DIY: How to buy a home theater system--are kits or components right for you?

	Home-theatre-in-a-box Is an all-in-one, single-brand system the best solution for you?
	Separate components Do you want the freedom to pick and choose individual components?
	More resources Our features and DIY guides on home theater systems.

Home theater systems can be a lot of fun but they can also be quite complex things and most cost a reasonable amount of money, so it's in your best interest to buy the right product from the start.

Getting the purchase right involves thinking about a few important issues, though.

Firstly, you must think about the room you want to place the system into. This is because its size, shape and construction all influence how well the system is going to work--if at all. The other thing you must think about is what level of performance you want. Some folks will be happy as long as they can make out the dialog on their favourite DVDs, while others will want better than commercial cinema performance.

Today the marketplace is in two broad camps: Home-theater-in-a-box (HTIB) and separate components. Let's take a look at how to buy either type of system and clarify the strengths and weakness of each.

Whether you end up with an HTIB or components, you must think about your own situation and needs and listen to a variety of systems before spending your hard-earned cash. Like anything else, the more homework you do the less likely you are going to end up with an inappropriate product.