Home Theater on a Budget
We offer some recession-resistant possibilities for your home theater.
May 7, 2009
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Anyway you slice it, you need something stylish to hold your components and display. The Sanus VF5023 provides an innovative and practical solution for storing AV components that also frees up valuable floor space. The units can be installed on the wall underneath a mounted TV for a seamless appearance that complements any style of design. Sanus suggests on-wall furniture be used in combination with its TV wall mounts for a complete home theater setup. Easy to install, just secure the quick-release mounting brackets to wall studs, using the supplied hardware.
The VF5023 includes three shelves that support up to 75 lbs. each and offers two sets of interchangeable back panels in black glass or mocha-colored wood grain for a decorative appearance. There is ample space behind the back panels for concealing cables, surge protectors and other small accessories.www.sanus.com
$469.99http://www.e-gear.com/photo/p-anyway-you-slice-it-you-need-something-stylish-hold-353631 -
LG's 50-inch PS80 HDTV
http://www.dealerscope.com/photo/p-lgs-50-inch-ps80-hdtv-p-353632 -
Klipsch HD Theater 300
If the recession has hit you harder than most, and you are looking for a screaming deal, the Klipsch HD Theater 300 should be on your short list. Each main and surround speaker is a sealed ABS enclosure finished in high-gloss black with a 2.5-inch IMG woofer and a 0.75-inch MicroTractrix Horn-loaded textile tweeter inside. The center channel shares the same driver attributes except that it is magnetically shielded.
The speakers come with adjustable wall brackets that provide a 40-degree range of motion. The center channel includes a cradle base, giving it a 45-degree range of motion. Available in a black pica vinyl finish, the subwoofer is a bass-reflex design with a rear-firing flared port. It employs a down-firing 6.5-inch driver.
www.klipsch.com
$399.99http://www.e-gear.com/photo/p-klipsch-hd-theater-300-p-p-andnbsp-if-recession-353633 -
Control4 Home Controller HC-200
When you say the words “home control”, most people see dollar signs, but Control4, a leader in affordable IP-based home control and entertainment systems, has announced the Control4 Home Controller HC-200, the first sub-$500 home controller. The HC-200 expands Control4’s already comprehensive suite of home automation solutions for any size home or apartment. The small and sleek HC-200 will provide complete control in compact installations or serve as a secondary controller in large installations. For approximately the same money as a good universal remote, an HC-200 can replace existing remote controls delivering easy navigation and streamlining home entertainment. The same HC-200 can also control temperature, security, lights and multiroom music, even Real Networks Rhapsody streaming music service.
www.control4.com
$499http://www.e-gear.com/photo/p-control4-home-controller-hc-200-p-p-when-you-353634 -
Sonos Bundle 150
While we love, love, love home theater, multiroom audio should also be a form of entertainment you consider for your home. A wireless Multi-Room Music System from Sonos, the Sonos Bundle 150 (BU150) will provide you with everything you need to play and control music in two rooms of your house. Connect the ZP90 to your home theater or stereo. Attach speakers to the ZP120 with built-in amplifier and place in any room where you want music. Now grab a wireless Sonos Controller for instant access to all your music and all your rooms and presto, you’re listening to your tunes hassle free. Some key features include the ability to: View album art, artists, song names and more with the full-color 3.5” LCD screen, power large or small speakers with superior audio quality and simple setup.
www.sonos.com
$999http://www.e-gear.com/photo/p-sonos-bundle-150-p-p-while-we-love-love-353635 -
GefenTV Home Theater Audio Processor
There are no more misunderstood words in the English language than, “Plug and Play”. Depending on who you are, it can have a variety of usage and learning curves. Gefen has engineered a simple plug and play method of creating home theater audio using the HDMI Signal from an HDTV Source. The GefenTV Home Theater Audio Processor is ideal for home theaters, bedrooms or any room where you want to set up surround sound audio without an A/V receiver. This easy-to-install unit provides one HDMI input with a digital S/PDIF audio input that drives all audio/video outputs. The digital audio is 5.1 surround sound capable, while the analog audio is delivered in 8-channels with 20 watts amplification per channel so users can simply connect speakers directly to the Processor.
