Conclusions
I'm extremely pleased with the performance of my new system. I spent a little over $18,000 (plus tax), but I should be able to use the system for at least 4–5 years without major upgrades. And, hopefully, it will only get better over time—especially as more HDTV programming options come online. I have plenty of capacity to enlarge my CD collection, and there are lots of features on the Media Center PC (such as Internet radio) that I haven't yet begun to explore. Yes, I spent a big chunk of change, but it's truly an investment in my entertainment pleasure. I'm getting much more enjoyment out of my music collection than I have in years, and I have a couple of hundred old DVDs that I really want to watch again on the big screen. Best of all, it all came together without significant hassle, and the Home Theater Master remote control makes the whole thing easy enough for even my low-tech friends to operate.
So far, I'm very pleased with all my choices—with the exception of my cable service and the Scientific Atlanta STB—and would recommend this equipment and these manufacturers to anyone shopping for a new system. I welcome any comments from readers, and would be glad to provide further details as requested.