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Best Home Theater Books

Reviews and Suggestions

Books are your only way to research information in a time efficient manner. Grab a good home theater book as your reference guide and you are on the fast track to a thorough understanding of home theater.

Books can help you grasp a structured insight in a way no web-site or magazine can do.

In particular, knowledge gained through home theater books gives you the potential to evaluate magazine reviews, and challenge the sales talk by a company-rep in your favorite store.

Above all, this type of knowledge helps you build the necessary level of confidence in your decisions.

To assist you in your selection, we are presenting our reviews and recommendations on some of the best home theater books presently available from major bookshops and on-line stores.

Home Theater Books - Review Index: 

All Home Theater Books featured here are available from Amazon.com at reduced prices, both through our on-line Store (under the Books section of the store), and also direct through the amazon links provided below. 

Home Theater for Dummies - 2nd Edition By: Danny Briere & Pat Hurley Published on: July 2006 Paperback: 384 pages Well researched. Great for anyone interested in home theater. A good overall primer for newbie's. But it's more than just a primer.

It all started when a friend of ours asked if we can recommend a 'good home theater book' that covers home theater basics in plain English. 

What he wanted was to get enough insight into the subject to be able to choose the right equipment, put it all together, and set up his home theater. It was then that we came across an interesting book with a rather misleading title...

This is a great home theater book that can serve as a quick reference guide to anyone interested in home entertainment - in particular, to those who did not keep up to date with the latest developments.

It covers the subject in simple plain English - possibly this is the reason why it is named '   ...for Dummies'.  In this respect, this is somewhat misleading. Why?

Home Theater For Dummies takes a detailed comprehensive approach to the subject - clearly explaining the latest developments in home theater systems.

It starts with budget issues and then goes on to defining home theater basics. It covers important topics like choosing a room, organizing your gear, explaining audio systems, choosing the video display, home theater cables, home theater PCs, remotes, and speaker placement.

It also discuss issues related to hooking up of A/V systems, and home theater room design issues such as light and sound proofing,  etc.

Overall, Home Theater for Dummies is a very good general reference book especially for the new comer. Highly recommended.

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The two home theater books that follow are better defined as generic home theater guides. Mind you, they are written in plain English and can easily serve as a primer to the novice. But they can get somewhat technical. These are not the type of book you read cover to cover at one go, but surely, they will prove a useful complement to any home theater library.

Home Theater For Everyone: A Practical Guide to Today's Home Entertainment Systems By: Robert Harley Published on: June 2002 Paperback: 272 pages Contains some detailed information, is fairly technical, and well written with an easy to follow approach; a good reference guide.

Home Theater For Everyone takes a practical approach with loads of information about Audio and Video systems - possibly with a bit too much emphasis on Home THX. 

It starts with a detailed explanation of source components such as DVD, HDTV set-top boxes, etc, and then continues with AV systems, video displays, speaker selection, etc.

AV receivers, controllers, and power amplifiers are dealt with in substantial depth. A good effort has been invested to help the reader understand what to look for when it comes to home theater equipment selection, including budget issues and magazine reviews evaluation.

Other topics include home theater accessories, racks, equipment placement, cables, hook-up tips and equipment set-up and protection.

Home Theater for Everyone is in need for an update now in that it misses out on a few of the latest technical developments. Furthermore, it does not tackle the issue of home theater room design with all that it entails, like room acoustics, lighting, room size, viewing distance, home theater seating, etc.

Other than this, 'Home Theater For Everyone' is a good practical guide with loads of useful information especially on A/V systems.

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Practical Home Theater: A Guide to Video and Audio Systems (2007 Edition) By: Mark Fleischmann Published on: October 2006 Paperback: 284 pages A well written book that will answer most of your home theater questions...

This home theater book is very similar in content to 'Home Theater for Everyone'.  It discusses practically the same list of topics - HDTV, digital television and satellite receivers, surround systems, DVD players, digital video recorders, accessories including power line conditioning equipment, equipment installation, connection guide, etc. 

