Home theater made easy! Dolby Digital, DVD, A/V glossary, FAQs, and more!

Guide

The

HomeTheater

®

ContentsThe Magic of Home Theater 4

Dolby Digital, Pro Logic & DTS Surround Sound 4Sound that surrounds you 5Dolby Digital 5Dolby Pro Logic 7DTS (Digital Theater Systems) 8

What You Need For Home Theater: An Overview 8-9

What You Need: Dolby Surround Sources 10DVD players 10HiFi VCRs 11DBS (Direct Broadcast Satellite) 11

What You Need: A Dolby Digital Receiver 12What does the preamplifier section do? 12What does the amplifier section do? 12The separates option 13

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The Crutchfield Guide to Home Theater

What You Need: A TV 13Digital television 14

What You Need: 5 Speakers and a Subwoofer 15Main speakers 15Center channel speaker 15Surround speakers 16Powered subwoofer 16Satellite/subwoofer option 17

Home Theater Anywhere: More Options 17Complete home theater systems 17Home theater shelf systems 18Surround sound from your PC 18Portable DVD players 18

Planning Ahead: Speaker Placement 18Placing your main speakers for optimum performance 19Placing your center channel speaker 20Placing your surround speakers 20Placing your subwoofer 21

Planning Ahead: More Resources 21Before you buy 21

Frequently Asked Questions 22Dolby Digital 22Dolby Pro Logic 22Video 22A/V receivers 24Speakers 25Connections 26

Glossary of Terms 28© 1998-2000 by the Crutchfield Corporation.

Fourth edition, revised 5/00. All rights reserved.

Looking for up-to-the-minute information?Visit our website at www.crutchfield.com. You’ll find the latest components, essentialaccessories, and an online Info Center to help you maximize the value of your gear.

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The Magic of Home TheaterWe all know how movie theater magic comes tolife. The gorgeous, vivid images on the screenare enhanced by the impressive, envelopingaudio. From the faint chirping of crickets in thebackground, to the crackle and boom of a thunderstorm, to the resounding roar of a spaceship rumbling into view, it is the sound thatdraws you into the action on-screen and holdsyou there.

Now, home theater systems make the sameexperience possible in your own living room.The detail and precision of surround soundenhance the picture, and make even your 27"television loom large. The result is stunning,three-dimensional sound, complete with thedetailed special effects and imaging that you findin a theater. When that tornado tears across thescreen, you’ll feel like it’s passing through theroom, too — the winds will howl right past you,and far behind your right shoulder, you’ll hearthe “crash!” of a tractor hitting a barn.

Transform your room into a cinema!Home theater is now so popular that it can beboth easy and inexpensive to achieve. Whetheryou want to build an entire home theater systemfrom scratch or add to your existing components,the options are plentiful. This guide is designedto answer your questions about home theater andgive you an idea of what is involved. We alsohope that you’ll be able to identify what you,personally, need for great home theater. Somehelpful things to think about are:

1) Which new technologies appeal to you themost? (Remember, home theater doesn’t

mean having every component on the market! You can pick and choose.)

2) What components do you already own?(Some may be ready for home theater now.You can always mix and match to create asystem!)

3) Are you thinking of replacing any oldcomponents? (If so, now might be the timeto upgrade.)

Before we get into DVD players, A/Vreceivers, and other A/V gear, let’s take a look atDolby Digital, and the concepts and technologybehind surround sound.

Dolby Digital, Pro Logic & DTS Surround SoundBoom! Just seeing that word on the screen is nottoo startling, by itself. But if someone whacked abass drum a few feet away from your chair,you’d jump! It’s the same story when you replacethe sound from those tiny speakers in your TVwith wraparound home theater sound.

George Lucas, the creator of Star Warsand a master of movie excitement, has said,“Sound is 50% of the experience. If you don’thave a good sound system, you cut the experience dramatically.”

The key word here is “experience.” Add realistic sound to whatever’s on the screen (a movie, TV show, video game, concert, or ballgame) and suddenly you’re no longer justwatching — you’re experiencing! Two-dimen-sional images become three-dimensional events.TV and movie viewing is transformed into asenses-grabbing cinematic experience, letting

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you enjoy the sights, sounds, and power of themovie theater in the comfort of your home.

Sound that surrounds youWhen stereo was developed, music lovers whohad only experienced mono were in heaven.Imagine one muddy channel of sound — thekind you’d find on an old-fashioned transistorradio — being replaced with 2 distinct channels!Suddenly, familiar recordings offered greaterclarity and precise detail.

Now imagine the same kind of change takingplace when it comes to watching a video.Although a movie soundtrack can be playedthrough your regular stereo speakers, or justthrough the speakers built into your television,imagine the clarity and precision possible withmultiple speakers surrounding you! Just like amovie theater, which uses lots of speakers toengulf you in sound, Dolby® Surround uses sev-eral carefully placed speakers to achieve thesame effect — right in your own living room!

Whether they’re tiny speakers (called satel-lites) that hide away discreetly on shelves, orlarge, floor-standing tower speakers, you heardetails you never dreamed were there. A multi-channel soundtrack can even convey the impres-sion of movement — so as a horse gallops acrossthe screen, you can hear its hoofbeats begin farto your left, drum closer, seemingly thunder right

past you, then slowly fade away in the distanceto your right.

Dolby Surround comes in two flavors, DolbyDigital and Dolby Pro Logic, that add excitement and immediacy to every scene. DolbyDigital has rapidly become the standard for greathome theater surround sound. What’s more, it’swidely available. You can find the Dolby Digitallogo on thousands of DVDs, and it is the chosenaudio format for HDTV (see pg. 14 for moreinformation on HDTV). Read on to find out allabout why Dolby Digital 5.1-channel sound hastaken the world by storm.

Dolby DigitalIntroduced in movie theaters in 1992, DolbyDigital is simply a digital form of encodingaudio data, which ensures accurate reproductionof sound. The fact that Dolby Digital is digitallyencoded means that it can be stored and sent as adigital signal — and digital signals are not proneto degradation the way analog signals are. As a

result, it was chosen as the stan-dard audio format for DVDs andHigh-Definition Television(HDTV) — a guarantee that ithas a future.

The accuracy and flexibilityof Dolby Digital have resulted inthe development of Dolby Digital5.1-channel surround sound. 5.1-channel surround is a muchnewer system than Dolby ProLogic, but it has quickly estab-lished itself as the preferred format. It offers top-notch audioprecision and depth, and muchclearer dialogue than other surround formats or regular TV listening. As a result, eventhough it can take the form ofstereo, even mono, sound, DolbyDigital is often simply referred toas a “5.1-channel” system.

In 5.1-channel sound, thereare five full-range (3-20,000Hz)channels of sound, for impressivedepth and precision. Two chan-nels offer full-range stereo soundin left and right front speakers(your regular stereo speakers can

fit this bill). A third channel plays through thecenter channel speaker (usually positioned rightabove or below the television’s screen, so dialogue seems “attached” to the faces on thescreen). The last two full-range, stereo channelsof sound are sent to surround speakers, creatinga spacious, ambient atmosphere and distinct special effects.

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HomeTheater

Movie Theater

Turn your living room into a movie theater, with surround sound thatre-creates the cinema experience!

The “.1” (or subwoofer) channel, with a frequency range of 3-120 Hz, contains the additional low bass information (also called lowfrequency effects, or LFE) needed for the optimum excitement and impact of movie scenesinvolving explosions, crashes, and other sensational effects. It is referred to as “.1”because 3-120 Hz is a very limited amount of thesoundtrack’s frequency range.

On its way to your home theater, a 5.1-channel Dolby Digital soundtrack is“squeezed” down to a single digital bitstream forreproduction on DVDs and HDTV broadcasts.Your Dolby Digital decoder then converts thisdigital bitstream back to six discrete audio channels for playback in your home theater.Since all six channels are digital, they can betransferred — without loss — from the moviestudio to your living room. This advanced home

theater technology delivers pristine detail,incredible dynamic range and unparalleled soundlocalization. It’s a significant improvement onearlier surround formats like Dolby Pro Logic,because the full-frequency stereo surroundspeakers add more spacious ambience and clearer off-screen effects, while the dedicatedsubwoofer channel gives realistic bass impact tothe faintest rumbles and loudest roars.

To experience 5.1-channel Dolby Digitalsound, you need a DVD (many DVDs are encod-ed with 5.1-channel Dolby Digital — check tosee if the DVD case says “5.1” on the backcover), a DVD player, an A/V receiver, and aDolby Digital decoder (either as a separate unit,or built into the DVD player or A/V receiver).You also need a complete home theater speakersystem and a TV. There are a variety of ways tomake connections between these different

Dolby Digital Home Theater

State-of-the-art “5.1-channel” Dolby Digital home theater surrounds you with six discrete channels of crys-tal-clear, dynamic digital audio. With 5.1-channel surround, your main, center and surround speakers are allfed separate full-bandwidth information, for increased three-dimensionality and more precise localization ofsounds (it’s important to have surrounds capable of handling all this information). Dolby Digital decodingalso sends a channel of “low frequency effects,” which adds bass excitement and immediacy to a soundtrack.

surround left

front left front right

subwoofer (lowfrequency effects)

surround right

center

How Dolby Digital Works

Dolby Digital DVDs,digital TV

broadcasts, etc. In a 5.1-channel Dolby Digital soundtrack, all the sound elements (dialogue, sound effects, and music) areencoded as six discrete channels of digital audio.

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components — just be sure, if you’re thinking ofadding to your system, that there are compatibleinputs and outputs on each component. The digital audio connections you’ll be making willprobably use either an optical digital (or Toslink)connection, or a coaxial digital connection. In afew cases, DVD players with built-in DolbyDigital decoding may let you run 6 analog channels (the five full-range channels and onelimited channel of 5.1 audio) into a DolbyDigital-ready receiver.

If you already have a substantial video libraryfull of Dolby Pro Logic sources, don’t worry.Dolby Digital decoders are Dolby Pro Logicdecoders too — they automatically interpretDolby Pro Logic signals and play them in thatformat, so upgrading to Dolby Digital doesn’tmake your other favorites obsolete. Now, we’lloffer a quick overview of Dolby Pro Logic.

Dolby Pro Logic Dolby® Pro Logic™ was the home theater surround sound standard for years, and is still avery common form of Dolby Surround. It’s thedecoding format needed when your video sourceis a Dolby Surround-encoded videotape or stereo TV broadcast.

Dolby Pro Logic is a four-channel system,offering three channels of full-range sound in theleft front, right front, and center channel speakers. A fourth (mono, not stereo) channel oflimited-bandwidth sound is shared by two surround speakers, creating a spacious, ambientatmosphere and engaging special effects.

