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Home Theater System - Basics |
Use the Manual
Everyone
knows real men don't use manuals, but a lot of real men don't even realize
they have incorrectly configured wiring and compromised performance. Use
wiring diagrams and take the recommendations in your manuals seriously.
The manufacturer can tell you how to obtain the best performance from
their products.
Power
Get into the habit
of powering down components before making connections. Sudden loads on
live amplifiers connected to speakers are especially damaging. When
connecting audio and video cables you should power down the components
involved in the connection first.
Cables
Don't get suckered into
luxury priced cables and wires that claim exotic materials will unlock
performance. But don't buy the cheapest, flimsy cables either.
When
hooking up your system it's
important to use interconnects that have ends you can grip securely, some
of the connections might be tight and often you'll need to pull them out
or reconnect them from obstructed vantage points and in poor lighting.
It's important your finger tips can grab the plugs on the end of your
interconnects so you're not pulling on the cable.
Space
You're going to
need room behind your equipment to put it all together. If everything is
going in front of a wall give yourself some space to see behind the gear.
Plan ahead of time how your components are to be stacked and then ensure
the wires you have will reach before you begin. There is nothing worse
than having to disconnect everything from your receiver to move it because
one component's wiring can't reach.
Stacking
Avoid enclosed cabinets
if possible, open shelves look modern and are becoming a popular way to
display your equipment while giving you easy access and allowing your
equipment to breathe. If you must stack components be sure not to obstruct
any vents. Damage from overheating constitutes abuse and could void a
warranty. Check components for heat from time to time after you've set
everything up and begin watching your first movie. If components seem to
run hot, consider putting in a fan to circulate the air. Common sense can
go a long way in component placement; consider the weight of any component
before putting it on top of another. A 3000 rupee DVD player probably
shouldn't be used to support the weight of a 7-channel power amp.
Lighting
Since your
Home
Theater area might not have a
lot of lighting, be sure to have a portable flashlight handy so you can
read labeled connections easily. Reaching behind components and making
connections you can only feel can lead to incorrect configuration and, at
worst, can damage components.
Speaker Wire
Longer
runs of wire require higher gauge wire. This is the basic minimum outline:
-
16 gauge for less
than 100 feet.
-
14 gauge from 100 to
200 feet
-
12 gauge for greater
than 200 feet.
Cabling Theory
Remember, the basic
theory behind wiring your system
is simple. If it seems complicated, it's probably wrong. It may be
confusing with all the buzzwords, names, standards and formats but it's
not complicated once you've sorted them out. You're going to connect
components together for a logical flow of signals. Left always connects to
left, right always to right, positive always to positive and negative to
negative. Inputs are always connected to an output.
The task you're
about to embark upon might just make you popular in your neighborhood.
There's nothing like the experience of doing it yourself. Always be
willing to share what you've learned. |
