Get better Audio Soundbar with an HDTV

Affordable HDTV flat screen are everywhere these days, but many models leave an important part of the viewing experience: good sound. The lunettes thin on the bottom or sides of HDTV leave little room for quality speakers correctly (and loud) play the sound from TV shows and video DVD or Blu-ray.

You can set up a complete audio system with a home theater receiver and 5.1 speakers-or better to overcome this problem. But that may be overkill for your situation--or perhaps haven't room or don't want to just all those unsightly cables cluttering up your living room TV.

A nice alternative that has emerged in recent years to tackle this problem alone is soundbar. A soundbar is a single audio unit that incorporates the Center, left and right speakers. Coupled with a subwoofer, soundbars provide the oomph aural missing from flat screen HDTV--in a sleek package, unobtrusive.

These days, you can find soundbars from companies like JVC, Polk, Sony, Vizio, Yamaha and others, at prices ranging from $ 200 to $ 1,000 or more. Here's what you need to know about soundbars and what to look for.

Simple and clean

In a traditional home theater, audio/video receiver acts as a hub to coordinate AV signals and for sound interpretation--encoded as Dolby Digital or DTS--and then send the resulting audio signals to your speakers correct. But most soundbars does not require a separate audio receiver, because they sound processors built in.

Another advantage of soundbars is that they allow you to avoid all necessary cables to connect the speakers to a separate receiver. This may be what drives many people to soundbars--sound better-more-stocks with less clutter than a complete home theater setup. To further reduce clutter, some soundbars include wireless subwoofer, which use the radio frequency band 2.4 Ghz to send signals that produce rumbles teeth-rattling bass. But even if a soundbar means fewer wires, you'll still have to deal with at least two cables: one carrying audio signals from TV soundbar and electricity carrying a soundbar.

Some soundbars, e.g. $ 300 TH-BA 1 of JVC, can use digital signal processing to emulate true 5.1-channel audio ("surround sound"). Directing some sound waves off the walls and floors and adding minor delays and other effects to particular bits of sound, these systems can often create the illusion of having rear speakers-channel--some audio may sound is coming from behind you. Of course, these systems work better in some rooms that other--notes that often are too big or too open, defeating the effect. If you want true surround sound, you need more than a soundbar.

What to look for

When considering a soundbar for your HDTV, you'll want to think about the types of audio connections, you must use. Many soundbars, e.g. $ 300 CT150-Sony HT, offer a built-in HDMI switch so that you can connect multiple sources of HDMI AV--your cable box or satellite, Blu-ray player and game console, for example--and then use a single HDMI cable to connect it to your TV. If you have older components without HDMI, or if you prefer other types of connections, as digital optical audio, you will also want to make sure you have enough appropriate inputs and outputs on the soundbar.

Also consider where they adapt the soundbar. Most people assemble a soundbar just below the HDTV; If you've already mounted TV, be sure to check that you have enough space for the height of the soundbar. In a pinch, you can insert the soundbar above the TV, although that may affect the quality of the audio experience.

Many soundbars include a remote control for adjusting the soundbar audio mode and volume--but not all. Some have controls only soundbar or subwoofer. (Many of these are designed to be set on level best to match your TV, after which you use the TV volume control to adjust the level. "But you still need to use the controls on the soundbar system to change, say, audio mode). If this is the case, you want to place the components so that these controls are accessible.

Soundbars audio solutions are not perfect. Tend to have less dynamic range stand-alone speakers and less energy than a audio/video receiver--if you have a big Hall, a soundbar might not be strong enough. Soundbars also not true surround sound, and they cannot match a decent receiver/speakers for sound quality. But if you have a small room and you want to increase the audio capabilities of your HDTV, a soundbar could be the best solution.

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