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What kind of home theater would you build for $18k?

Richard Lawler
Senior News Editor
Updated ·2 min read
Sony KDF60XS955


Writer Mike Miller has been answering that question himself over the last month, and recently added the last of his three part journal entries on selecting the equipment, setting up the display and audio components, and finally setting up his source equipment and accessories. While your budget may or may not be on his level yet, it's a good read to see the thought process involved.

For my dollars, I'd probably want a 1080p capable display, but since I have an HDTV and our friend Mike is upgrading his system from a standard CRT, I certainly can't knock his selection. After you check out the steps in his conversion from his old analog system to a fully digital lifestyle including a Media Center PC, leave a comment and let us know what you would do with that type of budget.


Over the course of a few months, he went from this:

  • Mitsubishi 40-inch CRT television (standard definition, of course, in the traditional 4:3 aspect ratio)

  • Sony STR-DA777ES A/V receiver (this was, arguably, the best A/V receiver Sony ever made, an upgrade I made in 1999 to my original 1992 Sony receiver, which was pre-Dolby Digital)

  • Canton bookshelf speakers for the (3) front channels

  • Sonance in-ceiling speakers for the (3) surround channels

  • Velodyne subwoofer

  • Panasonic DMR-E85HS DVD player/recorder/hard disk recorder, a relatively new addition to the system (and a replacement for an older Sony 5-disc DVD changer)

  • DIRECTV satellite system (w/ Sony satellite receiver)

To this: