You spent a lot of time, money, and effort setting up your new home theater system, but something just doesn’t seem right; is it possible that you messed up something? When building and setting up your own home theater, it’s quite easy to make simple, yet costly, mistakes. If you’re about to start your project here in Atlanta, check out our list of top 5 mistakes people make when trying to set up a home theater; and remember, our professional home theater installers are always just a phone call away.
Wrong Screen Size Selection
Many people mistakenly believe that the only way they can get a cinematic experience is by buying the largest screen possible. In fact, there’s a bit of mathematics involved – the screen size should cover your field of vision completely, and be no larger. This setup allows the viewers to be immersed in the movie, resulting in an amazing experience. Contrary to popular belief, an excessively large TV is not always best for a particular size room or viewing distance. If you sit too close to a large TV screen, you may see the line or pixel structure of the image; this is not only distracting but also uncomfortable.
On the other hand, with a TV that is too small, your viewing experience becomes more like looking through a small window. To eliminate purchasing the wrong TV size, first, ask yourself how much distance will be between viewers and the screen. You may find that you need a much smaller TV than you anticipated!
Windows and Lighting
The light from windows and overhead fixtures can create glare, wash out images, and ruin the movie-watching experience. You can eliminate many lighting issues by hanging blackout shades and by orienting your lighting downwards; this way, you won’t have unwanted light obscuring your screen. Additionally, never place your TV on a wall opposite windows, regardless of the type of curtains you hang – a single shift in the fabric could ruin the best scene in the movie!
By painting your home theater’s walls a dark color and removing any reflective furniture or decorations, you can keep ambient lighting from bouncing around the room. Most TVs do perfectly well in a semi-lit room, but a darker atmosphere is better – especially for video projectors.
Another thing to consider is the TV screen surface; some TVs have an anti-reflective or matte surface that minimizes room light reflections. If you have a curved screen TV and your room has windows or uncontrollable ambient light sources, the screen curvature can not only produce unwanted light reflections but also distort the shape of reflections; this can be very disturbing and distracting.
Buying The Wrong Speakers
Most people who design and put together a home entertainment room spend good money on video components but don’t on the sound system. You don’t have to spend a lot for a modest system, but you should definitely consider speakers that will suit the environment. Consider your space – what type of speakers would work best? Audio systems come in many shapes and sizes: floor-standers to compact bookshelf models, and both box and spherical shapes.
Above all, don’t forget the subwoofer! This piece of equipment will help round out the theater sound you are expecting; without one, only the high end from your movies and shows will stand out. This will feel shallow and one-dimensional to the ears.
Unbalanced Speaker Levels
First, make sure nothing is blocking the sound from traveling; the path from the speakers to your seating should be unobstructed. If even after connecting, placing, and turning on the speakers, nothing sounds right, you might have to make some adjustments to your equalizer. Your subwoofer shouldn’t overwhelm the room, and you should easily hear the dialog over the soundtrack. You can easily balance these settings by using a sound meter in conjunction with a CD, DVD, or Blu-ray Disc that provides test tones. You may also have a test tone generator built-in right into your home theater receiver.
Poor Budgeting For Cables and Accessories
A poor, budget cable will essentially void any investment you’ve made into your TV or speaker system. For this reason, we highly recommend that you start out with good cables for your home theater. Cables and wiring with substantial casing can provide better shielding from interference; in addition, these cables will last through many years of physical mishandling and damage. Other accessories to consider might be mounting and safety hardware for speakers and screens, 3D glasses for an applicable TV, and soundproofing for your room.
While it doesn’t take much to get a home entertainment room set up and running, you’ll want to do it right the first time around. If you need any help with your install, don’t hesitate to reach out to our installation experts at Telly Wall Install right here in Atlanta.