Home Theater Setup

In a home theater setup process having the right components is just half of the equation, and the other half is how the components are placed and calibrated, and how the design of your room affects the sound and visual presentation. Today, it is no longer a matter of a small television set with pictures could hardly be seen from across the room. It is no longer even just sitting on a sofa and watching your favorite show from a big television. There is now more to everything in home viewing.

Today’s home theater systems are more complex than ever. It’s true that you can enjoy amazing pictures and high quality sound via high-resolution displaying sets and high performance audio systems. But, there are many connection options available in home theater setup. There are components that are basic to any home theater; these are the source, the video display, and the audio speakers. The most essential component of them is the source. This is the device that gives out television feed – with picture and sound – be it satellite, antenna or cable, DVD or DVR.

The screen is a very important component of the system; so many people would be looking for high-definition widescreen to get a better image. Whether it is an LCD, a Plasma TV or HDTV, the widescreen format copies the exact shape found in cinemas displaying more real image. Audio speakers are also an important part of home theater setup. So, if you want to enjoy a 3D surrounding sound, you will distribute the audio speakers through out the location. Having speakers in different spots will make you actually feel the sound coming from everywhere.

The key to picking a surround sound receiver is to find one that matches your speaker layout requirements. Most Receivers will work for Dolby Digital 5.1. Then depending on the model, they should also work for 6.1 or 7.1 surround. See the diagrams below to help you pick the right receiver type.

Each speaker of your home theater needs its own channel of amplification.  These amplifiers are typically built into audio/video receivers, but there are also many stand-alone multichannel power amplifiers for use with preamp/processor components. (Subwoofers, the “.1″ channel, frequently incorporate their own built-in amplification and need only a line-level connection from the subwoofer output to the receiver.)

Dolby Digital 5.1 Setup:

Dolby Digital 6.1 Setup:

Dolby Digital 7.1 Setup: