What You Need For A Home Theater System
Building a home theater in your house will allow you to entertain your family and guests on a whole new level. The process can be intimidating for people who are not used to setting up audio and visual equipment. The first thing you need to figure out is what you will need to buy to get your home theater system up and running.
Receiver
An AV receiver will allow you to conveniently control the sound and video of your home theater. Rather than having the sound and video separated, the receiver will have inputs for both, which means you have more control over your theater system.
Video
You need to decide whether you want to have a television or projector for your home theater. If you choose to have a television, you will simply hook it up to the receiver using an HDMI cord. A projector will require a little more setup, including a mount to secure it to your ceiling. You'll also have to purchase a projector screen or paint a designated wall to project your video content on.
Audio
You have many choices for audio in your home theater. You'll need to know what you are trying to accomplish before you begin purchasing any audio equipment. Do you want surround sound? Do you want to have individual speakers or a sound bar? If you choose to get a sound bar, that will be all you need for audio aside from certain wiring. If you want to have individual speakers set up in your home theater, you'll also need to have at least one subwoofer. Do some research to figure out proper speaker placement and different options for surround sound.
Media
Luckily, smart TVs come equipped with apps that you will use for entertainment, such as streaming services. However, if you purchase a TV that doesn't have these features, or if you decide to get a projector, you will need to purchase a separate media device that has these features.
Wiring
Your TV will hook up to your receiver using a simple HDMI cord. However, you will need to purchase speaker wire to connect your speakers to your receiver and the subwoofer. Make sure that you get the right thickness when you buy your speaker wire so it can handle the level of sound that you're looking to achieve. If you don't want exposed wires in your home theater, you can have a professional wire your system in the walls or ceiling. Or, you can use wire concealers, which do a great job of hiding unsightly wires and don't require any cutting.