To make all this happen, the movie sound-track goes through a Dolby Surround encoder,which “squeezes” four channels (left, right,center, and surround) into two matrixed channels.These channels are then stored on a videotape orbroadcast in the same (matrixed) stereo format.

Dolby Pro Logic Home Theater

front left

center

front right

subwoofer(optional)

surround(mono)

To re-create the realism and impact of the movie theater experience, Dolby Pro Logic home theater placesyou in the middle of a three-dimensional soundfield. It’s a 4-channel system: (1) center channel for dialogueand on-screen sound; (2&3) front left and right channels for sound that moves with the action; and (4) amono surround channel for ambience and effects.

surround(mono)

P R O � L O G I C

Really Good Movie

LeftMulti-

ChannelMovie

Soundtrack

DolbySurroundEncoder

Dolby Pro Logic Decoder

Center

RightSoundEffects

Dialogue

Music Surround

Left

Center

Right

Left

Right

Left

Right

Surround

How Dolby Pro Logic Works

Dolby Surround-encoded A/V source material

With Dolby Surround Pro Logic, the 4-channel movie soundtrack is “squeezed” into 2 channels for stereoVHS, cable, DBS and over-the-air broadcasting. A Dolby Pro Logic decoder separates it again.

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G E A R U P F O R C I N E M AWhat you need for

Your A/V receiver’s Dolby Digital or DolbyPro Logic decoder converts the matrixed two-channel signal back into four-channel surround sound. The steering logic circuitry builtinto the decoder precisely directs sound to theappropriate channel, so each speaker plays thesounds intended for its location.

The rear surround information passes througha time-delay circuit before it reaches the surroundspeakers, adding a sense of space, and makingoff-screen sound effects seem distinct and realisti-cally placed. Although this surround informationis mono, keep in mind that it’s necessary to use apair of speakers to achieve the intended surroundeffect in your home theater. And remember —even if Dolby Pro Logic can’t quite measure up

to the precision and intensity of Dolby Digital,it’s still a great way to get surround sound out ofa number of home theater sources!

What’s the buzz about DTS?Digital Theater Systems(DTS) first appeared on thescene in 1993, providing commercial movie theaterswith a digital surround sound

alternative to Dolby Digital. Nearly 9000 theatersworldwide support this format, and hundreds ofmovies have been encoded for the cinema inDTS. Now, DVDs with DTS encoding seem tobe gaining some momentum.

Like Dolby Digital, DTS offers a discrete

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1. A Dolby Surround sourceYou need an appropriate component — like a DVDplayer or satellite TV system — to pass Dolby®

Digital-encoded audio along to a decoder. Also,thousands of movies and stereo TV broadcasts feature multichannel Dolby® Surround audio readyfor Pro Logic decoding. You have a lot of choices.See pg. 10 for more info on Dolby Surround sources.

2. A Dolby Digital receiver The Dolby Digital sound stored on DVDs must be decodedinto separate audio channels for playback through yourhome theater speakers. Most new home theater receivershave built-in Dolby Digital decoding; some are “5.1-ready”

with inputs for an external DolbyDigital decoder (or DVD player withbuilt-in decoding); all havebuilt-in Pro Logic decod-ing. See pg. 12 for moreinfo on Dolby Digitalreceivers.

3. A TV In home theater, your TV’s critical contribution is a sharp, natural picture— and thanks to new technologies, TVs are better than ever. In addition,you can use a stereo TV as a home theater sound source for DolbySurround-encoded TV broadcasts: just connect the TV’s audio outputs to a receiver with Dolby Pro Logic decoding. See pg. 13 for more info on TVs.

home theater

multichannel soundtrack. However, DTS usesless compression than Dolby Digital. As a result,DTS soundtracks are believed by some to soundslightly better than Dolby Digital soundtracks,providing still finer sonic and surround detail.

There are drawbacks to DTS, though.Because DTS uses less compression, it is diffi-cult to fit lots of other features (like multipleviewing options and languages) onto a DVD.Additionally, even though many manufacturershave incorporated DTS decoding into theirreceivers and decoders, relatively few DTS-encoded DVDs are available — as of May 2000,fewer than 100 could be found. (However, thereare many DTS CDs available, offering impres-sive surround sound for music listening.)

Because of the vast amount of Dolby Digital-encoded software already on the market, and thefact that it’s the standard for DVDs and HDTV,we see Dolby Digital as the dominant home surround sound format for the foreseeable future.Remember that most DVD players are DTS-com-patible, in that they will send the encoded signalalong to a receiver or decoder, but very few candecode DTS. Many people choose to buy areceiver or decoder with both Dolby Digital andDTS decoding, for flexibility no matter whathappens. The most important thing to keep inmind is that both Dolby Digital and DTS providesuperb digital sound.

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4. Five speakers and a poweredsubwoofer

To re-create the movie theaterexperience, home theater

literally surrounds you with speakers:a pair of front left and right speakers forstereo soundtrack information and audiothat moves across the front soundstage; a video-shielded center channel speakerfor dialogue and on-screen action; and a pair of surround speakers for ambience and effects. Dolby

Digital also calls for a subwoofer: the addeddeep bass makes theentire soundtrack feellarger and more lifelike,and the special effects will blow you away. (It’s great for music too!)

See pg. 15 for moreinfo on speakers

and subwoofers.

What You Need Dolby SurroundSourcesThere are several primary source componentsthat figure prominently in today’s home theatersystems: DVD players, HiFi VCRs, and DBSsystems. As you read, keep in mind that you’llneed at least one such video source to enjoyhome theater’s great picture and Dolby Surroundaudio.

DVD playersIf you really want to experience how excitinghome theater can be, a DVDplayer is a must. DVD is themost popular high-qualityvideo format around. A 5-inch disc — the same sizeas a music CD — can hold atwo-hour-plus movie withpicture quality that’s twice assharp as VHS tape. With upto 500 lines of resolution,picture quality is also betterthan laserdisc, which maxesout at 425 lines, and far better than broadcast TV,which only manages 330 lines.

A DVD can have information on both sidesof the disc. And because of the disc’s “sandwich”construction, it can even have two layers of dataper side! That’s a lot of room to store picture andsound information. The DVD format also offersmovie lovers amazing features that have neverbeen possible before. Many DVDs contain twoversions of the movie on a single disc: one instandard 4:3 aspect ratio for display on a regularTV, and one widescreen version. The same disccan also include, for example, soundtracks inmultiple languages, with subtitles in English,French, and Spanish. Other common featuresinclude director’s commentaries, actor bios, trivia

quizzes, and outtakes.Along with all that information, DVD is also

the first home entertainment medium to includestate-of-the-art Dolby® Digital as its standardaudio format. And while some movies, likeCasablanca, retain their original mono sound-track in an encoded Dolby Digital format, moreand more DVD titles offer outstanding 5.1-channel Dolby Digital.

Watching a movie on DVD is much moreconvenient than using a VCR. A DVD player letsyou skip ahead or move back with the touch of abutton, just like a CD player. And when the

movie’s over, you don’t have to wait for a tape torewind! DVD players aren’t able to change sidesautomatically, but luckily, out of the thousands ofDVD titles available, nearly all can fit an entiremovie on a single side of the disc.

All DVD players are “backwards-compatible”with music CDs — they’ll play them perfectly!And magazine reviews have generally describedthe CD audio performance of DVD players as“outstanding.” On top of that, keep in mind theincreasing prevalence and flexibility of DVD.DVD-ROM drives that will play regular DVD-Video discs are now available on many comput-ers. Several manufacturers also offerDVD/receivers that come with a full set of voice-matched 5.1-channel surround speakers —complete home theater systems that are extreme-ly easy to set up. There are even a few portablelaptop-style DVD players on the market — agreat solution for travelers! (For other home theater solutions, see pgs. 17-18.)

If you already own a sizable laserdisc collection, you may want to consider a combination DVD/laserdisc player. (This is anespecially good idea if your current laserdiscplayer lacks an AC-3 RF output for multichannelDolby Digital sound.) A combination player isthe easy way to enjoy Dolby Digital sound fromDVDs and laserdiscs.

At this point, having a DVD player and

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A DVD/CD mega changer (like this 200-disc Sony) keeps your entire movie collection and all your favorite music ready to play at a moment’s notice!

DVD: A closer look

CD DVD

Compared to CD, DVD uses smaller data pitsand more closely spaced pit rows.

Dolby Digital decoding is undoubtedly the wayto enjoy home theater at its best. There arealready thousands of movies available on DVD(and around 200 more every month). Both majorvideo rental chains and privately owned videostores have an increasingly large selection ofDVD rental titles — there are even Internet rentalservices. And DVDs cost about the same asvideotapes, with a price range of $15 to $25.

If you can only afford one Dolby Surroundsource right now, there are a few reasons whyyou might choose a VCR over a DVD player:

1) By definition, players are playback-only;to record off the TV or other videosources, you need a VCR.

2) There are still more movies available onvideotape than on DVD.

Of course, the ultimate solution is to includeboth a HiFi VCR and a DVD player in yourhome theater system!

HiFi VCRs You probably have a HiFi VCR at home — andyou’ll be glad to know it can be an integral partof home theater. HiFi VCRs can work withDolby Pro Logic decoding to unlock rich,wraparound surround sound (over 11,000 moviesare ready for Dolby Pro Logic playback). Theyalso let you record TV and DBS broadcasts forlater viewing (and they’re great for editing,copying, and watching home movies youmake with your camcorder!).

In addition to HiFi stereosound (a must for home theater), there are some otherbasic features to consider whenselecting a VCR. One is thenumber of video heads. Four-head VCRs (as opposed to mod-els with only two heads) offerimproved special effects likeslow motion and freeze frame.Without four video heads, slowmotion is barely watchable and freeze frames arehardly ever still or clear. Fortunately, with theadvance of video technology, four-head modelsare so inexpensive that two-head VCRs are practically a thing of the past.

If you plan to tape your favorite TV showswhen you’re not at home, VCRs with VCRPlus+ simplify timer recording. Many VCRseven include a controller to change channels on acable box or DBS receiver.

For ease of operation, consider a VCR with amultibrand remote control, for operating theVCR and TV (and sometimes cable boxes orDBS controllers) from other brands as well. Ashuttle control improves the ease with which yousearch through a video for the segment you want.

If you plan to do a lot of editing, a flyingerase head makes transitions between segmentscleaner, by erasing a portion of the tape a split-second before the new image is recorded. And ifyou edit from your camcorder or a second VCR,front-panel A/V inputs will make hook-up extraquick and easy. Front-panel A/V inputs are alsoconvenient for connecting video game systems.

For the best possible analog video recordingquality, in an increasingly affordable package, goSuper VHS. With horizontal resolution of 400+lines (compared to 240 lines for standard VHS),S-VHS preserves the detail in high-resolutionsources like DBS (regular TV recordings lookbetter, too). Some brands offer Super VHS ET,which lets you record with Super VHS quality onstandard tapes. And don’t worry, S-VHS modelsalso do a great job with those VHS movies fromthe video store.

Now there’s even a digital alternative to aVCR — a hard disk video recorder! This newtechnology makes recording and watching TVbroadcasts easier than ever before. You can evenpause regular programming to get a snack, walkthe dog, or answer the phone, and then return toyour program where you left off — becausethese recorders record everything you watchwhile you watch it. They also work with a programming service that adds loads of innovative features.

DBS (Direct Broadcast Satellite)Whether you want to see hundreds of moviesfrom HBO, Cinemax, Showtime, and The MovieChannel, all your favorite teams’ games from theNFL, Major League Baseball, NBA, and NHL, awide range of concerts and other specials, oreven commercial-free, DJ-free digital musicchannels, you’ll find programming you like withDirect Broadcast Satellite (DBS).

Along with all that variety, DBS is a greatsource of home theater. First of all, it comes toyou with near-DVD-quality resolution (450+lines). On top of that, high-end DBS receiverscan pass a Dolby Digital signal to your DolbyDigital receiver! Also, many programs and virtually all movie channels are Dolby Surround-

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A Super VHS VCR, like the JVC above, offers all the recording and playbackflexibility of a regular VCR, plus higher resolution for a clearer picture.

encoded. And finally, some providers are nowbroadcasting a DTV signal via DBS

(for more information on DTV,see pg. 14). The bottom line?

DBS is an outstandingsource for sharp, accurateimages and wraparoundsound, allowing for even

more home theaterthrills.

A DBS receiver connects to your TV just likea VCR, but getting the signal into your home is alittle different from the cable TV or antennahookup you’re used to. A DBS system receivesits signals via an 18"-24" dish mounted outsideyour home, aimed at a particular spot in thesouthern sky, depending on where in the U.S.you live (not everyone’s home is DBS-ready).Popular mounting locations include roofs,exterior walls, and decks. The dish is speciallydesigned to pick up the digital broadcasts fromhigh-power satellites orbiting 22,300 miles abovethe planet. A coaxial cable runs from the dish,into the house, and to the DBS receiver near yourTV. It’s the receiver’s job to convert the digitalvideo and audio signals into the picture on yourTV and the sound for your home theater system.You just sit back and enjoy the vast amount ofprogramming beaming down to you.

What You Need A Dolby DigitalReceiverIn your home theater system, an A/V receiverserves as the central component — both the brainand muscle of the system. It has the complextask of processing, switching, and amplifying thevarious input signals from your source compo-nents (DVD player, VCR, DBS system, etc.).

Dolby Digital receivers include both DolbyDigital and Dolby Pro Logic decoding forunlocking the multichannel surround sound hiding in videodiscs, videotapes, satellite and TVbroadcasts, etc. They also offer optical and/orcoaxial digital inputs for accepting the digitalaudio signal from a DVD player.

Full-featured A/V receivers have at least twovideo signal inputs, as well as separate inputs forthe accompanying audio. Instead of struggling toconnect several audio/video sources to your TV,you can hook them up to your receiver, then runa single video connection from your receiver toyour TV. When you want to watch movies onyour DVD player, just select the appropriatevideo input, and the receiver does the rest! Youalso get the flexibility of selecting and recordingboth audio and video.

For convenience and flexibility, A/V receiverscombine a preamplifier, power amplifier(s), andan AM/FM tuner in a single chassis. Most peopleprefer this all-in-one design because it’s morecost-effective and space-efficient than separates.(You’ll find a more complete discussion of separates on the next page.)

What does the “preamp” section do?An A/V receiver’s preamplifier functions as thecontrol center of your entire home theater system. This means providing the capability toswitch from one source to another, route the signal between your components, and prepare thesignal to be boosted by the amplifier(s).Common features you’ll find in an A/V receiver’s preamp section are Digital SignalProcessing (including Dolby Digital and ProLogic surround decoding), soundfields forenhancing movies and music, digital audioinputs, and video inputs and outputs for videoswitching.

What does the amplifier section do?If a receiver’s preamplifier supplies the brains,its amplifier section supplies the muscle. Theamplifiers actually deliver the power that drivesyour speakers. The amount of power you’ll needdepends on several factors:

1) Speaker efficiency — High-efficiencyspeakers need less power; low-efficiencyspeakers require more power. Check yourspeakers’ sensitivity rating.

2) Room size — Other factors being equal, ifyour system is in a large living room,you’ll need more power than if it’s in asmall den or bedroom.

3) Listening volume — The louder you liketo play your music and video soundtracks,the more power you’ll need for cleansound.

When it comes to amplifier power, havingmore than you need is better than not havingenough. Overdriving an under-powered amplifiercan cause speaker drivers to distort — so if youroutinely play your receiver so loud that thesound distorts, there’s a good chance that yourspeakers (if not your ears) will be damaged. At

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DBS systems like this JVC offer a flawless digital image,great sound quality, and a wide variety of programming.

normal listening levels, an amplifier’s outputaverages less than one watt — it’s usually about1⁄3 watt. The key word here is “average.”

Music is characterized by abrupt changes involume, or transients: the crash of a cymbal, theblast of a brass section, or the kick of a bassdrum. To reproduce transients accurately mayrequire an amplifier to suddenly deliver severalhundred watts for a fraction of a second. (Thesame applies to explosions, gunshots, etc. onvideo soundtracks.) The more reserve power anamplifier has, the better it will be able to copewith these momentary demands, and the more“live” the music or video soundtrack will sound.

The separates optionA/V receivers include a complete preamplifiersection with inputs and switching for your audioand video components plus built-in surrounddecoding. They also offer built-in amplificationfor main, center and surround channels, and anAM/FM tuner.

An alternative to an A/V receiver is to buildyour system with separates, which distribute areceiver’s functions to different components (preamp, power amp(s), and tuner). There are awide range of A/V separates available, designedspecifically for home theater. You can choosebetween separate surround processors, A/V pre-amp/processors, A/V tuner/preamp/processors,and home theater power amps.

Separates designers — not as concerned withprice and space constraints as A/V receiverdesigners — can be more generous with high-quality parts, dedicated circuitry, and magneticshielding. As a result, separates frequently offerhigher-quality performance, as well as more flexibility, than an all-in-one receiver.

Of course, building a home theater with sepa-rates requires more time, knowledge, and money.You’ll need to make sure that all your gear iscompatible (A/V receiver manufacturers havealready done that work for you). And connecting

your separates, as well as making all the neces-sary system adjustments, is more complex.

What You Need A TVBecause the TV is the focal point of your hometheater, make sure that your TV does justice tothe picture quality of all your video sources.Some older TVs just can’t measure up to thestandards associated with DVD — especiallyTVs with only an RF input.

We also recommend that yougo with the largest screen yourviewing area can accommodate.We’ve found a 27" screen to beabout the minimum for goodhome theater performance,although some smaller screensare very effective in smallerrooms. Keep in mind, though,that the larger the screen, thegreater your comfortable viewingdistance will be. (See below forsome suggestions.)

Really large images are morevisible from a distance away, sothey usually require fairly deeprooms for optimum visibility.

However, if your room is small, a giant projection TV will be overkill. And remember,although the home theater systems you seeadvertised often include giant screens, it’s amaz-ing how much bigger any screen image seemswhen you have a good surround sound system.

Most audio/video receivers (like this Kenwood) now include DolbyDigital decoding. Thousands of films have been made using DolbyDigital, many of which are available in 5.1-channel Dolby Digital onDVDs for your home theater!

Suggested TV Viewing Distances

TV Screen Size Minimum ViewingDistance

24" TV27" TV32" TV36" TV

x 3 =

72" away81" away96" away

108" away

One rule many people find useful isto multiply the screen size by three,and use the result as a guide forhow close to their TV they should sit.The chart is based on this guideline.

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For great home theater viewing, the followingfeatures are some of the most important:

1) Direct audio/video inputs and outputs —They provide hookup flexibility and cleansignal transfer. Especially useful are S-video and component video. Both offermuch better picture quality than RCApatch cords (composite) or an RF input.DVD players have either an S-video output, a component video output, or both.They offer the most accurate delivery ofDVD’s high-resolution picture.

2) Improved picture technology — Many TVsnow include very useful technologydesigned to clean up the images you see.Line doublers and other picture enhance-ment technologies make the picture richerand less grainy (Sony’s Digital RealityCreation actually enhances each pixel).Digital comb filters help provide a clearpicture — they offer a significant reductionof jitter and dot crawl.

3) Flat screens — Increasingly, TVs are offer-ing flatter screens, instead of the gentlycurved screen that was standard for the last45 years or so. Flat-screen TVs reflect lessglare from windows or lamps, and manyfeel they give a more realistic, geometrical-ly accurate picture. Some TVs have vertically flat screens (screens that are flatfrom top to bottom and gently curved fromside to side), while some are flat verticallyand horizontally.

Digital televisionKeep your eyes peeled!Digital television, orDTV, is the way ourfuture is heading.Making use of digitalrather than analog signals, digital TV isaimed at achieving top-quality resolution —picture quality will startat DVD-quality, 480-line resolution and goall the way up to 1080lines of resolution!Other exciting optionsbeing discussed aresophisticated interfacesthat will give viewerspoint-and-click interac-tivity with the showthey’re watching, and“datacasting” for custom-tailored newsfeeds. The nation’slargest television

markets (and several DBS channels) are alreadybroadcasting DTV to viewers able to receive it,and cable TV providers have gotten on board too.

Within the two DTV categories, HighDefinition TV (HDTV) and StandardDefinition TV (SDTV), there are 18 differentformats. But don’t worry — you don’t have tomemorize all of them. Just remember that HDTVwill bring you between 720 and 1080 lines ofresolution, in a 16:9 aspect ratio (like a movietheater’s wider screen), while SDTV will offer480 lines of resolution in either a 4:3 (traditionaltelevision screen) aspect ratio, or a letterboxed16:9 aspect ratio. And one last thing to keep inmind — HDTV uses Dolby Digital as its standard audio format. That means that fromsome stations, you’ll be able to get crystal clearimages broadcast to your television, with DolbyDigital stereo or even 5.1-channel surroundsound (for more on Dolby Digital, see pg. 5).

If you’re looking for a new TV, however,don’t think you have to run right out and find adigital one! Analog broadcasts will continue untilat least the year 2006, and set-top decoder boxesare being created so people can receive digitalsignals on analog TVs. “Hybrid” TVs are alsobeing built, incorporating the best technology oftraditional NTSC TVs and the digital capabilityneeded for DTV. Just keep in mind the home theater possibilities of digital television, so youcan make an informed decision.

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For home theater, we recommend a TV with direct audio/video inputs andpicture-enhancing technology like a digital comb filter.

