Our Blog

A Guide To Setting Up Your New Homes Theater System

A home theater system is a great way to turn regular rooms in new homes into a cozy spot to enjoy some excitement and adventure. A home theater is a great way to get together with family and friends, or just kick back and relax by yourself. You don’t need to be an electronics genius or a lottery winner to set up a great home theater system in new homes. There are lots of easy and inexpensive options available for anyone who wants an engaging cinema experience. Here’s how you can set up your very own home theater system in new homes today:

Prepare the Room

The first thing you need to do to set up a home theater system in new homes is to pick the perfect room for your mini cinema. New construction homes are great for home theaters, because there’s very little retrofitting necessary for things like power and lighting. However, even top-of-the-line audio and video equipment can look and sound mediocre if you don’t plan your room properly.

Choose a rectangular room if possible. It should have as few windows and doors as possible. That will avoid problems with sound traveling out, and outside sounds (like cars honking or dogs barking) traveling in. Once you’ve chosen your room, you should next cover bare concrete, wood, and tile on the floor and walls. Hard surfaces cause sound waves to echo. Carpeting, rugs, and upholstered furniture are a good way to stop unwanted reverberations. You can use drapes, pictures, or a bookshelf on the walls of empty rooms in new homes to help absorb noise. Extra thick curtains over windows are a good way to keep the home theater room dark, which increases picture quality. Also, installing a remote dimmer switch for your lighting fixtures allows you to have the perfect lighting without leaving your sofa.

Choosing Theater Components for New Homes

The next thing you’ll need for your new homes theater system are the components that make it tick. Here’s a short list of the primary components for a new system in a new house:

Television

If you don’t already have a television in mind, try to choose one that best fits the size of the room. Remember, the optimal distance between the screen and the viewer is about three times the diagonal screen size. Once you know where you will place your seating, you can calculate the best size for your screen accordingly. You can choose from old school CRT screens, plasma screens and LCD screens, or a front projection TV, depending on your needs and your budget.

Speakers

Good quality speakers are a must for your audio experience. To have an authentic cinema experience, you will need five main speakers and one subwoofer for Dolby Digital 5.1 sound.  First, check the wattage reading of the speakers to make sure they match your receiver. Place three speakers up front, level with the screen.  Next, use two more surround sound speakers to the left and right of the seating area. Finally, you should place the subwoofer low or on the ground to really feel the rumble from the bass.

Media Players

There are several different kinds of media players available. From old school VHS units, to powerful DVR players, you can connect any number of media players  to your TV.  You can even use an old computer as a media player for videos, and online video streaming.

Sound Receiver

The receiver gathers the signals from all your inputs and routes them to the TV and speakers. Most receivers are compatible with Dolby digital 5.1, which uses six channels. Most receivers also come with an amplifier, although you can also purchase a separate one for better quality sound.

Wires and Cable

Make sure to get just enough cable to reach the systems, without leaving too much excess. The key to a good cable is its ability to shield the signal it’s carrying from interference. When you plug your cables, make sure the connections are clean and fit snug together.

Setting Up Your Home Theater

The main display should be front and center, not off to the side. A good distance between the screen and the seating is about three times the diagonal size of the screen for traditional TVs, and 1-½ times the diagonal measurement of an HDTV screen.

Speakers sound better when they are placed on stands or mounted on a wall. The subwoofer is the exception. Place it on the floor behind the seating area for the best rumbling and bass effects.

When placing your components together, make sure you leave at least 8 inches in the back, and 2 inches on top. This gives heat from the components a way to escape. The extra room may be helpful if components need servicing, too.

Keep your cords neat and organized. Make sure you don’t bundle power cords and video cables or speaker wire together. Power cables can cause interference with media cables and diminish signal quality. Keep the cables and speaker wire as short as possible, but try to not to coil them up.  Cut off any slack if you can.

Enjoy Your New Home’s Theater Experience!

Once your system is in place, hooked up, and tested, you’re all set for a home theater experience!  In new homes like yours, a home theater is perfect for having movie night, anytime!  Grab yourself some popcorn, a friend or two, and a good movie, and let the fun begin!

Categorised in: Uncategorized

This post was written by Chetty Builders