How-To Setup A Basic Home Theater
By Jerry Del Colliano
Introduction
Despite the increasing complexity of audio/video systems these days, not all people require (or have the budge to afford) a professional instsdhsdsdssds
em.
Before You Start
Here are a few ideas to think about before you start setting up your system:
1. Consider where your gear is going to go. Is there enough room? You can make estimates from dimensions found on the manufacturer’s websites. Do you have room for additional coment is a worthy idea before you start your install.
4. Do you have a phone connection and a high-speed data connection ready at your rack? Your satellite receivers and TiVos will need at least a telephone connt be worthwhile considering running the high-speed connection so that you do not have to disconnect the entire system in order to make an upgrade.
5. How far will you be sitting from your TV? A salesperson will sell you the biggest TV he or she can, often despite your needs. What you don't want is a set that is sized so that the width of the screen is at least 1.5 to 2.5 times the distance you sit from the set. Otherwise, even a great TV will look less than its best.
6. How heavy is your gear? Bryan Dailey and I recently installed a home theater in my bedroom. The shelf in my custom cabinet (which was specially braced with metal bars) sagged dramatically within hours of installation. A/V gear gets heavy and you need to consider this before you do all of the work to install your system. A big 34-inch Sony XBR HDTV, like the one I used, weighs 210 pounds. You need a strong stand to make this work without ruining any custom cabinetry.
7. Never order or buy a cable that is less than two meters long. It seems like you are saving money, but you are just making your system inflexible. You need the flexibility to move and adjust the placement of your gear. Too many times, short cables get in the way of making your system go together the way you want it to work.
Parts
Buy enough miscellaneous parts. You might want to make sure that you have things like:
• BNC to RCA adaptors
• Y adaptors
• Connectors (spades, banana, pins)
• an SPL meter (Radio Shack)
• BlueTac
• extra batteries (AA, AAA and nine-volt)
• long phone chords
• Ethernet cables
You ALWAYS need this stuff and keeping it on-hand saves you potential grief.
Tools
Make sure you have the right tools on hand. Things you might need include:
• a good power screw driver
• a drywall saw
• small tools such as screw drivers (flathead and Philips)
• a full set of Allen keys including metric
• a good flash light
• a good wire cutter and/or stripper (Klein is a recommended brand)
• a really nice wire stripper
• a solder pot (if you are getting really serious)
Consider the Cables
It is always a good idea to draw out your entire system on paper and project the cables you will need. Then buy extra because you always need them. My bedroom system is a basic yet modern setup that includes a 34-inch Sony XBR TV, a Denon receiver, a Denon DVD-Audio/SACD player, a Sony HD TV receiver, a Sony TiVo, a Mitsubishi VCR and a 5.1 Gallo Acoustics speaker system. Here is the list of the cables I needed – it may help you select the ones you might need:
• Three speaker cables (2 meters) for the front and center speakers. The length was more than sufficient, because the speakers were installed directly above the place where the receiver was to be installed
• Over 200 feet of in-wall speaker cable (Transparent’s Music Link) was used during construction for the rear speakers. I had the speaker wires pulled to the location of the equipment.
• Three pairs of RCA interconnects for the 5.1 audio output of the DVD-Audio and SACD. You need these to be pretty good interconnects and will want them all the same length and variety. You don’t want to get cheap on this connection. It is really important to the sound of your movies and music.
• Three two-meter component video cables were used to connect video from the HD Receiver to the TV (direct), the DVD player to the receiver and the receiver to the TV. If you are using a receiver, make sure that your cables have RCA connections on them or that you have enough BNC to RCA adaptors.
• DVI cables rock. If you have a set like mine and can connect a source via DVI, I highly recommend you do it. The cables are easy to use and easy to connect. Get a long one (or two). Ultra Link makes a nice DVI cable that is pretty affordable.
• S-Video cables are unfortunately a necessity for almost every system. The problem is that the cables inherently suck because the pins inside the connector need to be aligned perfectly when connecting the cable. If not, they bend or break off. If they do, consider yourself screwed. You might need S-Video cables for connecting a VCR, TiVo or a basic satellite receiver.
• Composite video cables look just like RCA audio cables but they are designed to pass video signal. They are useful for connecting VCRs, game machines and other components.
• TosLink digital cables are useful for connecting the audio out of an HDTV receiver and many receivers have inputs for them. You want a digital out of your satellite receiver so that you can listen to movies from the movie channels in surround (when available).
• COAX digital cables are also like RCA cables but they are formulated for passing digital information. You will likely want to connect one of these bad boys from your DVD-Audio player to your receiver, thus setting up movie input as an additional input for your system. Advantages to this include allowing you to be able to rip MP3s from CDs and playing DTS CDs in surround sound.
• Cable companies make specific subwoofer cables. I have never tried one, but they are an interesting option. If you opt for a traditional cable, make sure you leave yourself plenty of room for moving your subwoofer around the room. RCA to RCA connectors, needed to extend a subwoofer cable, work sometimes but not always. Sometimes they are the cause of hum and noise, which will drive you insane.
