The Home Cinema Guide
- Making Home Theater Technology Simple

Home theater (also known as home cinema) has never been more affordable. Today, for a relatively small amount of money, we can get a system at home that looks and sounds absolutely stunning.

But it's all so complicated, right? All the techno-babble makes your head spin? Well, it doesn't have to be that way!

You can find everything that you need here. From simple buying advice to clear home theater setup information.

Don't Know Your 5.1 from Your Subwoofer?

I have written buying guides to make the technology easier to understand. Well, I've tried to anyway. There are many people out there who like to make it complicated. To make it seem like rocket science.

We hear one thing from one person and the opposite from somebody else.

You might be looking for information on choosing the best home theater speakers. Or, the exciting world of TV wall mounts. How about finding the best AV receivers for your system?

You can spend weeks on the internet doing research into the right equipment. Or going into stores and coming out more confused than when you went in.

Did you know, all this technology is supposed to be fun!

Don't Know Your TV Resolution from Your Aspect Ratio?

If you've got a simple question, then you can get a simple answer:

• What is high-definition TV exactly? (Answer: it's FANTASTIC!)
• Why do I need surround sound? (Answer: you don't - but you'll never go back once you've heard it!)

Well, ok, I'll try and give slightly better answers than that! Give me a chance - I'm only just getting started.

What I will do is explain the jargon in simple terms and tell you why it is important. Hopefully, we can also have some fun along the way. I try not to take it all too seriously.

Who Is This Site For?

The aim of The Home Cinema Guide is to provide a place for less-experienced people to hang out. There are plenty of home theater technology forums with people who will laugh if you ask what an optical audio cable is.

There are enough audio-visual stores with assistants who like to impress you with their technical knowledge. But, just confuse you even more. Then, there are the ones who appear to know less than you do. It's not easy finding what you need sometimes.

I know. Been there, done that.

I'll try and explain the sea of acronyms and technical mumbo-jumbo. I may not always succeed, but I'll give it my best shot.

I have worked as a sound engineer and in audio-visual services for many years. I will try and provide useful installation guides, buying advice and product recommendations. All based on a mixture of hands-on experience and research.

I'm not going to provide an encyclopedia of all the brands and manufacturers out there. I'll provide reviews and suggestions for products which are easily available online. I think it's important that everybody has access to good quality equipment. Not just those in the know.

If you want to use this information and investigate further yourself, that's great. For those who don't, you should find everything you need here to put together a great home theater system.

What Is Home Theater?

So, what is home theater exactly? Well, it can be whatever you want it to be. It's difficult to put one definition on it.

It's a term for having a home entertainment system that can give us a real movie theater experience.

In its simplest terms, you would have a large screen display - like a flat screen TV or projector - and a good sound system. We can't have you listening to the sound through your TV speakers. That won't do at all!

For some people, the home theater experience requires a dedicated room with custom-made furniture. Motorized screens. Popcorn machine. Speakers that create the impression of a small earthquake in your house!

But, as with many things in life, size isn't everything. I don't discriminate here. Everybody is welcome, whatever your equipment or experience.

So, no matter if you're just trying to find out what an HDMI cable is - and if you need one. Or, if you want to build a setup that requires you to hire staff before you can show a movie. This guide has something for everybody.

What's in a Name?

The more observant among you may have noticed that the website is called The Home Cinema Guide. However, I keep referring to home theater. Huh?

It's quite simple. I'm from the UK, and we use the term home cinema. However, although we have people here from all over the world (hello!), most visitors have always come from the USA. So, I decided to use the term that the majority of visitors would know. How's that for service!

Anyway, it doesn't matter much, it all means the same thing.

Enjoy!

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