Home Theater in a Box (HTIB)
home theater in a box (HTIB) system is a complete, integrated home theater system that can fit into a single shipping carton (hence the "in a box" designation). home theater in a box systems typically include a multichannel home entertainment speakers system (usually five small satellites and a subwoofer) and the necessary playback electronics (tuner and amplifiers, and a Dolby Digital processor). Some also include a DVD player or recorder/player or a VCR/DVD combination player. Most home-theater in-a-box systems deliver between 50 to 100 watts of power to each of the main speakers. Prices begin around $199 and extend beyond $2,500.
The subwoofers in home-theater in-a-box systems are matched to the other speaker components and can usually handle quite a bit of power. HTIB systems frequently offer a good price/performance ratio. Setup simplicity is another advantage. They're often a good choice if you have space or budget considerations. Most feature Dolby Digital and Dolby Pro Logic technology and many step-up models offer the newer Dolby Digital and Dolby Pro Logic II combination.
If you're looking for even better sound, have a larger room, or want to choose among components from different manufacturers, consider a system based around an audio/video receiver . This will allow you to select from a wide range of outstanding speakers of all sizes and power handling capabilities. For added flexibility and expansion options, you might also think about a preamp/processor unit and separate multichannel amplifier instead of the single receiver.
