Is a dvd home theatre system the same as a proper home theatre system?

Question

do they give the same sound output or is one better than the other?

Answer 1

for the most part HTIB are for people who don't have a lot of room for a full system. i have a sony dream system that i've had for years and have never had a problem with it. it's now in the bedroom and trust me it's plenty loud and gives good sound. for price (400-600) you'll get something pretty good that will last. unless you're an audiophile, you won't notice a difference in the output from a full system and a HTIB.

a full system is always best, but if you're on a budget and want simplicity, HITBs can be real nice....

Answer 2

The cheap $300 'systems' do work, and you dont really need audiophile quality speakers for movies.

But they tend to not sound as good with music, the systems are not expandable (dont try to hook up a HD cable box to get 5.1 sound for TV watching), cannot accept out-board BluRay/PS3 connections.  And if 1 part break - the entire system is trash.

Look for a HTIB system that has pieces that could be sold separately.  This includes:

- Big, boxy receiver with lots of extra connections on the back

- Self-powered subwoofer with RCA jack for the input

- Separate DVD player

- 5 monitor, style speakers.

These systems run a bit more ($500-$800) but will last longer and you can upgrade pieces later as interest/money permit.

Stick with name brands like Yamaha, Dennon, Kenwood and even Onkyo.  Ignore high-tech looking systems from Sony, Phillips, Samsung.

Answer 3

It depends.  You get what you pay for, and there are certain laws of physics that cannot be broken.  A small subwoofer, for example, simply cannot produce bass as low and as efficiently as a larger one.

Go with a separate receiver and DVD player.  DVD players seem to burn out about as frequently as light bulbs, plus there are always new features (progressive scan, DivX, HDMI, and now BluRay).  If you have a limited budget, try using a couple of sets of ordinary stereo speakers (from a yard sale, thrift store) for the fronts and rears.  If the front speakers are a decent size (floor standing, and not "white van" quality), you won't even need a subwoofer.  Center channels aren't essential either, unless you have a huge projection screen with the speakers set very far apart.  The receiver will have a setup menu where you can select whether you have a center channel and subwoofer.  If you select "no", all the subwoofer and center channel sound will be directed to the L and R speakers, so nothing is lost.

Answer 4

A DVD home theatre simply has the DVD built into the tuner.  In the past a Home Theater had all the components separate.  The amplifier (tuner) was the heart of this system where you connected your DVD, VCR, Tape deck, and TV.

Answer 5

"Home Theatre System" is a very flexible term. Almost anything that provides a picture and surround sound is a home theatre system. That said, the quality of the picture and audio varies considerably.

In general "Home Theatre in a Box" (HTIB) all-in-one systems (DVD/amp.surround speakers) --- which actually are not complete HT systems since they do not include a display device (TV. HDTV/projector) -- are aimed at a lower price point, and therefore lower performance level, than most stand alone systems. There is overlap since some stand alones are not as good as some HTIBs ... but in general you can expect better performance and better quality from separates (along with a higher price).

Answer 6

In short: quality is the same but I prefer to get my components separately so that if I decide I want to switch my DVD player I don't have to throw out my sound system or vice versa.

Just get an HTIB. Check the one below on sale at CC.

My setup is a PS3, Sony HT-DDW670 HTIB (which is an older version of the one below on sale at CC), & a Sony KDS-60A3000 60" SXRD HDTV. Its better than a theater.