at least 4 stars out of a possible 5.

Allow me to issue one word of caution before you make your selection: make certain that the AVR you settle on has high-resolution audio capabilities. There are an amazing number of manufacturers of high-end home theater components who make models of AVRs which don't have that.

In the past, home theater owners had no choice other than to disconnect their receivers and carry them to the nearest service location in order to get new updates. Make certain that the receiver you purchase has the ability to connect to the internet so that upgrades can be downloaded from the comfort of your home.

Remember that the simple basic receiver will cost less. However, if you're serious about a really good quality receiver, you will have to pay more for it. If your goal is to have a superb home theater setup, then you definitely want to go for a more expensive, high quality one.

What You Can Expect From A Good Quality Audio/Video Receiver

superior sound quality
distortion free sound
adequate connectivity capabilities
good room balance
pre-outs for dedicated external amps
easy to read displays
internet connectivity

Don't settle for a second-rate AVR. Purchase a quality one so you won't regret it later.

Gene spends a lot of time researching products and writing reviews to save you time and effort. If you're in the market for a new AVR, be sure to check out the Denon 3808CI. Go to http://HomeTheaterComponentsReview.com and read his in-depth review of this amazing audio/video receiver.

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Onkyo TX-SR607 7.2-Channel A/V Surround Home Theater Receiver Review

Design: Measuring 17.4 inches by 12.94 inches the Onkyo TX-SR607 has a rather large footprint. Following the big-and-bulky design school the A/V receiver comes in either silver or black. Featuring a front panel with a HDMI port built-in amongst all the controls, the A/V receiver is simple and easy to use. It comes with a similarly simple remote control utilizing a mostly menu-driven text-based interface.

Specifications: The Onkyo TX-SR607 offers built-in decoders for DTS Neo:6 , DTS Express, DTS-ES Matrix 6.1, Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus, DTS-HD Master Audio, DTS-ES Discrete 6.1, Dolby Pro Logic IIz and Dolby Digital Surround EX. Connection-wise the A/V receiver offers six HDMI inputs, two optical audio inputs, two component video inputs, two coaxial audio inputs, two stereo analog audio inputs and five composite AV inputs. It can support up to 8 HD devices at a time. The receiver also offers Onkyo's universal port for other Onkyo devices as well as two sub-woofer outputs for dual sub-woofer setups.

Features & Performance: Setting up the Onkyo TX-SR607 is easy with the Audyssey 2EQ speaker calibration system. While the sound quality is great out of the box some audio purists may find the sub-woofer volume a bit too loud. Other features of note include basic multi-room functionality for more flexibility.

While the Dolby Pro Logic IIz support doesn't seem to add much in atmosphere, other more traditional standards offer great sound on mid-range levels, with crystal clear audio layering and great audio separation. The receiver can be powerful when you need it and deliver accurately natural trebles when required as well. Analog to 1080i is just above average with better results for lower resolutions.

All in all, the Onkyo TX-SR607 is the A/V receiver to get if you need to use many HD devices at one time. With its much more affordable price set, great audio and respectable features the A/V receiver should definitely be on your list of good value-added home theater sound systems.

For more product info and customer reviews, visit Onkyo TX SR607. For reviews on other home theater systems, visit http://home-theater-system-reviews.blogspot.com

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Understanding Home Theater Receivers

Your home theater receiver is the brain of your operation. Without the receiver, nothing else would matter. The receiver is the receptacle for all of the information that is brought into the home via satellite, cable, or antenna. Receivers do everything from the basics of being the channel hub to being the audio/video receiver for your television and the FM receiver for a stereo, as well as the "circuit hub" for everything that is involved in your system. Some of the more upscale and modern models include ports for connecting your XM radio or Ipod. With all of the bells and whistles available on these receivers, it is important to know what you want in a receiver before you ever start looking. When you do start your search, make sure that you do your homework and get all of the accessories you want as well as a good price on your new theater system.

Any receiver can handle a basic two channel stereo playback, but a good model will be equipped with Dolby Digital and or DTS surround sound processing. Both of these formats use five audio channels plus a special low frequency bass to present a more theater like feel and sound quality. Many DVDs are equipped to utilize these features of the modern home theater system. Many of the upper model receivers are equipped with Dolby Digital EX that will allow a greater filtration and presentation of the movie's background noise and create a more realistic theater viewing.

The most common type of receiver -5.1-channel models- decode the audio information contained in Dolby Digital and DTS soundtracks and route them to front left and right, center, and surround speakers in your system via their five built-in amplifier channels. (The .1, or low frequency effects, channel in a movie soundtrack gets directed to a powered subwoofer with its own on-board amplifier.) Along with all of the attributes of the 5.1, the 6.1 include an additional amp channel that drives another surround speaker when watching a DVD equipped with Dolby Digital EX, creating the more realistic feel.

7.1-channel receivers are basically the same as 6.1-channel models, but they include yet another amp channel to drive a second back surround speaker. In this case, the audio information going to both back speakers is identical; it's just distributed between the two back speakers to create an even more expansive rear sound field. The specifications for the new HD DVD and Blu-ray disc formats allow for soundtracks with up to 7.1 discrete audio channels. So while a 7.1-channel receiver might seem like overkill, right now it's a more future-proof option than 5.1 and 6.1 models.

Since the receiver is the brain of your home theater, you want to try to get the most bang for your buck when purchasing a system. You may think now that you do not need all of the amenities involved, but in six months, you may wish you had all of the sound quality of that model you saw that was only $30 more. If you are interested, you may want to even get a model that allows you to change rooms within your system so you can switch to a different set of speakers that you have set up in your dining room or on the back patio.

Buying a top of the line receiver with all of the possible accessories is the easiest way to go, but there are negatives to this idea. If you are unfamiliar with a product and its accessories or the correct usage of either of them, you could end up damaging your new investment. It is best to do your homework and make sure that the product you are getting is the correct receiver for your needs and desires.

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RX-V665BL Yamaha Home Theater Receiver - Review of the Product

Hello everyone, this article aims to be a concise review of the RX-V665BL Home Theater Receiver as well as it gives some useful tips where to buy online at bargain price.

The RX-V665BL AV Receiver from Yamaha is fully compatible with high-definition audio and video, offering maximum enjoyment for all those sources. It includes HDMI video conversion, deinterlacing and compabality with with iPod and other Bluetooth-equipped devices. Other useful features include Adaptive Dynamic Range Control, YPAO Sound optimization and four SCENE buttons that make it very easy to operate the RX-V665BL Pushing the button - that's all you have to do to control the initiate play of the source - it automatically launches multiple operations.

They are initially set to default settings for DVD Viewing, Disc Listening, TV Viewing and Radio Listening. More SCENE settings are also available with the RX-V665BL, for example TV Sports Viewing, iPod Listening, XM Listening and Action Game Playing. Operating of this AV receiver is easy and intuitive with the display that it has. Access and control everything you need from a simple and easy-to-navigate interface of the Yamaha RX-V665BL.

Let's have a look at the YPAO sound optimization. It analyzes the acoustics of the room where you have the receiver, adjusting various speaker parameters. This all provides optimum quality of the sound at the position, where you stay - all in less than three minutes.

The digital signal processes with exclusive algorhythms to enable playback, which improves the performance of compressed music formats, such as MP3 or WMA. With the Compressed Music Enhancer, highs and especially lows are much smoother and richer and that brings us to the point of music back to life to be as close to the original as possible.

To see detailed technical specifications, have a look at this website fully dedicated to the RX-V665BL. In addition, they offer there the best USA on the internet (at least I haven't seen any better and I had been prospecting very carefully before I bought the product).

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Home Theater Receiver Reviews

The brain of a surround sound system is the receiver, which delivers surround sound systems, amplifiers and changing capabilities. The receiver is one of the important parts of a surround sound system because there are a lot of devices that connect to it, as well as all kinds of audio equipment like speakers, TV, VCR, CD players, DVD players, disco light and many more.

The receivers also tend to lose key audio parts that are no longer in use by the people which is "old" now like tape monitors and phono inputs. I would say Sony is one of the top selling brand names and here are other quality brand names; Kenwood, Panasonic, Pioneer, JVC, Onkyo, Yamaha, Denon and RCA. I don't know if you have noticed that all the different receiver models are now digital. Most people are more than impressed with these receivers with a flawless combination and system that eliminates all most all of the feedback and noise that passes through your surround sound system.

