It’s no secret that home theaters are on the rise. More and more people are investing in them to get their favorite shows, movies, or sporting events on a larger screen than they could ever imagine. While many might think this is just for rich people with money to burn, it can be very affordable if you know how to set up your system. Here are six things that every home theater needs:
A Screen
A projector is the best option for this, but something as simple as a sheet hung up can work in a pinch! Just make sure to take into account how much light comes through your window during the daytime when you are picking out what size works best. If it’s too small, no one will have quite enough detail on their screen. If it’s too big, you’ll be forced to watch in the dark or with harsh sunlight coming through your window during the daytime.
In addition to a screen, you’ll need to make sure that anything behind the scene is completely dark. People will notice if it’s not pitch black in your room, and this can distract them from enjoying their movie or game.
A Sound System
This is the most important part of any home theater! When it comes to listening, nothing beats a quality speaker system where you can feel every thump and hear every clink as if they were right in front of you on your screen. You’ll want at least two speakers hooked up so that there’s surround sound, but there are plenty of options out there. Speakers can be bought separately, or you might buy a soundbar that is like an extension of your TV. The speakers sit right on top and emit amazing sounds for the whole room to enjoy.
The most important thing about buying speakers, though? Make sure they work with what you already have! Many people will try to force their speakers on you, but it’s all about compatibility. Make sure your receiver can support them if you’re buying new ones and make sure they are compatible with the type of TV or monitor you plan on using before making a purchase.
A Receiver
This is the most important part of your home theater system! People often forget about this, but it’s vital to any entertainment room. The receiver will take all incoming signals from anything you plug in and play them through your TV or speakers. This means that if you have a gaming console like an X-Box or Playstation, this is where you plug it in. If you have a DVD player or Apple TV, they both connect to the receiver as well.
This might sound confusing at first, but receivers aren’t nearly as complicated as some people make them seem! All that’s needed for these devices are instructions, and then everything can be plugged into one central device which does all the work for you.
A receiver can also add more options to your home theater, such as surround sound, which takes every noise on the screen and creates a full experience in your room. It will feel like someone is walking behind you or that something has fallen off of a shelf while watching The Conjuring. This feature only works if everything is connected to it, so make sure you have everything plugged in before turning on your device and the receiver itself!
Cables
No entertainment system is complete without cables. While it’s possible to find wireless options that will allow you to play your games or watch shows wirelessly, some things like the soundbar mentioned above still need a cable connection. Make sure you have plenty of extra-long HDMI cords for connecting game consoles and other devices, as well as plenty of speaker wire. If you’re buying a receiver, check to see what kind of cables they use and make sure that’s the type you buy! Otherwise, it won’t work. Cables can also add some color to your room with colored HDMI cords or even different styles for speakers, such as braided ones that look very nice.
In addition to this, you should also make sure cables are high quality. Cheap cables will break much faster than higher-end ones, which you might have to spend more money on upfront, but in the long run, it’s worth it! If your TV is only plugged into a cheap cable that keeps breaking every month or so, sometimes even during an intense game of COD, then you’re spending way too much money on replacements.
Furniture
If you’re going to have a home theater, your furniture must be comfortable and perfect for watching movies! This means couches with tons of pillows or maybe even recliners if you want to be extra comfy. It also means no bean bag chairs unless they are high-quality ones that can support at least 200 pounds of weight. If you have a family, make sure the furniture is kid-friendly as well because kids spill things and scratch everything! Luxury home theater seating will never go amiss.
If your home theater room has no windows or closet doors, then it’s also possible to put in some wall-mounted shelving that can house all of your movies, along with additional storage for anything else from games to controllers. This makes it easy to get everything out of the way and have a nice place for movies, which is what you’re trying to do in this room!
The last thing that’s important about furniture is making sure your seating arrangement works. You want everyone who comes over or even just yourself when watching by yourself can easily see the TV. If some people are sitting behind other people, they’ll be upset and want to leave, which defeats the purpose of having a home theater!
Lighting
No one likes sitting in the dark, so make sure you have enough lighting to prevent this! While it might be possible to turn all of your lights off and watch a movie, that isn’t ideal because there will always be shadows or glare on the screen. This can take away from what’s happening onscreen, so even small lamps are a good idea.
In addition to this, you also need light if you’re going into your home theater room from the outside! If it’s pitch black when someone walks in and tries to turn on a TV or use a controller, they will think something is wrong with their device because everything looks so different. Instead of using lamps for this, it’s better to use track lighting that can be turned on and off from a switch near the door.
A home theater requires plenty of planning to get the perfect setup. You’ve just read about some things that every home theater needs, but there’s always more than one right way to design this type of room. If you want something completely different and unique, then do whatever works for your personality.
