Periods of economic decline are always times of contradictions. Take the great depression of the 1930s in the U.S. While the unemployment rate reached as high as 25% nationwide, about 75% of people were still gainfully employed, many business still enjoyed success, and many entrepreneurs started businesses. In addition, Baseball and Moviegoing reached their heights of attendance and popularity, and Radio listening was an important family activity.
What does all this have to do with Home Theater? In our current economic decline, many of you are seeing the values of your homes decrease, family and friends being laid off, and monthly financial resources dwindling. As a result of these factors, investing in a home theater setup may actually be a cost effective answer to one important part of family life: entertainment.
Cost Impact of Going Out For Entertainment
Think about it: If you have a family of four, going to a sporting event or a movie is becoming increasingly expensive. By the time you add up tickets, popcorn, and drinks, another snacks, it can easily cost upwards of $100 or more to go out and watch your team or see the latest blockbuster.
With a home theater setup at home, your entire family can enjoy the latest sport events and recent blockbuster movies for a lot less money. If you are starting completely from scratch, an initial investment of $2,000 or less Home Theater Receiver, Speakers (or a home theater-in-a-box system), and an annual subscription to your local cable or satellite TV provider for about $800, you can enjoy a treasure trove of entertainment at home.
Of course, if you have one, or more, of these items already (such as an HDTV or a Cable/Satellite subscription), your cost to simply upgrade and expand your current home entertainment options might be much less.
For the price of one family day out at a Major League Baseball or NFL Football game, you can subscribe to almost unlimited access to hundreds of sporting events in full HD for a month or more. In addition, if you don't mind waiting a few more months before seeing that blockbuster movie, for about the price of two movie tickets, a large popcorn, and a soft drink at your local movie theater for one person, you can purchase the super-deluxe, limited edition, widescreen version of that new movie on DVD or even Blu-ray Disc and provide the entire family with a fun night "at the movies" - and you get to keep the movie!
Money Saving Home Theater Tips
How can you take advantage of Home Theater as a money saving experience for your family in declining economic times? Here are some useful tips:
1. Take stock of what you already have. If you have purchased an HDTV within the last few years, you have a great foundation.
2. It seems that everyone wants a really large TV. However, you can save some cash and still get a decent size TV, if not the biggest one on the block.
Instead of going for that 46 or 50-inch LCD or Plasma TV, a 42, 40, or even a 37-inch size flat panel TV might still provide a good viewing experience in most average size living room, especially if your viewing position is only 6 to 8 feet from the screen.
3. If you have an Upscaling DVD player, then you have something that can take some advantage of your HDTV's capabilities. Of course, if you have a Blu-ray Disc player, that is even better.
However, if you don't have a Blu-ray Disc player, and money is tight, then put it off for now, and pay about half the price for an upscaling DVD player. Keep in mind that DVD movies are lot less expensive that their Blu-ray Disc counterparts, which are usually priced at least 5 to 10 dollars more per movie.
4. If you have some sort of audio system, even a stereo-only system, while not providing the "ultimate" home theater experience, does provide a much better audio experience than just listening to the limited capabilities of your Television's built-in speakers.
However, if you do have a surround sound audio system, even if it does not have all the latest features, then so much the better. If you plan to purchase a new system, check out an affordable Home Theater-in-a-Box as one possible option. But listen before you buy.
5. You "gotta" have some decent speakers. However, they don't have to be expensive. The key here, when shopping for loudspeakers, is to listen before you buy, especially if you are buying used loudspeakers. Also, if you already have a good set of loudspeakers, don't toss them out. If they sound good in your current setup, they may still be fine for a home theater setup as well. If you like the way they sound, stick with them until you can afford to upgrade.
Now, if you don't have all these components, don't worry, you can fit one or more in your budget. To get started, you need to know How To Shop for home theater components. Remember, you can assemble a Home Theater the Easy and Inexpensive Way and still provide you and your family hours of economical, but rewarding, home entertainment experience.
For listings of affordable components to outfit a basic home theater for your family, check out the following:
LCD TVs: 32 and 37-inches in size
Home Theater Receivers - $399 or Less
Digital Sound Projectors, 3-in-1 Speaker Systems, and Surround Bars
Home Theater Products Priced at $199 or Less.
Keep Your Options Open
There are several, affordable options, that can provide great home entertainment value, even in slow economic times. Home Theater doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg, especially if you discover that you already have some equipment suited for the task.
Taking a budget-minded, lean approach, to home theater may not result in the biggest screen or beefiest sound system on the block, but might save you some needed cash, while still enjoying great entertainment in tougher economic times.
For additional tips, also check out How to Build a Stereo System on a Tight Budget by Gary Altunian, About.com Guide for Stereos.
