• Select the Right Home Theater in a Box Set

• Support Surround Sound Formats

• Make the Right Audio & Video Connections

• Compare Home Theater in a Box Components

• Find Your Home Theater in a Box on eBay

• Buy a Home Theater in a Box (HTiB) With Confidence

Select the Right Home Theater in a Box Set

Select the Right Home Theater in a Box Set

Home Theater in a Box (HTiB) sets take the guesswork out of matching speakers and include instructions for easy setup. Prices vary depending on features and complexity. If you prefer a certain manufacturer, use it as a starting point for your speaker search. You'll find a variety of popular brands on eBay, including Aiwa, Bose, Sony, Kenwood, Pioneer, Panasonic, Harman Kardon, Philips, Samsung, Yamaha, Onkyo, and JVC.

Surround sound recordings contain four or more channels of audio, each reproduced by a separate speaker. A subwoofer makes up the .1, reproducing low-frequency effects and other low-frequency audio. Typical HTiB sets that support 5.1-channel surround sound come with:

• An A/V receiver: An audio/video receiver sits at the center of your home theater entertainment system. It works as a preamplifier, amplifier, and control center, and it decodes surround sound tracks on your DVDs, HDTV, or multichannel audio sources.

• A center-channel speaker: The center-channel speaker reproduces soundtrack information, including dialogue, music, and many sound effects. Place it above or below your television screen, in line with the primary listening position. Sound should project directly toward listeners and create the illusion of coming from the TV screen.

• Left and right front speakers: Floor-standing, bookshelf, or smaller satellite front speakers should be placed on either side of your television. They should be equal distances from the TV, facing the primary listening position at a 30-degree angle. These front speakers create realistic sound effects and music that seem to come from either side of the primary action appearing on your TV screen.

• Left and right satellite surround speakers: Place surround speakers slightly behind and at equal distances to the left and right of the primary listening spot in a room. Surround speakers work with the front speakers to immerse a listener in music and sound effects.

• A powered subwoofer: Making up the .1 in surround sound, subwoofers come in many sizes and reproduce a bass channel or low frequency effects. People usually position the subwoofer out of the way of foot traffic. Some people prefer to place it in a corner for better bass response.

• Color-coded cables: Quickly connect your receiver, speakers, and multimedia devices.

6.1-channel surround sound HTiBs also include a rear surround speaker, and 7.1-channel surround sound HTiBs include two rear surround speakers that both play back the same channel of audio. Some units also include an integrated DVD player, separate amplifier, DVD recorder, or VHS deck.

Home Theater in a Box sets do not include a television. Visit eBay's Televisions Buying Guide for tips and advice that'll help you choose a new TV to complete your home theater.

Support Surround Sound Formats

Support Surround Sound Formats

Your home theater receiver should support all the surround sound and multichannel audio formats you want to hear.

• Dolby Digital: Widely used in DVDs and digital television broadcasts, this 5.1-channel surround sound format includes five channels of audio and a low-frequency effects (LFE) channel dedicated to delivering bass sound effects in the 10 Hertz to 120 Hertz range.

• Dolby Digital EX: Featured on more DVDs each week, this 6.1-channel extended surround format from Dolby includes six channels of audio and a low frequency effects (LFE) channel dedicated to delivering bass sound effects in the 10 Hertz to 120 Hertz range. It can also play back Dolby Digital 5.1 content.

• DTS: 5.1 surround sound format that competes with Dolby Digital. It is an optional format on many DVDs and multichannel audio recordings.

• DTS-ES: Optional 6.1 surround sound format on many DVDs and multichannel audio recordings. It is backward compatible with DTS and competes with Dolby Digital EX.

• DTS Neo:6: Format that creates five or six channels of audio for surround sound setups from matrix stereo recordings. It can also create a 6.1 surround sound experience with a rear channel from 5.1-channel surround sound recordings. It competes with Dolby Pro Logic II.

• Dolby Pro Logic: Many video games can simulate surround sound with an adapter kit, digital audio cable, and decoder.

• Dolby Pro Logic II: Create a 5.1-channel surround sound experience from stereo recordings or four-channel Dolby Surround audio from TV shows and VHS tapes.

• Dolby Pro Logic IIx: Create a 7.1 surround sound experience from your stereo, 5.1-, or 6.1-channel recordings.

• THX-Certified: THX isn't actually an audio format that needs a special decoder, but if you're a movie buff you probably still want THX-certified equipment. It uses proprietary equalization to realistically recreate a THX movie theater experience and meets specific standards for power, frequency response, and acceptable levels of distortion. THX Select-certified equipment can deliver cinematic performance in rooms up to 2,000 square feet and THX Ultra-certified equipment delivers theater-quality performance in rooms up to 3,000 square feet.

