Good quality video and audio can take your screen time to another level. Watching your favorite movie on a big screen with realistic sound effects is truly soothing after a long day. Fortunately, you no longer have to buy a ticket for cinemas to watch movies with full effects. You can build a home theater in your living room and enjoy non-stop screen time with immersive effects. You can invite friends to your home with confidence for a movie night and enjoy the true-to-life movies in the comfort of your own home.
How to Setup Home Theater
Setting up a home theater requires a few things such as best home theater subwoofers. You can watch cinema-like FHD or UHD movies and shows with top-quality sound output having to surround sound effects. Several well-reputed brands sell all the components necessary for setting up a home theater. Let us discuss in detail all the elements you need for building a home theater and in what sequence you have to connect all the components.
List of Key Components for a Home Theater Setup
To build a home theater, you will require a few things that complete the whole setup when you connect them in accordance. The first thing you will look at is the budget. Once you have your budget decided, you can look up different well-known brands that sell them at reasonable prices. Now the essential components you require for the matter listed below.
Big TV or Projector
Projector or TV is the main component that allows you to see the visuals with ultimate clarity. You will require a TV bigger in inches and higher resolution for full mesmeric effects for home theater. Remember we are trying to turn the media system into a mini cinema, so you need a bigger screen. Before looking for a TV or a projector, make sure they are 4k compatible. In that case, you will have bright and vivid visuals on the screen.
Now, if you want to get a projector for your home theater, you need to get a screen to project the light. The screen size of a projector depends on your personal preference. For a projector, you also require a projector mount that will allow for less clutter. If that isn’t possible, you can also allocate space for a projector other than the ceiling to remain safe from movement. You can easily find suitable quality projectors and TVs that are 4k compatible at affordable prices. Some of the well-known brands are LG, Sony, BenQ, Epson, Optoma, etc.
Home Theater Receiver or a Soundbar
The next thing you need for a mini home cinema is a home theater receiver or a soundbar. The decision of which device to buy depends on your personal preference. However, if you are going for a projector, it is better to opt for a receiver as it sounds far better than a soundbar. In case you drop the projector option and choose a TV screen instead, you can always go for a soundbar. Most people choose a home theater receiver over a soundbar for its better sound output and diversity.
If you choose the first option, you need to look at a few things necessary to set up a home theater. Make sure that the receiver comes with HDMI ports that will come in handy during the connectivity. Also, the receiver should be compatible with the 4k content for high-quality visuals. In addition to that, the HDMI ports should also support HDCP so that you see authentic and top-quality content on the screens.
Speakers
The next main component you will require is the speaker. Speakers have the most contribution in providing full immersive effects and bringing the characters to life. You can have a bad movie or show-watching experience if you go wrong with the speakers. The first thing you need to do is test the speaker before actually buying them. The testing will place you in a better position to buy the ones that fulfill all your expectations.
Now, the next decision to make is what channel do you want for the sound system. The number of speakers you get for your home media system again depends on your personal preference. More speakers will allow for more fidelity and surround sound effects. In addition to that, more than one subwoofer allows for better bass quality. So if you decide to buy a 5.1 channel sound system, you will require 5 speakers and one subwoofer.
The center channel speaker will go just under the screen to make the sound output feel coherent. After that, you need to place the two main speakers on both sides of the screen. The two surround speakers need to be placed at both sides of the listener for maximum surround sound effects. Lastly, it would be best if you placed the subwoofer close to the screen so that you can experience quality low-frequency tunes. You can always opt for 7.1 or 7.2 channels for more real-life-like sound effects.
Cables
Now that you have all the components waiting to be connected to start your home theater, you will need HDMI cables to connect all the devices. In addition to that, you will also need a long cord. Moreover, you will require speaker cables to build a connection. It is always recommended to get high gauge wires, most preferably 14 gauge, that provide a stable connection for powerful speakers. It would be best to get a big reel of speaker cable not to run short of it. In addition to that, you also need to make sure you get banana plugs for your speakers for a smooth connection. Lastly, you will need a cable for the subwoofer to connect it to the speakers and the receiver.
Surge Suppressor
When you create all that powerful setup, you also need to protect the electrical connection from power surges or thunderstorm damages. For that matter, you will need a surge protector or power conditioner so that your whole electrical connection stays protected. If you mean to invest in a surge suppressor, make sure you get one with a high joule rating to get good performance.
