How to Use Home Theater Equipment

By eHow Electronics Editor

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Setting up a home theater can double your viewing pleasure, especially if you're into music, movies and sports. The sound and video capabilities offered by these systems puts you right in the middle of whatever you're watching or listening to.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Step1

Diagram the room where you are setting up your home theater, designating where you want your screen, speakers and components. This is also good to do if you're planning on prewiring a room for a home theater system or building a new room to accommodate it, where the wires can be hidden in the walls and ceiling.

Step2

Determine whether you have a 5.1 or 7.1 system. A 5.1 system has 5 speakers and a powered subwoofer. A 7.1 system has 7 speakers and a powered subwoofer. Check the user manual of your receiver/amplifier to see which system it can handle. A 5.1-rated amplifier cannot handle a 7.1 system, but a 7.1-rated amplifier can handle either specification.

Step3

Place your components and speakers where you want them in the room, making sure your audio/video cable and speaker wires are long enough to reach your receiver/amplifier and your TV set or monitor. These components probably include a receiver/amplifier, a DVD player, a VCR, a tuner or cable/satellite set-top box and a CD player. You can also add such things as a digital video recorder, music server and other components, depending on how much hardware your amplifier/receiver can handle. Depending on your system, speakers are placed 3 in front and 2 in the rear or 3 in front, 2 in the middle of the room and 2 in the rear. You may want to place the subwoofer against your seats, to deliver a shaking-rumbling effect.

Step4

Connect all of your components and enjoy the show.