DIY Home Theatre :: Need Advice

[digital_ninja2k]

I know this isn't exactly computer Audio and Video, but I figure they both pretty much go hand in hand.

My wife and I are contemplating doing a home theatre system. There are only two problems:

A.) I don't have any real experiance with this sort of thing

B.) We (like most people) don't have a whole lot of money to spend on it.

Luckily problem B is aided by the fact that we already have a suitable Television with Built-in VCR, DVD player and a 5-disc CD player.

What other components would you all advise having and do any of you know any good sites or tutorials to help me know exactly what I need to do?

Any help would be greatly appreciated,
Thank you

 

[Crysalis]

AVIA guide to Home theater is an EXCELLENT resource.

 

[lancec2c30]

you need to get 3 front speakers, a left, right, and center. then you need to have a right and a left in the rear along with a sub placed somewhere in the close vicinity. Now to power the speakers you get you need a proper amp/ tuner. Then you just tie it into the tv amd BAM. Amazing sound.

 

[Crysalis]

thats an extremely basic way to put it... i wouldn't go by that. Thats like explaining how to fly a jet plane like this:

Get in the cockpit, make sure the gas tank is full, slam the throttle and BAM. Supersonic

 

[lancec2c30]

well I think he needs to learn the BASICS. so then he can understand the BASIC function of surround sound

 

[EricB]

http://www.axiomaudio.com/hometheaterquestions.html#

 

[Crysalis]

well I think he needs to learn the BASICS. so then he can understand the BASIC function of surround sound

...which is what AVIA is... and also Axiom as eric posted.

 

[digital_ninja2k]

Hey Crysalis, is AVIA the $50.00 Instructional DVD they're trying to sell me? If not... I think I went to the wrong place. lol

Actually, I'm glad that lancec2c30 just listed what I need, now I have a general outline of the equipment I need to get. And now thanks to you (Crysalis) and EricB I can now expand on that basic knowledge and hopefully be able to pull off putting together a descent system.

Thanks to all of you for replying. I also have another question.

Where are some of the places you all would recomend buying the equipmet? ie. Online, Wal-Mart, Best Buy, etc.

 

[Crysalis]

Yes, Avia is the $50 DVD, but you can get it cheaper. If you want, I could even send you a copy of mine.

stay away from wal-mart. Best buy is OK... Circuit city is better, online stores are cheapest, but try to find a home theater store around you. There are always hidden or unheard of specialty home theater stores around. To start, you could get a home theater in a box. You'll get 5 satellite speakers, a subwoofer and a receiver. Then you'll need a DVD player. Make sure they are SEPARATE components. None of this built in garbage.

Also... one last thing. Make sure you connect Digitally (either fiber optic or coaxial) from your DVD/TV to the receiver. You will get SUPERIOR sound versus the analog signals.

 

[digital_ninja2k]

See, that's what I was planning on doing, but so far I've only been able to look at Wal-Mart and The Source (an affiliate of circuit city I think) and all I could find were the receivers with the DVD built in. The only one I found was diffrent was one that was a DVD/Divx player built in.