How to Create a Homemade Home Theater System
A home theater system aims to give you a cinema-like experience within the comfort of your own living room. The basics of a home theater are quite simple, so you don't have to be a technical expert to build it yourself. However, setting it up correctly is critical, because a good system can sound bad if not positioned correctly.
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Things You'll Need
- 5.1 amplifier
- 5 speakers
- Subwoofer
- Speaker cables
- DVD player
- TV
- Audio and video cables
Instructions
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1
Acquire an amplifier and five speakers. Make sure the amplifier has a separate output for each speaker. Get two-way speakers so you have good coverage over the high and middle frequencies.
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2
Position the speakers in the room. For the best audio experience, you should sit in front of the TV, at a comfortable distance from it, depending on the size of your TV. Then have the speakers placed in a surround sound setup. Place two speakers on the left and right of the TV, the center speaker above or under the TV and the other two speakers behind, on the left and right. Place the speakers at ear level to obtain the best audio experience.
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3
Run the speaker cables from each speaker to the amplifier. Connect the left and right speakers to the left and right outputs on the amplifier, the center speaker to the center output and the rear left and right speakers to their corresponding outputs.
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4
Position the subwoofer and connect its cable to the subwoofer output on the amplifier. Place the subwoofer directly on the floor, as the low frequencies sound best at lower positions. Try different positions within the room until you find the position that offers the best sound.
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5
Connect the amplifier to the DVD player. This is usually done via three pairs of RCA cables, but this may vary depending on the wiring options of the amplifier and DVD.
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Connect the DVD to the TV. This connection is usually done via a SCART cable, but it may also vary, depending on the available wiring options.
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Turn on the amplifier, the DVD player and the DVD and play a movie or audio disc. Adjust the volume of each speaker so the sound is uniform and equal from each direction. Adjust the bass volume.
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Tips & Warnings
Pay attention to the polarity of the speaker cables. Always connect positive (+) to positive and negative (-) to negative. Inverted connections will have a negative effect on the system's performance and may even damage your amplifier.
References
Resources
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