Home Theater Installation

Home Stereo System

Getting Great Sound From Your Home Theater

By Lee Dobbins

Home Stereo System

One of the most important pieces of a home theater is the sound system. A good sound system can greatly enhance your movie watching experience and a good home sound system can replicate the movie-theater sound effects on a smaller scale.

When installing a sound system in your home theater, you need to think about the size and shape of the room as well as where the viewers will be seated. Placing the speakers - especially the center speaker, in the optimum position for every seat in the house will ensure a good movie experience for everyone!

Here’s some things to think about when choosing and installing the sound system for your home theater:

1. A good home theater should have at least five speakers. You should have three in the front positioned at the right of the viewers, the left and the center.

2. The center speaker is the key speaker and the best location for it is either on top of the television itself, in the center, or just below it. Some televisions will allow for placement behind the screen as well, as is the case with some projection set ups.

3. When placing your center speaker, remember that the tweeter is in an optimum position when it is at ear level for the viewers. If the speaker is mounted on top or below the screen, line up the front with the television’s front for best sound quality and aim the speaker at the seating area. Try to keep the center speaker an equal distance from the listening position as the left and right speakers.

4. Set a realistic budget for your sound system before you go out shopping. Remember, a really top notch system can cost a lot so be sure to set an honest yet reasonable amount for the purchase limit and remember good is often more than sufficient.

5. Sure, you want to have your new sound system installed today, but it can pay to shop around. Compare the available options within your budget. Read reviews from consumer groups and even past customers. Find out which sound systems offer great clarity and hold up well, too.

6. Once you’ve listened to a few different systems within your price range, pick the system that is right for you. Then make sure it’s installed correctly. Make sure speaker placement is right for sound optimization. Surround sound doesn’t work so well if the speakers are all lined up in a row without rhyme or reason.

7. There’s nothing worse than tripping on a speaker wire and yanking it out to mess up the system, not to mention that exposed wires don’t look that great. If you hate dealing with wires - consider going with wireless speakers.

Creating a great sound system for your home theater doesn’t have to be a huge and costly venture either.

Related Article: Blu Ray DVDs

Home Theatre Speaker

Are Your Home Theater Speakers in the Right Place?

By Gerald Njuguna

NHT-XD62

Sound is one of the most important aspects of a great home theater experience. Quality sound really brings film to life and that fact spurs many home theater aficionados to select their speakers and sound equipment with great care.

Too often, though, the speakers that sounded great in the listening room don’t pack the same punch when installed at home. The issue is usually related to speaker positioning.

There are a few factors anyone should consider when installing home theater speakers. One should be aware of proper distancing, height and angling (also referred to as toe-in). Sometimes the perfect set-up is outlined in the owner’s manuals and documentation that come with the speakers. In other cases, it’s necessary to evaluate proper positioning with a “trial and error” technique.

If your speakers aren’t bringing the movies to life for your home theater system, don’t give up and go purchase a new sound system until you first double-check the positioning of your speakers. Even small adjustments can have a huge impact.

By finding the optimal positioning for your speakers, you can breathe new life in what you may have believed to be an inferior speaker. You can also begin to enjoy the movies the way you had hoped to when you first decided to invest in a home theater system.

Related Article: Blu Ray DVDs

Theater Room

Home Theater Room Lighting - Control and Ambiance

By Phil Taylor

Klipsch Theater Room

Room lighting control is an important aspect for home theaters - especially if you have a front-projector and screen set-up. Video projectors often demand a controlled lighting situation due to the lower brightness of their displays. Reflected room lighting is a consideration as well as you do not want a glare on the screen - whether it be ambient light from a window or merely reflections of a lamp within your room.

Ambient window lighting is major when determining your living room layout or designing a dedicated viewing room. A dedicated room would of course be best without windows altogether - if you have the luxury of designing a room from scratch.

Glare Control and Picture Enhancement

Room lighting control is relatively easy with a little planning. If you want to incorporate your home theater within your living or family room you will want to postion your video display so that any ambient light upon the screen is diminished or eliminated altogether. Since video is my profession I plan our living room layout around the TV and entertainment center.

The TV is always placed at an angle away from the main window in the room in order to eliminate window reflections on the screen. Our living room lamps have shades that direct lighting downward and are not very translucent in order to minimize their reflections. Since I have a front projector and screen display in the living room - in addition to the 32″ Mitsubishi we use for normal viewing — we have vertical blinds which do a nice job of darkening the room. We also have velour drapes which can pull to either side of the screen and do a great job of providing a controlled lighting environment for our projector.

Setting the Mood

Wall sconce lamps located along the sides of your room for ambiance during viewing in a dedicated theater room is a nice touch and lends to the theater-esque atmosphere. Basic sconces can be found at a local Home Depot or lighting store. More elaborate theater-looking sconces are available at specialty stores. A dedicated room will benefit from remote controlled lighting - or at least it will add a touch of class to your theater.

Regardless of whether you are incorporating a system into your living room or planning a dedicated room, the principles of home theater room lighting are the same. No glare or reflection on your video display and sufficient ambient room lighting for your guests during viewing.

Related Article: Blu Ray DVDs