How to Hook Up a DVD Home Theater System
You walk into an electronics mega-store and you're floored by the sight in front of you. It's shiny, it's sleek and it's the newest thing to hit the market. The latest and fully-loaded DVD home theater system on display leaves you spellbound. In what seems like a zillionth of a second, you've already made up your mind to buy this new 'baby'. Well, most of us tend to react this way. Many go ahead with their buyer instincts and purchase it then and there. Being the proud owner of this chic new home theater system, we are happy with ourselves for a job well done. However, that isn't quite so. The real challenging task lies ahead.
Purchasing a DVD home theater system is relatively easy, installing it is something totally different. Hooking up a home theater system is a vital task because an incorrect installation can lead to inferior output quality and can also result in system damage. These are some factors one should keep in mind while getting the installation done.
Read the Owner's Manual
This may seem to be the most basic of instructions, but often it is the most overlooked one. Reading the owner's manual thoroughly is the first thing one should do while hooking up a home theater system. More often than not, reading the owner's manual carefully helps in avoiding fundamental problems at a later stage.
Placement and Positioning
Study the size and the dimensions of the room in which you wish to install your home theater system. Visualize and plan the way in which you would like to place the different system components such as the speakers, sub-woofers, etc. Proper positioning of the system components of a home theater system is directly related to the quality of output and it is largely dependent upon the size and area of the room.
Cabling
Purchasing and using the right cables for all your connections is vital. Avoid going in for cheaper cables as they are most likely to be of sub-standard quality and may prove to be costly in the long run. The cabling should be clean, it should be concealed appropriately, cables should be marked with colored tapes for easy identification and there should be proper ventilation to ensure that cables are not exposed to extreme temperatures.
Power Outlets
Home theater systems consume much more power as compared to other home appliances. Naturally, it is imperative that you have the right power outlets for your home theater system in terms of number of sockets, technical specifications and compatibility. It is also advisable to use a surge protector to protect the home theater system from voltage spikes, which otherwise, can cause internal damage to the system components.
Balancing Speaker Levels
In a typical home theater system, each speaker is meticulously designed to play a specific role in terms of sound production. Balancing the individual speaker volumes to produce an overall optimum level of sound is a tricky, yet achievable task. Insert your favorite audio CD and using the instructions given in the owner's manual, tweak the audio settings for each speaker until you reach a satisfactory level of acceptance. Certain inbuilt tone test features are a good way to preview the sound output during the process of balancing.
Written Log
A situation may arise wherein you have to dismantle and hook up your home theater system from scratch. In such a case, if you happen to forget or skip a certain step of the installation process, it could prove to be a costly affair. For good measure, always maintain a written log of the system installation process for your convenience.
Get Professional Help
If you feel that the installation of your new home theater is something that's totally out of your reach, do not fret. There are hundreds of companies and vendors who provide professional home theater installation services. It may cost you a little extra, but it will definitely save you from having to spend a bomb on repairs, in case you damage the system during self-installation.
Following these guidelines will enable you to hook up your new home theater system in no time at all. Enjoy the entertainment!