What You Need 5 Speakers and aSubwooferYour speakers have the greatest impact on thesound quality of your system. After all, thespeakers are what you actually hear. And no matter how high the quality of your components,they can only sound as good as your speakers.That’s why your choice of speakers goes a longway toward determining how your whole systemsounds.

To re-create the movie theater experience inthe home, 5.1-channel Dolby Digital home theater systems surround you with five full-rangespeakers — a pair of mains, a center channelspeaker, and a pair of surrounds — and add apowered subwoofer to add crucial bass punch.(This same speaker arrangement works for DolbyPro Logic and DTS sur-round, as well as sound-fields designed to enhanceyour music.)

Main speakersFor those of us who wantgreat music and impressivehome theater, choosing theright main speakers isimportant. They’ll need toact as front left and rightspeakers for home theater,but be able to handle thejob of main stereo speakerswhen it comes to musicenjoyment. Choosing yourmains is really a matter ofpersonal taste.

Music lovers oftenappreciate the way large,floor-standing tower speak-ers provide a wide, fullfront soundstage, whileblending nicely with sur-rounds to achieve bighome theater sound. Forthose who want greatsound and flexibility, butcan’t afford expensivetower speakers, bookshelfspeakers are popular —their ability to combinehigh performance and easy,inconspicuous placement isalways a winner with people who split their lis-

tening between home theater and music. Andtiny, discreet satellite speakers, coupled with a subwoofer, are a great way to extract wraparoundsurround sound from speakers you barely see —a nice compromise between home theater andunencumbered decor.

One of the best ways to choose your mainspeakers is to identify what kind of listeningyou’ll be doing most. For top quality DolbyDigital surround sound, many people recommend that you use matched speakers allthe way around. Although it’s not imperative, itcan offer optimum balance and seamless transitions when home theater sound effectsmove from speaker to speaker.

If you already have a set of stereo speakersthat you love, don’t worry — they can probablywork as your front left and right home theaterspeakers. Just remember, it’s important to try tovoice-match them to your center channel speak-er. (Some center channel speakers haveadjustable tweeters, so you can voice-match them

to almost any set of mains.)Voice-matched surroundsare important too, for creating seamless surroundsound. Many speaker manufacturers can recommend matches forolder lines.

Center channelspeakerIn home theater systems,the center channel speak-er is the most importantspeaker. It handles over50% of the total sound inthe soundtrack — includingalmost all dialogue, and allon-screen effects. Becauseon-screen action (includingexplosions, gunshots, roar-ing engines, whispers, andother sound effects) as wellas dialogue must seemvisually anchored to the TVscreen, your center channelspeaker should includevideo shielding (to protectyour TV’s picture frommagnetic interference) andbe positioned above orbelow your TV.

When shopping for acenter channel speaker, werecommend that you chooseone with a wide frequencyrange that’s able to handle

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These Polk powered towers offer impressivesound for music and home theater alike.

all of your A/V receiver’s center channel power.It’s also important to match this speaker as close-ly as possible to the other speakers in your home theater, so the sound doesn’t change in tonalcharacter as the sound moves around your room.If your center channel is not voice-matched,especially to your front speakers, you will noticeawkward transitions from speaker to speaker —which can jar you out of the engrossing hometheater experience!

Surround speakersTo become totally enveloped by a movie sound-track, you need a pair of surround speakersbeside or behind your listening position.Surround speakers are responsible for creatingwide, diffuse effects around you, while occasion-ally giving directionality to distinct sounds. As aresult, they can recreate almost any effect realistically, from a shower of raindrops to ajumbo jet thundering overhead. This three-dimensionality is achieved when a time-delayedsignal is sent to the surrounds, creating a greatersense of space and improved sound localization.

In a Dolby Digital system, some experts rec-ommend bipole or direct-radiating surroundspeakers, mounted on the back walls well aboveear level. This placement adds diffusion to thestereo, full-bandwidth sound of the surrounds,

while still conveying precise off-screen effects.In a Dolby Pro Logic system, where the sur-

round channel is a mono signal, it’s believed thatdipole speakers work best, mounted on the sidewalls (also above ear level). Dipole speakers firesound forward and backward — and out of phase— along the walls to keep surround effects frombecoming too localized.

As you consider speaker placement in yourhome theater, just keep in mind that good surrounds should deliver three things:envelopment without “gaps” in the sound,seamless movement of sonic sources, and convincing placement of stationary sounds.

Powered subwooferIn a home theater system, you can’t fully experience the bone-rattling tremor of an earthquake or the jarring impact of a bomb blastwithout a subwoofer.

Designed to handle the lowest bass frequen-cies, a powered subwoofer does more than just reproduce the low frequency effects, or LFE, inthe “.1” channel of a Dolby Digital soundtrack(or enhance the bass in a Dolby Pro Logicsoundtrack). It can also improve the sound ofyour system’s midrange and upper bass frequen-cies by freeing the main stereo speakers from thestresses of reproducing deep bass. Cabinet resonances in your main speakers caused by deepbass can also muddy the midrange frequencies.Adding a subwoofer alleviates these problems, sothe overall sound quality — not just the bass —is greatly improved.

A powered subwoofer will lighten the load onyour receiver’s amplifier, too, so the power normally used for low bass can be redirected tothose higher frequencies. With a powered sub,your entire system plays cleaner and louder!

To maximize the performance of your system, apowered subwoofer is a must. Adding one dramat-ically improves the home theater experience.

These versatile Polk surround speakers feature adipole/bipole switch to change the phase relationshipbetween its two sets of drivers.

The dipole mode creates a diffuse, ambient sound-field when your speakers are mounted on your sidewalls. If you’re mounting them on your back walls, thebipole mode fires the drivers in phase to flood yourroom with surround sound.

In home theater systems, the center channel speakeranchors all on-screen sounds to your TV screen.

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Satellite/subwoofer optionAnother speaker system design to consider is the satellite/subwoofer system. Often designedto be low-profile, satellite/subwoofer systemsprovide a room-friendly alternative to traditionalspeakers. This approach uses small satelliteenclosures for the tweeters and mid-ranges, and a separate, specially designed box to house thewoofer(s).

Besides saving space and blending into yourroom’s decor, the advantages are numerous:

1) A satellite’s smallface reduces diffraction, project-ing sound furtherinto the room, andcontributing to amore three-dimensionalsoundstage thanmany big speakers offer.

2) The subwoofer can be placed almost any-where because it produces only low, omni-directional bass frequencies. You can hidethe subwoofer under a table or behinddraperies, and still get full-range soundwithout giving up living space or compromising your room’s appearance.

3) These systems are designed to providevoice-matched sound and easy setup. Thatmeans that if you want instant surroundsound, you don’t need to hassle over choosing and matching speakers — themanufacturer has already done thatfor you!

For these reasons, satellite/subwoofersystems can be a great choice whenbuilding a home theater system.

And, just in case you’re wishing thata speaker system like this also camewith a DVD player and receiver — readon! The next section discusses someunique options designed to widen thehome theater possibilities.

Home Theater AnywhereMore OptionsLove the idea of home theater, but looking forsomething a little different? Maybe you don’twant to worry about choosing and matchingcomponents and speakers. Maybe you don’t haveroom for a full-fledged home theater system inyour living room. Or maybe you have a uniquespot — like a small bedroom, dorm room, boat,or camper — just begging for home theater.Perhaps you want to use your computer’s DVD-ROM drive to achieve home theater. Some folkseven like to take their home theater on the road!

In this section, we’ll discuss just a few of thenew possibilities in the world of home theater.

Complete home theater systemsSome folks call these systems “home-theater-in-a-box” — and that’s pretty much what they are.A single package offers a DVD player/receiverwith 5.1-channel decoding, a satellite/subwoofersystem, and all the wires and instructions youneed. The idea is simplicity — you make theconnections, turn it on, and hit play!

These systems are perfect for people whowant worry-free, instant home theater. All thespeakers are voice-matched and designed towork together, and the DVD/receiver unit usuallyhas extra inputs for hooking up your VCR andother components. The design of these systems isgenerally sleek and inconspicuous, for those ofus who don’t want huge, bulky black speakers allover their living room. (Different home theatersystems offer different levels of flexibility,however, so if you’re thinkingof starting out with one,and expanding or upgrad-ing down the road,compare the different connectionoptions and features to seewhat will serveyou best in thefuture.)

This satellite/subwoofer system from Sony delivers full-range sound without taking over your room. The smallsatellites nestle in a bookshelf or can be placed onstands. The subwoofer can be hidden out of sight.

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Sleek, discreet, and surprisingly powerful, complete home theatersystems (like this JVC) are voice-matched for seamless surround.

Home theater shelf systemsYour living room may already be set up for hometheater. But sometimes, you want surround soundin other rooms. Home theater-ready shelf sys-tems are a great solution when it comes to densor dorm rooms, where there just isn’t room for afull-sized component stack, five large speakersand a huge subwoofer. Thanks to the incrediblepopularity of home theater, some manufacturersnow offer shelf systems designed to providegreat music and surround sound performance.

These systems usually include five speakers,Dolby Pro Logic decoding, and, occasionally, apowered subwoofer. Some even let you achieveDolby Digital surround, with 5.1-channel inputsfor attaching a Dolby Digital decoder or DVDplayer with built-in decoding.

Surround sound from your PCMany computers nowadaysinclude a DVD-ROM drive,which is capable of repro-ducing all the digital gloryof DVD movies on yourcomputer monitor. Now,instead of hearing themovie’s sound on disap-pointingly small, tinnyspeakers built into yourcomputer monitor, you canuse a PC receiver to processand amplify the sound.

These receivers aredesigned to connect to yourcomputer through a USBport, and can play soundfrom any of a number ofsources — CDs through your CD-ROM drive,downloaded music files, game sound, or DVDsoundtracks with Dolby Digital 5.1-channel sur-round (they use special processing to downmixthose soundtracks into Virtual Surround, anapproximation of the surround experience

created with only a pair of stereo speakers).Students and executives will find that the combi-nation of a PC’s DVD-ROM drive and a desktopreceiver makes for great A/V entertainment inany workspace.

Portable DVD playersWhether your business asks you to travel, yourfamily takes a lot of long car rides, or you justcan’t bear to leave home theater at home, there isan answer. Several manufacturers now offerportable DVD players. Some players come in theshape of a slim, laptop-style portable with aDVD deck and a built-in flip-up screen — easyto watch and easy to transport. They usuallyinclude a headphone output, plus a variety ofdigital and analog audio outs for connecting to avariety of A/V gear. (One popular add-on is wire-less 5.1-channel headphones, that replicate thesurround sound experience within a simple pairof over-the-ear headphones.)

Other portable DVD players lack an attachedscreen, and are instead ready to plug into TVswherever you go — in your van, camper, boat, orvacation house. You can also use one as your reg-ular DVD player at home!

