4 Tips For Setting Up Your First Home Theater
If you've recently become more interested in home video and audio equipment, then you're likely thinking about setting up your first home theater. A home theater system that has been thoughtfully put together offers overall quality that is exponentially better than what you can get from standard systems. Read on for just a few of the best tips to keep in mind when you're setting up your own home theater system.
Prioritize True Surround Sound
One of the keys to successfully constructing a home theater system is paying attention to the sound. A single sound bar and a couple of bookshelf speakers won't cut it unless your room is exceptionally small. For most living rooms and dens, you'll want to mount a pair of speakers in the back corners of the room to represent the audio's rear channel.
Decide Where You'll Sit
Exactly where you'll be experiencing your favorite media — be it television shows, movies, video games, or live sports — is one of the most important decisions you'll make when putting together a home theater. Fortunately, there's some easy math that helps: simply place your seats at a distance from the television that is between 1.5 and 2.5 times the diagonal width of the screen. For example, a 60" screen would mean when you're seated, your eyes are anywhere between 90" and 150" away from the screen.
Plan Ahead for Cables
Cables can be one of the most difficult aspects of a home theater system to deal with. Not only can they be unsightly, but in some rooms, they can be a trip hazard. This is why it's best to plan ahead for cables. You can fasten them together with a Velcro tie or other clamp, as long as you're careful not to pinch or fold them. You can also hide cables behind bookshelves on either side of your television.
Check Light Sources
There's nothing wrong with a well-lit room — unless, of course, it interferes with the clarity of the television screen or projected image. Glare can easily ruin even the best high-definition video, so it's important to double-check how all of your light sources illuminate various parts of a given room before arranging your seating and a television. You may need to purchase blinds or shades in order to completely remove the possibility of glare, though there are also anti-glare screen protectors you can purchase just in case.
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