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Tech How-To Central
Reviews
Technology
Hi-Def Surround-Sound Setups for Any Budget
HDTV and surround sound can create a theater-quality experience in your own living room. Here are two setups that match your A/V needs to your budget.Published in the January 2007 issue.
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THE $2,000 SETUP
Your home theater dollar will go a lot further if you steer clear of the truly huge televisions. But you don't need to skimp on quality. The WESTINGHOUSE LVM-37W3 ($1399) LCD is a midsize (37 in.) monitor that has full 1080p resolution without the 1080p price. Westinghouse keeps costs down by not including a TV tuner — most people change channels through their cable or satellite set-top box.
Your home theater dollar will go a lot further if you steer clear of the truly huge televisions. But you don't need to skimp on quality. The WESTINGHOUSE LVM-37W3 ($1399) LCD is a midsize (37 in.) monitor that has full 1080p resolution without the 1080p price. Westinghouse keeps costs down by not including a TV tuner — most people change channels through their cable or satellite set-top box.
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| The way to get maximum boom for your surround-sound buck is to buy a home-theater-in-a-box system. The 900-watt YAMAHA DVX-C770 ($550) is a nice marriage of superior sound and video flexibility. Its DVD player can upconvert standard discs to hi-def through an HDMI output and it also can play compressed DivX discs and video CDs. | If your system is simple, your remote should be, too. The UNIVERSAL REMOTE CONTROL URC-R7 ($40) has thousands of preprogrammed codes and includes an easy DVD setup guide. |
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