Putting a home entertainment system in your living room can take some time, and there are many options to consider when you go out and build one. When buying your system all at once, make sure you follow some steps to ensure that you connect every component the proper way. Deciding on which room to bless is very important as well because size and shape of the room can affect the way your surround sound works. Remember to keep this in mind and always try installing your new entertainment system in a rectangular room with a minimal amount of passageways and windows. Lets break this down in packages, relevant to your budget.

$10,000 Budget: Television

If your looking to spend $10,000 or more, consider going with a DLP (Digital Light Projector) or a Plasma television. The first step in building your system is the TV, the heart of it all. DLP technology is easy to maintain in the long run and replacing the bulb in the TV is easy and affordable. Plasma’s on the other hand, are not easy to maintain and their picture quality degrades over time. The Xenon gases in the Plasma can’t be replaced and you should consider a Plasma TV if you know you won’t use it that much. DLP’s are quite popular and also the newest technology when it comes to the HDTV. They can’t be hung up on a wall, but they are light and will fit on any small tabletop. DLP’s are also considerably larger than Plasma’s and many models come in 65″ or larger. Plasma TV’s have great picture quality and rich color/contrast. If you want to go Plasma all the way, consider brands like Toshiba or Panasonic. My favorite Plasma is the Panasonic 58″ Plasma HDTV MODEL #-(TH-58PZ700U). This Plasma runs for about $4000 and doesn’t demand more than 600 Watts of energy. It’s casing is designed to keep it cool and this could prolong the lifespan of the TV.

If your looking for a larger screen from 65″ and up consider going with DLP technology from brands like Samsung or Sony. Samsung claims to have invented DLP technology and their DLP’s are rich in color and have high contrast for a DLP. My favorite model is the Samsung 61″ DLP Rear Projection HDTV Model # (HL-T6187S) This television goes for about $2600 and will last a long time before you have to replace the bulb inside. Bulbs cost as low as $200 and might require a tech. to install. Samsung DLP’s are blindingly bright and won’t overpower the midtones and blacks in your picture quality. The colors are not washed out on this DLP like most models are notorious for. However, the difference in picture quality is minimal when comparing a Plasma to a DLP and if your picky, go with the Plasma, otherwise save your money for that quality sound system.

Surround Sound System

Speaker systems vary in sound quality and power is overrated. You might find a system for a low price and it could have up to 1000Watts of power. If loud isn’t your concern and crisp sound is, then consider going with brands like Onkyo. For $3000 you could get a good receiver and still have enough for speakers. You can find bundle packages from many companies like Bose and Sony that couple their receivers with speakers in one package. But if you want a receiver that is future proof, consider going with this one-

ONKYO AV receiver Model#-TX-NR905

7.1-Channel Home Network Receiver.

This system has loads of features including:

• Massive Toraoidal transformer plus 2 separate transformers for Audio & Video Processing
• Built-in HD radio
• Network capability for audio streaming, and USB compatibility.
• 7 speaker channels.

The best speakers to include with this receiver are also from ONKYO and their model # is SKS-HT750. These speakers are small but pack a good punch.