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Home Theater Deal Of The Week - #1

Tuesday, May 22nd, 2007

I recently posted about a great audio system for your home theater from Onkyo that was under $500. If you didn’t take advantage of the great price then, you may want to give the Onkyo HT-SR600S another look.

Through June 30, 2007, you can now own this extremely well-reviewed 5.1-channel receiver/speaker package for $279.
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How To Turn Your NES Into A DVD Player

Wednesday, May 16th, 2007

Looking for new uses for your Nintendo Entertainment System? This guy actually turned his into a working DVD player. It even has a functioning remote control!

I’m not to keen on the black duct tape, but if he got his design worked out a little better, I’d suggest getting together with the Nintendo guys to see if some sort of deal couldn’t be struck.

I know plenty of people that think retro design is far superior than neo design and I wouldn’t be surprised if the Nintendo brand couldn’t sell Trim Spa right now.

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Of Wine And Movies

Thursday, May 3rd, 2007

If you are like me, one of the most enjoyable aspects of having a home theater is being able to enjoy a nice glass of wine with your movie instead of $6.00 tub of soda. I often have friends over to share a bottle when watching a new release as it seems to tie the whole experience together. While browsing for new home theater furniture, I recently came across this movie reel wine rack that I quickly added to my wish list.

winelarge.jpgA wonderful solution for displaying up to six bottles of your favorite wine in your home theater, this 16″ rack is a perfect gift for the wine loving home theatrician. Made of heavy gauge laser-cut metal and finished with a top quality black-epoxy paint, it will add yet another dash of ambiance to your theater and keep you in front of the action and out of the kitchen.

I discovered it at this website, where it was going for $245. After about fifteen minutes of searching other vendors, I was unable to find it anywhere else so I guess that’s the best price. If anyone can find a better one, I’d love to hear about it.

For bringing wine to the the home theater with class, this rack gets earns one green envy button.
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How To Get A Home Theater System And A DVD Player For $70

Thursday, April 26th, 2007

While this post may not be worth much a few weeks from now, I thought I’d send along this great deal to and Talking Home Theater readers that may be looking for a first time home theater system solution. For those interested, Circuit City has quite a deal for you.

The Nexxtech Home Theater System comes complete with 5.1-channel digital surround sound speakers, a progressive scan DVD player with multi-format playback, AM/FM tuner with antenna and even free shipping.

nexxtech.JPGSimilar to high-end systems, the Nexxtech package includes one center, two front and two surround speakers, plus a subwoofer. The DVD player offers sharp, incredibly clear video that will take your movie viewing to a whole new level when coupled with your high-def television, and can play DVDs, CDs, CD-R/RWs, MP3s, and more.

Most surprisingly is the system’s compatibility, which can handle component video, composite video, S-video and coaxial digital audio output connections, similar to systems costing ten times as much. The package also includes a full-function remote control and a composite A/V cable, making it pretty much ready to use right out of the box.

For all this, Circuit City is charging a whopping $69.99 and throwing in free delivery to sweeten the deal even further.

If ever you were looking for an excuse to test drive a new home theater system, this is it. For including all the perks of high-end models and making it affordable enough for even the tightest miser to check out, this system gets one green envy button.
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The Value Priced Home Theater System

Wednesday, April 25th, 2007

Onkyo, the Japanese word for ‘audio’, has just released two high-value 5.1-channel home theater systems that deliver premium surround sound performance in value-priced packages. While easy to set up and operate, these all-in-one systems combine high-quality, two-way satellite speakers, a powerful subwoofer and a multi-channel A/V receiver with surround sound processing that the most seasoned home theater professional can be proud of.

The HT-SR600 package can handle a plethora of connectivity options for just about any use. For starters, the A/V receiver features three component video inputs and one output that are capable of up to 1080i/720p high definition with no degradation of picture quality. In addition, there are also three A/V inputs and two outputs that can handle component and S-Video connections, as well as three optical and one coaxial digital audio input which are compatible with the latest HD-DVD and Blu-Ray sources.

onkyo_1.jpgThe package comes with five well designed satellite speakers, complimented by the deep bass-reducing subwoofer. The front and horizontal center channel speakers all include a pair of 3-1/4 inch cone woofers and a high-quality 3/4 inch ceramic tweeter, providing exceptionally balanced sound. The pair of surround speakers are identical, but only utilize a single woofer.

For optimal use, a full-function interactive remote control is also included, and is loaded with 8 preset crossover settings and 30 available tuner presets. The system is also iPod (and other mp3 player) compatible in both audio and video.

The system is available from Onkyo and other home theater outlets and comes in your choice of black or silver finishing. Best of all, this great package weighs in at a measly $349, with a slightly upgraded package available for $499.

For its versatility with component integration combined with sound quality at a fantastic price, this home theater system raises my envy meter to one.
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TV Or Not TV? That Is The Question. The Apple Answer

Sunday, April 8th, 2007

The impossible occurred during a recent trip to the neighborhood Apple Store. Having given up on television programming some years ago, I figured there was no turning back. As a work from home father of three, tuning in to my favorite shows when they air is difficult at best. Tivo and DVR gave a brief respite and are nice products for serious television watchers, but neither wielded the complete power over media and programming I needed and I don’t watch enough to justify the recurring fees. Enter the Houdini of home entertainment, Apple TV.

Within moments of the clerk’s demo, I was in awe much like the first time using a remote control. What the iPod did for music, Apple TV is going to do for your television set. Combining futuristic form and flawless function, Apple TV allows the user to download ANY movie, television show, song or podcast available on iTunes and watch it on their wide screen television when they want.
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With the click of a button, you can change from the latest episode of Prison Break to The Great Easter Egg Hunt, then seemlessly change over to your collection of Tony Bennett duets. You can even show friends and family a slide show of your collection of the most embarrassing photos of your kids. In fact, the only restrictions are your imagination and the need to watch on a high-definition wide screen television (which, sadly for now, will keep me from being able to enjoy Apple TV in my own home).

Watching television will never be the same. The ability to choose what you watch, when you watch and how many times you can watch it in addition to having your personal music and photo libraries is the Holy Grail for home entertainment enthusiasts. While there are a few products on the market with similar capabilities, I have yet to see one match Apple TV in style, combined features and price. Having your computer’s media library available on your television is a dream come true for a media miser like myself, and just may be enough to push me into the high-definition wide screen television market. Head to your local Apple retail store for further investigation. I’m sure you will be impressed.

For being cool enough to make me want to buy a new big screen television, but not cool enough to actually do so, Apple TV gets one green envy button.
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About Home Theaters

With the new and intermediate home theatrician in mind, Talking Home Theaters takes you on a tour of what's hot, what's affordable and what's not. If you've ever been envious of the endless home entertainment options available or are looking to build your first home theater without eliminating your children's education funds, you've come to the right place. We focus on scouring the internet for excellent entry-level ideas, incredible deals for newbies and home theater tips and tricks, so you don't have to.

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