The Top 10 Tips for Planning Your Home Theater
There are a lot of things to be considered when you’re planning a home theater, and it can sometimes be tough to decide on which elements to focus on! If you’re new to home theater projects and need some guidance in getting started, check out our Top 10 list of best practices.
1. Set a budget
It doesn’t matter how incredible it is… if the thought of how much money you spent leaves you crying in your popcorn every time, you’ll never be able to enjoy that new home theater! Home theater rule number one? Spend within your means. Decide which elements you want to put the most money into, and which ones you’ll spend more conservatively on. Building your dream viewing room is an investment, and you should make it as great as you can afford to… just create a budget before your home theater fantasies go riding into the sunset with your wallet. Watching movies is fun; wallowing in debt isn’t!
2. Think proportionately
That 60" plasma screen might drop your jaw at the electronics store, but don’t let yourself be seduced just yet… when you get it home and put it into your 10' × 10' home theater space, the effect just isn’t going to be the same! As a matter of fact, you’ll probably be tempted to watch movies from down the hall. Whether you’re talking screens or speakers, equipment that is disproportionate to the space it’s going to be used in can ruin your viewing experience, so reach for a tape measure and calculator before making any major decisions.
3. Ask for help
Like surgery and hair cutting, home theater installation is often at its best when left to the professionals! There are plenty of cases in which do-it-yourself home theater works out just fine, but if for some reason you find yourself in over your head, don’t be embarrassed or afraid to call in an expert.
4. Know exactly what you want
All this “do your homework first” advice is probably starting to sound pretty repetitive, but we keep pushing this point for one reason: it always pays off! Whether you spend your time searching for home theater equipment online or poring over catalogs and weekly electronics store flyers, get a good feel for what you’re looking for before you go shopping. Walking into an electronics store to make a major purchase can be pretty intimidating, and it’s always a better situation for you, the Buyer, if the salesperson isn’t the only one with technical jargon under their belt.
5. Don’t scrimp on audio
Unless you’re the world’s biggest Charlie Chaplin fan, you need to consider this fact: in home theater, sound is just as important as the picture. “Viewing room” can be a very deceptive term: to most people, a home theater isn’t a home theater unless it delivers enveloping, earth-shaking sound in addition to a great visual display. As far as speakers go, you generally get what you pay for. It’s possible to watch your money with some home theater components, just don’t let Audio become the department whose budget gets cut!
6. Plan out the acoustics
Your neighbors would probably love to come over and enjoy your home theater firsthand, but you definitely won’t endear yourself to the people next door by carelessly letting your surround sound deprive them of sleep. Even though you’ll be taking the advice offered above and investing in high-quality audio gear, if you live in close proximity to your neighbors, consider how your home theater might affect those around you. There are plenty of sound-dampening products on the market, so get some advice from a home theater specialist, strategically hang a few acoustic panels, and invite the folks next door over for a movie.
7. Keep away from the windows
When you’re deciding on the room that will act as your home theater space, it goes without saying that darker is better. But if you’re running short on options and have to make do with a room that’s well equipped with windows, be sure to work with that space’s architecture when it’s time to configure your home theater components. To avoid glare, never position your screen on a wall that’s opposite widows, and make sure that any windows can be covered as needed with light-blocking curtains or drapes.
8. Don’t sell yourself short with bargain cables
Even if your audio/video components are rated as top-of-the-line, that’s not going to help much if are they’re connected to one another with cheap, flimsy cables. Cables are the messengers that convey signals from DVD players or gaming consoles to your screen and speakers. The sound and picture in your home theater will only be as good as the cables you use, so opt for heavy-duty, well shielded cables that can stand up to abuse and interference…even if they cost a little more.
9. Label that cable
With all the components that go into building a fantastic home theater, cables can get out of hand faster than you might think they would. Make your life easier by labeling your audio/video and power cables during installation. It’s easy: just use a label printer or some write-on wire wraps to mark both ends of each cable, and you’ll never have to wonder which cord goes with each piece of equipment.
10. Don’t forget to calibrate
Your new home theater screen is going to come out of the box with general pre-programmed settings, but don’t miss out on the full visual potential of your high definition display by making do with factory-set levels. Once you’ve finally got all the equipment set up, wait to “go live” with your home theater until you’ve calibrated your video system. This is a simple procedure, and it’s easy to take care of on your own. Just pick up a video calibration disc, pop it into your DVD player, and follow the testing prompts to optimize your screen’s color saturation and black levels… the picture you end up with will be as good as it gets!