Optimizing Your Home Cinema: Mastering Online Integration

With the increased availability of audio and video content via the internet, there is now a big emphasis on integrating it into the home theater experience. Here are six ways to accomplish this.

Connect a Computer to a Home Theater System

The most basic way is toconnect a desktop computer or laptop to your home theater system. First, check to see whether your HDTV has a VGA (PC monitor) inputconnection . If it doesn’t, you can purchase a USB-to-HMDI or VGA-to-HDMI converter. As for audio, check if your PC has an audio output connection that you can connect to your TV or your home theater receiver. It might require an adapter plug as well. Most modern computers and laptops have built-inHDMI output connections. If yours does, you don’t need an adapter at all to connect it to your HDTV.

Once your computer, TV, or home theater system are connected, you can use your browser to access a wealth of audio/video content online. You can also play digital media content you’ve stored on your computer.

The downside is that you need to have the computer, TV, and home theater system in proximity. Your computer’s video card comes into play here, too; it’s responsible for sending images to your HDTV, and this does not always deliver the best results, especially on a large screen.

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Connect a Standalone Network Media Player/Media Streamer to Your Home Theater System

A second option is using a standalone set-top box or plug-in device, usually referred to as a network media player ormedia streamer . Examples include Roku, Amazon FireTV, Apple TV, and Chromecast. These devices use your existing home network (WiFi or Ethernet) to integrate content from the internet; they can also play audio, video, and image files stored on your computer, as long as it’s connected to the same network.

The advantage of this setup is that you don’t need to physically connect a computer to a TV or home theater system. It can remain in your home office or another location in your home. The disadvantage is that you have added another “box” to your already cluttered home theater setup.

Bear in mind that the brand and model of network media player you purchase will dictate which online content providers you accesso. One box may give you access to Fandango at Home, another to Netflix, and another to CinemaNow on the video side. For audio, some units may provide you with access to Rhapsody or Pandora, but maybe not both. Compatibility with live streaming content providers such as Directv Now, YouTube, and Playstation Vue varies, too. Be sure to check which media player supports your favorite online content.

Use a Blu-ray Disc Player With Network Connectivity

Another method of integratingonline media content with your TV and home theater system is using a network-enabledBlu-ray or Ultra HD disc player. Many Blu-ray disc players do more than play Blu-ray/DVDs and CDs; they also have built-in Ethernet and WiFi connections that allow direct access to a home network. This capability enables users to access online content associated with the Blu-ray disc they are playing, and audio/video content from live-content providers.

The advantage of this option is that you don’t have to purchase a separate Blu-ray/DVD/CD player_and_ network media player; you can get both in one box.

On the other hand, just as with a separate media player, you are tied into the services associated with the Blu-ray player. If Blu-ray and streaming are both necessary to you, weigh all the options of both.

Access Internet Content Via Cable/Satellite Service or TIVO

Even cable and satellite TV services are getting into the act by providing online content streaming for viewing on TV or listening on a home theater audio system. Of course, they do not offer access to sites that would compete with their cable or satellite content.

In addition to cable and satellite services adding access to internet-based content,TIVO offers its Bolt Unified Entertainment System . In addition to over-the-air and cable TV and DVR functions, the TIVO Bolt adds access to streaming and downloadable internet-based content from Netflix, Amazon, YouTube, and Rhapsody. The TIVO Bolt also can play music files stored on a computer. You can even transfer some content from the TIVO Bolt to portable devices such as an iPod and Sony PSP.

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Use a Home Theater Receiver With Network Connectivity

A fifth option is to look for a home theater receiver that has internet access built-in. The advantage is that your home theater receiver is already the connection center for your home theater and has all of the connectivity and features you need. Why not add internet radio and other audio/video streaming functions to the equation?

Some of the internet streaming services available through a growing number of network-enabled home theater receivers include vTuner, Spotify, Pandora, Rhapsody, and Apple AirPlay. Check outour suggestions in the budget, mid-range, and high-end model categories.

Use a Smart TV

The final (and most popular) option that combines the internet with your home theater is aSmart TV .

Each TV brand has a name for its smart TV platform:

• LG — WebOS
• Panasonic — Firefox TV
• Samsung —Samsung Apps andTizen OS
• Sharp — AquosNet+ and Smart Central
• Vizio — Internet Apps Plus and SmartCast
• Sony —Android TV

Also, several TV brands incorporate the Roku platform (referred to as Roku TV) into some of their sets; these include Haier, Hisense, Hitachi, Insignia, RCA, Sharp, and TCL.

With a smart TV, you don’t have to turn on anything else except the TV to enjoy internet content. On the other hand, just as with most of the other options discussed, you are tied to the content providers associated with your TV brand or model. If you switch out your TV for another brand, you might lose access to some of your favorite content sites. If current trends continue, however, most content providers will become available on most brands and models of internet-enabled smart TVs.

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The Bottom Line

If you haven’t added the internet to your home theater setup yet, you’re missing out on a lot of entertainment options. There are a few pitfalls to be aware of, though.

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