Here are a few tips on finding the right receiver for your home entertainment system. If you buy almost any receiver today it must have DTS (Digital true Surround) and it should be able to handle surround sound systems, what that means is that the sound coming out of your surround sound system will sound more practical to you than the monophonic option.

With the multi channel outputs you get the occasion to widen your sound to different speakers in you entertainment room and set their volumes each at a different level. By doing that you get what you call DTS (Digital Tue Surround) were you can literally hear all the different sounds approaching you from all the different speakers, angles and directions.

As for monophonic sound you can only widen one indicator to all the different channels evenly. Before you buy a receiver you should do some research on them first by finding out if the receiver that you want to buy will be compatible with your surround sound system, what that means is that you should check if your DSTV, DVD, TV, CD player and mp3 player will be able to connect in the receiver and it should deliver sound, otherwise you will have a problem.

By making your receiver that you bought the main brain of your surround sound system you will be able to manage between all the different audio/video components that you have by only using only one remote for all the components and you only have to press one button to select them.

There are a very big variety of receivers to buy you should search online for one that you like and that it do what you want it to do. If you bought one of the top brand receivers you should be able use your new receiver for all your different components in your home and send signals any place in your house without interruptions.

These receivers are great they can use multiple components at the same time so you could be watching a DVD and your children can watch a cartoon on another TV in the house and there can play a song in one of the other rooms isn't that great. Just a last piece of advice before purchasing your receiver make sure to ask about the receivers warranty just to be save in case something happens to the receiver.

If you need any more information about surround sound receivers, surround sound receivers products or reviews visit the following site.

wireless surround sound speakers

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Yamaha Receivers - Top 5 Best Models For Home Theater Systems

In this article we will use the example of Yamaha receivers to show you a good way of choosing the right equipment for you.

One of the hardest things about buying an AV receiver for your home theater system, is deciding which darn one is the best for your room.

One good way to narrow down the choice, is to check out the highest selling models at a major retailer - everybody can't be wrong!

Yamaha receivers are one of the most respected models around, so let's check out the most popular models at Amazon.com (find all AV receivers, and then sort by company name and then best selling).

It is also useful to make a note of the main features of each one.

1. Yamaha RX-V363BL 500 Watt 5.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver

5.1 surround sound
100 watts per channel
HDMI 1.3 switching - 2 in 1 out

2. Yamaha RX-397 100 Watt Natural Sound AM/FM Stereo Receiver

2.0 Stereo Sound
50 watts per channel
No HDMI switching

3. Yamaha RX-V663BL 665 Watt 7.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver

7.1 surround sound
95 watts per channel
HDMI 1.3 switching - 2 in 1 out

4. Yamaha RX-V465BL 525 Watt 5-Channel Home Theater Receiver

5.1 surround sound
105 watts per channel
HDMI 1.3 switching - 4 in 1 out

5. Yamaha RX-V463BL 525 Watt 5.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver

5.1 surround sound
105 watts per channel
HDMI 1.3 switching - 2 in 1 out

Once you have narrowed it down, you are then in a better position to make your choice based on price and features.

Rule out the ones that are too expensive, lack the right connections, are underpowered, have poor reviews or are just plain ugly - and you are left with a couple of contenders.

One thing to consider is that most popular models may also be older models. However, this can be a good thing in that you can get a good quality receiver at a cheaper price (you might not need the new features). You can always check the manufacturers website for the latest models.

Obviously, you can also do this for the other major manufacturers to get a wider choice.

Paul A Brady is the editor of the-home-cinema-guide.com, a consumer guide giving technical information and tips on home theater equipment and other audio visual technology. Paul has over 20 years experience of working with audio visual technology, so come on over and find out how to choose the best equipment for your home. You can find much more information about the surround sound receiver at http://the-home-cinema-guide.com/surround-sound-receiver.html - plus there are many other guides to all the technical stuff!

Copyright? - you may freely republish this article provided the text, author credit, active links and this copyright notice remain intact.

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The Home Theater Receiver -- The Core of Your System

No question, the home theater receiver is the heart of every home theater. A home theater receiver is the piece of equipment that interprets audio and video information and then sends them out to your screen and speakers, respectively. Without it, you would never come close to emulating an actual theater experience.

