Do I really need a 7.1 receiver, or will a 5.1 receiver do?

The short answer is no, you don't "need" a 7.1 receiver. DVDs and Movies are recorded/encoded using 5.1 Dolby or 5.1 DTS. A 7.1 receiver uses DSP "digital signal processing" on the two surround channels of a 5.1 signal and splits them into four channels. This produces a larger soundfield by giving you two more speakers that are producing surround sound. You can see the difference in a 5.1 speaker setup and a 7.1 setup on the Dolby website by clicking here. As you can see, a 7.1 receiver will give you better surround sound. However, if you are on a budget and a 7.1 receiver is not an option for you, 5.1 will do fine.

Where should I place my subwoofer in the room for the best sound?

Most newer subwoofers use a non-directional bass box, which means it is pretty much a matter of aesthetics. Where does it look best in the room? If you really want to "dial-in" the bass sound, it is usually best to have it under or beside the TV. All rooms are different though. It is all a matter of finding the "sweet spot" in the room. One tip is to try it in a corner. This allows the sound to bounce off of more surfaces, and therefore it will thoretially "fill the room" with bass more efficiently. A little bit of trial and error in different spots around the room should get you the heart-pounding bass you desire.

I heard that it is a good idea to "calibrate" my new HDTV. What is the best way to do this?

You heard right. Calibrating your new HDTV is a good way to make sure you are getting the best performance from your TV. The last thing you want is to be unhappy with your purchase. Especially considering how much these things cost. There are several DVDs on the Market that can accomplish this. The most popular are the "AVIA Guide to Home Theater" DVD, and "Digital Video Essentials". These are both excellent, but there is a cheaper way. If you have a copy of Finding Nemo or The Incredibles, or pretty much any Disney movie with a THX logo, you can access the 'THX Optimizer' from the DVD menu and perform a basic "front-panel" calibration of your system. By adjusting brightness, contrast, color, tint, and sharpness correctly you will get your system pretty close to top notch performance without spending a dime. Select VIDEO TESTS from the optimizer menu, and it will walk you through it. You might have to refer to your TV manual for the setup menu options to adjust the settings. For instance, on some TVs contrast is referred to at "White Level" or White Balance".

What is the best brand of TV to buy?

I don't endorse any particular brand. According to Consumer Reports, Sony and Samsung are the best ... generally speaking. Other good brands include, Panasonic, Phillips, Toshiba, and Pioneer. The March 2009 issue of Consumer Reports contains a very detailed list. If you are a member of ConsumerReports.org, you can view the ratings here. There are also many free websites that rate TVs. Type 'HDTV Ratings' in your favorite search engine.

What is the best way to cut down on cable clutter when hooking up my home entertainment system?

The most effective way to cut down on cable clutter in your living room or den is to run your components through an A/V receiver with an HDMI output. That way you can keep all of the cables down in your component rack or cabinet, and run a single HDMI cable up to your TV.

Do I need 1080p?

It depends on what you are using the TV for. If you want to use a game console, BluRay Player or other device that uses an HDMI (digital HD) cable, then yes. Component cables (analog HD) will not give you 1080p. Also, make sure your devices that hook up through HDMI are capable of outputting a 1080p signal. Most cable/satellite boxes only go up to 1080i. There are other reasons to consider 1080p. Most 1080p TVs will upconvert lesser signals to the native format of the TV giving you a better picture than the source device provides. Also, 1080p is "future-proof" technology. All components will soon output 1080p. Bottom line ... If you want to save some $, and don't really care about BluRay, you don't need it right now. 720p still looks pretty amazing. If you want the latest and greatest, and plan on keeping the TV for years to come, spend the extra $ on 1080p.