Four Common Mistakes To Avoid When Setting Up Your Home Theater System
Posted on: 2 February 2016
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Creating a home theater system can be a very rewarding experience, although careful planning is necessary to create the ideal set-up. You probably know that you'll need a big screen TV, sound system and suitable furniture, but there's more to it than choosing the right components. Simple mistakes in placement or neglecting to add the necessary accessories may make your experience less than enjoyable. As you out together your home theater system, consider these four common mistakes and how to avoid them:
1. Mounting Your Big Screen Television Way Above Eye Level
You may think it adds a certain ambiance to the room to mount the large television at a height of seven or eight feet off the floor, but this would be a mistake. Even if your viewing area is at the ideal distance from the TV, looking up for a period of time may cause considerable strain on your neck muscles. The ideal height for your home theater TV would be anywhere between three and five feet off the floor. If your seats are rather high, place the TV screen at the higher recommended level of five feet off the floor. Conversely, if your seating is low, the best ergonomic choice would be to mount the television no higher than three or four feet off the floor.
2. Allowing the Sun or Lighting to Reflect on Your TV Screen
Does your home theater room receive plenty of sunlight? While this environment may seem bright and cheery, it can cause issues such as glare on the TV screen. While these reflections may be altered somewhat by adjusting the settings on your television, it may not be enough.
A simple solution may be to place the TV on a wall where the sun doesn't shine directly on the screen, or purchase a tilting mount. This mount allows you to adjust the angle so that the glare from the sun or lighting will not hit the screen. A swiveling mount may work best.
3. Placing the Audio Speakers in a Cabinet
Do you frown at the idea of having huge stereo speakers in plain sight? If so, hiding them away inside a cabinet or other piece of furniture might not be the best idea. If you appreciate the rich, deep sound of the bass, you could be compromising the quality by placing the sub-woofers inside an enclosed structure. Doing so could reduce the clarity or cause a garbled sound.
Instead, place the speakers out of the way. Never place speakers against a wall, as this may not only compromise sound quality, it may cause overheating. For proper ventilation, leave sufficient room on all sides of the speakers and do not block any of the ventilation slots.
4. Failing to Protect Your Equipment
After you have purchased the equipment for your home theater system, you will want to protect your investment. Without the use of a surge protector, a power surge caused by an electrical storm or other occurrence could damage your expensive TV, surround sound speakers, gaming console or Blu-Ray player.
You need to understand that not all power strips are made with surge protection. Be sure the strip has some kind of interruption switch. This will shut off the power before an electrical surge has the chance to reach your equipment and cause damage. Also, be sure the surge protector includes an ample amount of ports for all of the components utilized in your home theater system.
As a final consideration, if you have little or no experience in setting up electronic equipment, you might want to hire a professional to help you through it. Enlisting the help of a contractor to install your state-of-the-art equipment will give you peace of mind and help you enjoy your investment to the fullest. Additionally, a contractor may offer advice on maintenance and service for your future reference. Contact a company like A Tech Security for more info.