Custom Home Theater - Your Online Guide.

In the old days, watching a home movie meant sitting down on a couch and popping a videotape into your player. These days, you’ve got a custom home theater with a giant flat screen, surround sound, and maybe even a comfy recliner to top it off. But for a middle-income homeowner, this is a major investment that sets you back several thousand dollars. How do you build your dream theater without breaking the bank? Here are a few home theater setup tips to help you out.

First, invest in a good TV set. Chances are your TV is the most expensive part of your custom home theater. Look for one with a good power rating—it could cost more initially, but the energy savings will make it much cheaper in the long run. DLP and plasma TVs are known to be energy-efficient, so look into these types as well.

Next, plan your home theater sound system. In a custom home theater, each speaker emits a different sound and should be placed where it best plays its part. Center speakers should be placed on or below the TV set, and surround speakers work best in the walls or corners. Front speakers, which belt out the special effect sounds, should be placed on the sides of the TV along with the left and right speakers. Subwoofers can be placed anywhere since the bass is omni-directional.

Finally, you have to pick a good DVD player. Most home theater design tips leave this last, but it’s still an important part of your setup. A wireless player will be more convenient to set up, especially if you have a large room. Make sure your player supports a wide range of video formats and works well with your speaker system.