You can build a nice home theater system if you have a clear idea of what to purchase and what to look for. Essentially, a home theater system has a television set, DVD player, and stereo surround system. All three play important roles to make the system flawless, but the television is perhaps the most important component you have to purchase.

While buying the television, you should look for these features: resolution, surround sound capability, and video component. The more resolution, the better the picture quality.

In order to amplify sound and audio depth, surround sound uses multiple channels and speakers. Of the various surround sounds, Dolby Surround, Matrix Surround, Dolby ProLogic, and Dolby Digital 5.1 are acceptable.

The quality of picture depends on the resolution. Thats why a large-screen TV may not have the picture quality of a small-screen TV with higher resolution. A screen between 35 and 50 inches will be good enough if you want to enjoy your favorite movie in your living room. High-definition televisions, or HDTVs, receive digital signals and are therefore essential for picture and sound clarity. Most televisions come with video components like Composite Video and S-Video inputs, and that should suffice for you.

The DVD player you are going to buy should have a six-channel decoder, video outputs, and additional disc formats. You will require a six-channel decoder as well as five surround speakers (center, two front, and two back) for surround sound.

Your sound system will comprise two components: the receiver/amplifier and the speaker system. Your new receiver should have the following features: Dolby Digital ready, subwoofer power, Digital-ready 5.1 inputs, subwoofer output, and audio inputs.

Good speakers are crucial for getting the best audio experience from your sound system.

If different speakers are of different brands, the overall sound quality will suffer. So go for five identical speakers, as they will work better for your home theater.