• THX Surround EX: Surround sound decoding format that can create a 6.1-channel surround sound experience from any home theater audio source. It natively supports Dolby Digital EX and Dolby Digital and can also be used with DTS-ES, DTS, Dolby Pro Logic, and Dolby Pro Logic II. For best performance you'll want a 6.1-channel surround sound receiver and speakers.

The back packaging of your favorite DVDs, multichannel audio recordings, or video games will list the surround sound formats they support.

DVD-Audio & SACD DVD-Audio and SACD require decoding at the source. You'll need an SACD player to listen to SACDs or a DVD player that supports DVD-Audio to listen to DVD-Audio discs. Both can also contain Dolby Digital and DTS material that your receiver can decode.

Make the Right Audio & Video Connections

Make the Right Audio & Video Connections

Replace the cables that come with your HTiB with high-quality cables that carry audio and video signals more reliably and allow less noise. Your receiver should have inputs and outputs for all the devices you want to hook up, including your DVD player, CD changer, satellite TV receiver, and AM/FM tuner. These hookups determine what type of cable you need to buy.

Speakers & subwoofers

Buy speaker cables to connect your speakers to your receiver and purchase separate subwoofer cable for the best low-frequency sound. To find out how much speaker cable you need, measure the distance between each component that needs a cable connection, taking areas that need extra length (windows, door frames, corners) into consideration. Buy cables on the long side; usually at least two feet more than you think you need.

Old-school audio & video

Line-level inputs support analog audio connections from many devices including your stereo. Use coaxial RF cable to connect your standard TV antennae, VCR, turntable, or tuner. If you want to connect a turntable that does not have a built-in phono preamp, make sure your receiver has a phono input. Although you don't need to run standard video through your A/V receiver, consider a receiver with composite video and S-video inputs, used by many devices, such as camcorders, with video outputs. Four-pin S-video cables will help you connect your device and your receiver. Use composite A/V (RCA) cable to transfer analog audio and video signals from a DVD player or VCR over a single cable connection. If you want to listen to Dolby Pro Logic, you'll also want an RCA connection.

Digital audio

Transfer digital audio from digital music players, progressive-scan DVD players, or HDTVs to your receiver with a coaxial digital cable (75-ohm) or optical digital/fiber optic cable. Match the inputs on your receiver to the outputs on your audio source. Also make sure you have enough inputs to support multiple audio sources if you want to connect more than a few devices.

Digital video

Connect your progressive-scan DVD player or HDTV to your receiver's component video inputs with a component video cable. Component video cables split a video signal from your DVD player, VCR, or HDTV tuner and process the signals separately for improved picture quality. Most cables need to have 12 megahertz or higher bandwidth, but cables used for HDTV require 30 megahertz of bandwidth or more.

Some receivers also offer higher-quality DVI inputs or HDMI outputs. A DVI connection allows you to transfer digital video from your HDTV tuner, HDTV-ready TV, or DVI-compatible DVD player. Most home electronics use DVI-D cable. HDMI transfers up to eight channels of audio to your 7.1-channel surround sound system along a single cable. Many HDTV tuners and HDTV-ready TVs support HDMI connections, which are backward-compatible with DVI.

Compare Home Theater in a Box Components

Compare Home Theater in a Box Components

Home Theater in a Box item listings include technical information about the speakers and receiver in a set. Understand how to compare basic specifications when you shop.

Speaker woofers & tweeters

Versatile monopole speakers come standard in the majority of Home Theater in a Box systems. They can fit in with budget-to-high-end setups and make a great choice for fans of multichannel audio formats. They can have a single driver or multiple drivers (woofers and tweeters). Expect price to increase and performance to improve with more drivers.

• Full-range speakers: Less expensive speakers that feed an entire audio signal into an unspecialized driver.

• One-way speakers: Entry-level speakers with a woofer.

• Two-way speakers: Speakers with a woofer and tweeter. They typically outperform one-way speakers.

• Three-way speakers: Speakers with a woofer, tweeter, and midrange. They typically sound better than two-way speakers. Speakers with multiple woofers or midranges are also considered three-way.

Look at woofer size when comparing floor-standing and bookshelf speakers. Five-inch woofers can produce some bass while 8-inch and larger woofers give you a good amount of bass response. Size also plays a role in choosing a subwoofer. Subwoofers with a larger cabinet and driver produce deeper bass than smaller units. Most subwoofers include their own power amplifier. However, you may see passive subwoofers that require amplification from your receiver in budget home theater sets.

Speaker connections

Look for speakers with binding posts instead of the spring clips found on lower-end speakers.