Sound is effected more so than video by a home theater receiver. On a DVD that's been optimized for Dolby 5.1 surround sound, for example, the audio signals for each different channel are properly amplified and distributed to the proper speakers. The low, booming sounds get sent to the subwoofer, while background noises go to the rear speakers, and the actors' dialogue is heard from the front speakers. Having a high quality home theater receiver and matching speakers is the only way to achieve the best home theater experience. This is what creates the sensation of being in the middle of the action.

A home theater receiver can range in price from about $250 on the low end and $2500 for the really high quality varieties. For budget minded people, it may please you to know that the actual sound quality difference between a $500 home theater receiver and a $700 or $800 one are barely perceptible. On the other hand, if you truly have the need for your room to shake when there's an explosion on-screen, the more money you shell out, the louder you'll be able to turn the volume up without distorting the sound.

How many watts a home theater receiver has is a good indication of how loud you'll be able get the sound. 500 watts is adequate for any home theater, as it is many times the power of the small speakers found in an ordinary television. In fact, 500 watts is much more than what most factory installed car audio systems have. If you have a large room or if you just love to make your ears ring after watching a movie, there are home theater receivers that boast 1000 or more watts.

Keep in mind that most home theater receivers are packaged with speakers that match the performance of the receiver. If you wish to buy a receiver and speakers separately, it's of the utmost importance to make certain that the speakers can handle the wattage that the home theater receiver will put out. Indeed, the proper selection and installation of a home theater receiver combined with the surround sound affect is crucial to being able to really immerse yourself in a movie.

Nick Crane is a successful Webmaster and publisher of MyHomeTheaterZone.com. Visit his site at http://www.myhometheaterzone.com for more articles and valuable resources for everything you need to start building your own home theater system.

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Home Theater Receivers

You home theater receiver plays an important role in the performance of your equipment. With changes in technology in audio and video, you won't want to waste a lot of money upgrading your equipment frequently, so here are different kinds of home theater receivers' features and then a brief look at popular models out there so that you'll get the most for you buck.

Power Output - Look for at least channels of amplification, no less. Check specs ratings.

Preamp Outputs - Check settings; a high volume setting means more preamp level output, while a low setting means no output.

Video / Tape out/VCR Input and Output - If you need these, make sure they are marked (otherwise, you may not have them!) Check compatibility of equipment with your systems for video: Composite Video / S-Video / Component Video / RGB Video.

Surround Decoders - This is built into some home theater systems. Check with your system.

Popular Kinds of Home Theater Receivers (HTR)

Yamaha RX-V1600 - This 7.1 channel HTR offers great sound via 20wpc, high-current, low distortion. If boasts video conversion, automatic setup, THX Cinema Processing and can hook up with XM Satellite Radio.

Pioneer Elite VSX-52TX HTR - This THX Select 7.1 channel (110 WPCx7 at .09% THD) boasts Dolby Digital, DTS and Prologic IIx processors, AV switching and remote with LCD display.

Denon AVR-2807 HTR - This 7.1 channel has DTS-ES, Dolby Digital-EX, Dolby Pro- DTS-Neo:6, DTS and Logic IIx processors. Also it has multi-zone expandability, Lip-synch adjustment, HDMI and HD-Component switching, plus works with XM-Radio.

Marantz SR7500 HTR - This expandable two-channel to full 7.1 channel THX-Select boasts Dolby Prologic IIx, too. It also houses DTS-ES, Dolby Digital EX, Circle Surround 6.1.

Yamaha RX-N600 - This 6.1 Channel Network HTR even networks with an iPOD or a PC. It boasts 95wpc x6, high-current, low distortion, front panel USB port, Video Conversion of S-video and much more.

Onkyo TX-SR504 - This Entry-Level 7.1 Channel HTR boasts a built-in XM Satellite Radio Tuner and has iPOD dock compatibility, plus more.

So since you home theater receiver plays such an important role in the performance of your equipment, especially since you'll want to "try" to keep up with technology .... Do you homework before you buy. Research the different kinds of home theater receivers and see which features will get you the most value and quality for you buck.

Hyun Kim is a freelance writer who writes about loudspeakers, home audio and home theater related topics. He loves to visit Stereo|411 to discuss home theater receivers and read home theater reviews.

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Understanding Your Home Theater Audio Receiver

When you decide to go shopping for a receiver, the question will be whether you should purchase a home theater audio receiver or a stereo model. However, for those who would like to enjoy surround you will need to go with the home theater audio receiver and not the stereo. With a home theater audio receiver you will get digital processing as well as digital outputs and inputs. Additionally, you will get speaker calibration automatically. This means that your system will analyze the sound coming out of your speakers and adjust it automatically.

A receiver is used to power your system and also acts as the surround receiver and decoder. For those who are new to the home theater world, the choices out there can seem too much to take in all at once. The first thing you need to do when considering a receiver is to understand the concept of surround sound. The surround aspect of your home theater system will have you enveloped in sound so that you will feel like you are in a commercial theater right in your house.

How Your Receiver Decodes Surround Sound

When you carry out your home theater receiver comparison you will need to make sure that the system you buy offers you at least 5 channels in order to amplify your sound at 5.1 surround. Your receiver should also make sure that you enjoy your video games, music, TV shows and movies. The newer receivers may also offer more options for the delivery of surround which will increase the power of your system. Some of those newer receivers will also have in built High Definition formats.

The sound you get when you turn on your system comes encoded with surround. However, it needs to be decoded in order for the sound to go into the separate speakers to create the surround effect. A home theater audio receiver will do this for you and you will find that most DVD's have this sound encoded in them. 5.1 is the current standard out there so if you get a 6.1 channel home theater audio receiver you will find that some of your movies will not be decoded. This is because this is an extended format that is beyond the current 5.1 standard. You need to ensure however, that the power of your receiver matches that of the speakers you have in place. Check the sensitivity of the speakers in order to determine the receiver that matches them.

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Yamaha RX-V365BL 500 Watt 5-Channel Home Theater Receiver by Yamaha

If you are looking for the best amplifier system which can give your wireless home theatre sound system a new life and more power than I must tell you that Yamaha RX-V365BL 500 Watt 5-Channel would be best choice for you. This offers impressive tons of features and advanced technology to enhance the audio/video experience, including HDMI switching with 1080p video pass-through, iPod and Bluetooth audio etc.

What is Yamaha RX-V365BL 500 Watt 5-Channel?

Yamaha RX-V365BL 500 Watt 5-Channel is an amplifier system which enhances the audio/video quality. It is a full featured box which provides everything we need to have to increase our entertainment experience. This is a, you can say as, heart of your wireless home theatre system which controls the input and output of the of your audio/video equipment.

Specifications:-

* 5-channel 500W powerful surround sound (100W x 5)

* 1080p-Compatible HDMI 1.3

* Bluetooth music streaming using Yamaha YBA-10 Bluetooth Audio Receiver

* Connect an iPod using Yamaha YDS-10SL Universal iPod Dock Four SCENE buttons

* Compressed Music Enhancer

* DTS 5.1 channel sound format

* HDMI, Component, Composite and Coaxial ports

Cinema DSP

The combination of matrix and steering technology and Conventional multi-channel audio reproduction systems the sound quality becomes extremely tremendous and it creates super surround sound effects. Yamaha CINEMA DSP is much more advanced, actually creating richly realized independent sound fields that envelop you in an unmatched surround sound experience.

The other facility in this category is of SILENT CINEMA DSP. If you want to watch movie in private and don't want to disturb other one you can use this facility. In this you can turn on to headphones and can hear large-scale surround sound. There is no effect on sound quality. The sound quality would be as good as it provides.

SCENE function

Four SCENE button is a great feature of this product. RX-V365BL provides you the facility of opening multiple operations that initiate play of the source by pressing a single button. When you press a FOUR SCENE button the default settings for DVD Viewing, Disc Listening, TV Viewing and Radio Listening will open and you can choose directly from this one.

High Dynamic Power Capability

Yamaha RX-V365 is capable of having huge power resource which enables for no fluctuation voltage in sound system. The sound quality is rather smooth than all time as well as it helps to run at a same motion.

Next-Gen Connectivity and Flexibility

If you want to make your own tunes then what you had to do is just attach the YBA-10 Bluetooth Wireless Audio Receiver, which is optional equipment with this product, and then connect it to Bluetooth enabled mobile phones, portable devices and even your personal computer. it is very simple to use.

From the above features we learnt about the positive side of the product but now I must tell you its few drawbacks:-

1). Setup problem.

