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Today's home theater systems are far more convenient, accessible and reliable.
A room dedicated solely to home theater is a luxury few people have. And the comprised performance typical of most all-in-one systems simply isn't that exciting. That leaves a component system - that is, one composed of carefully selected pieces like a DVD player, amplifier, surround sound processor, etc. - as your best choice. With a component system you can achieve the performance typical of the finest custom-installed theaters - complete with operating convenience, advantages in flexibility, and an easier upgrade path when the time comes to update your system.
| While there are no hard and fast rules governing the relationship between room size and screen size, remember that bigger is not necessarily always better |
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Getting Started
Once you've assessed the room in which you think your home theater would be best suited, you're ready to begin creating the home theater you've always wanted.
Televisions
Start with the TV that's right for you. There are several options:
- "Direct view" TV is the conventional television we're all used to. Direct view sets produce a great picture regardless of surrounding light sources. This means that the picture quality will be the same in a dimly or brightly lighted room. The largest direct view TVs now have screens measuring 40".
- "Rear projectors" are one-piece, large screen sets that offer the best compromise between large direct view sets and front projector systems. Screens range in size from 40" and up, and are far less affected by bright lighting than front projectors.
- "Front projector" sets are considered by many to be the ultimate in dramatic picture display. These two-piece sets can project a very large image - in some cases more than 100" measured diagonally! For best picture quality, these front projectors must be used in rooms with very dim lighting. Fan noise can also be intrusive. The screen you choose will heavily determine the quality.
- "Flat screen" sets are the new hot ticket item for home theater enjoyment. As self-contained displays, some flat screens can be up to 60" wide and thin enough to hang on a wall - a major cosmetic advantage. Picture quality, while not up to the best direct view and front projector models, is still very good. Cost is often a factor with flat screens, but prices are declining.
What size screen should I choose?
While there are no hard and fast rules governing the relationship between room size and screen size, remember that bigger is not necessarily always better. Your best choice may be very different from what a quick measurement of available wall space might indicate depending on screen's resolution and whether your screen uses interlaced or progressive scanning. Consult with a Myer Emco installer/technician to discuss possibilities for your home theater.
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| Component video cable |
Composite video cable |
Super Video Cable |
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Composite, S-, and Component Video signals
These formats are used to get a video signal from one component to another. When planning your home theater system, try to use just one type of cable connection - preferably S-Video or Component Video Cables - as these provide the most satisfying picture.
- Composite video signal combines luminance (brightness) and chrominance (color) through a single coaxial cable. Although convenient, composite video signals are the least desirable for a high quality home theater system because the signal's ability to convey fine detail is compromised.
- S-Video signal separates the luminance and chrominance portions of the signal. This results in improved detail and resolution, however S-Video signals lose this advantage over longer distances.
- Component video signals are similar to the RGB (red, green, blue) format used by video professionals. For this reason, component video connection is the best way to go if your video sources and your TV are equipped with the three-connector terminations needed to send component video signals from one piece of equipment to another.
| The placement of your favorite chair or sofa in your home theater is important. It dictates where you should place your loudspeakers in order to hear movie soundtracks as the directors and sound engineers intended for you to hear them |
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Speakers
The placement of your favorite chair or sofa in your home theater is important. It dictates where you should place your loudspeakers in order to hear movie soundtracks as the directors and sound engineers intended for you to hear them. Generally speaking, a home theater system begins with a "5.1" speaker array. Some new surround sound formats like Dolby Digital EX sound best with two more full range speakers in the rear of your theater space, but for now we'll focus on 5.1.
A 5.1 array is comprised of the following:
- Five full range speakers -
- left, center and right front speakers
- left surround and right surround back speakers
- One limited-range subwoofer for bass reproduction only
Selecting your speakers
Regardless of the type of speakers you choose - small in-wall or large floor-standing - we suggest the following guidelines to keep in mind:
- Make sure you listen carefully to a range of models before deciding on a set.
- Choose a speaker that is as neutral and faithful to the original sound as possible.
