subject: How Many Bells and Whistles Do You Need? [print this page] When it comes time to buy electronics, such as home theater equipment, it can also become very easy to obsess about getting equipment that is loaded down with all the "bells and whistles" that are currently available. The question, however, is whether or not you need to do so.
Some electronics have so many bells and whistles that most users are unlikely to ever actually use all the technology and different settings that are at their fingertips. Other consumers simply love have deep menus to explore and being able to tweak every last setting possible. Knowing what kind of user you are will have a lot to do with determining what kind of gear you ultimately buy.
Budget, however, is usually a concern. While you may want the very best options possible so that your Blu-ray and Dish Network programming look better than anyone else's on the block, this might not always be a realistic goal. If this is the case, you will likely have to go component by component and pick and choose your battles wisely.
Those looking to find endless ways to modify the final image and sound quality of their home theater experience are likely going to be very interested in audio-visual receivers. Audio-visual receivers have become increasingly complicated just in the last five years and now even more modestly priced models come packed with an array of deep menu options and software capabilities.
If you are interested in being able to tweak and modify every aspect of your sound and picture, an audio-visual receiver is a must. However, the best ones can be surprisingly pricey and, as a result, you might have to compromise. Carefully decide what functionality you need. This, of course, holds true with any of your major home theater purchases. Decide what functionality is really crucial and what you can live without. This will enable you to make decisions that fit within your budget.
The good news is that while many options only are available on higher end equipment, basic home theater equipment offers more functionality than ever. Whether you are addicted to having lots of bells or whistles on your gadgets or not, you will be happy to know that at least the options are there just in case!