Planning Ahead SpeakerPlacementBefore you create a home theater system, it’simportant to think about how it will work in yourown home. Because home theater relies so heavily on seamless surround sound, speakertype and placement is especially important. Thenext few sections may help you determine whatkinds of speakers you need, while offering someguidelines to follow when experimenting with

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This 5.1-ready mini system lets you enjoy home theater sound in an office, bedroom, or dorm room!

No TV needed! This compact, portable player letsyou take DVD entertainment everywhere you go.

PC receivers playsound from a vari-ety of sources: CDs,DVDs, and the ‘Net.

speaker placement. Your goals should be balanced, accurate sound and a convincingsoundstage — left-to-right, front-to-back, andeverywhere in between. This discussion shouldalso give you a detailed idea of what each speaker does, how it should sound, and how youcan best achieve home theater sound.

The key to good sound is matching the speak-ers’ output to your room’s particular acoustics.You don’t need test equipment, just your ears anda willingness to experiment. The variables you’llwork with are the distances your speakers arefrom you, the walls, the floor, and each other.Even slight changes in positioning can makemajor differences in how your speakers sound.

And don’t forget — read your owner’s manual! Manufacturers sometimes offer veryspecific recommendations for ideal speakerplacement, based on a speaker’s performanceduring the design phase.

Placing your main speakers for optimum performanceStereo speakersAlmost everyone is familiar with a traditionalstereo setup, but there may be a few detailsyou’ve missed or forgotten. Here are the basicsbehind arranging your main stereo speakers:■ Stereo speakers should, ideally, radiate sound

throughout the length of the room.■ Place them at equidistant points to the left and

right of your listening position. Seen fromabove, you and your left and right speakersshould form an equilateral triangle.

■ Test the presentation of music, or “soundstage,”by moving the speakers nearer and fartherapart. Identify the placement that brings you afull wide soundstage with complete “center-fill” (just what it sounds like, center-fill meansthat sound completely fills the space betweenthe speakers, with no gaps or holes).

■ Often, angling the speakers inward toward yourlistening position, so the tweeters point towardyour ears, improves the sound.

■ Ideally, the tweeters should be at ear levelwhen you are seated, for optimum high-frequency detail. Most tower speakers aredesigned this way. Bookshelf speakers can beplaced on speaker stands of the appropriateheight.

■ You will generate more bass by moving yourspeakers near room boundaries (like walls orthe floor).

Remember, not every room is perfectlydesigned for audio enjoyment. In that case, usethe principles discussed here (of enhancing basswith placement near walls, positioning tweetersat ear level, and creating a full soundstage with-out audible gaps) to get the best sound out ofyour speakers and room. The more you experiment, the more likely you are to find thebest sound your room can offer.

Home theater mainsNearly all of the suggestions for stereo speakersapply to the front right and left speakers in ahome theater system. The only major exceptionis that they should be placed after you’ve placedyour center channel speaker. The center channelspeaker’s position is directly related to the place-ment of your TV, which doesn’t leave you muchroom for adjustment. And since the center chan-nel sends a great deal of sound into the center ofthe soundstage, it changes the way your mainsadd to the soundstage. As a result, you shouldalways place the mains after the center channel.■ Set up mains at the exact same distance from

your listening position as your center channelis — if you measure correctly, they shouldform an arc in front of your listening position(see the illustration on the next page).

■ Angle the right and left speakers inward, so thetweeters are directed at your listening position.

■ Again, the use of walls to enhance bass, andtower designs or speaker stands to raise tweeters to your ear level when seated, usuallyimproves sound.

■ Find the placement which provides the widest,most realistic soundstage possible (you canusually move home theater mains farther apartthan stereo speakers without the center-fill suffering).

Even if you watch a lot of home theater andlisten to music frequently, you should be able tofind a position that makes for home theaterenjoyment and great stereo listening. Patiencewill pay off. When you find just the right loca-tion, you’ll know it. And you’ll be amazed athow much better your entire system sounds.

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60°

Seen from above, you and your left and right speakers should form an equilateral triangle.

Placing your center channel speakerThe center channel plays such a vital role inhome theater that its correct placement is veryimportant.

■ Make sure that your center channel speaker isvideo-shielded, so it will not cause picture distortion in your TV (almost all center channelspeakers are).

■ Place the center channel speaker directly aboveor below your TV, wherever it sounds the best(most experts say placement above the TVdrastically improves the sound of the speaker).

■ Make sure the speaker’s front edge is preciselyaligned with the front edge of the televisionscreen. This reduces distortion caused bysounds being reflected off the TV, and helpsanchor the dialogue and center channel effectsto the action on the screen.

■ Aim the speaker’s sound directly toward your primary listening position.

■ As we discussed before, placement of the center channel speaker at exactly the same distance from your primary listening positionas your front left and right speakers usuallyproduces a well-defined soundstage.

Placing your surround speakers■ For optimum performance, we recommend

placing surround speakers to the sides of, orbehind, your primary listening position.

■ You can elect to use your surround speakers ona bookshelf, with speaker stands, or mountedon the walls (many surround speakers aredesigned to be used with wall brackets).

■ Some home theater enthusiasts opt for speakersspecifically designed for in-wall installation(see pg. 21 for information on The CrutchfieldGuide to Home Theater Installation).

■ Position the surrounds so they either face eachother or into the room (see Dipole and Bipoleillustrations below, and note Dolby Digital andDolby Pro Logic home theater illustrations onpgs. 6-7).

■ The height of your surrounds is especiallyimportant — unlike your main speakers, theyshould be aimed well above your ear levelwhen seated. Many people place them at theheight of ear level when standing, to make surethey’re high enough.

Dipole Surround Speakers

Dipole speakers mounted on the side walls is the surround sound setup recommended by many expertsfor Dolby Pro Logic home theaters.

Bipole surround speakers often work well if you’replacing your speakers on the back wall behind your listening area. Bipole speakers are also often recommended in Dolby Digital home theater systems.

Bipole Surround Speakers

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We recommend placing the center channel speaker thesame distance from you as the left and right speakers.

Placing your subwooferIn a surround sound system, you want the bassfrom your subwoofer to rumble throughout yourroom. Because bass frequencies are generallyomni-directional, you can usually place a subalmost anywhere in the room. However, we’veincluded some recommendations that we thinkwill help you get the best sound out of your sub.■ Although you have a great deal of freedom in

where you choose to put a subwoofer, keep inmind that sometimes, positioning it too far tothe left or right can call attention to the sub asthe source of low frequency effects.

■ Placing a subwoofer next to a wall or in a cor-ner will deliver the most bass, because the sub-woofer can use the wall(s) as a soundboard.

■ One good place for your sub is between yourtwo main speakers. If that’s not suitable, manypeople place the sub behind the listening area,or in a corner of the room (increasingly, manu-facturers recommend corner placement).

■ Because every room is different, feel free totest locations until you’ve found one that givesyou a room full of low frequency effects.

Planning Ahead More ResourcesWe hope this guide has helped give you a basicidea of what home theater entails (and maybehelped you figure out how it will work for you).On the following pages, you’ll find an FAQ sec-tion with answers to frequently asked questions,and a glossary of all the words in bold through-out the guide. We also know you may have otherquestions that aren’t easily answered here. Forup-to-the-minute information on what’s outthere, or a more in-depth look at home theater,here are a few sources that might help:■ Crutchfield Sales

Feel free to call our Sales Advisors at 1-800-955-3000 for more information. Not only canthey offer you advice tailored to your individ-ual needs, they can also recommend specificproducts based on what you care about.

■ www.crutchfield.comVisit our website at www.crutchfield.com. Ouronline Info Center offers great information onhome theater and all its separate components,with FAQs, glossaries, tips, and links to currentproducts. You can also contact a web salesadvisor with questions. And new and helpfulfeatures pop up there every day!

■ The Crutchfield Audio/Video Reference Our A/V Reference is loaded with the detailsevery home theater enthusiast needs. WithMasterSheets for connecting a wide range of

different components, an in-depth speakerplacement and room acoustics guide, andcolor-coded CableLabels™, the A/V Referenceis this guide’s impressively knowledgeable bigbrother. (See the back cover for more info.)

■ The Crutchfield Guide to Home TheaterInstallation Yes! You can have an easy-to-operate A/V sys-tem that fits beautifully into your decor — andthis handy new guide tells you how. It includesdetailed instructions for installing in-wallspeakers, setting up multi-room systems, andmore. The pictures, diagrams, and hints fromprofessional custom installers are perfect fordo-it-yourselfers who want their speakers to literally vanish into the woodwork. Call 1-800-955-3000 to get this free guide, and visitwww.crutchfield.com/htinstall to see our grow-ing selection of A/V installation products.

■ Dolby LabsAt www.dolby.com, Dolby Laboratories offersdiscussions of their surround sound systems,along with diagrams and illustrations. Great ifyou’re looking for a more in-depth understand-ing of how a soundtrack travels from the studioto your living room.

■ DVD FAQFor up-to-date info on all things DVD, and allthe various developments surrounding them,check out this fairly technical but extremelythorough site: www.dvddemystified.com.

Before you buyGetting into home theater is exciting — but it’simportant to make a careful decision, too. We allknow how frustrating it is to buy a new toy, andthen get it home and find out that batteries aren’tincluded. Planning ahead when buying home theater is vital, so you won’t experience that kindof frustration (on a much larger scale!). Use thisguide to:■ Figure out what kind of components you

already have that will work with home theater.■ Decide what new ones you need.■ Determine what kind of system is right for you.■ Make sure your room is surround sound-ready

— if you don’t want to be able to see a singlespeaker, no matter how tiny, you may not wantsurround sound.

■ Be ready to buy all the extras — when you’resetting up home theater, you need more thanjust components, a TV, and speakers. Goodspeaker and video cables are vital to producinggreat sound and picture, and you will almostcertainly need either stands, shelves, or wall-mounting speaker brackets to place yoursurround speakers correctly.

■ And above all, have fun! Enjoying yourself iswhat home theater is all about!

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Frequently Asked QuestionsDolby Digital

How do I know if a DVD is encoded withDolby Digital?Look for the Dolby Digital logo. Almostevery DVD’s audio is encoded in DolbyDigital. (Keep in mind, though, that DolbyDigital does not automatically mean 5.1-channel surround sound. Movies likeAlfred Hitchcock’s Psycho, for example,retain the original mono soundtrack,although the form of digital encoding isDolby Digital.)

Can I add Dolby Digital to my Dolby ProLogic receiver?

You can connect an external Dolby Digitaldecoder to your Dolby Pro Logic receiverunder the following conditions: your receiveris “5.1-ready” (with 5.1-channel analoginputs).

My surround speakers are only rated at 20 watts, and I’m not ready to spend themoney on new ones. Do I have to buy newsurround speakers for Dolby Digital?