Speaker sensitivity

More efficient speakers require less power to reach a specific volume. For example, in order to produce sound at a specific volume, a speaker with a sensitivity rating 3 decibels greater than another requires half the power. Sensitivity above 90 decibels is good, sensitivity between 88 decibels and 90 decibels is average, and sensitivity below 85 decibels can push your amp.

Speaker frequency response

Manufacturers list the high- and low-frequency limits of a speaker as a range, usually indicating that it won't deviate more than a few decibels from perfect, flat response. For example, 30 Hertz to 20 kilohertz, +/-3 decibels. A low-frequency limit below 30 Hertz offers intense bass sound, perfect for sci-fi and action movies, but 40 Hertz will work fine for most people. The low range should be no greater than 50 Hertz. (The average range of human hearing is 20 Hertz to 20 kilohertz [20,000 Hertz].) The more a speaker deviates from flat response, the less accurate its sound reproduction.

Speaker power handling

Different manufacturers use different power-handling specifications. Only compare power-handling ratings when looking at HTiBs from the same manufacturer to find out if one set of speakers can handle more power than another.

• Peak power: Indicates how much power a speaker can handle in short bursts.

• RMS capacity: Indicates how much constant power a speaker can handle over a long period of time.

• Minimum recommended power: Indicates the minimum amount of power needed to efficiently drive a speaker.

Receiver/amp power

A surround sound receiver or designated amplifier drives your speakers and should offer at least 100 watts of power per channel, equally distributed throughout a system. For example, 100 watts x 6 for a 6.1-channel surround sound system. When it comes time to compare receivers with similar wattage ratings, don't make power a deciding factor. In order to increase sound 3 decibels, you need to double wattage, for example, from 50 watts to 100 watts. However, in order to double how loud audio sounds, you need a 10 decibel increase. In other words, you won't hear much difference between a 100-watt amp and a 120-watt amp.

Amplifier signal purity

A seller might list a receiver or amplifier's total harmonic distortion (THD) rating, a measurement of signal purity. Lower numbers are better.

Find Your Home Theater in a Box on eBay

Find Your Home Theater in a Box on eBay

Now that you know what you need, go to eBay's Consumer Electronics portal and click Home Theater in a Box to start shopping.

• Product Finder: Located on the left side of each listings page, the Home Theater in a Box Finder has a set of drop-down menus that will help you narrow down item listings by brand, number of audio channels, condition, and whether or not a HTiB includes a DVD player.

• Categories: Located beneath Finders, links in the Categories list help you narrow down item listings by brand.

• Keywords: Let eBay find items for you by entering the keywords you want to find into the Product Finder's Keywords search box or into eBay's general Search box. Visit eBay's Search Tips page to get more information about searching with keywords.

• Let sellers help: Listings should include a detailed description and clear picture. If you want to know about information not included in a listing, email the seller your question by clicking Ask seller a question under the seller's profile.

If you can't find exactly what you want, try shopping eBay Stores, tell the eBay Community what you want by creating a post on Want It Now, or save a search on My eBay and eBay will email you when a match becomes available.

Buy a Home Theater in a Box (HTiB) With Confidence

Buy a Home Theater in a Box (HTiB) With Confidence

Before making your purchase, make sure you know exactly what you're buying, research your seller, and understand how eBay and PayPal protect you.

Know your purchase

Carefully read the details in item listings.

• Figure delivery costs into your final price. If you spend a lot of money, make sure the seller will insure the item when it ships.

• If you want more information, ask by clicking the "Ask seller a question" link under the seller's profile.

• Always make sure to complete your transaction on eBay (with a bid, Buy It Now, or Best Offer). Transactions conducted outside of eBay are not covered by eBay protection programs.

• Never pay for your eBay item using instant cash wire transfer services through Western Union or MoneyGram. These payment methods are unsafe when paying someone you do not know.

Know your seller

Research your seller so you feel positive and secure about every transaction.

• What is the seller's Feedback rating? How many transactions have they completed? What percentage of positive responses do they have?

• What do buyers say in their Feedback? Did the seller receive praise?

• Most top eBay sellers operate like retail stores and have return policies. Do they offer a money-back guarantee? What are the terms and conditions?

Buyer protection

In the unlikely event that a problem arises during your transaction, eBay and PayPal are there for you.

• Pay safely with PayPal: PayPal enables you to pay without the seller ever seeing your bank account or credit card numbers. In fact, PayPal protects buyers 100% against unauthorized payments from their accounts. Plus, with PayPal Buyer Protection, your purchase can be covered up to $1,000.

• eBay Security & Resolution Center: Visit the Security & Resolution Center to learn how to protect your account and use eBay's quick and efficient resolution tools.