Home theater systems do not need to be huge, lavish theaters. If you want to go that way, sure, do it up! Most Canadian households however are working with far less. If you’re building your first home theater and media room, here are ten mistakes to avoid.
Ergonomic screen positions
Human beings are not built to look up indefinitely. If you use a TV wall mount to install your TV against the wall, do not position it too high up. Position so that the center of one’s gaze falls between the top quarter to the top edge of your flat-screen.
Ensure seating is neither close nor far
Home theater seating should be properly set up in proximity to the flat-screen. In many cases, Canadian households set up seating too close. This will decrease image quality. If you sit too far away, it can make details of the screen difficult to identify. Experiment a little.
Lighting ruining the image quality
Place your television in an optimized location away from where there will be glare. Consider using a TV wall mount with a slight tilt to help combat any lighting issues. If direct sunlight is falling on the screen while you’re watching or if your flat-screen is opposite a large window, that’s a mistake.
People walking in front of the TV
When designing your home theater system, ensure you are considering where household members will be walking. If there’s only one way out of the room and your TV is positioned behind it, you’ll have people walking by constantly throughout a program. Consider breaking up your seating.
Tucking away speakers in a cabinet
If your speakers are so ugly you need to hide them, it’s time to switch them out for something new. Furthermore, when you hide your speakers in furniture, it serves to muffle and muddy the sound. No one wants that, especially on a home theater speaker setup they may have paid hundreds for.
Don’t buy surround sound if it’s a small space
If you don’t have a good sized room for surround sound, buying surround sound speakers will be a complete waste. Consider a Bluetooth soundbar in its place or something smaller. Subsequently, you may struggle with a lot of wires if you’ve got too many speakers in a tiny location.
Buying under-budget
Although we know Canadians love saving money, if you’re buying cheap, broken equipment, you’re never going to have a home theater system you’re proud of. As important as it is to stick to a budget, ensure what you’re buying is good quality and that you’re not completely cheap-ing out.
Buying over-budget
It’s arguably more easy to overspend than it is to underspend. Spending too much money can also be a regret. When it comes to high quality home theater accessories, chances are by spending a little less, you can find something of equal or sometimes better quality.
Persuaded by a good salesperson
Trust your judgement and do your research before committing to a purchasing choice. We all have different preferences when it comes to building out a home theater system. Don’t let someone take you off track by selling you a larger flat-screen than you need or a speaker system you don’t really need.
Forgetting to use a surge protector
Always use a surge protector to ensure your electronics are adequately protected. If you’ve got expensive home theater equipment – think TV, A/V receiver subwoofer, media streaming device, game console, etc. – a surge protector is an absolute must.
Shop all your favourite tech products for home theater systems at PrimeCables. Customize according to your budget and space. Avoid these ten mistakes and whether it’s a big theatre room, a living room, a small basement, or bedroom or condo space, a home theater works anywhere. Shop today.