Buying a home theater system is not a big deal these days. However, installing and configuring it for the best quality output is an important and tedious task. Read on to know more about it…
You walk into an electronics mega-store and you’re floored by the sight in front of you. It’s shiny, it’s sleek and it’s the newest thing to hit the market. The latest and fully-loaded DVD home theater system on display leaves you spellbound. In a zillionth of a second, you’ve already made up your mind to buy this new baby home. Many go ahead with their buyer’s instincts and purchase it then and there.
Purchasing is quite easy, but installing it is something totally different. Hooking up a home theater system is a vital task, because an incorrect installation can lead to inferior output quality and can also damage the system.
Read the Owner’s Manual
This may seem to be the most basic of instructions, but often it is the most overlooked one. Reading the owner’s manual thoroughly is the first thing one should do while installing a home theater system. More often than not, this will help in avoiding fundamental problems at a later stage.
Placement and Positioning
Study the dimensions of the room in which you wish to install your home theater system. Visualize and plan the way in which you would like to place the various components, such as the speakers, sub-woofers, etc. Proper positioning of the system components is directly related to the quality of the output, and it is largely dependent upon the size and area of the room.
Cables
Purchasing and using the right cables for all your connections is vital. Avoid going in for cheaper cables as they are most likely to be of sub-standard quality and may prove to be costly in the long run. The cabling should be clean, it should be concealed appropriately, cables should be marked with colored tapes for easy identification, and there should be proper ventilation to ensure that the cables are not exposed to extreme temperatures.
Power Outlets
Home theater systems consume much more power than other home appliances. Naturally, it is imperative that you have the right power outlets for it in terms of the number of sockets, technical specifications, and compatibility. It is also advisable to use a surge protector to protect the system from voltage spikes, which can otherwise cause internal damage to the components.
Balancing Speaker Levels
In a typical home theater system, each speaker is meticulously designed to play a specific role in terms of sound production. Balancing the individual speaker volumes to produce an overall optimum level is a tricky, yet achievable task. Insert your favorite audio CD, and using the instructions given in the owner’s manual, tweak the audio settings for each speaker until you reach a satisfactory level of acceptance. Certain inbuilt tone test features are a good way to preview the sound output during the process of balancing.
Get Professional Help
If you feel that the process is totally out of your reach, do not fret. There are hundreds of companies and vendors who provide professional home theater installation services. It may cost you a little extra, but it will definitely save you from having to spend a bomb on repairs in case you damage the system during self-installation.
Following these guidelines will enable you to attach and enjoy your new home theater system in no time at all!