2). NO HD audio decoding

3). No audio over HDMI

These drawbacks are just prove to be nil in front of the features of the device. This machine proves to be the best in terms of performance. It provides you the perfect balance between the performance and money you invested.

Enjoy!

Editor's rating 8 out of 10

To read more information about wireless home theater system, check out my website - http://www.wirelesshometheaterspeakersystem.com. Wireless home theater system are really high on my list for great reason. If you also agree feel free to visit my site to learn more helpful reviews about wireless home theaters.

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Pioneer VSX-9040TXH 7-Channel Direct Energy Amplification Home Theater Receiver Review

If you are a quality lover in audio and video and you want to enhance the quality of your wireless home theatre sound system than here is a good news for you! Pioneer presents you a new 7-channel A/V receiver designed for a multi-channel home theater system VSX-9040TXH 7.

What is Pioneer VSX-9040TXH 7?

Pioneer VSX-9040TXH 7 is a multi amplifier system which is used to enhance your theatre system sound quality. This is built to connect seamlessly for the pioneer products such as pioneer blu ray disc, your iphone and it supports the HDMI output. The power supply of 110 watts makes your home filled with surround sound. It gives new energy to your wireless home theatre system. It supports 7 channel working output. Working on Advanced Sound Retriever technology this amplifier system improves the quality of video sound tracks and makes them more robust in larger 5.1 channel systems.

Specifications:-

· Works with iPHone Certified with Digital USB input

· 110w x 7 Direct Energy Amplification

· THX Select 2 Plus: for dedicated Home Theatre rooms, Dolby True-HD/DTS-HD Master Audio: HD audio for Blu-Ray

· HDMI Repeaters: 4in/1out

· Faroudja 1080p Video Scaler

Experience New World

If you want to take full fun of cinema hall at your home itself than this amplifier is of great work. Decoding of the sound quality tracks to Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD this amplifier gives great sound. The Auto Level Control feature keeps an eye on the volume of the sound track. It always maintains a balance between the volume of sound track and amplifier system. It neither makes sudden blast off nor slow down the voice. This is its main feature by which it is getting more popular day by day.

Working

This is a very simple and easy to use machine. This amplifier system has 4 HDMI channels. You can connect your HD equipment with this machine and can listen to your great music. Pioneer's MCAAC room calibration system helps optimize sound quality for your home theater room. In addition to providing great sound quality, the Pioneer VSX-9040TXH also does a great job with video processing and upconverts analog signals to 1080p, which lets you lose of yourself in movie.

The next main feature of the Pioneer VSX-9040TXH is this that that you can attach your iPod or iPhone to the front-panel USB port with the included cable, and then navigate your playlists using the receiver's graphical user interface, which displays track info and album-art on your TV screen.

Conclusion

Pioneer VSX-9040TXH is an excellent machine which gives you tremendous return in terms of money you invested. This is a great machine which you great power input and higher outputs. This will make your life rocking and full of enjoy.

Editor's rating 9 out of 10

To read more information about wireless home theater system, check out my website - http://www.wirelesshometheaterspeakersystem.com. Wireless home theater system are really high on my list for great reason. If you also agree feel free to visit my site to learn more helpful reviews about wireless home theaters.

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Denon 3808CI - Why This Can Be the Perfect Receiver For Your Home Theater

Anyone who is a serious home theater owner will tell you that not all home theater receivers are made the same, and the Denon 3808CI is a good example of an excellent receiver with a good price. This particular receiver offers much more than the other average receivers out there, and I am going to tell you exactly what it can do that had impressed me. If you have been on a hunt for a piece of home theater equipment that will transform your home theater into a movie theater like atmosphere, then you need to read on.

The thing you will find most impressive about the Denon 3808CI is its total harmonic distortion (THD). THD is a measurement of the accuracy of the amplifier section of a receiver. THD refers to the amount of distortion that an audio signal undergoes when it's amplified. The lower the number of the THD the better. Having a THD of.05, this Denon receiver allows you to play music and movies as loud as you want without any obvious distortion. If you are serious about sound quality, you will not find another receiver that will match what this one has to offer.

