Humble Beginnings
Starting off in the "Home Theater" market can seem overwhelming when visiting your local Home Theatre shop. I know I personally had a hard time looking at the "high-end" equipment and then purchasing anything less. Another large hurdle can be the jargon, or the technical wording and knowledge.

TV
We will start with the TV. I, and probably most of you, have heard of HDTV or DTV. Digital Broadcasting is supposed to take the place of the current analog or NTSC system, which means obsoletion of analog TV's by the year 2006. For now, to purchase a HDTV, you will be looking at spending upwards of 8000 dollars. Don't worry, by the time 2006 rolls around the prices should have dropped dramatically. Probably close to the same prices of regular TVs today. If you would like to be ready for the new signal, you can purchase a DTV-ready set and buy the decoder box when the service is available in your area. While I did not buy a DTV, I did find this Widescreen TV by Toshiba that has been great for watching letterboxed movies and even TV.

A/V Receivers
Audio Video receivers are probably the second most important part of your Home Theater system. You may choose; stereo, pro-logic, or dolby digital receivers. If you want to spend the extra money, you can purchase any of the above with either DTS or THX certification. Of stereo, pro-logic, or dolby digital, the later has the best separation and most realistic feel. However, it is entirely up to you to choose which will be best for you. A good low cost entry into dolby digital is the Kenwood VR-209.

VCR/DVD
A viewing source should be choosen according to preferences as well. I personnally choose a DVD player over the VCR to view my movies. Mainly for picture and sound quality, but also to be one of the first one's on the block to own one. While the selection of movies is not yet as great, it is growing rapidly. I choose a Sony model, but there are a growing selection of models to choose from.

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