- Remember that your home theater speakers should all come from the same manufacturer. This ensures a continuity of sound whereby each speaker has approximately the same tonal balance.
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| This Rear project television offers great clarity and size without the worries of too much daylight. |
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Speaker placement
Main Left and Right Speakers
These two speakers should be positioned on either side of your TV screen.
Speakers should be at equal distances from each side of the screen to assure the best integration of image and sound.
- If you plan to use your system primarily to watch movies, place them along the same wall as the display so that they'll form a 45-degree angle when viewed from your viewing/listening position.
- If you plan to listen to a lot of music through your system, a 60-degree spread is recommended if you listen to a lot of music through your system.
Center Channel Speaker
This speaker should be as close to your TV screen as possible, either directly under or directly over it, and placed equidistant from your favorite chair as your main left and right speakers.
Left and Right Surround Speakers
Placement of your left and right surround speakers depends on the type you have selected for your home theater - dipoles or direct radiating.
- For direct radiating surround speakers, sidewall placement or rear wall placement (depending on your room's shape) are your best bets for movie viewing; ideally, your surround speakers should be mounted above ear level. Consider placing direct radiating speakers on the rear wall closer to the room's corners if you plan on listening to a lot of multi-channel music.
- Dipoles work best when placed well above ear level against the sidewalls of your home theater room. Dipole speakers create a very spacious but non-specific feeling of ambience. Once preferred in home theater's early days, most experts now recommend direct radiating speakers.
Subwoofer
Placement of your subwoofer is flexible and can vary depending on room acoustics and available space. It is specifically designed to produce only low bass sounds. After assessment, one of our home theater experts can recommend the right spot for your sub so that you just sit back and enjoy the results.
6.1/7.1 systems
These systems require more speakers than we've introduced you to, but a well executed 5.1 system is usually so impressive that many don't need any more speakers. However, if you've decided to put the very best home theater system in a particularly large room, you will want to consider a 6.1/7.1 system.
Most 6.1/7.1 systems add speakers to the rear of the room (and slightly more complex electronics) to provide a "Center Surround" channel that places some surround information directly behind us in addition to that which is already coming from the regular surround channels of a normal 5.1 system. The Center Surround channel gives movie directors and sound engineers a better way to add very specific spatial information to the soundtrack when they need to do so.
| Generally speaking, separate components are the best way to go for your home theater system. |
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Electronics
Generally speaking, separate components are the best way to go for your home theater system. In addition to having substantially better performance than "home theater in a box" systems, individual components allow you to upgrade or add to your system on a step-by-step basis to better protect your investment and to keep you at the forefront of enjoyment.
Key parts to your component system
Sources
Sources are anything that let you access a program, a movie, or a music recording of some kind. Common sources include a satellite converter, DVD player, cable box, and VCR.
Receiver
A receiver is the single most complex piece of equipment in any home theater. Many people choose receivers because they are convenient space-savers. Features include:
- connections for all your sources
- switching capability so you can watch and listen to the source you want
- a built-in AM and FM tuner so you can hear your favorite radio broadcasts
- sophisticated digital signal processing (DSP) to decode the various surround sound formats
- a multi-channel power amplifier to provide power for all of your speakers
"Full separates"
This replaces a receiver with a surround processor/preamplifier, a power amplifier, and if you want, a tuner. These individual components provide even better performance than a receiver can and also allow you to tailor a system to your needs.
Surround processor
The surround processor connects everything in your system. Sources plug into the processor to deliver both audio and video information - some of it analog, some digital. Once your processor decodes the signal you've selected, it routes images to your TV, and sends the audio portion on to your amplifier and, once there, on to your speakers.
Where do I go from here?
While it's our hope that this section has been helpful for you in gaining some general knowledge on the subject of home theaters, there is much more to learn. We could go on and on here, but nothing replaces a personal conversation. So, if you're interested in finding out more specifics, we invite you to stop by one of our stores for chat with a trained professional. From product recommendations to planning for installation, they'll be happy to assist you in any way that they can.
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