One more thing that sets this Denon receiver apart from the rest is its networking abilities. You can hook up this receiver with iPods, XM radio, USB drives and even Internet radio, this receiver really has enough connections to handle them all. If you are one of those people who like to use a wide range of audio and video media, it will be difficult to find another receiver that can handle as much as the Denon 3808CI can. Some people may not like the auto setup feature offered by this product, but to me the auto setup will give you just as good results as setting up manually and save me a lot of time.

There are many cheaper home theater receivers out in the the market, but it will be difficult to find another receiver that will do as much as the Denon 3808CI and at that reasonable price. If you are into home theater system and want quality from the equipment that you pick then this product is definitely worth the price.

Pearl Loh researches and writes about electronic products such as the Denon 3808CI. You can save time and money by getting a FREE in depth review of this receiver and also how to get a good deal on this product at Pearl's blog-- thehometheaterreceiver.com

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What's Important to Consider When Buying a Home Theater Receiver?

Choosing the right home theater receiver is no easy task even if you have experience, let alone having little to none in this area. Fortunately, the following will provide some excellent tips that what to look for in one. This will help ensure that you will get the best home theater receiver you can get when you go out shopping for one.

What to Look for

As you go out and evaluate home theater receivers whether online or offline, you should be looking for several important qualities. First, the brand of the receiver should always be one of the first aspects to evaluate. Some people may not understand how important this really is and tend to overlook this element.

If you have had a good experience with other products from a brand in the past and you feel comfortable with them, feel free to continue buying from them. Under these circumstances, you will know exactly what you are getting and therefore you can focus more on the rest of the details.

A few examples of the various home brands to choose from include Samsung, Panasonic, and Sony. You would have a hard time going wrong with any of these three.

Price

Another significant factor when buying a home theater receiver is price. You can only buy what you can afford, so determine how much of a budget you have before shopping around and evaluating the prices of each kind. By doing so, you can avoid overspending on one.

The best receivers are going to be more expensive of course, and could surprise you just how much some of them cost. However, you shouldn't have a problem finding a good receiver that you can afford.

Do Research

If you decide to shop at some stores locally and ask their employees for advice, be sure they are experts on what you should buy. Sometimes, the workers know less than the consumers. The last thing you want is to take his or her advice and realize that the home theater receiver you bought wasn't the right one.

Researching various receivers before you head out to stores is encouraged as you will not have to rely strictly on customer support. You will also have a better understanding of what to look for and be able to compare prices of certain models to ones online. This will ensure that you not only get a high quality home theater receiver, but also get it at the best price as well.

Read More

What you should look for when buying home theater stereo receivers. What is a home theater receiver HDMI used for?

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The Core of Your Home Theater System

If the speakers are what you hear and the TV is what you see in a Home Theater system, then it will stand to reason that at the core of these systems has to be something, and that something is an audio and video receiver. These receivers are in large part the reason why your sound is either fantastic or super lousy. While speakers where thought to have the most impact in whether a system sounds good or sounds poor, the truth is that a great set of speaker will still sound pretty bad with a poor quality receiver, while poor or mediocre speakers will still sound pretty good with a quality receiver. The choices for receivers are many and you can spend as much or as little you like.

For those with limited budgets there are plenty of options from many well-respected audio component manufactures. The first thing that you will want to look for is the proper amount of speaker outputs. Most affordable receivers will generally support 5.1 outputs. This boils down to left and right front and rear speakers as well as front center channel speakers and subwoofer outputs. Some affordable receivers will support 7.1, however, this is more of the exception rather than the rule.

The other thing to look for is HDMI inputs and outputs. HDMI connections are the premier format for transferring the highest quality audio as well as video signals, which is extremely important with high definition video and audio being all the rage these days. These multiple HDMI inputs will allow you to connect multiple high definition components and filter them down to one single output to your high definition television.

The more expensive receivers for Home Theater use will often have more advanced audio encoding and processing as well as preamplifier outputs, which allow you to run a passive signal to dedicated power amplifiers that power your speakers with optimal power that is clean, with minimal to almost discrete distortion levels.

Whether your budget will allow you a certain level of indulgence when it comes to Home Theater receivers or you and your wallet are kept on a short leash, the truth is that there is something for everyone. For the audiophile, there are receivers with four to five figure price tags just waiting to be bought. For the others who are looking for a more modest Home Theater system, there are more budget friendly options that have a respectable amount of quality and will not require you to live out of your car to afford it.

