How to Build a Home Theater Media Room

Order and comfort

When building a home theater media room you first start with an isolated, carpeted rectangular room that allows little sound to enter from the outside. A very dark room is ideal, preferably one without windows. After choosing the room you must then consider the layout of the room: the wall best suited for viewing the screen, where all the requisite materials and electronics can be housed, and the distance for comfortable viewing and interacting. After considering these components start acquiring the equipment and materials for the build.

Things You'll Need

• Television
• DVD player
• Audio speakers
• Seating
• Table
• Shelving Unit
• Screwdriver
• Screws
• Soundproof walls
• Wall mounts
• Hammer
• Nails
• Measuring tape

Instructions

1. Place or mount your soundproof walls on the walls around the desired space for viewing. To mount the walls, center the wall mounts where you want the soundproof walls to hang. Hammer the wall mount into the wall with hammer and nails. Attach the hanging part of the mount on the back of the soundproof wall with hammer and nails and then hang the soundproof wall on your wall, joining the two pieces of the mount. Repeat this process until you have soundproofed all the walls or the desired area for viewing and seating. For simpler installation, just place soundproof walls against existing walls. And for those on a budget sound-proofing may be forgone.

2. 

   Place the shelving unit against your chosen wall for viewing and position your television on top of the shelving unit. The dimensions of your television will determine optimum viewing distance for placement of seating.

3. 

   Tri-colored cords

   Connect your DVD player to your television using the tri-colored audio/ video cords. Match the white (left) and red (right) audio plugs with the audio out plugs on the DVD player and the yellow with the video out plug. Take the other end of the cord and match each color with the audio in and video in plugs, most likely in the back of your television.

4. 

   Speakers apart

   Position your speakers on either side of your screen for surround sound. Connect the cords into the speakers and then connect the other end into the audio out plug on your television. You may want to raise your speakers off the ground so the sound isn't muddled by being too close to the floor. You can do this by setting the speakers on tables or shelves or by mounting them to the wall, much as you did with the soundproof walls.

5. 

   Positioning and comfort are important.

   Choose chairs that are comfortable for you. "For optimal viewing, the distance between the viewer and the screen should equal about three times the screen size. So a 40-inch TV is best viewed from a distance of 10 feet," according to David Seiter in "This Old House Magazine." Measure your screen size with a measuring tape and multiply that number by three. Measure that new distance from your television and set your chairs there.

6. Pick your favorite DVD and put it in the DVD player. Enjoy your home theater media room.

Tips & Warnings

• "A room with equal dimensions (20 feet long by 20 feet wide) or dimensions that are evenly divisible by each other (10 feet high by 20 feet long) won't evenly distribute the resonant frequencies and will almost certainly have problems in a number of seating positions" according to Mike Wood in his article at HomeTheaterMag.com.

• Having a carpeted room will reduce noise from under the floor.

• Note which input plug in you use for your video input because you will need to switch the television on to that corresponding channel.

• You can add more speakers as you see fit for optimum sound, placing them equidistantly from your seating.

• Real theater chairs can be purchased at some vintage or antique shops or online.

• Test the sound levels of your speakers starting on low to begin, with as you could damage your hearing with loud speakers.

References

• Home Theater: Design the Ultimate Home Theater-on a budget
• This Old House: Setting up a Home Theater