The Combo TV: Not Always Best For Home Theaters

Formulating the ideal home theater is a big undertaking. To create a room that's perfect for movie watching and also is relaxing and inviting takes some planning, clear ideas and, of course, a good budget.

Naturally the electronic components are a big deal. A good home theater includes a television, a DVD player, a VCR, a cable system, a sound system and a receiver to make them all work together well. This can be very costly, however, especially if major top of the line items are desired. A home theater on average can cost between $1,500 to more than $50,000 to put together and that's just the electronic components.

But what about combination systems that turn multiple purchases into a single one?

The answer is they are both good and bad. Very well made TV/DVD/VCR combinations can serve a home theater well, but there are drawbacks. On the upside, the cost makes them a lot easier on the wallet than a jumbo projection TV or a wall-mounted plasma. Plus, you don't have to buy an extra DVD or VCR.

Let's take a look at the pros and cons of such a purpose for a home theater:

Pros:

• Requires only a single buy for up to three major components for a home theater.
• The cost makes them more affordable for many.
• They can come in flat screen and even offer HDTV capabilities, which are good for home theaters.
• The combination ensures that there are no glitches in getting the television, DVD or VCR to work together and work together well.
• The sizes generally go up to more than 30 inches, which falls in above the bare minimum for a good home theater.
• They work well in constrained spaces, making better use of space than three separate and larger components would.

Cons:

• They're not always as versatile as a separate television unit when it comes to size and shape. In the case of those who really want a big television that's formatted for wide screen viewing, they generally won't do.
• If one part breaks, the whole system goes down for repairs or must be replaced.
• The bells and whistles of many of the more advanced systems with separate components may be missing.

The versatility of buying different components as standalones is lost in a combo, but the choice is really up to the buyer. These systems can be great for those on a budget, but folks with larger wallets will still generally prefer the freedom of purchasing the separate components.

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