About Home Theater: Best of the Decade and Bargain Home Theater Gifts

Home Theater In the Spotlight | More Topics | Top Picks | Featured Product |   from Robert Silva Welcome to my Weekly Home Theater Newsletter! Not only is the year coming quickly to a close, but the end of the first decade of the 21st Century is also ending. Check out my perspective on the top advances in home theater from 2000 to 2009. Also, the holiday shopping frenzy continues. Check out great gift ideas priced at $199 or less, as well as some great gift ideas for that special someone. Additional Stories: COSTCO Goes Blu, World Cup Soccer Goes 3D   In the Spotlight Top 12 Home Theater Advances of the Decade (2000 - 2009) It is hard to believe that the first decade of the 21st century is almost at a close. It has been a significant decade not just in world events, but in the plethora of technical advances that have made our lives both more complex and convenient (depending on your perspective). With that in mind, I have picked out what I feel were the major technical benchmarks in the advancement of home theater. Check out my Top 12 Home Theater Advances of the Decade (2000-2009).              More Topics Flipper Comes to Blu-ray Vizio Cashes In Big-Time On Black Friday Holiday Special: LCD TVs 40-inches and Larger Question - Should I Get a Video Projector or a Television? Home Theater Term of the Week - VHS Christmas/Winter Holiday Shopping Guide Products Of The Year - 2009 Great Home Theater Products Priced at $199 or Less Many consumers have the impression that home theater is complicated and expensive. Although you won't find that 42-inch Plasma Television or LCD flat panel television for $199, there are a lot of surprisingly good home theater-related components priced at $199 or less, that make great gifts for the Christmas and Winter Holidays. For my look at my current favorites, check out my Top Picks for Home Theater Products Priced at $199 or Less. Also, for more gift possibilities, check out my Top Home Theater Gifts for Holiday Shoppers.   Holiday Special - Home Theater Gifts For Lovers Still trying to decide what to give that Special Someone this Holiday Season? Give the gift of Home Theater. Whether cuddling up on the couch to watch that romantic movie, or providing the perfect romantic musical background to set the mood, here are some great gifts that fill the bill. Check out my suggestions for Home Theater Gifts For Lovers.     Sponsored Links   Top Picks - Home Theater-In-A-Box - Top Picks  from your  Home Theater  Guide Interested in setting up a home theater, but don't want to have to remodel your living room or deplete your finances to do it? Get in on the home theater craze with a minimum of hassle and cost with a home theater-in-a-box system. Here are some of my favorite picks for low cost, home theater-in-a-box (HTIB) systems. Just add your own TV. 1) Onkyo HT-S7200 7.1 Channel Home Theater System The Onkyo HT-S7200 combines the HT-RC160 Home Theater receiver featuring Dolby Pro Logic IIz with the SKS-HT870 home theater speaker system made up of two floor standing front speakers, a center channel speaker, four surround speakers, and a 10-inch 290-watt subwoofer. The HT-S7200 system also has HDMI switching with 1080i upscaling and iPod connectivity using the provided Docking Station. Also, to make setup and use easier, this system includes the Audyssey 2EQ automatic speaker setup system, as well as Audyssey's Dynamic Volume and EQ. If you are looking for a home theater system that offers a lot of flexibility, and sounds better than your typical home theater-in-a-box system, check out the Onkyo HT-S7200. 2) Samsung HT-BD1250 Blu-ray Home Theater System If you want to the get the most out of your HDTV and don't want the hassle of, or have the budget for, both a Blu-ray Disc Player and a Surround Sound System, the Samsung HT-BD1250 gives you both in one affordable unit. The Blu-ray Disc player section provides Blu-ray Profile 2.0 capability, Netflix/Pandora audio/video streaming, plus an HDMI output for connection to your HDTV. You can even access content from your iPod or iPhone. The audio side of this system decodes all Dolby Digital and DTS formats, including Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio. Also, don't forget the included onboard 5.1 channel amplifier, speakers, and powered subwoofer. Give the HT-BD1250 a look and a listen. 3) Yamaha YHT-591 5.1 Channel Home Theater System The YHT-591 is made up of separate components that include a HTR-6240 5.1 channel (105wpc) receiver, YST-SW216 100-watt Subwoofer, and a very stylish center/satellite 5 channel speaker system. This system provides a clean, even, sound for both movies and music. In addition to sound quality, some of the innovative features include: 4 HDMI inputs, Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio decoding, additional surround sound processing modes, iPod connectivity and Bluetooth capability (via optional accessory docks). If you looking for a home theater system that sounds good with both music and movies, and offers a lot of connection flexibility, check out the Yamaha YHT-591. Just add your own DVD or Blu-ray Disc Player to complement your HDTV.   Product of the Week Philips HTS8100 SoundBar with Ambisound The HTS8100 is Philip's entry into the ever-growning sound bar product category. The HTS8100 incorporates the Philips Ambisound system which provides a surround sound experience from a single cabinet by angling its speakers individually in different directions to optimize the surround sound image. The HTS8100 also houses a DVD/CD player, which features 1080p upscaling via an HDMI output as well as including a separate powered subwoofer for enhanced bass. The Philips HTS8100 SoundBar both sounds good and conserves lots of space by eliminating both the need for multiple speakers required by a typical home theater system, as well as a separate DVD/CD player.   Feeling Under the Weather? Evaluating Your Cold Symptoms How to tell when a runny nose is just a cold, and when it might be turning into something more serious and require a visit to the doctor. 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