Media Player
The next thing you need to get for your mini-home theater is the media player. This is only necessary if you want a projector as your video source as most of the projector comes without built-in apps. To make the projectors work, you need a good media player to play certain apps. Make sure the media player you are getting fully supports 4k content.
Remote Controller
The last thing from the components list is the remote controller that adds to the convenience. You would want to get up and control certain features of your home theater while sitting on the couch. It is better to have a universal remote that allows you to control all the components. Owing a universal remote will spare you from the hassle of controlling all the devices with different remotes. Several different brands are selling good quality universal remote controllers at reasonable prices.
Installation
Once you have gathered all the essential products required to set up a home theater, then comes the most crucial part. Setting a home theater might test your patience as one missing plug may cause issues in the overall performance. If you mean to install a projector, the first thing you are required to do is allocate a safe place to it. You need to test where it should go best and what measurements of the screen do you want. Make sure that you install the projector in the place where the measurements of the image exactly align with the measurements of the screen.
For the installation, you can either install it to the ceiling with a professional’s help or use raceways to fix the HDMI cord. If you want to place the projector on the tabletop, make sure you find a place where it can stay put. Moreover, you need to make sure you adjust the projector’s settings before installing it to the ceiling. After that, you need to connect these devices to the home theater receivers via HDMI cables.
After that comes the placement of all the speakers and subwoofer. The placement of speakers and subwoofer depends on the measurements of the room you want to build the home theater in. If you are using a soundbar, you should mount it on the wall above the screen or place it just below it. However, if you have purchased multiple speakers, you have to make sure you have placed all the speakers in proper areas.
The center channel comes right under the screen for coherent sound effects. In addition to that, the main speakers should be placed at the sides of the screen. You need to keep at least 6 feet distance between the main speakers. Now, there are different ways to install the surround speakers. You can either mount them on the walls close to the ceiling, or you can mount them on the wall at your ear level. It greatly depends on your personal preferences.
For setting up the subwoofer, you need to check the size of your room. One subwoofer is enough for a small room; however, you can install 2 subwoofers if you have a larger room. You can place the subwoofer between the main speakers or at the corner of the room for perfect sound blending. In addition to that, you can also use a subwoofer crawl method to allocate a place to a subwoofer.
Now that you have done the speaker’s allocation, the next step is plugging them into the receiver. You can use the banana plugs to connect all the speaker cables directly to the receiver. The last thing you want to do is setting up the remote for added convenience. It will allow you to control all the devices from a single remote controller. After you are done with the setup, you can sit back, relax, stream your favorite movie or show and watch it with immersive visuals and sound effects.
FAQs
What does every home theater need?
For setting a good home theater, you require good quality sound output, proper seating arrangement, and top-quality visuals. For that matter, you need good quality speakers, surround sound speakers, subwoofer, and projector/TV screen. Make sure the TV or projector supports 4k content.
How do I set up a home theater in a small room?
To build a home theater in small rooms, you need to mount the box speakers and surround sound speakers on the wall. The speakers should be mounted in a tilted direction in a face-down position, whereas the surround speakers should go on the wall behind the listeners.
Do home theaters need an amplifier?
A home theater does not need an amplifier because the A/V receiver comes equipped with a built-in amplifier. The receiver is capable of amplifying sound signals to a great extent.
Is a home theater worth it?
Home theater is worth all the money and energy spent on setting it up. It provides better quality visuals and sound effects than an ordinary TV, or a speaker would provide. You can have true-to-life screen time by building a home theater.
How much does a home theater cost?
A home theater varies in cost depending upon the brands of components you are choosing to buy. A home theater might cost from $2000 to $30000 on average. It includes each element you are getting plus the dues of the professional who sets it up.
Wrap up
A home theater might cost some bucks, but it will change the whole screen time experience and take it to a whole new level. You can have a captivating movie time with true-to-life sound effects and visuals. A home theater allows for bright, colorful, and vivid visuals with fidelity-rich sound output. You no longer have to wait in line to buy a cinema ticket when you can bring the entire theater to your home. It might cost some human labor and money, but you will be more than happy with the results.