You don’t need to buy new ones (although wethink you will eventually want to!). Select the“small” setting for the surround channel onyour Dolby Digital receiver, keep the volumein check, and you should be okay. It won’t bethe best performance possible, but it willwork.

Keep in mind, though — Dolby Digitalmakes much larger demands on surroundspeakers than Dolby Pro Logic, so be carefulnot to play them to distortion (or you’ll bepurchasing new surround speakers muchsooner than you expected)!

What’s the difference between Dolby Digitaland DTS?

Basically, Dolby Digital and DTS are bothsystems of encoding digital sound, often in amultichannel surround format.

Dolby Digital was created by DolbyLaboratories and is the chosen audio formatfor DVD and DTV (Digital Television) in theU.S. There are currently thousands of DolbyDigital movie titles available on DVD.

DTS was developed by Digital TheaterSystems, and can be found in many commercial theaters worldwide. To date,fewer than 100 DTS titles have been recordedto DVD for use in home theater systems.However, there are many DTS CDs available,that offer impressive surround sound for music listening. See “What’s the Buzz AboutDTS?” on pg. 8 for more information.

For 5.1-channel Dolby Digital, is it importantto have equal power for all five full-rangechannels?

Yes. Since the five channels in Dolby Digitalare all full-bandwidth, it is more importantthan ever to have equal power fed to eachspeaker. Many experts even recommend using identical speakers for mains and surrounds.

Dolby Pro LogicHow do I know if a videotape or laserdisc isproduced in Dolby Surround?

Look for the Dolby Surround logo.

Why aren’t my surround speakers playing instereo?

Surround information in Dolby Pro Logic ismono, not stereo. (However, you still need apair of surround speakers to be immersed insound effects.)

Why do my surround speakers sound low in volume?

The surround channel supplies off-screensound effects and ambience, and only about8% of a video soundtrack’s information isdedicated to surround. To keep the surroundinformation from overshadowing the frontthree channels, it’s mixed to a lower volumelevel.

Video All my friend ever talks about is her newDVD player. Is DVD really that much betterthan VHS?

VHS has a few advantages over DVD, in thatyou can record programs or play homemovies on a VCR. Also, most video rentalstores still have more movies available onVHS than DVD.

However, in terms of sound and picturequality, DVD far surpasses both VHS and

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Super VHS, and does not degrade over time.Today, DVD is the best video format readilyavailable.

Can I play DVDs on my CD player orlaserdisc player?

DVD movies can only be played on DVDplayers and DVD-ROM drives. A DVD’s information pits are smaller and the rows ofpits are much more closely spaced than onCDs or laserdiscs. As a result, while DVDplayers can read CDs, the reverse isn’t true —CD players can not read the denser data on aDVD. A few “combination” players are avail-able, that play both laserdiscs and DVDs.However, DVD’s data format is completelyincompatible with regular laserdisc players.

Can I still get surround sound from my DVDplayer without a Dolby Digital receiver?

Sure! Any Dolby Pro Logic receiver willdecode Pro Logic surround sound from DVD.

Will I need a widescreen (16:9) format TV toview DVDs?

Definitely not! Most DVDs come with a version (pan-and-scan or letterboxed) thatcan be played on a regular TV.

What is this “regional coding” I keep hearingabout on DVDs? Can I get a DVD player thatwill play all DVDs?

Regional coding was developed to preventpiracy of DVD software overseas. Region 1consists of the U.S., its territories, andCanada. All DVD players and DVDs purchased in Region 1 are compatible, sothere’s no need to worry. Unfortunately, youcannot get a player that will play all DVDsworldwide.

DVDs aren’t very common where I live.Where can I get them? And are older moviesbeing reissued on DVD?

All major video store chains now offer DVDsat most locations, and many local video rentalstores do as well. You can also get DVDsthrough mail-order CD and DVD companies,or from a variety of retailers on the Internet.And yes, some older movies (The Wizard ofOz, for example) are available on DVD rightnow!

I have an old TV. How do I know if it has theinputs and resolution necessary for DVD?

It doesn’t matter how old your current TV is,when it comes to resolution. All NTSC TVshave the resolution capable of showing all the

detail on a DVD image. As long as your TVoffers separate A/V inputs (very few DVDplayers have an RF output), and is still ingood condition, the picture from DVD will bea dramatic improvement over what you currently enjoy. It will look fantastic now,and even better when you’re ready to upgradeyour TV to a high-tech model. (If your TVonly has an RF input, you can connect aDVD player using a separate RF converter —however, the picture quality will suffer.)

When I tried to record a DVD movie onto aVHS tape using my VCR, the copy turned outto be distorted. Why?

Like most VCRs, DVD players include copyprotection circuitry that prevents you frommaking recordings of copyright-protectedmovies. When you do record, the pictureautomatically distorts.

Do some VCRs have features that make timerrecording easier? I’m especially interested inVCRs that can control my DBS receiver so Ican record satellite programs when I’m not athome.

Easy timer recording? Absolutely. Look formodels with built-in VCR Plus+ simplifiedtimer programming. Setting up for unattendedrecording is as easy as punching in a show’s“PlusCode,” which is found in TV Guide andmany local newspaper listings.

Several DBS systems include the capability to communicate with VCRs to perform “one-button recording.” Some VCRsalso include an infrared cable box controllerfor timer recording control over regular cableboxes as well DBS receivers.

Can I get DBS where I live?

To receive the DBS signal, you must live inthe continental U.S. (lower 48 states andAlaska). Your site must have an unobstructedview of the southern sky, free of signal-block-ing trees, buildings, hillsides, etc. The bestway to determine whether or not your sitewill work is to perform a site survey. Formore information on doing a site survey, calla Crutchfield Sales Advisor. Everything youneed to do a site survey is included in ourDBS Starter Kit.

Just a quick note: if you live in a single-family residence, you don’t need permissionto put up a dish one meter or smaller, but ifyou have a condominium or town house, youshould check with your homeowner’s associa-tion. And if you live in an apartment, you’llneed to check with your landlord.

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What size TV screen do I need for home theater?

It depends on how big your room is, and howfar you plan to sit from the screen (if you’retoo close to a really big screen, it doesn’tlook as good). We’ve found a 27" screen tobe about the minimum for good home theaterperformance, although a smaller screen cansupply great home theater in a den or bed-room. See the chart of suggested viewing distances on page 13 for more help fitting aTV to your room.

A/V receiversIs an A/V receiver’s (or amplifier’s) powerrated in peak watts or RMS watts? And whatexactly is RMS?

A receiver’s power output can be measured ineither RMS or peak wattage — or both.

Usually, however, RMS wattage ratingsare more common for home audio equipment.RMS power is the amount of wattage anamplifier can produce on a continuous basis.The higher the RMS wattage, the louder andcleaner your music sounds.

The peak power rating tells you the maximum wattage an amp can deliver as abrief burst during a musical peak (like a cymbal crash, a sudden orchestra hit, or anexplosion in a movie soundtrack).

Although the RMS figure is a more realistic measure of a receiver’s or amplifier’spower, occasionally stereo manufacturers dis-play peak power ratings on their products.Many retailers are also happy to call attentionto this higher but potentially misleading num-ber.

What is DSP?

It’s short for Digital Signal Processing.Basically, any signal processing performed inthe digital (not analog) domain qualifies asDSP. Digital processing is less susceptible tosignal loss and added distortion than analogprocessing. Many A/V receivers offer DSP,although its functions vary from model tomodel. Some of the more common uses areDolby Digital and Dolby Pro Logic decoding,digital soundfields (to create more lifelikelistening environments), digital time delays,and digital sound equalization.

What is THX? Is it a kind of surround sound?

THX® is a division of Lucasfilm Ltd. dedicated to accurate reproduction of movies.That includes overseeing film-to-DVD transfers, certifying those movie theaters and

mixing studios (there are now over 2000worldwide) whose design and equipmentmeet THX standards, and ensuring that hometheater systems re-create more closely themovie theater experience. To receive THXcertification and carry the THX logo, hometheater processors, amplifiers and speakers(whether in a Dolby Digital or Dolby ProLogic system) must meet very high performance standards. Very few are designated “THX Select” — still fewerreceive the more demanding designation“THX Ultra.”

Because movie theaters and homes havevery different acoustics, a soundtrack canseem unbalanced or unnaturally brightwhen it is played back on a typical homesystem. To compensate, a home THX system includes special processingenhancements.

A THX-certified receiver first decodes thesoundtrack, then adds patented signal processing enhancements, such as Re-Equalization™, Decorrelation™, andTimbre Matching™. These changes let thesoundtrack reach your ears at home the way itwas intended to reach your ears in the theater.

Keep in mind, though, that not every manufacturer applies for THX certification.Therefore, while THX certification is an indi-cation of high-quality, non-THX-certified components can be of equally high quality.

So, are “THX Ultra” and “THX Select” aform of surround sound (like Dolby Digital)?No, they are simply performance standards.However, THX has recently developed “THXSurround EX,” a form of surround thatachieves 6.1- and 7.1-channel surround bysending a mono signal to an additional surround speaker or pair of surround speakers. At this point, however, only a fewDVDs are encoded for it, and even fewerreceivers can decode it.

When I run “A” and “B” speakers at thesame time, how much power is going to each speaker?

That depends on whether the receiver’s outputs are wired in series or parallel. Ifwired in series, your total power decreases byabout half when you switch from “A” to“A+B,” and four speakers share this loweroutput. Your overall volume will decrease,and the sound quality can degrade, but theamp runs cooler and is less likely to overheat.

If wired in parallel, your total power issomewhat increased when you switch from“A” to “A+B” because the amplifier is

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presented with a lower impedance (ohmload), and four speakers share this higher output. (Please note that your amplifier mustbe capable of handling a 4-ohm load, and that it will run hotter than usual at this lowerimpedance.)

Can I use my “B” speaker connections for surround sound?

“B” speaker connections are used for sendingthe same stereo signal that your main stereospeakers see to a second pair of speakers(often in another room). Usually, “B” speakerconnections will not work for surround.

SpeakersWhat is the difference between a two-way anda three-way speaker?

A two-way speaker’s crossover splits the frequency band into two ranges: bass frequencies go to the woofer, and treble frequencies go to the tweeter. In a three-wayspeaker, the frequency band is divided intothree ranges. The middle frequencies are sentto a third driver commonly called a midrangedriver. (Keep in mind that these terms simplyrefer to types of design — one is not neces-sarily better than another!)

What is a “bass reflex” speaker? Does itmean a speaker puts out a lot of bass?

Unlike an acoustic suspension speaker thatuses a completely sealed enclosure, a bassreflex speaker includes a port (a hole in thebox tuned to a specific frequency) or a bassradiator (often referred to as a “drone cone”)to produce more bass output in a tuned fre-quency range. With a bass reflex design,efficiency is better — a bass reflex speakerwill play louder than an acoustic suspensionspeaker when driven with the same amount ofamplifier power. This can be a big benefit,especially if you’re using a low-poweredreceiver or amp.

