Whether one is creating a separate room or remodeling the living room for a television screen entertainment, a budgetary outline becomes a significant factor writes Sam MORARA.
Proper planning certainly counts while securing home entertainment facilities. If you want to make the most out of what you have or you plan on buying a completely new system, it is extremely important to learn the basics of what it takes to create a well-rounded home entertainment center on a budget.
For one, it is obvious that televisions have steadily graduated to become the centerpiece of home entertainment. It is the big ticket item, the main attraction and probably the most expensive facility in most home’s entertainment list.
Going for TV?
Before bargain hunting for the best priced TV available, here are the most important options for the screens.
Type: Are you looking for a 3-D, LED or plasma TV? If you’re trying to save money, you want to avoid the 3-D TV at the moment. Plasma and LED TV’s are similar in picture quality, but plasma TV’s tend to be more affordable when compared to LED TV’s of similar screen sizes. However, plasma TV’s only come in larger sizes, and if you are willing to sacrifice size for cost, smaller LED TV’s are the most affordable.
Size: The size of your TV will depend on how far away you plan to sit from the screen. For a home entertainment spot in an average size living room, you will most likely be positioned about 10 feet from the TV.
According to most retailers, a 32 or 42 inch screen would be optimal at that distance. If you think you need a little more space away from the TV, a 47 inch screen would be optimal at distances between 11 and 15 feet.
Wide-screen: A 4:3 aspect-ratio might work for a smaller TV in the bedroom, but if you’re building a home entertainment center, do yourself a favour and go with a wide-screen format. Most TV manufacturers with their brands in the East Africa have made these considerations when it comes to television sets. LG, Samsung, Panasonic, Sony and Philips lead the pack in innovations in this sector, and have wide coverage of the market. Their products are readily available in major stores and supermarket outlets in the region.
Budget Audio
If you thought purchasing a TV was complicated, wait till you start looking for an audio system for home entertainment. Your audio setup is just as important as your video setup as you’ll always want to get the best sound quality possible, at an affordable price, of course.
The general rule most retailers will tell you is your audio equipment should make up half of your system’s budget, and your video should make up the other half.
Among the key things one may way to consider when shopping for an audio system are as follows:-
Surround sound:True surround sound is a must for any home entertainment center, whether you’re on a budget or not. A regular stereo setup or virtual surround won’t cut it if you’re trying to re-create that movie theater experience.
Speaker channel: A 5.1-channel system is the best setup to go with for a home entertainment center on a budget. With this setup, you will have a total of five speakers: front left, front right, front center, side left and side right.
A/V receiver: A good audio-video receiver is necessary to bring all the audio and video components together. Make sure the A/V receiver you choose can support common audio formats like Dolby Digital Surround, DTS or Dolby True HD.
Subwoofer: A subwoofer is necessary to reproduce low-pitched audio frequencies. In other words, you need it for the bass. Here’s a quick tip: Place your subwoofer by a wall for added effect or in a corner for even better effect.
Home Theater in a Box (HTIB): An HTIB is probably the most affordable option you can go for if you’re looking at buying everything to complete a 5.1-channel, surround sound system for your audio-based home entertainment. HTIBs come in a packaged set, with all the audio components. They range from Ksh. 13,000 to Ksh. 50,000 for a decent set.
Don’t be afraid to mix and match: Many retailers will try to convince you to buy audio components of the same brand to avoid differences in sound characteristics. However, most people aren’t sound experts and will be unable to hear these differences. If a little mixing and matching will get you the most affordable audio set up for your home entertainment center, then do it.
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