The idea of the home theatre system is becoming increasingly popular for many consumers. Rather than spend upwards of $20 for movie tickets and concessions, people are just renting a DVD and spending the night in. Thanks to advances in entertainment, including both high definition TV and digital surround sound, the home theatre experience is more compelling than ever.
The goal of digital surround sound is totally immerse the listener in sound. With a standard television or stereo setup, a person is essentially only getting sound from the front, even though there are speakers more toward the left or more toward the right. With surround sound, there are speakers that are actually located to the left and to the right of the listener, as well as a speaker behind them.
Beyond merely surrounding the user with sound from different directions, a digital surround sound system also enhances and deepens the quality of the sound. These techniques have been used in movie theatres for many years, but are now increasingly found in private homes. The newest gaming consoles feature support for this technology, including Sony’s Playstation 3 and Microsoft’s Xbox 360.
In order to connect your Playstation 3 to your surround sound system, you may need an optical audio cable. However, if you have a newer receiver, an HDMI cable may be enough. HDMI sends both audio and visual information to your system, so if your receiver is HDMI ready, you should be good to go. For the Xbox 360, your HDMI cable should include an adaptor that allows you connect it to your stereo receiver.
Both systems are fully capable of Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 surround sound. While not every game in these systems’ libraries supports surround sound, many do. In addition, many DVD movies that can be played on these consoles, as well as most of the Blu-Ray movies that can be played on the PS3, support digital surround sound.
Thanks to these powerful systems, there’s really little reason for a gamer to invest in a separate HD-DVD player or Blu-Ray player. While the Xbox 360 doesn’t include an HD-DVD player, there is a comparably inexpensive add-that can be purchases to allow HD-DVD playing. Even if a person has an awesome audio system without a high definition TV, both gaming consoles will play DVDs with full surround sound capabilities. Even some musicians have been utilizing surround sound to fully immerse their listeners in music. Either console is a great option for gamers who are also interested in high quality, cutting edge audio.
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