Calibrating your TV sounds very technical and expensive. It doesn’t have to be. If fact, you may already have free calibration tools in your DVD collection. The THX Optimizer is a set of tests to optimize your television and is found on DVDs which are THX certified.

The THX Optimizer gives step-by-step instructions to test and fine tune your HDTV’s audio and video. The audio testing features a signal sent to each surround sound speaker to confirm proper hook-up. The video testing fine tunes your HDTV’s color, tint, brightness, and contrast settings. CNET Australia has a closer look at using the tools. The color and tint tests require THX Optimizer glasses. They are available from the THX.com store for $1.99 plus shipping ($2.50-$6.00 for the US).

So, how do you find out which DVDs are THX certified? THX.com let’s you search for a particular title or shows you a list of of all the DVDs. Currently, there are 322 THX-certified DVDs listed, but there may be more. For instance, the DVD for Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride (2006) features the tools, but the DVD does not appear on THX.com’s list. Here’s a select few that might be worth picking up from Amazon or eBay:

• The Abyss (2002)
• Castaway (2001)
• Finding Nemo (2003)
• Hidalgo (2004)
• The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (2005)
• The Incredibles (2005)
• Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (2003 re-release)
• The Lion King (2003)
• Nightmare Before Christmas (2003)
• Pirates of the Caribbean (2005)
• Sin City (2005)
• Star Wars Trilogies (2004, 2005, 2006)

Digg.com and Revision3 founder Kevin Rose has been putting together a new home theater system and filming live-streaming videos of himself doing it. So is he going plasma or LCD?

Neither, he’s anchoring his system with an HD projector, the Panasonic PT-AE2000U. The projector delivers a 1080p HD picture at 1500 lumens and a 16,000:1 contrast ratio and is currently going for $2700 on Amazon.com (review of projector). To complement it, he’s mounting a large motorized projector screen on the wall. There seems to be a large window right next to the screen–is he concerned about light washing out the picture?

For a receiver, he’s going with a high-end Denon (model unknown). Connected to it are a Series 3 HD TiVO and an Apple TV.

He didn’t stint on the speakers. He’s got a pair of Klipsch XF-48 floor-standing speakers ($1249 each) along with a Klipsch subwoofer and center channel. His rear speakers were not shown, but with his good friend Jack Buser from Dolby there to help him set things up, I’m sure he’s got things covered. Or is that center speaker doubling for the surround sound duties?

Rough estimated cost of Kevin’s current setup?

Projector: $2700.
Projector screen: $700.
Denon receiver: $1200.
Series 3 HD TiVO: $660.
Klipsch right and left floor standing speaker: $2500 ($1249 each).
Klipsch subwoofer: $500.
Klipsch center speaker: $450.
Apple TV: $330.
Professional installation: free

Total: $9040

Kevin’s Qik videos: 1, 2.

*Update from Kevin* Mr. Rose says he does have the surround sound system, the XF-48 Home Theater System. Also, his Denon Receiver is the AVR-4308CI.

Digg this post.

“But for one or two people sitting directly in front of their TV a center isn’t necessary, and almost always sounds less good than the left and right speakers. Center speakers tend to sound boxy, so Denzel Washington sounds like he’s in a box. Ditch the center and your A/V receiver will redirect the center channel sound over to the left and right speakers.”

I’m just starting to research surround sound systems for my Vizio GV47LF. I’ve been looking for a budget system ($300-$400). It’s looking like you have to spend that much on speakers alone. I’ll report on my research and progress here.