Find more information about Home Theater Systems at http://besthometheatresystems.wordpress.com/

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The Onkyo TX-SR605 7.1 Channel Home Theater Receiver

If you are looking into A/V equipment the Onkyo TX-605 should be one of the first on your list of considerations. This receiver is easy to setup and the sound quality is noticeable better than the JVC 100 w/channel 5.1 receiver. The TX-605 has the ability to run all A/V components using different types of video connections and then have it all output to the HDTV via one HDMI cable. It eliminates the needs for switching of TV inputs which can drive many people crazy, and one click of the DVD button on the receivers and it automatically switches the TV over and automatically picks up the signal from the DVD player.

This receiver exceeds many people's expectations with seamless integration and setup, and eliminates most of the noise and feedback passed through to your home speakers. Many people have reported better overall picture and sound quality when replacing older A/V equipment and for the price of around $400 you won't find the combination of features, quality, and price from anything else in the marketplace.

Of course there are a couple draw backs to the Onkyo TX-605, but none that can't be overcome. First off the unit tends to get a little hot. In fact so hot that most people cannot place their hand on top of the unit for very long, so putting anything like paper on top of the unit could pose as a fire hazard. Since the unit tends to get so hot you also want to ensure not to enclose the unit within a case. Be sure to allow for plenty of air circulation. Secondly the unit is quit bulky and heavy so whatever you decide to set the unit on top of you want to ensure it is sturdy enough to support its weight.

In conclusion, if you're in the market to replace your old A/V receiver the Onkyo could prove to be your next best addition and at the price of around $400 you can't ask for a more easy to use and feature rich unit.

For more information about this product check out this Onkyo TX-SR605 webpage

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Yamaha RX-V367BL 5.1 Channel 500 Watt AV Receiver (Each, Black)

The Yamaha RX-V367BL 5.1-Channel AV Receiver is a great value-priced receiver to help take your home theater experience further. It features the latest HDMI specifications (4 inputs/1 output) with 3D-readiness (with firmware upgrade), 1080p HDMI repeating, and renowned Yamaha technologies like SCENE and CINEMA DSP. Expand your options even further with optional docks (sold separately) to add your iPod, iPhone, or Bluetooth sources.

Price: $249.95

Click here to buy from Amazon

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How an AV Receiver Fits Into Your Home Theater System

The home theater receiver or AV receiver, as some would term it, is the central unit of your home theater system. Without it, all your other components would probably not be able to deliver. The receiver receives input so you won't have to purchase components such as the Preamp, Tuner and multi-channel amplifier, separately to give output.

The receiver typically does what the Preamp, Tuner and multi-channel amplifier do and certainly not by compromising quality. You will still be looking at the same quality if you had purchased all three components individually, but one thing's for sure, you definitely save quite a bit with buying just a receiver to do the job.

For those who are mindful of their budget and expenditure, a receiver would certainly serve them well. On the other hand, for those who have the capacity to and wish to splurge thousands on their home theater system, are certainly free to buy each component separately.

So what should you be looking out for in a home theater receiver?

Between a wireless receiver and a regular one, there are differences and you are sure to see the pros and cons with each one. Hence, you will need to find out as much as you can about them before you head out to the nearest electronics store, shopping for a receiver.

Also, when it comes to wattage, do not allow yourself to be fooled by the numbers on the side of the receiver box. Though watts are important, it is always true that a receiver with a higher wattage indicates more power and better sound quality. You will then have to consider other factors such as the distortion factor, which means the louder the decibels, the less clearly you can hear what's being played.

A receiver is built to work together with the other components in your home theater system and you will be certain to want good and clear sound from the receiver you are about to spend hardearned money on. Therefore, be sure to consider the signal to noise ratio, instead of just the wattage. The signal to noise ratio allows you to compare the signal to the background noise.

You will also want to pay attention to a receiver's ability to decode the latest audio codecs like Dolby TrueHD and DTS Master Audio which are the best sounding audio codecs now. Before you spend any money on a home theater receiver, do your homework. Check product reviews and make sure that you're getting the best your money can buy. Make sure you take the time to check out how the receiver handles before you buy.

Kenneth Atkinson is a sound engineer by training and is an avid home theater enthusiast. He uses primarily Denon gear in his own home theater setup. You can read his current reviews of Denon AV receivers is his home theater review site.

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