An entertainment center (or centre), also known as an entertainment complex or a home entertainment center, is a piece of

furniture Furniture refers to objects intended to support various human activities such as seating (e.g., Stool (seat), stools, chairs, and sofas), eating (table (furniture), tables), storing items, working, and sleeping (e.g., beds and hammocks). Furnitur ...

designed to house consumer electronic appliances and components. It is sometimes a large cabinet with an exterior styled to appear like upscale furniture and an interior dedicated to electronic gear, such as

home audio Home audio refer to audio consumer electronics designed for home entertainment, such as integrated systems like shelf stereos, as well as individual components like loudspeakers and surround sound receivers. The evolution of home audio began ...

television set A television set or television receiver (more commonly called TV, TV set, television, telly, or tele) is an electronic device for viewing and hearing television broadcasts, or as a computer monitor. It combines a tuner, display, and loudspeake ...

s and

video game A video game or computer game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a user interface or input device (such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device) to generate visual fe ...

equipment. Antique or modern reproduction armoires or standing cabinets are used for entertainment centers, as are shelves and shelving systems. Part of the purpose of an entertainment center is to neatly house the many wires and cables that are associated with audio and video components, and they often contain dedicated areas (either drawers or other spaces) for storage of records,

videotape Videotape is magnetic tape used for storing video and usually Sound recording and reproduction, sound in addition. Information stored can be in the form of either an analog signal, analog or Digital signal (signal processing), digital signal. V ...

s, CDs and/or DVDs. Flat TV Vector

A TV stand is usually a smaller item of furniture, large enough to support an average television of the 1970s or 1980s (with a boxy footprint), often with some additional media components in a cabinet below, such as a stereo amplifier or a DVD player. These were often made of wood and equipped with

casters A caster (or castor) is an undriven wheel that is designed to be attached to the bottom of a larger object (the "vehicle") to enable that object to be moved. Casters are used in numerous applications, including shopping carts, office chairs, to ...

. Wheels allowed access to the cabling from behind, access for cleaning behind and beneath, and permitted temporary relocation of the television for specific viewing scenarios. As televisions became larger, they became unwieldy to move, and less in need of being moved due to better viewing at distance; also becoming at the same time much thinner, and more suited to permanent fixture. During this transition, TV stands gave way to entertainment centers in many homes. In many homes, an entertainment center is often placed in the

living room In Western architecture, a living room, also called a lounge room (Australian English), lounge (British English), sitting room (British English), or drawing room, is a room for relaxing and socializing in a Dwelling, residential house or apa ...

, family room,

recreation room A recreation room (also known as a rec room, rumpus room, play room, playroom, games room, or ruckus room) is a room (architecture), room used for a variety of purposes, such as Party, parties, Game, games and other everyday or casual activities. ...

, or

bedroom A bedroom or bedchamber is a room situated within a residential or accommodation unit characterized by its usage for sleeping. A typical Western world, western bedroom contains as bedroom furniture one or two beds, a clothes closet, and bedsid ...

. '' Audioholics'' reviewer James Larson criticized entertainment centers for causing bad performance in speaker systems, poor ventilation of electronics, poor access to cables and connections, and restrictions on television sizes. According to Larson, a better choice is "a low-profile, minimalist TV stand".

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