It's time to 'open' your own theater

Burhanuddin Abe, Contributor, Jakarta

The upcoming elections will certainly be different from previous elections, as this year will see the country's first ever direct presidential election.

Prior to the legislative election on April 5, the 24 contesting parties will campaign to try and win the hearts and minds of voters. As with campaigns in the past, most major streets in cities across the country will be flooded with the parties' supporters, lending the streets a parade atmosphere. Hence, the traffic jams and related difficulties, even on Sundays and public holidays, are already on many people's minds.

Wouldn't it be better instead to remain in the comfort of your home and watch a favorite DVD or listen to those familiar, soothing tunes.

For some years now, sophisticated audio and video equipment has offered people movie theater-style luxury in their own homes. The picture and sound quality of home theater equipment is on a par with almost any expensive cinema, while at a much lower cost.

Johny Hartawan, a furniture dealer, is an ardent fan of movies. Alone or with his family, watching movies in his own home theater has become a satisfying substitute to going to cafes or clubs.

"Personally, I find it drains my energy driving to all these places. Apart from being time-consuming, even one visit to a cafe or some place like that nowadays makes me physically tired ... and affects me mentally, as well. It takes a few days to recover," he said.

For various reasons, such as affordability or lack of a suitable room, not many people decide to purchase a home theater. Cost-wise, creating a cinema in your home today is not as expensive as many might think. The mass production of home theater equipment has made prices more competitive. Various manufacturers today offer a wide range of home theaters, from the simple to the extravagant, with prices that many people can afford.

South Korean electronics giant Samsung, for example, offers the HT-DM150 for Rp 2 million (about US$235). If you have a larger budget, you can opt for Samsung's HT-DM550. If Sony is your choice, then you can go for the HT SC5 for Rp 4.8 million or the SC8 at Rp 6.8 million.

Equipped with Dolby Digital/DTS and Dolby Prologic, both products have a sound output of 5 x 90W. They are capable of playing various formats: CD-R/RW, MP3-CD, VCD, SVCD-RW and DVD- RW, as well as pictures in JPEG-CD. A 20-station radio is also provided. The SC5, with five speakers and one subwoofer, is smaller and shorter, while the speakers of the SC8 are taller.

Pioneer, meanwhile, has the HTZ900DVD. With its 5,600 watt PMPO and 6x75 watt RMS strength, it also comes with numerous capabilities and functions, such as radio stations, Line 1/2, DVD/DVD-R, DVD-RW/DVD-Audio, VCD, SVCD, SACD, SACD Multi, DTS-CD, CD-R/RW, MP3 and JPEG. Its sound technology is the latest DTS/Dolby Digital/Dolby Pro Logic II Surround coming through five satellite speakers and subwoofers.

Major brands like Sony and Pioneer are no longer alone in the highly competitive home theater market. Samsung, for one, has the HT-DM550, which comes with a hefty 400W RMS output composed of five speakers with 60W each and a 100W subwoofer. Dolby Digital, DTS and MPEG 5.1 are also incorporated, while the Progressive Scan assures quality images and sound. Among the various formats, this product is capable of playing DVD, VCD, CD, CD-RW and MP3, and has a 30-station preset radio. One rung below, its HT-DM150 delivers a 270W RMS sound with most of the same features as its big brother the HT-DM550.

Polytron, a large local electronics company, has taken the necessary steps not to lose out to the international brands. Incorporating the world-famous Dolby audio technology, Polytron launched its Minimax7 Dolby Digital. A locally established brand, Polytron, coupled with the Dolby feature, expects to grab a significant market share.

Another strong contender is LG Electronics. After the success of its Home Theater One Box in Home Cinema DA 5630, the company reinforced its home theater product range with the LH-D6230. The target is the middle class, while the product incorporates many of the latest features.

Although a comparable newcomer in the home theater business, LG feels optimistic that it can gradually grab a significant portion of the market. The LH-D6230 is quite unique as it is capable of playing the entire range of CDs, which is quite rare for other competing products in the same price category. Its S Video/Composite feature also ensures high quality image reproduction.

Other international players in the home theater market include Panasonic, JBL and NAD. The market has also become more lively with the entry of products from China, which are famous for their lower price tags.

One of the reasons electronic companies are enthusiastic about the Indonesian market is its rapid growth. In 2002, home theater sales hovered at about 6,000 units, while by the end of 2003 it had more than doubled to 14,000 units.

While the prices of home theater equipment were unaffordable for many people here in 2002, this has changed over the last year. Marketers realized that to enlarge the market, products and their prices should be suitable for the middle class. With a larger number of brands competing in the home theater sector, prices have gone down to the point where they are affordable to a large group of people.

This year things look even brighter. Electronics dealers at the Glodok electronics center in North Jakarta told The Jakarta Post that 2004 may well turn out to be the year of the home theater.

"Just take a look at how aggressive the major electronics giants from various countries are in their marketing drive," said one of the dealers.

As with any product category, a battle among the giants usually benefits the consumers. Prices go down and more brands with state-of-the-art technology are introduced to lure customers. Given this situation, the choice now is entirely in the hands of consumers.

You can still go out to the movies, with all the hassles and inconveniences. Or, much more convenient and ultimately economical, you can "open up" your own cinema. The best movies will then be at your fingertips.