How to Set Up Surround Sound With Components
Surround sound speakers work with an audio-video receiver to produce multi-channel audio from different components. Basic surround sound consists of five speakers and a subwoofer, commonly denoted as a 5.1 system, with two front speakers, a center channel, two rear surround sound speakers and the sub. The speakers and other components, such as a DVD player and television, connect to the receiver for a complete system. By following the color codes on the cables and jacks, setting up surround sound should take less than half an hour.
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Instructions
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1
Set up the surround sound system with the front left and right speakers flanking the TV and the center channel above or below the TV. Place the two rear speakers behind the main seating in the room, turned inward about 45 degrees, as recommended by Dolby Laboratories. The subwoofer can be placed anywhere in the room but not directly against a wall, which can diminish the bass effect.
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2
Place the AV components in a shelf system or storage rack, with the AV receiver on top for ventilation.
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3
Cut a piece of speaker wire long enough to connect between each speaker and the subwoofer, then strip 1.2 inch of insulation from the ends.
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4
Connect the speakers to the receiver by lifting the terminal clips on the back to reveal two holes for inserting the wires. Insert the red wire in the positive terminal and the other wire in the negative terminal. Connect each speaker to the terminals labeled for that speaker on the back of the receiver, for example, "Left Front".
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5
Plug the subwoofer cable from the input jack on the back of the sub to the "Sub Out" jack on the back of the AV receiver.
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6
Connect the equipment to the receiver by inserting the three plugs on one end of the composite cables into the AV output jacks on each component, matching the yellow, red and white plugs to the jack colors. Insert the plugs on the other end into the AV input jacks labeled for each component on the back of the receiver, for example, DVD player or VCR.
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7
Connect a video cable from the "Video Out" jack on the back of the receiver, to the "Video In" jack on the back of the TV.
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8
Plug the electrical cords for all equipment into a power strip, which can then be connected to the wall outlet.
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Tips & Warnings
Hook up all speakerr wires and AV cables before connecting equipment to the electricity.
References
- Photo Credit Interior with home movie theater image by Nikolay Okhitin from Fotolia.com
