Best $6.20 I've Ever Spent

Today I received my two 5-foot optical cables for my home theater, which allowed me to enable Dolby Digital and DTS. The improvement in sound quality is phenomenal! I hooked one cable up to my digital cable box and the other to my DVD player. For test purposes (I wouldn't watch it normally), I turned on an NBA basketball game on ESPN-HD. The sound was amazing! The announcers voices were coming out of the center speaker, and the ambient sounds like the arena announcer, crowd noise, and the squeaks of players' shoes were coming from the surround speakers...creating an incredible room-filling atmosphere. To test the DVD player I watched the beginning of Star Wars Episode III. It was simply incredible.

I had no idea how much difference digital connections, and the enabling of Dolby Digital, would make over the analog Pro Logic IIx that my system was running initially...but it was stunning. I switched back and forth between my digital connections and the analog ones just to hear the difference, to make sure I wasn't just hearing things. I can't imagine how good it will be once I get the speakers positioned correctly at the appropriate height.

New Home Theater Set

Today Santa FedEx delivered my new home theater set, a 1000w Dolby Digital 7.1 set that replaced my old 125w Pro Logic system. For the time being, I have the 4 surround speaker wires strung across my living room floor, and the speakers are all on the floor and not in very good placement. It still sounds incredible. When I replace my analog audio cables with digital ones (they're on order) and get my speakers properly placed and on speaker stands (or hanging on the wall), it will get even better.

Now there is nothing being broadcast in 7.1 (or 6.1 for that matter) yet, but it's time will come. For now, my system uses a new Pro Logic algorithm to convert regular stereo and 5.1 signals to 7.1. Another nice thing about the system is that it has three optical (digital audio) inputs, so I can hook my DVD recorder/player and HD cable box using those digital cables when I get them, and I still have an extra input for, say, a future Xbox 360 or PS3.

Sunday, my parents are coming to town to help me run the surround speaker wires in the basement and put together a new TV stand that will be much more useful than the one I have and also go with my decor better.

I'm also hoping that I can install my old Pro Logic home theater in my bedroom. It's not really necessary, but if I can put the old system to use, I'd like to. It would require a couple of more holes in the floor though...