Putting together a home theater is something that can be done in stages, or all in one go.

People with enough money, or the time to dream about what they would do if they did, may well sit and put together a plan for their perfect home entertainment system, but for others it may be something that happens bit by bit.

If you want the perfect home entertainment system but do not have the money to immediately make it a reality, then you may find that starting with the basics is a good way to go.

A home theater needs at least two things to make it more than your run of the mill video entertainment system. It needs a DVD player and a TV of significant size.

Otherwise what you have is simply a TV and DVD combo and with the best will in the world that is not a home entertainment system.

So you can start with the DVD player and a big screen TV, and then think about what you want to add as you go along. The next thing on most people’s list will be an upgrade on the speakers that came with the TV.

As you go along, you can co-opt more hardware into the system. For example, hitching up a laptop computer will allow you to run programs from your computer through the system.

A slide show or presentation can be put on the big screen, or more interestingly you can run downloaded music videos or graphic displays that move in time to music.

As you go along, you can add still more bits and pieces. A games console, a telecommunications system, whatever you want. This is your project.

Home theaters can cost a lot of money to put together, and they are not within the reaches of everyone. Even an equivalent put together using the cheapest parts – a medium-sized TV, a basic DVD player and some cheap speakers – can be a financial stretch for a family.

However, if you have the money then a home theater system can be the equivalent of a child’s favorite toy – one with endless add-ons and adaptability.

It is not so much a matter of need as something you want – and a good home theater is certainly a desirable acquisition.

If you like films, then there is no doubt that a home theater makes the process of watching a movie more enthralling. The little bits that you might miss on a normal TV, you will catch on a projection screen.

The sound quality, which on a standard TV and video/DVD combo will allow you to pick up dialog and certain other noises, will allow you to catch the little nuances that can really make for a virtuoso performance.

Remember that most movies are made with the cinema in mind, so a decent home theater can give you the viewing experience that was originally intended.

To set up a fully-functioning cinema in your home is the kind of thing that only millionaires can really think about doing seriously.

But the next best thing, a home theater package, is something that is achievable if you know enough about what you are doing and have the finances to put it into action.

It is something that you can do bit by bit, too, so it may be worth thinking about that.

The most complete home theaters will involve more than just the combination of a DVD player, some speakers and a TV screen of any size.

What you put into your own home theater is a matter for you and your own preferences. It may contain a great deal of different add-ons, of which one or more might be used for gaming.

Although gaming is something that can be enjoyed very easily by one person using a console and a small TV, there can be a benefit to including a gaming platform in your home theater system.

Many gamers like to arrange games nights where a large group of people get together and play off against one another in one or more games.

With the bigger screen and greater sound diversity included in a home theater, these games can be more enjoyable for the player and even take on a lot of interest for the spectator.

The more you can see, the more you can react to and with the developments being made in gaming technology this can add a whole new dimension to the play, to the point where it can change your decisions entirely.

Particularly with the existence of SCART switch boxes on the market, the number of different machines you can hook up to a home entertainment system has grown over the years and it means that there are now fewer set-up issues with switching between using the system for gaming, music, movies and other purposes as and when you wish.

It is undoubtedly true that people who buy home theater equipment have different needs and different levels of knowledge for the products that they are buying.

As with many other things, you can pay for a package deal which only requires you to put the finishing touches in place, or you can go for component parts and put them together yourself.

It’s like buying ready made lasagne or the pasta sheets, ground beef, tomatoes, cheese and sauce ingredients. You may be paying for convenience, but what are you losing in the process?

It is possible these days to buy a home theater in a box which, depending on the package you buy may well include hardware such as a DVD player and even the TV and other players that you want.

What you are paying for here is the simplicity of being able to plug and play, but what you might lose is the technical perfection that could be achieved by looking for the best parts and putting them together yourself.

In the end, mixing and matching your way might end up costing more than the convenient way, but you set the ceiling yourself.

If you simply want a system that can and will play movies, music and other add-ons of your specification, then buying the kit in a box might be the soundest option.

If, however, you want something that conforms to your tastes perfectly it is always going to be better to research your needs and put things together yourself.