There are probably still people out there who have yet to get a home cinema system. They've probably held back because they think it involves spending a lot money and for the time being they are not willing to take that step. But the reality is that there are affordable systems that make it possible to enjoy this new concept of home entertainment without investing a lot of money.

The first essential element of a home movie system is a DVD player. It reads movies in digital format and displays them on the TV set. It provides excellent image and sound quality. Whereas a few years ago the average price of a DVD was 300 euros, these days you can get one for around 60, and even at that cheap price they do a reasonable job. If at first you opt only to get a DVD player, the first thing you will miss when watching a movie is the surround-sound effect. The sound will be good because it is digital. But the two speakers on the TV set are not capable of producing surround-sound audio.

To do this without investing more money, connect the DVD to your stereo system, which is usually in the living room. Just plug into the auxiliary outlet which most of these systems feature, and switch the auxilitary mode when the movie starts. This will provide a stronger sound with better quality because the speakers in a hi-fi system are usually better than the ones in a television set. It is best to put the speakers behind the sofa while watching the movie. This way you will hear sound from the TV and the stereo speakers and achieve a decent surround-sound effect.

Home movie systems
However, the next step for full enjoyment of movies at home involves buying a complete Home Cinema system that simulates the sound of a movie theatre. Just as pointed out before with DVDs, the same can be said of these systems: there are very reasonably priced systems for those who don't want to spend a lot of money. If you already have a DVD, there are systems made up just of speakers (two frontal, two lateral, one central for dialogues and a subwoofer for the lowest sounds).

The best systems are the ones that have everything included. In other words, a speaker system and a central unit equipped with a DVD player, AM/FM and a multichannel amplifier whyich distributes sound from the player through the speaker system. Don't forget that the DVD player can also read audio CDs. As a result, home cinema systems are gradually replacing tradition hi-fi equipment.

Here are some of the most affordable and attractive systems available these days:
- Kenwood DVT-6200. This single-piece device has a DVD player compatible with MP3 and an amplifier capable of pumping 55 watts through its four speakers and 1,000 watts to the subwoofer. (499 �)
- Belson BSA-4100. The central unit has a DVD, amplifier and radio tuner. It has power of 5x25 watts and 45 watts for the subwoofer. The central unit is bigger than the rest of the speakers and offers quality sound for replaying dialogues. (354 �)
- Schneider HCS201. Highlights include 5 small speakers and central unit that can play MP3 files. 20 watts of power. (300 �).
- Vieta VDR-2000. Its speakers are very elegant and blend in well with any decorating style. They match the DVD player. (399 �)
- Waitec DVD HT70 AC3.� A very affordable system that incorporates a radio tuner in the central unit. 130 watts of power. (170 �).
- Philips DVD HOME CINEMA 580 HC. The central unit is very compact and around it are displayed small satellite speakers and a powerful subwoofer. (399 euros)
- Toshiba SD-43HK.� 270 watts of power. Its central unit reads all kinds of disks, such as MP3 and JPEG, and has an AM/FM tuner. (499 �).