| 1. A large-screen display: Note that we do not say | | | | access the movies we want to watch. For most |
| television. More and more, the receiver aspect of | | | | people, the digital video source includes a source |
| a television is divorced from the display aspect, in | | | | (or sources) of high-definition video, from TV |
| the form of set-top boxes, external TV tuners, | | | | broadcasts or the high-definition capable. |
| computers, and other source devices. | | | | 3. A surround-sound capability: You find out about |
| Appropriately, the display is being optimized for its | | | | the details of surround sound in a few pages, but |
| main purpose - displaying the wide range of video | | | | you need to have surround sound to take full |
| output from a home theater system. These | | | | advantage of all the audio power stored in your |
| displays can be huge. We're talking greater than | | | | DVD content. With surround sound, you truly |
| 120 inches diagonally, which is 10 feet for those of | | | | start mimicking the theater experience. |
| you who didn't do the math! | | | | If you're lacking any of these, you really don't |
| 2. A digital video source: At a minimum, this | | | | have a home theater. Without the display and |
| means a DVD player; and for most folks, it will | | | | surround sound, you lose the effect of the visual |
| also mean a TV source (such as digital cable or a | | | | and audio experience, and without a digital video |
| digital satellite TV service). We think DVD is a | | | | source, you just have a loud and big TV system. |
| bottom-line must-have when you're building a | | | | You really need all three. |
| home theater because that's the way most of us | | | | |