The $10K Theater

In the last few weeks, I've covered $2500 and $5000 home theaters. But what if you have a bit more of a budget? Perhaps you're planning on a big tax refund, or have been saving for this.

Well, I have to say, $10,000 opens up a whole world of possibilities in home theater. You now have options for a good projector or a large panel display, possibly some seating, and upgraded sound.

I'll talk about two possibilities here: The large panel and the projector. First, we'll talk about everything except the display, then talk about display choices last.

Audio Gear
At this level, we'll move up to a more powerful A/V receiver, and upgrade the speaker package. We'll stick with on-wall speakers at this price point. Although we could easily put in-wall or in-ceiling speakers in to get the equipment out of the room, we'd have to make compromises in other parts of the system to get the same audio quality.

In addition to more power, the receiver also gains some interesting features at this point. In particular, we add iPod compatibility and possibly network integration. This means that you can start to think about internet radio, and streaming your MP3's from networked computers. The receiver can also do upconversion of standard-definition video signals like DVDs, VHS, etc.

Control
For the control system, we move up to a sleeker remote that can handle more complex controls. For example, you can now have the remote remember if your DVD is on or off, and send commands only if they are needed. In our $5,000 system, the remote had to use "brute-force" control methods - force the receiver to always turn on, for example. This "smart-force" approach will reduce the time required to turn on the system, and especially reduce the time required to switch from one mode to another.

Sources
We'll also move from an upconverting DVD player (which improves the look of your standard DVDs, but isn't really high-definition) to a Blu-Ray (or HD-DVD if you prefer) player. This gives you true high definition movies. Some of the more recent Blu-Ray (and all HD-DVD) players also allow for interactive Internet connections, so that you can get more features, play games, get updates on actors, directors, upcoming movies, etc.

Other items of interest
At this level, some people choose to stick with a smaller screen and entry-level sound in order to add home theater seating. Depending on the trade-offs you're willing to make (leather vs. vinyl, size of TV, etc.), you could get 4, 6, or even 8-person seating at this price point.

You may also choose to integrate some lighting control. If you do, you'll be able to really "wow!" your guests by automatically dimming lights when you start a movie, or brightening the room when you pause or stop!

Display
Now we come to the most visible feature of your home theater - the display.

At this price point, you will probably be going for BIG! A 58" plasma would be a great addition to this theater (I chose plasma primarily because at this time, larger plasmas are still less expensive than the equivalent size LCD).

Or, for an even bigger size picture, consider a projector and screen. Depending on the room size, you are probably looking at an 84-106" fixed-mount or manual pull-down screen. You can also opt for a 1080p projector, or a step-up 720p projector.

The 1080p projector would be entry-level (single chip, not as bright, lesss video processing capability). The 720p projector, on the other hand, would have lower resolution (but still hi-def), but would be brighter, and would have better video processing capabilities. The 720p may also have three separate display chips, which will result in better colors and contrast.

Remember, we're a custom installation company, so all of our packages include professional installation, programming, and calibration. Plus, this would include all required cabling, mounting, and instructions on how to use the system (not that you'll need much, given the simplicity of the remotes!).

There are a lot of choices in home theater. This is by no means the only option in this price range - the right home theater for you is really dependent on your tastes, your budget, and your room. Our goal is to work with you to uncover what's most important, so that we can put in a system that is perfect for your room, your tastes, and your budget!

For more information on how Inspired Electronics, Inc. can put in your dream home theater, visit our web site at http://www.inspired-electronics.com or call us at 847.471.4420 for a consultation!

Thanks -
Rob