If I buy a set of large floor-standing speakers,will I still need a powered subwoofer? Whatabout speakers with their own built-in powered subs?

The answer to your first question is going todepend on individual taste — how much youlike bass, and how much bass you like. Ifyour main interest is home theater, and youwant to re-create the body-slamming bass youexperience in a movie theater, it’s a difficultthing to achieve without a powered sub-woofer.

A pair of floor-standing speakers withbuilt-in powered subwoofers will probablydeliver as much bass as you need.

How do I know if I should use speakerstands? If so, which size? And what exactlywill spikes do for me?

Because midrange and treble frequencies arevery directional, your speakers will soundtheir best when your ears are at the sameheight as the tweeter. Tower speakers aredesigned to be used without speaker stands,but small- to medium-sized speakers willmost likely need stands to raise the tweetersto ear level. It’s worth taking the time to measure, so that you can determine what sizestand will work best with your speakers.

If your room has a carpeted floor, andyour speakers or speaker stands accept carpet-piercing spikes on the bottom,installing them may improve your speakers’sound. Spikes often “tighten up” bassresponse by reducing sound-muddying speaker cabinet resonances and vibrations.Spikes also provide greater stability on carpeted floors (when you install them, besure your speakers remain level, with no ten-dency to tip over). Some spikes are reversiblefor use on carpeted or hardwood floors.

How can I make sure my home theater speak-ers are balanced properly?

Your surround decoder supplies test tones foradjusting the speaker levels. As these soundscycle through your speakers, simply adjustthe level with your remote control. Your goalis to set all speakers at the same loudness.

When I try to use test tones from my A/Vreceiver to set up my speakers, I don’t really get tones, just hissing sounds. Why?

There’s nothing wrong. Those “hissing”sounds, also called pink noise, are the test tones.

I am a little confused about surround speak-ers. Do I need a special kind of speaker (Ikeep hearing about “dipole” and “bipole”models)? Or should I use a conventional pairof direct-radiating speakers?

The truth of the matter is that you can getexcellent sound results with dipole, bipole, ordirect-radiating speakers. It all depends onyour home theater system, your room, andyour personal tastes. See “Surround speakers”on pg. 16 for more information.

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My receiver puts out 100 watts per channel.Should I get a speaker with the same rating?

Don’t worry! Unless you plan to run yourspeakers at abusive volume levels, it’s noproblem if they’re rated to handle less powerthan your receiver delivers. The power ratingmost manufacturers assign to a speaker is theamount of continuous (RMS) power thespeaker can absorb without damage.

Receivers and amplifiers are also usuallyrated for continuous power, so as long as bothratings are fairly close to each other, youshouldn’t encounter any power-handlingproblems. Actually, an amp or receiver with ahigh power rating is often safer for speakersthan one with a low power rating. A low-powered model may “clip” (run out ofamplifier headroom) and produce distortion athigh volumes, which is a common cause oftweeter damage.

I can see why my front speakers should soundalike. Should I also try to get surround speak-ers that are voice-matched to my front ones?

Yes! Surround sound is most believable whenyou feel enveloped in a three-dimensionalsoundstage. The less attention each speakercalls to itself, the more consistent and seamless the surround effect. If your budgetand aesthetic preferences allow, select surround speakers that are voice-matchedto your front speakers.

I don’t have a subwoofer output on myreceiver. Can I still hook one up?

Sure. You can connect a powered subwoofervia its speaker-level inputs. However, the dedicated LFE effects of Dolby Digital won’tpass through your subwoofer.

Why can’t I play the “A,” “B,” and surround speakers at the same time?

In many receivers, the amplifier dedicated tothe “B” speakers in stereo mode is dedicatedto the surround speakers when the receiver isset for surround sound. As a result, separate“B” and “surround” speakers cannot be usedat once. Some other receivers are simplydesigned that way so internal amplifiers arenot overdriven. Just keep in mind that “B”speakers are used for stereo music, not hometheater surround sound.

How close can I place my main speakers to the TV if they aren’t video-shielded?

You should place them at least a foot away.(Let the TV be your guide — if the picturedistorts, the speaker is too close!) Keep in

mind that narrow placement like this willdeliver a less-than-adequate soundstage withvery poor imaging. See “Planning Ahead:Speaker Placement” on pg. 18 for a moredetailed discussion of speaker placement.

Can I use my TV’s speakers for the center channel?

Yes, provided that your TV has separateaudio/video inputs, and your receiver has apreamp-level center channel output.

However, most people find that using theTV as a center channel is, at best, a tempo-rary solution. Surround sound just sounds somuch better with a real center channel speak-er! Because a large portion of the soundinformation recorded on a video soundtrack isin the center channel, it’s best to have aspeaker that can handle full-range sound andis voice-matched with your other home theater speakers.

ConnectionsDoes special, high-quality cable really makea difference?

Yes. The better your cable, the better yourpicture and sound! Well-made cables tend tocarry cleaner signals over longer distances,and as time goes by, they are less likely to bedamaged by the inevitable bending and twisting that most cables undergo. Eventhough high-quality cable costs a bit more, itcan be a key part of achieving the clear picture and pure sound you paid for whenyou bought your components.

What component would I connect to a DVDplayer’s digital output?

The optical and/or coaxial digital outputs on aDVD player’s back panel are for sending theDolby Digital audio bitstream to some type ofDolby Digital decoder — either a separatedecoder unit, or one built into a Dolby Digitalreceiver. Although coaxial digital connectionsuse standard RCA-type connectors, the cableitself is specially designed to handle the muchwider frequency bandwidth of digital signals.With optical connections, the signal is transmitted as pulses of light through a cablehousing a slender bundle of glass or plasticfibers.

Is an optical (Toslink) digital connection better than a coaxial connection?

It all depends on the quality of the internaldigital and optical conversion circuitry ofyour component, as well as your sonic preferences. However, over longer lengths,

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fiber optics are preferred since they areimmune to radiated noise.

Whatever type of connection you use, westrongly recommend using high-qualitycables for the best signal transfer possible.You’ll be amazed at what a difference goodinterconnects will make in the overall soundof your system.

I keep hearing about three different types of inputs on a TV: composite video inputs,S-video inputs, and component video inputs.Which is better, and will I really be able tosee a difference?

First, it’s important to understand that a TV’spicture can be broken down into chromi-nance (color) and luminance (black-and-white). The more clearly defined these elements are when they are sent to the TV,the better the picture.

Composite video is a single video signalthat contains both luminance and chrominance information. A composite videojack is usually a single RCA-type. (If yourtelevision has a set of 3 inputs on the back,labeled “audio left,” “audio right,” and“video,” you have a composite video input.)

An S-video signal uses a four-pin connector that provides a sharper picture bytransmitting the chrominance and luminanceportions of the video signal separately,reducing interference. Direct S-video connections are a significant improvementover composite video, and are found on high-performance video components likeDVD, DBS, Super VHS, Hi8, D8, Mini DV,and some laserdisc players.

Many TVs are now available with three-jack (RCA-type) component videoinputs designed to be compatible with thecomponent video outputs on some DVDplayers. If you think about S-video as a typeof component video signal that separatesbrightness and color into 2 portions, thisthree-jack connection carries the concepteven further. Component video carries a single brightness portion of the signal, thensplits the color signal into two parts, for evengreater accuracy and less color bleeding.

For making a video connection between myVCR and my TV, should I use RF cables orvideo patch cables?

If both your VCR and TV have direct videoconnectors (RCA or S-video), you should usethem because they provide improved picturequality. And since video signals are of muchhigher frequency than audio signals, use a

cable designed specifically for video use.Additionally, when your VCR is turned on, itsRF output can only transmit a mono signal.Note: When using direct video connections,you’ll need to select the appropriate “Video”input on your TV remote control.

Do I really need to route my DVD player’sand VCR’s video outputs through my receiver?

It is not necessary to run video connectionsthrough your receiver; you can run themdirectly to your TV. However, if you have twoor more video sources, it may be more convenient to run all audio and video signalsthrough your receiver.

A friend told me that I should connect my A/Vgear to a surge suppressor. What are the realbenefits?

A reliable surge suppressor or line condition-er is a must in any system, both for protectingyour A/V investment against damaging powersurges, and for filtering out electromagneticinterference (EMI) and radio frequency interference (RFI).

To protect your full audio/video system,be sure to choose a suppressor (or suppres-sors) with AC outlets for your electronicsgear, coax connectors for DBS, TV cable, orantenna, plus telephone (RJ-11) jacks (if subscribing to DBS programming).

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Glossary of Terms5.1-channel

Dolby Digital has six discrete digital audio chan-nels: 5 full-bandwidth (for front left/right, center,and surround left/right) and 1 “low frequencyeffects” subwoofer channel. These six channelsare sometimes referred to as “5.1-channel.”

Acoustic suspensionSpeaker design that uses a sealed, airtight enclosure.

AnamorphicAn anamorphic video image is one filmed in true16:9 aspect ratio. If it is watched on a screenwith 4:3 aspect ratio, it gets “squeezed” —everything appears taller and thinner, and actorshave pointed heads! An anamorphic image needsto be viewed on a true 16:9 screen to look normal.

Aspect ratioThe ratio of width to height for an image orscreen. The North American NTSC televisionbroadcast standard is 4:3 (1.33:1). The newHDTV (High Definition digital television) standard calls for a wider screen with a 16:9(1.78:1) ratio.

A/V inputsThey allow direct connection of your video components.

Rear A/V inputs are located on your gear’srear connector panel, for components you normally leave connected.

Front-panel A/V inputs allow for quick andeasy hook-up of a camcorder, second VCR, videogame, etc.

BandwidthRefers to the range of frequencies a componentcan reproduce. For audio components, likereceivers, “full bandwidth” is generally considered to be the entire frequency range ofhuman hearing (20-20,000 Hz).

Bass reflexSpeaker enclosure design that uses a port (a holein the box tuned to a specific frequency) or abass radiator (“drone cone”) to produce morebass output in the “tuned” frequency range.

BipoleA speaker design which generates equal amountsof sound both forward and backward, with the

two sounds being in phase. See also Dipole, andthe surround speaker illustrations on pg. 20.

Center channel speakerIn a home theater system, a video-shieldedspeaker placed above or below your TV dedicat-ed to reproducing on-screen sound and dialogue.

ChrominanceThe portion of the video signal that carries thecolor information.

Component videoA video signal which has been split up into itscomponent parts. TVs with three-jack componentvideo inputs are designed to be compatible withthe component video outputs found on someDVD players. If you think of S-video as a type ofcomponent video signal (separate brightness andcolor portions), the three-jack component videoconnection carries the concept a step further bysplitting the color signal into two parts for evengreater accuracy and less color bleeding.

Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS)A method of receiving over 200 channels of programming via satellite signals beamed to asmall (18-24") dish and passed through a receiv-er. DBS systems include Sony’s DIRECTV andJVC’s DISH networks. These networks also supply SDTV-format and limited HDTV-format programming, and a few high-end DBS receiverscan pass the Dolby Digital audio signals accompanying some programs to your DolbyDigital receiver.

Digital comb filterA filter for picture sharpness which reduces “jitter” and “dot crawl.” Standard digital combfilters are “2-line” — they compare consecutivescan lines within a field. 3-line digital comb filters compare three consecutive scan lines within a field, for still better clarity. The mosteffective comb filter, the 3D digital comb filter,compares a scan line to adjacent lines in thesame field, as well as the corresponding lines inthe preceding and following fields.

Digital Signal Processing (DSP)Some receivers use Digital Signal Processing forcreating soundfields (simulated acoustic environments) and time delays, and for precisesteering of multichannel surround information.When an audio signal is processed and routed inthe digital domain (instead of the analog), it isless susceptible to signal loss and distortion.

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Digital Television (DTV)The new American digital broadcast TV stan-dard, it falls into two general categories: HDTVand SDTV. HDTV includes a number of formats, which share the same basic characteris-tics: resolution from 720 to 1080 lines, DolbyDigital audio, and an approximately 16:9widescreen format. The formats in the SDTVcategory are far more common, and include resolution starting at 480 lines, and aspect ratiosfrom standard 4:3 to, in a few cases, 16:9. Onlydigital televisions and analog televisions withdigital set-top converter boxes are able to receivethe signal. Digital TV is being broadcast in over30 major markets across the country already, andby 2006, every broadcaster (whether local,national, cable, or satellite) is required to complywith digital broadcasting standards.

Digital Theater Systems (DTS)A multichannel digital audio format first introduced in commercial movie theaters in1993. See pg. 8 for more info.

DipoleA speaker design which generates equal amountsof sound both forward and backward, with thetwo sounds being out of phase. Dipoles are oftenused as surround speakers. See also Bipole, andthe surround speaker illustrations on pg. 20.

Dolby® DigitalA form of encoding audio information digitally.5.1-channel Dolby Digital contains an advanceddecoding matrix for a bitstream of digital dataconsisting of six channels (front left, center, frontright, left surround, right surround, and a subwoofer channel). Five main channels are full-bandwidth and the “low frequency effects”subwoofer channel has a frequency range of 3-120 Hz. Although it is often used in referenceto 5.1-channel surround sound, Dolby Digital canalso take the form of Dolby Pro Logic surroundsound, stereo, or even mono audio. See the diagrams on pg. 6 for more information on aDolby Digital surround setup, and the DolbyDigital encoding/decoding process.

Dolby Digital “ready”A/V receivers that do not have Dolby Digitaldecoders built in, but feature 5.1-channel inputsfor hooking up an external Dolby Digitaldecoder. Increasingly, these receivers are called“5.1-ready.”

StereoAudio in a two-channel, left and right format.

Years ago, stereo sound replaced mono sound asthe standard music-listening format.

Dolby® SurroundThe term used with consumer equipment and forthe identification of Dolby-encoded video software released for use at home. Dolby ProLogic and Dolby Digital are the two current formats of Dolby Surround.

Dolby® Pro Logic™

An audio format consisting of four channels ofmatrixed sound (front left, center, right, and surround). Dolby Pro Logic delivers distinctchannel separation, precise localization of on-screen sounds and dialogue, plus realistic special effects and theater ambience. See the diagrams on pg. 7 for more information on aDolby Pro Logic surround setup, and the DolbyPro Logic encoding/decoding process.

DownmixIf you don’t have a Dolby Digital system, youcan still enjoy excellent Pro Logic or stereosound from your DVDs. All DVD players havethe ability to take a “5.1-channel” Dolby Digitalsoundtrack and “downmix” it to two channels,which can then be sent to a stereo receiver, a TV,or an A/V receiver with Dolby Pro Logic decoding.

DVDA 12 cm optical disc format for video and audio,which is rapidly superseding VHS in popularity.There are already thousands of movies availableon DVD, and hundreds more are released eachmonth.

Frequency responseExpressed in cycles per second, or Hertz (Hz), ittells you how wide a range of music an amplifieror speaker is reproducing.

High Definition Television (HDTV)A high-quality DTV category which refers toseveral different formats, all of which have thefollowing attributes: resolution of 720 lines orhigher, a 16:9 aspect ratio, and Dolby Digitalaudio.

LetterboxedVideos that show the entire picture as seen in amovie theater. The resulting image width is muchgreater than its height. On a TV screen with standard 4:3 aspect ratio, letterboxed videosappear with horizontal black bars above andbelow the image.

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Line doublerTechnology found in television sets which, bydoubling the amount of information per line,offers a clearer, more defined picture. Other variations on this theme include Sony’s DigitalReality Creation, which is more efficient andmore precise than standard line doublers becauseit enhances each pixel.

LuminanceThe brightness or black-and-white component ofa color video signal. Determines the level of picture detail.

Pan-and-scanThe process of transferring a movie or othersource material to videocassette or broadcast sothat it fits the 4:3 aspect ratio of the NTSC(National Television System Committee) system,as well as nearly all current TVs. This results insome lost picture information, particularly in thewidth of the image.

Remote controlThe capabilities of receiver remotes can vary alot from brand to brand, and model to model.A/V remote controls can operate several A/Vcomponents from the same manufacturer.Multibrand remote controls have pre-programmed commands for components made bypopular brands. Programmable, or learning,remotes can be programmed by the user to oper-ate A/V equipment from other manufacturers.

ResolutionThe sharpness of a video display in the horizon-tal direction; the number of vertical lines that canbe resolved from one side of the screen to anoth-er. The detail you see depends on your signalsource. All NTSC TVs offer resolution that surpasses standard signals such as TV broadcasts(330 lines) and VHS VCRs (240 lines). Newtechnology enhances built-in NTSC resolutionstill further. However, future hybrid TVs (a mix-ture of NTSC and ATSC capability) and digitalTVs should have noticeably better resolution.

Satellite/subwoofer systemSpeaker system that uses between two and fivesmall satellite speakers for tweeter and midrangedrivers, and a separate box specially designed tohouse the woofer(s).

Signal-to-noise ratio (S/N)Expressed in decibels (dB), it compares the levelof an audio or video signal to the level of internally generated noise (such as audio hum).

Speaker efficiencyMeasures in decibels (dB) how well a speakersystem turns input power into sound.

Standard Definition Television (SDTV)The category, containing multiple specific formats, for standard DTV broadcasts. This format will be more common than HDTV, andentails a minimum of 480 lines of resolution. Itwill offer both 4:3 and 16:9 aspect ratios, and awide range of sound encoding (from stereo toDolby Digital 5.1).

SubwooferA speaker designed specifically for bass output.Subwoofers are usually powered (with a built-inamplifier). Subwoofers offer deep, resoundingbass, and are an important part of Dolby Digitalsurround sound.

Super VHSAn improved VHS format which offers betterpicture quality than standard VHS 240-line resolution. S-VHS VCRs record at 400+ lines ofresolution, and can even improve the picture quality of standard VHS tapes duringplayback. Some also use S-VHS ET to record atS-VHS quality on standard VHS tapes. AlthoughS-VHS players will play standard tapes, moststandard players will not play S-VHS tapes(however, some brands offer Quasi S-VHS to let you do just that!).

Surround speakersIn a home theater surround sound system, thispair of speakers is positioned to the sides orbehind your listening seat, creating ambience andproviding directionality to off-screen soundeffects.

S-video inputs/outputsSpecial four-pin connectors that carry thechrominance (color) and luminance (brightness)portions of the video signal separately, forimproved color accuracy and reduced distortion.

THX®

A division of Lucasfilm Ltd. devoted to accuratesound reproduction in theaters and on home systems. See FAQ on pg. 24 for more info.

Total harmonic distortion (THD)A measurement of amplifier accuracy, it indicates the presence and amount of internallygenerated noise.

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TransientsBrief bursts of musical energy.

VCR Plus+ with cable box & DBS controlEasy videotaping for cable, DBS, and over-the-air broadcasts! Simply enter the show’s“PlusCode” (found beside its title in most TVlistings) and the VCR is automatically set for thechannel, date and times. Cable box controlmeans the VCR is able to switch most cableboxes to the appropriate channel at the appropri-ate time, automatically. Some VCRs also includeinfrared transmitters which let them control ofDBS receivers, so you can make timed record-ings of satellite programs.

Video shieldingA way of containing a speaker’s magnetic energyinside its enclosure. This is usually achieved byplacing another speaker magnet back-to-backwith the existing one so that the two magneticfields cancel each other. Shielding may also beachieved by lining the inside of the speaker cabinet with metal. Video shielding is importantin home theater — especially with the centerchannel speaker. If an unshielded speaker isplaced too close to your TV, the magnetic energycan cause picture distortion and even permanently damage the TV’s picture tube.

Voice-matchedRefers to speakers with a similar timbre or tonalquality. Voice-matched speakers will result inmore seamless, consistent, and convincing wraparound sound in your home theater.

WidescreenThe aspect ratio associated with movie theatersfrom around the 1950s on. Widescreen usuallymeans movies filmed in a 16:9 aspect ratio(although theaters do not use 16:9 as their standard, it is a close approximation of the widescreen size of theaters). When transferred tovideo for home viewing, widescreen films arereleased in a pan-and-scan, “modified to fit yourscreen” format, a letterbox format, or both. Withthe onset of HDTV, we will see more filmsavailable in a true, non-letterboxed widescreen,or anamorphic, format.

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Be sure to ask your Sales Advisor about Crutchfield’s exclusiveAudio/Video Reference — free with the purchase of any homeaudio/video component (or you can order it separately). This popularand informative guide includes:

■ over 150 color-coded, self-adhesive CABLELABELS™

for quick, easy identification of every speaker wire and patch cord in your system

■ easy-to-understand A/V MasterSheetswhich include close-up illustrations and hook up instructions, and provide a visual reference for applying your CABLELABELS

■ audio/video glossary■ “The Crutchfield Guide to Speaker Placement & Room Acoustics”

with placement tips for your speakers, plus information that will help youget better sound from your system’s biggest component — your room!

© 1998–2000 by Crutchfield CorporationRevised 5/00 30M

Visit us on the Internet! www.crutchfield.com

Call 1-800-955-3000for product advice and technical assistance.

For help with a product you’ve already purchased from us,please have your Crutchfield invoice handy when you call.

For information on other resources, including our new Crutchfield Guide to Home Theater Installation, see pg. 21.

*000HTGD4*