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Oscar and his pals are set to make an even bigger mark on the American public than normal next week.

When the winners hold up their gold figurines at the Academy Awards ceremony March 5, for many of us the statues will stretch 60 inches high or more.

That's thanks to the craze for big-screen TVs and surround sound. And because of our penchant for large, open-plan homes, it's a trend that's a perfect fit for Tucsonans.

Take Charlie and Be Stark. When they decided to add a 1,400-square-foot master suite onto their West Side home, they couldn't resist adding a media room, too.

Now, adjoining the extra bedroom, they have a 500-square-foot lounge with 63-inch plasma-screen TV and bar.

It satisfies out-of-town guests and the Starks' three grandchildren, it's a great party space, and it's a retreat for the two of them, says Be, who works in pharmaceutical sales.

"We thought we needed a quiet place where, if someone wants to watch football and somebody else wants to read, they can."

The move toward home-theater systems is a trend that has us wide-eyed in more ways than one. What to buy? Where to put it? And how to hook it up?

To find out, read on.

Plasma or LCD – what's the difference?

Plasma-screen TVs use electric pulses and gases to excite a set of pixels all at the same time. So there's never the flicker effect you see on old-style TVs, and the color tends to be rich. But they do require a lot of power.

LCD, or liquid crystal display, TVs use fluorescent backlight — the same technology used in digital alarms and bathroom scales. They tend to have sharper pictures but not as impressive color.

LCDs tend to be half the price or more of plasma TVs. Look to spend $1,800 and up for a decent LCD screen, and $3,000 to $15,000 for a good plasma screen.

But I've seen them a lot cheaper. Why should I break the bank?

"Anything that's a lot less expensive than its neighbors, don't buy it," says Bill Roh Jr., owner of Roh's Fine Home Electronics, 3525 N. Campbell Ave.

"A lot of people think a plasma is a plasma is a plasma. They're like cars. You can buy a cheap car or you can buy a good car." Go for a well-known brand, he says.

I've heard you can only see LCD-screen TVs if you sit directly in front of them. True?

Yes, with some LCD screens, you can lose picture quality if you move to the side or up and down.

And I've heard plasma-screen TVs leak and can have short shelf lives.

Both are "urban legends," says Paul McKee, manager at Wilson Audio & Video, 5740 E. Broadway. "Plasmas don't leak, and a good one will last you 20 or 30 years."

How many speakers do I need?

The minimum recommended is six: one at each side of your new TV, two behind or beside where you're sitting, one low speaker that's the bass, and a sub-woofer. The sub-woofer is the one that makes you "feel" the sound, whether it's gunfire or thundering chariots.

Good speakers and surround sound are as important as the screen. In his own home, Roh has an old TV that a customer didn't want and a $10,000 speaker system — he believes in spending more money on sound.

McKee recommends bringing along a favorite CD and listening to it through the speakers when you're shopping. "Bring in music that you're really familiar with. It's important it sounds the way you want it to sound."

Where on earth do I put all these speakers?

If you don't want to show them off, there are in-wall or in-ceiling speakers you can buy. Just be aware you may lose some sound quality.

For smaller speakers with a good reputation, try the Bose brand.

Roh says, in general, the bigger the better. "Mass is important. The best speakers are always bigger speakers."

Come to think of it, where will the new flat-screen TV go?

Good point. After decades of hiding our TVs in armoires or sitting them neatly on shelves, homeowners are finding that much of their furniture or shelving is now obsolete.

People are doing whatever it takes to rearrange their house to accommodate the new family member: demolishing in-built shelving or redoing drywall.

An increasingly popular solution with in-built drywall shelves is to cover up the shelf the old TV stood on, and turn that into the mounting surface for your new flat screen.

Sounds complicated. Do I need an engineering degree to install the equipment?

Fitting it all does take some expertise. So if you're worried, ask the store to install it (this will cost extra). "It's a lot of wires. We called in people to set it all up, and we had to have a cabinet built to hide them," says Be Stark.

What if I go all-out and build a screening room?

Go for furnishing and décor that will absorb and break up sound. Think of your local cinema, with its carpeting and paneled walls.

If you can't afford acoustic panels on the walls, try artwork. Have a thick carpet (not tiles) and avoid glass or sliding-glass doors.

Rectangular rooms are better for acoustics. Try to place furniture in the middle of the room.

Above all, says Be Stark, plan ahead, especially if you're doing an add-on like they did. The Starks installed two windows, only to cover them up with custom cabinetry that holds their DVDs. "It's a little hard to go back and retrofit," she says.