By Jerry Del Colliano
Introduction
Despite the increasing complexity of audio/video systems these days, not all people require (or have the budge to afford) a professional instsdhsdsdssdsem.
Before You Start
Here are a few ideas to think about before you start setting up your system:
1. Consider where your gear is going to go. Is there enough room? You can make estimates from dimensions found on the manufacturer’s websites. Do you have room for additional coment is a worthy idea before you start your install.
4. Do you have a phone connection and a high-speed data connection ready at your rack? Your satellite receivers and TiVos will need at least a telephone connt be worthwhile considering running the high-speed connection so that you do not have to disconnect the entire system in order to make an upgrade.
5. How far will you be sitting from your TV? A salesperson will sell you the biggest TV he or she can, often despite your needs. What you don't want is a set that is sized so that the width of the screen is at least 1.5 to 2.5 times the distance you sit from the set. Otherwise, even a great TV will look less than its best.
6. How heavy is your gear? Bryan Dailey and I recently installed a home theater in my bedroom. The shelf in my custom cabinet (which was specially braced with metal bars) sagged dramatically within hours of installation. A/V gear gets heavy and you need to consider this before you do all of the work to install your system. A big 34-inch Sony XBR HDTV, like the one I used, weighs 210 pounds. You need a strong stand to make this work without ruining any custom cabinetry.
7. Never order or buy a cable that is less than two meters long. It seems like you are saving money, but you are just making your system inflexible. You need the flexibility to move and adjust the placement of your gear. Too many times, short cables get in the way of making your system go together the way you want it to work.
Parts
Buy enough miscellaneous parts. You might want to make sure that you have things like:
• BNC to RCA adaptors
• Y adaptors
• Connectors (spades, banana, pins)
• an SPL meter (Radio Shack)
• BlueTac
• extra batteries (AA, AAA and nine-volt)
• long phone chords
• Ethernet cables
You ALWAYS need this stuff and keeping it on-hand saves you potential grief.
ToolsMake sure you have the right tools on hand. Things you might need include:
• a good power screw driver
• a drywall saw
• small tools such as screw drivers (flathead and Philips)
• a full set of Allen keys including metric
• a good flash light
• a good wire cutter and/or stripper (Klein is a recommended brand)
• a really nice wire stripper
• a solder pot (if you are getting really serious)
Consider the Cables
It is always a good idea to draw out your entire system on paper and project the cables you will need. Then buy extra because you always need them. My bedroom system is a basic yet modern setup that includes a 34-inch Sony XBR TV, a Denon receiver, a Denon DVD-Audio/SACD player, a Sony HD TV receiver, a Sony TiVo, a Mitsubishi VCR and a 5.1 Gallo Acoustics speaker system. Here is the list of the cables I needed – it may help you select the ones you might need:
• Three speaker cables (2 meters) for the front and center speakers. The length was more than sufficient, because the speakers were installed directly above the place where the receiver was to be installed
• Over 200 feet of in-wall speaker cable (Transparent’s Music Link) was used during construction for the rear speakers. I had the speaker wires pulled to the location of the equipment.
• Three pairs of RCA interconnects for the 5.1 audio output of the DVD-Audio and SACD. You need these to be pretty good interconnects and will want them all the same length and variety. You don’t want to get cheap on this connection. It is really important to the sound of your movies and music.
• Three two-meter component video cables were used to connect video from the HD Receiver to the TV (direct), the DVD player to the receiver and the receiver to the TV. If you are using a receiver, make sure that your cables have RCA connections on them or that you have enough BNC to RCA adaptors.
• DVI cables rock. If you have a set like mine and can connect a source via DVI, I highly recommend you do it. The cables are easy to use and easy to connect. Get a long one (or two). Ultra Link makes a nice DVI cable that is pretty affordable.
• S-Video cables are unfortunately a necessity for almost every system. The problem is that the cables inherently suck because the pins inside the connector need to be aligned perfectly when connecting the cable. If not, they bend or break off. If they do, consider yourself screwed. You might need S-Video cables for connecting a VCR, TiVo or a basic satellite receiver.
• Composite video cables look just like RCA audio cables but they are designed to pass video signal. They are useful for connecting VCRs, game machines and other components.
• TosLink digital cables are useful for connecting the audio out of an HDTV receiver and many receivers have inputs for them. You want a digital out of your satellite receiver so that you can listen to movies from the movie channels in surround (when available).
• COAX digital cables are also like RCA cables but they are formulated for passing digital information. You will likely want to connect one of these bad boys from your DVD-Audio player to your receiver, thus setting up movie input as an additional input for your system. Advantages to this include allowing you to be able to rip MP3s from CDs and playing DTS CDs in surround sound.
• Cable companies make specific subwoofer cables. I have never tried one, but they are an interesting option. If you opt for a traditional cable, make sure you leave yourself plenty of room for moving your subwoofer around the room. RCA to RCA connectors, needed to extend a subwoofer cable, work sometimes but not always. Sometimes they are the cause of hum and noise, which will drive you insane.
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