An interesting section worth looking into is the one dealing with problem solving.

And like 'Home Theater for Everyone', Practical Home Theater is not the type of book that would help you in your home theater room design issues. But then this home theater book will surely answer most of your audio and video questions.

Being one of the most recent publications, Practical Home Theater also covers some of the latest AV developments. Thanks to its clear presentation of the topics under discussion, it will help you find your way in the complex world of today's audio and video technologies.

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The next home theater book review deals again with one of those books that are primarily intended for the novice. Actually, we got hold of this one at the time when we were reviewing 'Home Theater For Dummies'; it also comes with a somewhat similar descriptive title.  

Complete Idiot's Guide to Home Theater Systems By: Michael Miller Published on: June 2000 Paperback: 304 pages A well written and well presented home theater guide that will answer most of your questions but...

A well written guide that will help the novice in home theater get a better understanding of everything from audio and video systems to room design. It also includes an interesting discussion on budget issues.

In this respect, there is nothing to complain about except that you will not find anything in this book that is not well covered in 'Home Theater for Dummies'. What's more, ...for Dummies appears better researched and is surely more up-to-date. It is for these reasons that we can't really recommend 'Complete Idiot's Guide to HT Systems'.

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Generic guides can do a great job in helping the reader get a better overall understanding of home theater. Yet, when it comes to specialized issues, their role has to stop at just triggering the reader's awareness - they simply cannot deliver the necessary detail and the only way forward is a book that deals specifically with the subject.

The two specialized home theater books that follow in this short review are surely among the best within their sphere of discussion.

Home Theater Design (New Ed.): Planning and Decorating Media-Savvy Interiors By: Krissy Rushing Published on: September 2006 Hardcover: 144 pages A great resource to anyone interested in creating a beautiful and comfortable home theater that is just right for YOU.

This home theater book is written by an authority in the field of home entertainment interiors design. 

It guides the reader through the necessary steps to create the home theater of her or his dreams - within the limitations of available space and budget - while taking advantage of emerging technologies in the rapidly changing world of home theater.

It starts with an insider's approach to home entertainment. Step-by-step, it examines current technology, space planning, acoustics, functionality, lifestyle, and overall aesthetics. The goal is to help you plan and design an entertainment system that's right for you. 

In the process, it addresses the important issue of available space - from small urban apartments to spacious, multipurpose living areas, to full-blown dedicated theater spaces. Highly recommended.

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This is the pocket guide that you will surely refer to it again and again. It covers the subject in exceptional detail, with illustrations that clarify the methods, procedures, and tools required for the job.

It starts with the very basics - through an in-depth discussion on cable anatomy. It then goes on to discuss the different types of audio and video cables  - both analog and digital - pointing out important wire specifications. It is designed to help the reader get a better understanding of which type of cables are most appropriate for the different applications.

A whole section is also devoted to project planning and handling.

More than a home theater book, this is a wiring guide, but it will surely find its way in the home theater. Though very technical in nature, the author has done a great job in rendering complex topics interesting and readable. 

A must have book for anyone interested in A/V cable installation and entertainment systems hook-up. 

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The Practical-Home-Theater-Guide.com  Choice:

We would not tell you - do not be tempted to pick a never-ending list of home theater books - as instead is the case with home theater magazines. But investing in a couple of well written and up-to-date books is surely worth considering. In this respect, the selection listed below represents a good starting point.

In order of preference...  

Practical Home Theater: A Guide to Video and Audio Systems (2007 Edition)

Home Theater Design - Planning and Decorating Media-Savvy Interiors

Audio/Video cable Installer's - A Pocket Guide

Home Theater for Dummies is also worth considering especially for the new comer to the world of home entertainment.

Complement the above selection of home theater books with a good magazine and you are on your way to home theater success.

For our reviews and recommendations on some of the best home theater magazines, check our Home Theater Magazines review page.

A complete line of books on audio/video topics is available at our on-line store.

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