Home Theater For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech))

Additional Home Theater For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech)) Information

Beginning with the most basic information, this guide helps you choose what you need and put it all together. It explains DLP, 3LCD, HDMI, DTV, and HDTV so you can talk intelligently with salespeople at the electronics store. You’ll find out about Blu-ray, explore HD and satellite radio options, and see how to incorporate a Wii, Xbox, or Playstation 3 into your set-up. Learn to: Choose among plasma, LCD, and projection TVs Know the difference between digital TV and HDTV Assess and choose an LCD TV, a new 3D TV, or an HD radio Set up your audio system and TV for maximum performance Use a Media Center or Home Theater PC Fine-tune your system and add cool touches such as accessing home theater content from your cell phone Explore HD and satellite radio options, CD players, DVD-Audio disks, and options for old cassettes and vinyl Set up your system with the proper cables for each component, or learn what it takes to go wireless Calibrate your video with a calibration disk, an optical comparator, or a DVD containing THX Optimizer

Get the perfect home theater experience by following the expert tips and techniques presented in Home Theater For Dummies, 3rd Edition. You’ll be watching movies and listening to audio in no time!

What Customers Say About Home Theater For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech)):

It is more of a pre-shopping guide so that you are better informed than the average sales guy at Best Buy. There's a lot of good information online at places like Crutchfield (with illustrations), so I was hoping for more from something I had to pay money for. This topic cries out for pictures to illuminate the discussion, and this book just didn't provide any. I was amazed at how few illustrations were included. If you want detailed explanations for the various technologies (HDMI v1 compared to 1.3), this is a decent book. This isn't a bad guide, just not what I was looking for. However, I was hoping for a lot more illustrations about how to do things (set up a home theater wiring patch panel, layout speakers for a 7.1 setup). Also, the book doesn't really help guide you in planning your own home theater.

As always the "Dummies" book give good basic information and this book did not disappoint me. I was looking for more information on the integration of a HTPC on the self-built system though.

Most of it deals with what to purchase and how to set it up. This book was not what I thought. I still have not been able to set my system up and will still have to call a pro.

The book starts with the basics and then layers on more detail in each area. Its a fine reference for anyone who is considering HT, or expanding/upgrading an existing HT. There's more emphasis on Blu-ray, integration of MCPC's and gaming devices, lossless audio formats, HDMI interconnects, etc, etc. the organization is the same (same chapter headings) but the material has definately been revised to reflect the fast evolving HT equipment, systems, and media. It has been extensively updated and I highly recommend it. I believe this is the first review of the new Third Edition which just came out in Nov 2008. I also own the Second Edition (2006) and did a quick comparison. All-in-all this a very comprehensive guide to every aspect of home theater.

However, items mentioned as coming in the future are already standard. This book is written well and explains the technology well, and is a good reference for the basic design and set-up. The HD TV and Home Theater technology is changing so fast it is hard to write, print and distribute a book and keep it current.