| The surround sound receiver is an important piece of | | | | digital audio decoding, and simulated soundfields. If at |
| equipment that is more commonly referred to as the | | | | all possible and budget friendly to do so you should |
| AV receiver. AV in this particular instance refers to | | | | really take the effort to find an AV receiver that is |
| audio and video. In other words, the receiver | | | | THX certified. The requirements to meet the minimal |
| receives all this information and then plays traffic cop | | | | certification standards make a system that meets |
| directing it where it should go. If you purchase an all | | | | those standards an excellent investment for your |
| in one sort of AV receiver you will notice that in | | | | home theater or surround sound needs. |
| addition to conducting traffic this particular tool wears | | | | Amplification is yet another of the many tasks |
| many hats when it comes to effectively running your | | | | performed regularly by your AV receiver. This is an |
| home theater or surround sound system. | | | | important task to your surround sound and the |
| The receiver functions in the capacity of a switch for | | | | overall 'theatrical' experience of viewing movies on |
| all audio and visual information that comes into your | | | | your home theater. You will probably be wise to |
| home theater system. This device takes all the | | | | check with your retailer about how much amplification |
| source information and data and literally switches (or | | | | you actually need in your home theater, as there are |
| translates if you will) that data into pictures and | | | | many mitigating factors that affect that number. |
| sound. Without something to operate in this | | | | Among some of the mitigating factors are: ceiling |
| capacity it would be impossible to have a home | | | | height, square footage of the room, flooring material |
| theater system as the information couldn't be | | | | and other things as well). While more power is good |
| properly filtered and translated into the areas in which | | | | in most situations there are times when it is simply |
| it needs to go. | | | | too much for your system to handle. This is one |
| Surround decoding is yet another task that the AV | | | | reason that many people opt to buy ready-made |
| receiver performs with grace. Surround sound is | | | | box kits for their surround sound and home theater |
| encoded onto the discs that we play in our theater | | | | needs. |
| or sound equipment. The most common type of | | | | Last but certainly not least, the AV receiver actually |
| encoding is designed for 5.1 channel surround sound | | | | works as a tuner for AM/FM radio. Don't be too |
| systems such as Dolby Digital or DTS receivers. | | | | shocked and awed by all the jobs that this one little |
| There are others that exist but the vast majority of | | | | device does, just remember this when you see the |
| DVDs are designed and encoded for the above | | | | sticker price and think to yourself how much more |
| mentioned 5.1 channel systems. | | | | you would pay if you were buying a separate device |
| As if these weren't enough the AV receiver also | | | | for each of these functions. We should all be grateful |
| works in the capacity of a signal processor. Common | | | | to the person who invented this particular contraption |
| signals that are processed by the receiver are the | | | | and be glad to pay the price we are paying for the |
| following: THX post-processing, bass management, | | | | amazing sound that is produced. |