www.gefen.com
$899http://www.e-gear.com/photo/gefentv-home-theater-audio-processor-br-br-there-no-more-353636 -
Samsung HT-AS730 Home Theater System
Ready for some big time home theater escapism at a really small price? Check out the new Samsung HT-AS730 home theater system. An ideal
companion to state-of-the-art Blu-ray players and other high definition gear, the system comes with a piano black design, and is equipped with a variety of audio and video connections, as well as a complete 5.1-channel speaker setup for robust surround sound. It can be easily upgraded to a potent 7.1-channel system with the addition of two more speakers (sold separately). The HT-AS730 provides a new level of flexibility and expansion for movie enthusiasts, music lovers and console gamers, in a simple, yet comprehensive package.www.samsung.com
$499.99http://www.e-gear.com/photo/p-samsung-ht-as730-home-theater-system-br-br-ready-353637 -
Panamax MB1000
Once you’ve invested in your gear, you want to protect it and also get the most from it. That’s where the Panamax MB1000 comes in. The MB1000 offers an uninterruptible power supply/power conditioner that provides battery backup, power protection, voltage regulation, and line noise filtration for A/V equipment. The unit maintains power temporarily during short blackouts or brownouts to prevent lengthy restart sequences, and protect equipment by allowing it to safely shut down during extended blackouts. Dual IR emitter controls allow ceiling projectors to cool their lamps properly to prevent damage from excessive heat before shutting down.
www.panamax.com
$729.95http://www.e-gear.com/photo/panamax-mb1000-br-br-once-youandrsquo-ve-invested-your-gear-353638 -
Orb Mod4
If you want a system that will blow your mind with sound quality, while competing in design and looks with many $5,000 systems, the Mod4 could be your answer. The Mod4 is an extreme, over-the-top speaker designed to match large TVs and provide big sound in big rooms. The base Mod4 system includes three of the company’s Mod4 satellites for your front speakers and the Mod2 speakers for your rear speakers (in 5.1, 6.1 or 7.1 configurations). Additionally, the Mod4 People’s Choice system also includes 3 handmade stainless steel BOSS Mod4 Wall Mounts (for the front speakers) and basic black or white desk stands for the rear speakers.
The base system comes with the 200-watt Super Eight subwoofer. Mod4 satellites are available in Metallic Black Gloss, Pearl White Gloss, Hand Polished Steel, Hand Antiqued Bronze and Hand Antiqued Copper. Orb products can be purchased directly from www.orbaudio.com.
www.orbaudio.com
$1,999http://www.e-gear.com/photo/orb-mod4-br-br-if-you-want-system-blow-your-353639 -
Optoma TX1080 DLP Multimedia Projector
As I said in the opening paragraph, if you can go big, do it. For the ultimate home theater experience, investing in a front projection system is a must. The very reasonably-priced Optoma TX1080 DLP Multimedia Projector should be on your demo list. With true high definition 1080p resolution, a full complement of connectivity options, and the ability to control the projector directly via a network connection, the TX1080 provides oustanding performance. The TX1080 features Texas Instrument’s DarkChip DLP chipset and BrilliantColor technologies, and combines true HD resolution (1920 x 1080) with an ultra-bright 3700 lumen lamp and a 2200:1 contrast ratio to deliver superior performance in both data and home theater applications. The TX1080 networkable data/multimedia projector is available through authorized Optoma resellers.
www.optoma.com
$3,499.99http://www.e-gear.com/photo/optoma-tx1080-dlp-multimedia-projector-br-br-as-i-said-353640 -
Bell’O 7000 Series
You need great cables and wire to have great audio and video and Bell’O, also known for their superior and stylish home theater furniture, has just introduced a high performance cable line including HDMI cables with right angle adapters. The Bell’O 7000 Series includes HDMI audio/video, digital fiber optic, stereo audio, subwoofer and speaker wire that have all been engineered and tested to the highest standards to ensure the clearest picture, ultimate sound quality and overall best home theater performance. All Bell’O audio/video cables are patent pending and use 99.99 percent oxygen free copper that provides excellent conductivity and corrosion resistance. The copper wire within each cable is precision terminated at the connectors to provide the optimum end-to-end connectivity. Additionally, all cable connectors are 24K gold plated for ultimate conductivity and corrosion resistance. Retail pricing ranges from $59.99 to $249.99.
www.bello.com
$59.99 – $249.99http://www.e-gear.com/photo/bellandrsquo-o-7000-series-br-br-you-need-great-cables-353642
