Tips For Purchasing A Home Theater Receiver

27 January 2020
 Categories: , Blog

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Are you in the process of building your own home theater? You'll need to select several pieces of equipment to make it all come together. While many people are focused on their television, the audio system can be just as important as the visual system. Here are some things to consider when selecting a receiver. 

What Video Resolution Is Supported?

Using a home theater with an audio receiver often means that everything is being run through the receiver itself. This ensures that you are getting the best possible sound quality from each device, rather than having it potentially downgraded by going through the TV first. However, it is important that your audio receiver supports the proper video resolutions so that you do not run into problems in the future.

For example, you'll want to make sure that the receiver supports the latest specifications for 4K and HDR (high dynamic range) picture quality. In terms of HDR formats, it should support both Dolby Vision and HDR10 to ensure compatibility. These are the two most popular formats, and it can be a mixed bag when it comes to what any TV service provider supports these days with it being one or the other. 

If the audio receiver supports the latest and greatest specifications, then you can safely run all video equipment through the audio receiver and use that device to change inputs. 

What Kind Of Inputs Are Supported?

If the plans are to use the audio receiver as your switch, you'll want to ensure that you are buying equipment that has the right inputs to support all of your devices. While HDMI cables for video devices may be one component of your home theater, you may also want to hook up other devices as well. This includes a home assistant speaker so that you can listen to music through the audio receiver rather than the inferior speakers on the device. Maybe you have some retro video game consoles that still need composite cables.

Not having enough inputs is a concern but not as big of a concern as not having the right kind of inputs. You can always buy an external switch later on to allow you to plug in as many devices as you want through a single input on the receiver. 

Does Is Sound Good?

It's always a good idea to test the equipment in person before you make a big purchase. Find out if there are any stores in your area that demo the receiver and would allow you to use it in person before you make a final decision.