How to Set Up Your Home Theater System

Grab some popcorn and enjoy the theater experience in your own home.

Your entire home theater system runs through one A/V receiver. Hooking each device up is simple ... and a little time consuming. Position your surround sound, find a place for each component and start cabling.

Instructions

1. Make a list of all of the devices that comprise your home theater system. For example, your DVD and/or Blu-ray player, Cable/SAT box, TV, A/V receiver, gaming console and surround sound speakers. Making a list shows you how many HDMI cables you need. Once you have your list of devices and a cable for each one, you are ready to set up your system.

2. Set up your TV. Go to your A/V receiver and locate the HDMI OUT on the back. There should only be one slot to choose from. Plug one end of the HDMI cable into the "OUT" on the receiver and the other end into the "IN" on your TV. Your TV is now set up and everything will run via your A/V receiver.

3. Set up your DVD/Blu-ray player. Locate the HDMI port on the back of your DVD/Blu-ray player. Plug one end of an HDMI cable into your player and the other end into the DVD/Blu-ray slot on your receiver.
   To use your DVD player you must first select the HDMI input on your TV. Take your TV remote and scroll through the inputs until you're on the HDMI input. Once this is done, turn on your receiver and choose DVD/Blu-ray on your receiver remote to operate the player.

4. Set up your Cable/SAT box. Locate the HDMI port on the back of your Cable/SAT box. Plug one end of the HDMI cable into the Cable/SAT box and the other end into the Cable/SAT slot on your receiver.
   To use your Cable/SAT box, select its HDMI input on your TV. Once this is done, turn on your receiver and choose Cable/SAT on your receiver remote.

5. Set up your speakers. If you have a 5.1 system, you should have five speakers: left, right, center, back right, back left and subwoofer. Before you connect any wires, set your speakers up the way you want them. Connect the left speaker to the back of your receiver and connect the other end to the speaker itself. Do this for all 5 speakers and you are all done.

References

• cnet: How to Set Up a Home Theater