With the increased availability of audio and video content over the Internet, there is now a great emphasis on integrating it into the home theater experience. Here are six ways to achieve this.

The easiest way is to connect a desktop computer or laptop to your home theater system. First, make sure your HDTV has a VGA (PC monitor) input. If it doesn’t, you can purchase a USB to HDMI or VGA to HDMI converter. As for audio, make sure your PC has an audio output that you can connect to your TV or home theater receiver. You may also need an adapter plug. Most modern computers and laptops have built-in HDMI outputs. If yours does, you won’t need an adapter at all to connect it to your HDTV.

Once your computer, TV or home theater system is connected, you can use your browser to access a wealth of audio/video content online. You can also play digital media content that you have stored on your computer.

The downside is that you need to have your computer, TV and home theater system nearby. Your computer’s video card also comes into play here; it’s responsible for sending images to your HDTV, and that doesn’t always produce the best results, especially on a big screen.