Rating: 
Summary: Absolutely Awesome!
Review: Bought this yesterday 7/20/2002. Updated for the latest technology (e.g. THX Ultra 2 - 7.1 discrete channels), this book is pretty much all you need to help you through the complex maze of today's home theater. Not only did it help me understand the technology for the front projection system I'm design for a dedicated home theater system in the basement, it helped me understand more about my current HT set up. For example, I *finally* was able to fix that persistent buzzing noise that appears intermittently for the past several years in my front and rear loudspeakers. I also learned (to my great horror!) that my DVD player wasn't set up correctly, so all these years I thought I was listening to Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound (unless I was watching a rare DTS movie), I was actually listening to it in Dolby Surround! My gosh, a few menu items to change on my DVD player and my system went from sounding pretty damn good to completely awesome!If there is anything missing from this book it's that I'd like to see a chapter on room design (e.g. room size, recommended projection screen size for viewing distance, more information on acoustic treatment, etc.) Otherwise, this is all you'll need for understanding all those home theater magazine reviews. Make sure you get the version that's been updated for 2002!
Rating: 
Summary: Good overall introduction, but has some flaws
Review: Home Theatre for Everyone? Well, maybe. I didn't like the fact that the author ignored the reality that most "home theaters" are actually dual-purpose living rooms, family rooms or bedrooms, and are not dedicated rooms that can be set up according to exact specifications. In this sense, the book is less than "A Practical Guide." This book did not include discussion of using direct-radiating speakers (normal speakers) as surround speakers rather than dipolar or bipolar speakers. I'm quite certain that most home theaters are using direct-radiating speakers as surrounds, but this is not addressed and is not shown in the speaker setup diagrams. I also found it extremely annoying that the author would say things about how certain speaker or component companies produce inferior products, but then refuse to mention names! Example from 'Build and Sound Quality: How to Spot Overpriced Underachievers': "The company that makes Speaker A is marketing-driven. They don't care what the speaker sounds like, only that it offers perceived value and sells in large quantities." And in that same section: "Speaker B is made by a company founded by dedicated enthusiasts who strive to create the best-sounding speaker possible at a given price level." Now how is that helpful? I'm guessing that the Speaker A company is an advertiser in Robert Harley's home theater magazine and he doesn't want to [make them mad]. This book would be so much more valuable to someone new to the hobby if they were told which brands to avoid and why (but I guess that wasn't the author's objective). One last problem I found was that the author would quote very specific prices or price ranges for certain components, but not mention that this was "as of December 1999" or even "2000 prices." Someone reading this book in a few years (or even now) could be very misled by this. Example from 'How to Choose a DVD Player': "Budget machines start at about $200, with most players falling in the $400-$600 range." Obviously, a mass-market electronics product such as a DVD player is going to fall in price over time, and in fact budget players now go for $99.99, with most players falling in the $150-$300 range. Despite the few flaws mentioned above, this book is actually a very good, detailed introduction to the world of home theater. I was especially impressed with the descriptions of the various audio formats that exist (which can be confusing), and also with the discussion of front projector technology. Note that this is the 2000 edition which is probably fine to buy through the year 2001 or so (since relatively recent technologies such as progressive scan DVD players and DLP projectors are discussed), but the book will probably be showing its age and due for an update by 2002.
Rating:
Summary: I keep going back for more!
Review: I have had the book for a few months now and frequently go back to it. I have found that when I read other magazine articles or talked to dealers about receivers or speakers specifically I take what they say and compare it to Robert's book. If there are discrepancies or additional information to research I end up concurring with Robert. He provides a lot of good down-to-earth facts and keeps it going with his opinions and backs them up too! He is experienced and should be concidered an expert. I am hoping one day he writes a book (hint hint)on recommended system configurations (including brands/models) for room sizes. He provides a wealth of system configuration suggestions already just needs to put some models (besides the pictures) of what is recommended to that configuration. As an example, I would like to see that if you have a 15 x22 standard room and want a 5.1 configuration, name the top 5 receivers with the top speakers for the fronts, center, rear surrounds, and a sub-w layout. I know that that will outdate quickly but the genre is already dated when published. At least it would give some thoughts on the subject instead of relying on Consumer Reports less tantalizing ratings. Yes? Dave
Rating: 
Summary: A mixed bag of good information and tommyrot
Review: Much of the information in this book is good, but a couple of issues need to be addressed. Tomlinson Holman, a good engineer, is the man behind both the THX professional cinema house certification and the Home THX certification program for home theater components. I have a substantial issue with, particularly, the latter because it consists of a secret set of parameters, which are divulged only to licensees under nondisclosure. Because the requirements are themselves secret, how can anyone judge their validity, or the comparative value of the certification? Mr. Harley, on the other hand, is no engineer at all, nor even a hands-on amateur, but a promoter. He combines occasionally astute observations with technical nonsense, so that even when his conclusions appear to make sense you have no idea how he got there. Simply put, he often either doesn't know what he's talking about, or he does and is simply writing what equipment vendors and the gullible want said.
