We all know how movie theater magic comes to life. The gorgeous, vivid images on the screenpair up with impressive, enveloping audio. Fromthe background noise of crickets chirping, to therealistic crackle and boom of a thunderstorm, tothe sight of a massive spaceship rumbling intoview, lifelike images and sounds draw you intothe action onscreen and hold you there! Now, home theater lets you thrill to the same experience — in the comfort of your own livingroom. With 5.1-channel Dolby ® Digital , you enjoy stunning, three-dimensional sound,complete with the detailed special effects andimaging that you find in a theater. When that tor-nado tears across the screen, you’ll feel like it’spassing through the room, too — the winds willhowl right past you, and far behind your rightshoulder, you’ll hear the “crash!” of a tractor hit-ting a barn. And video sources like DVD, withcrisp, colorful detail and fluid motion, bring amovie to life visually — you’ll be amazed!

Home theater is now so popular that it’s botheasy and inexpensive to achieve. Whether youwant to build an entire home theater system fromscratch or add to your existing components, theoptions are plentiful. This guide is designed toanswer your questions about home theater andgive you an idea of what is involved. We alsohope that you’ll be able to identify what you,personally, need for great home theater. Somehelpful things to think about are: 1) Which technologies appeal to you the most? (Remember, home theater doesn’t mean having every component on the market! You can pick and choose.) 2) What components do you already own? (Some may be ready for home theater now.You can always mix and match.) 3) Are you thinking of replacing any older gear? (If so, it may be time to upgrade.) Before we get into DVD players, home theater receivers, and other A/V gear, let’s take a look at Dolby Digital, and the concepts andtechnology behind surround sound.