Tips for Building Your Own Home Theater System

With amazing audio/video technology becoming more affordable, a home theater system is coming into financial reach of more people than ever. If you are one of those who are now able to install a home theater system in your home, here are some important tips.

Determine the Parameters

Setting up a home theater system is a process of wiring up a TV, surround sound speakers and a multi-media player or some sort of DVD player. Sounds simple, but with the plethora of choices in relationship to the level and type of technology, it is not as simple as it seems. Decisions to make include:

Television: Flat Screen, Projection, Plasma or LCD

Determining the type of TV is a task in and of itself. Each of the 4 types listed above have advantages and disadvantages, so you will need to do extensive research to find the television that best meets your expectations.

DVD Player

Blue Tooth compatible, Standard Definition, High Definition or Blue Ray are all good DVD options. However, you will need to match the TV with the type of DVD player you select. Some models will work with the TV you choose, others will not.
Other considerations will include:

• Gaming Features
• Internet Access 
• Computer Friendly
• Recording Capabilities

Surround Sound System

Size, quality, number of speakers and installation configurations all need to be considered in your home theater system. Will you be looking at an out-of-the-box system or separate components?

Research

Initial research and comparison shopping for each component can be done on  the Internet. Once your decisions have been made visit your local electronics store and, if possible, "experience" the systems at the store. This is the place to ask questions and address any concerns that may arise.

Determine Installation Method

Are you savvy enough to run the wiring, configure the TV and ensure all attachments will be up and running without a hitch? Consider hiring an installer for insured work guarantee and to take advantage of their professional experience with wiring, installation and merging the components together.

If you choose to wire the system yourself, lay out all your wires carefully and then mark the connections as you go. This will make the installation run smoother and will aid in restoring the system in case of a move or some unexpected need to take the system down arises.

Safety First

The final step is to decide how to hide all the cords. Without planning the cords will be a jumbled octopus clump that is not only unattractive but a fire risk due to over loading circuits or expecting too much from an extension cord.

Cleaning up the cords can be as simple as using wire ties in a neat way, or separating them behind an entertainment unit.

If you have children, come up with a strategic way to keep all those knobs out of reach. Not only is it a safety concern, the settings on your system can be "messed up" and it will take an act of genius to get them back to your original configurations. 

Finally, save al the users guides from the different components; you may need them in the future.