NVIDIATI has the right of it. Start by buying a decent set of headphones like the Audio Technica ATH-M50s, then if you feel the sound needs improvement - such as if you are detecting hard drive noise while listening - you might consider a sound card.

Start with a nice pair of headphone first, though. Read the Headphone FAQ at the top of these forums. They will provide a number of suggestions at multiple price points.

Good luck, Boz

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Ok so this is my revised thread- my the PS2's best quality output is component, though it does support composite and s-video. There are cheap s-video/composite to VGA converters, but there seems ton of both 5 star ratings and 1 star ratings. Also, if someone can find a component to VGA convertor that isn't almost $50, I would be greatly appreciated.realguitarhero5

Has anyone ever tried a component to hdmi converter? I'm interested in getting one to upscale ps2 and wii.

Solid_Link22

Twelve-gauge speaker wire will be overkill for your surround speakers. You will be fine with 16 gauge to the surrounds unless you're running more than 50 feet of wire to the speaker, in which case you'll want 14 gauge. You might consider twleve gauge for your front speakers, but it's not necessary, and you'll save by buying a spool of 14 gauge cable.

Don't forget: You'll need a single-channel interconnect to run from the receiver to the subwoofer if you don't have one already. It's basically a mono-channel RCA cable, often marketed as "subwoofer cables," to increase cable manufacturer sales margins.

I strongly encourage you to order wiring from either Monoprice or, my preferred choice, Parts Express. You can get 100 ft. of 14 gauge wire for about $50, enough for an entire surround sound system in a medium-size room. Don't forget your HDMI cables, too.

Enjoy your new home theater.

Boz

Source

If you're on a tight budget probably the Kindle Fire, if not iPad 2/3 (depending on budget and whether she feels the retina display is worth it). The Transformer line is nice, but not cheap enough to make up for Android's weak tablet app offerings relative to the iPad.

Slow_Show