Home Theater Installation Tips

Ask anyone with a custom home theater and they’ll tell you the same thing: home theater installation is no easy task. But installation is a vital part of building a home theater. You’ll be surprised at the number of people who spend thousands on high-end gear, only to ruin the whole setup by doing a hack installation job. If you’re investing that much money in a custom home theater, take the time to plan it all out and make sure it all works together.

Wiring is one of the most important considerations in home theater room set-up. Many people just run them under the carpets, but that’s a bad idea—it subjects the wires to physical wear which can affect sound and image quality. Instead, run them along the walls and, if your wires are long enough, around the ceiling.

It’s also important to position your speakers the right way. A typical speaker system consists of a center channel speaker, a front speaker, left and right speakers, surround speakers, and a powered subwoofer. Each one plays a different role in the custom home theater and should be placed properly positioned. For instance, center speakers should be just under or above the TV, while the front, left and right speakers should be on the sides. Surround speakers are distributed evenly around the walls, and the subwoofer should be placed where it’s convenient for power.

To make installing home theater gear easier, keep all your gear organized. Use cable ties to hold your wires together and keep them from snaking around the back of your TV. Make sure your room has adequate power outlets to plug in all your equipment.