Home Theater Systems That Make Sense : Hallowed Ivy-Covered Halls

Ah yes, it’s that time of year. The leaves are changing color, there is a nip in the air and kids are heading back to school. Whether you are hanging in the dorm or in your favorite office or den, the following system is tailor made for space constraints and performance.

The TV and Source Component: Toshiba

When the Toshiba 26V610U 26-inch LCD TV and DVD player combination arrived at my front door, I eagerly carried it inside and tore open the carton. As much as I preach the importance of reading the owner’s manual, I like doing that probably about as much as you do, i.e. not at all.  I can honestly say this was one of the few times that the owner’s manual truly wasn’t necessary.

This display is so easy to use, straight out of the box. I just plugged it in,  hooked it up to my cable and I was good to go. The untweaked screen images revealed a picture with super bright blues and greens. The completely intuitive remote easily allowed me to access the onscreen menu to fine tune the picture for improved color and brightness. Honestly, the menu is so easy to use, a young child could do it.

Sliding a DVD into the built-in, side loading slot was again a complete no-brainer. Slide it in and away you go. The display has plenty of inputs: HDMI™ (2), ColorStream® HD Component Video (1), S-Video, RCA Video - Rear (1), L-R Audio- Rear (1), 1 RF, PC D-Sub 15, Digital Audio Output - 1 Coaxial (DVD only). What all of those inputs mean for you in non-tech speak, is that by using the PC input the display can be used with your computer and the A/V, HDMI and Component inputs can be used for gaming and receiving HD broadcasts. Perfect for late night parties.

The dimensions are: 26.81 width x 20.23 height x 8.93 depth with the stand and a lightweight under 20 lbs. On the audio side of the equation you will want to upgrade the TV’s speakers with your own external speaker system.  When the Dolby® Digital and DTS® compatible output is connected to a compatible AC-3 receiver, there is created a multi-channel audio experience and unsurpassed three-dimensional audio performance rivaling the best movie theaters. And for future reference, Toshiba DVD players feature DTS® (Digital Theater Systems) compatibility. A Toshiba DVD player can be connected to a DTS® compatible receiver/decoder via its digital audio outputs for playback of high-resolution multi-channel DTS® -encoded DVDs and CDs.