Black Friday is the Perfect Opportunity to Upgrade Your Home Theater System (Hint, Hint Alex)

Chris Kavan

By Chris Kavan - 11/25/10 at 12:39 PM CT

If you've put off upgrading your TV, your surround sound, your media player - it's time to hold off no more. Black Friday is that special time of year where people sit outside a store for hours (or, if crazy enough, days) to rush into crushing horde of bargain shoppers looking for that one deal that will make their year.

Yet why get up before the crack of dawn and fight the crowds when you can let your fingers do the clicking? In fact, why wait for Black Friday at all? If you're not too busy scarfing down succulent Turkey and sides, you can get the great deals out of the way today and just enjoy Friday all on its own.

The cornerstone of any great home setup it your TV and no deal looks better than the Samsung UN46C6300 46-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LED HDTV. While there are bigger TVs out there, 46 inches is pretty much perfect for me - especially when you can save $700 on the deal. I have a Samsung, so I know the quality is good - upgrading to an LED instead of LCD is just a good decision. It has plenty of HDMI ports, easy set-up for home theater use and, especially important for me, a Game Mode that will make my PS3 look even better. What more could you ask for?

Now you can add as you see fit - if you need don't already own one, a Blu-Ray player is a must. If you need just a player, I'm sticking with Samsung and going with the Samsung BD-C6500 1080p Blu-ray Disc Player. This makes it easy to get online and connect with Netflix, Blockbuster, Pandora, YouTube, Twitter and more. Plus, this unit has the WiFi built in, so as long as you have a strong signal there's no need to plug anything in - it's ready to go as soon as you hook it up. Just because you're adding all these extra features doesn't mean you're sacrificing quality. The picture is just as good as the extra features you get. If you don't already have a player, this is the way to go.

If you want to up the ante and get a spectacular home theater setup along with the Blu-Ray, then snatch up the Samsung HT-C6600 Blu-Ray Home Theater System. Like the player above, this has built-in WiFi but it has the added ability of being 3D compatible. Now, I'm still not sure on this whole 3D kick, which is why the TV was a regular 46-inch. However, at least you know that if you decide to upgrade in the future, you have the 3D already built in to this system. Plus, on this particular system Samsung has upped the ante by providing Crystal Amp Pro technology, which provides even more clarity than a typical digital system. If you combine this surround sound with the TV above, you're looking at less than $1500 for an entire system. Not bad when you can spend more on a TV with less quality.

If you're looking to up your sound quality, but don't have the space for a full system, then the Samsung HW-C450 Soundbar Speaker is a good compromise. It's $150 less and still gets you 2.1 surround sound and a wireless subwoofer that can go anywhere. Plus it's wall mountable just like your TV, so if you don't have a stand, it'll be OK.

I'm not saying you can't find a better deal doing the whole "door buster" thing, but if you're idea of fun is getting up at 3 AM and waiting... waiting... waiting... then RUN RUN RUN and HOPE you get one of five TVs or entertainment systems they have sitting there... well, knock yourself out. Me? I'd rather stay nice and warm inside and still get great deals. And yes, I really like Samsung, but if Sony or LG is more your thing, you'll still be able to track down some great deals. Just have a quick little look at Amazon Black Friday Deals in HDTVs, Audio & Home Theater. You'll be able to find something worth looking at, no matter your brand loyalty. Check often, as deals are constantly shifting!

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