Rating:
Summary: Robert's book is good but not without fault
Review: Robert does have an opinion, and he's entitled to that. He believes VHS tapes should not be THX-approved, and, along that subject, shows strong favoritism for the THX home program, although many excellent home theater brands do not participate in this program that tends to cause great confusion in the industry. I also believe that Mr. Harley should have included set-up diagrams which could at least help clarify some possible confusion and frustration in initial home theater set-up. On the whole, however, Bob's book is informative, easy reading, and the straight dope on home theater. A definite recommendation.
Rating:
Summary: Some good stuff here - Some is total nonsense!
Review: Robert Harley is a "high-end audiophile" and you need to keep that in mind when reading thru any of his books. In "Home Theater For Everyone", he provides a lot of useful information. But he also supplies a lot of "hokum" as well. That is, there is much in this books that he states as fact when infact it is nothing more than his own (often erroneous) opinion.
If you are already well-versed in audio/video equipment, you'll know when Mr. Harley goes "off-the-wall" with his crazy statements and conclusions. But if you're new to the world of audio/video, I say "buyer beware". If you follow all of Mr. Harley's advice, you will end up spending thousands of dollars on overpriced equipment and unnecessary frills.
Buy the book for the great general information Mr. Harley provides. But be wary of some of his conclusions and advice. One area where I strongly agree with Mr. Harley is when he advocates to do your own shopping and make your own judgements.
Rating:
Summary: Thumbs Up!
Review: Sick of walking into sticky-floored, over-priced cine-plexes when all you get for your $7.25 is getting to listen to Bob & Muff talk on their cell phones thru-out the picture? Ready to take matters into your own hands? If so... this book is for you! This is an excellent book for the beginner home theater addict. Buy this book before you go out and purchase that DVD, TV, Reviever combo that * Retailer is selling you for $1000. It will save you time, and allow you to meet your expectations more realistically based on your budget.
Rating: 
Summary: Will date quickly
Review: These authors were brave trying to write a lasting hardcover on technology that dates faster than sliced bread. Sure, the information is comprehensive and tries to cover all technologies, but in such a general way that those of us with more than a skerick of knowledge will get bored quickly.
Rating:
Summary: Detailed info, much of it dated, more current books out ther
Review: This author obviously knows what he's talking about, but the book is dated and too detailed on some topics and not enough detailed on other topics to really provide a good broad brush of the topic. There's lots on audio, but not enough on much of what is going on today, like Windows XP Media Center Edition and PVRs and DirecWAY and other things. This is a consumer electronics focus in an increasingly broader industry. I've put a lot more into my home theater than he's talked about. I'm buying Home Theater for Dummies to see what they say -- their outline is broader and their edition is just out.
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely Necessary for Anybody into A/V!
Review: This book is the best book I have read on Home Theater. It has more information on Audio and Video than most in-depth books on either respective subject. It is well-written, easy to read, and the explanations are detailed, yet easy to understand. He could have left out a little of the THX bias, but it is understandable, everyone lets some personal bias slip a little now and again. Note-he does admit many manufacturers of the best equipment and best values on the market do not participate in the THX program for various reasons. This book cuts through almost all of the misinformation this industry is notorious for being saturated with. I highly recommend this book for any music lover, movie lover, or anybody else for that matter. P.S. Once you get started on this one, you might not be able to stop.
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