The term "Home Theater" and "Home Entertainment System" originally referred to only the Hollywood crowd who can afford tiered seats and a cinema-sized screen in their homes. However, the term nowadays refer to a room with a TV and stereo where people can watch movies and other programs in surround sound.

Unlike before when home theaters are somehow exclusive to the Hollywood crowd, the dropping prices of equipment and furniture has made it a lot easier and affordable for families to set up a theater in their own homes. Unlike what most may think, setting up a home theater doesn't require a lot of remodeling or expenses. Let's begin with what a Home Theater is comprised of.

A Home theater is usually comprised of five basic parts: Input devices, processing devices, audio output, video output, and atmosphere.

Input devices include audio/video sources like DVD players and video game systems. With the advancement of technology and the increase in popularity of personal computers, even PCs are now included to act as a library for video and music content.

Processing devices include audio/video processors for complex surround sound formats. These are the ones responsible for making the experience a lot better. Audio output devices usually refer to speakers and subwoofers. As you probably already know, these are responsible for the sound that comes out of the system.

When we say video output, a large HDTV should instantly come into mind. Video output devices are responsible for the visual side of the home theater. There are a lot of options when deciding what to get for a video output device: a regular CRT TV, Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) TV, Plasma TV, Rear-Projection TV, or a Video Projector.

Last but not the least is the atmosphere. This refers to comfortable seating and organization that would improve your audio-video experience. Some high-end home theaters actually go as far as setting up sound insulation to prevent noise from escaping the room. If you are looking for the best-fitting sizes and proportions, then Berkline theater seats are the way to go.

So how do we setup a good home theater? The best room for a home theater would be an enclosed one. Sound insulation is also a good thing to consider since audio gives the best experiences in a home theater so being able to turn the volume to what suits you best without it bothering other people outside the room is a plus. Any room can actually work but if you want the best then go with the above.

Home theater seating should be the next thing to consider. You will be staying for a good two or three hours so getting the best amount of comfort with Berkline furniture is required. Additionally, the position of the seats should allow the screen to be viewed at its sharpest so it's up to you to determine how far to place the seats.

Like what was mentioned earlier, sound provides the best experience when watching in a home theater. Choose soft furnishings that absorb sound, not hard surfaces that reflect it. Place carpets or rugs on the floor. Decorate your walls with materials that absorb sound. Having wallpaper is better than bare walls that reflect sound so heavy fabric wallpaper is best.

Keep the room as free from other lights aside from the screen. Just like in a movie theater, other lights can provide distraction and keep your attention away from the movie, ruining the experience.