Home Theater

“I think a lot of developments start with the desire of the developer to get what he really wants so that he can use it. It's not just the technical fascination or the business opportunity.”
-Ray Dolby

Though many see the trends of the 1980s as abominations best left forgotten, the era did mark a new paradigm for consuming media at home. Thanks to the development of multichannel audio systems and the dinner-plate size laserdisc, wealthy individuals began to recreate a cinema-like movie viewing experience in the comfort of their own homes, and the concept of home theater was born.
 
But things didn’t stop there. DVDs, “surround sound" in the form of Dolby Digital 5.1-channel audio, and high-definition television, soon followed throughout the ‘90s, enhancing the quality of home theater performance while simultaneously becoming more affordable to mass market audiences. No longer viewed as a luxury of society’s elite, major consumer electronic manufacturers saw great potential in easy-to-use prepackaged sets now known as HTIBs, or Home Theaters in a Box.
 
Besides eliminating the need for professional installation and piecemeal component buying, their explosion into living rooms around the country finally incentivized producers to take concepts such as lifestyle and aesthetics into serious consideration. As a result, the notion of home theater and its associated technology in this first decade of the 21st century can refer to a wide array of setups and needs. In the end, though, they all strive to replicate their name sake in some form, by mimicking the performance of a commercial movie theater for everyday use.

Home Theater on AM

If a man’s house is his castle, then his home theater is arguably his throne room. With so many devices and choices to consider, though, here at AskMen.com we focus on helping you keep up-to-date with the latest advances through new product highlights and discussions on what impact they’ll have on performance and design.

Though most new home theaters are all now based around Blu-ray, audio-wise they can consist of all kinds of gear, from a self-powered virtual surround speaker and subwoofer to full-fledged media servers powering a seven satellite setup with dual subs. Displays similarly can range from 32-inch basic HDTVs to theater-grade HD DLP projectors capable of filling entire walls with crystal clear images.

What works best for your needs, tastes and budget, is something we’re here to advise on, through detailed setup guides and component suggestions. Understanding the ins and outs of how broader functionalities, such as computer-based media playback and streaming internet content can be integrated into home theaters, is another mind-numbing task you can leave up to us.
Remember, we’re men and home theater isn’t something we take lightly, so trust us to highlight what’s new and consult on what’s worth buying.

Home Theater Fact

The first film with Dolby sound was A Clockwork Orange in 1971.

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