My PS3/Home Theater Setup

PS3/Home Theater Setup, Song: Killer Mike – ADIDAS, Onkyo TX-SR875, KEF KHT 3005SE Speakers, Sony 46 XBR4, PS3, XBOX 360, BELKIN 11-Outlet Home Theater Power Console, DirecTV HD-DVR, moemontana.blogspot.com

How to Install a Home Theater : Equipment Needed for Home Theater System Setup

Learn about all the equipment you will need to set up your Dolby 5.1 surround sound home entertainment system withexpert installation tips in this free online home stereo video clip. Expert: Tony Ramirez Bio: Electronics and media guru Tony Ramirez is known among his friends, family, and clients as “Inspector Gadget. Filmmaker: Adolph Ramirez

Home Theater Setup Guide

www.TheVideoNerd.com is for people who want to learn how to set up their home theater the right way. It contains everything you need to know about setting up, and hooking up your home theater system. www.thevideonerd.com/hometheater.html

How to Install a Home Theater : Connecting Audio Cables for Home Theater System Setup

Learn tips on how to connect your audio cables when setting up your Dolby 5.1 surround sound home entertainment system with expert installation tips in this free online home stereo video clip. Expert: Tony Ramirez Bio: Tony Ramirez produces cutting-edge websites, graphics, and videos. He has over 11 years experience in multimedia production, including movies, commercials, and other venues. Filmmaker: Adolph Ramirez

Home Theater Setup (surround Sound Speaker Setup)

Home Theater Setup (Surround Sound Speaker Setup)

I am going to assume that you already have a surround sound or home theater amplifier or receiver. There are 3 main home theater speaker configurations which you will see termed 5.1, 6.1, and 7.1 channel surround. You will also see mentioned the terms Dolby Digital, DTS, and Dolby Pro-Logic. There are some other formats such as Dolby Digital EX, Dolby Pro-logic IIx, Dolby TrueHD, DTS neo:6.1, DTS-ES, TrueSurround XT, and undoubtedly more, but they do not need to be addressed separately as the information below is also relevant for them.

Let’s dispense with Dolby Pro-Logic first: if your receiver is only Pro-Logic (only older receivers at this point) you do not need to worry about 6.1 or 7.1 surround because your system can’t use the extra speakers. The two factors relevant to our discussion are:

1. how many channels does your system permit, and
2. Do you want to buy that many speakers?

All the receivers that support more than 5.1 channels will also work fine with a 5.1 channel setup. Obviously, 7.1 will provide better surround sound than 5.1, but at the expense of two extra speakers. If you have a limited budget you will have to decide whether to buy 5.1 higher quality speakers, or go for cheaper speakers to allow for 7.1 channels. By the way, the .1 channel is the home theater subwoofer. The subwoofer is really needed for home theater. A system will work without it, but I don’t recommend going without for home theater. The center channel is also very important for home theater, serving to anchor the sound to the video screen. These are the recommended placements according to Dolby Labs.

5.1 surround system:

A). Center speaker centered on video source

B). Subwoofer(s) in an arc with the main L & R speakers between speakers and video source

C). L & R front on a 22-30 degree angle from the sitting, on an equidistant arc connecting the center channel and subs

D). L & R surround equidistant and on a 90-110 degree angle from the sitting position

6.1 surround system:

A). Center speaker centered on video source

B). Subwoofer(s) in arc with the main L & R speakers between speakers and video source

C). L & R front on a 22-30 degree angle from the sitting, on an equidistant arc connecting the center channel and subs

D). L & R surround equidistant and on a 90-110 degree angle from the sitting position

E). Rear center 180 degrees (directly behind) the sitting position

7.1 surround system:

A). Center speaker centered on video source

B). Subwoofer(s) in arc with the main L & R speakers between speakers and video source

C). L & R front on a 22-30 degree angle from the sitting, on an equidistant arc connecting the center channel and subs

D). L & R surround equidistant and on a 90-110 degree angle from the sitting position

E). L & R rear equidistant and on a 135-150 degree angle from the listening position.

The descriptions above are the specifications for speaker placement according to Dolby Labs.

Subwoofer Setup

Your subwoofer may have a switch for Dolby Digital / Pro Logic. If your receiver is only capable of Dolby Pro Logic (only older systems) you need to use the Pro Logic inputs and set the crossover frequency properly to match with your main speakers. You may use an 80 Hz setting and adjust the volume properly for a reasonable output. I will not go into this further as almost all systems are capable of Dolby Digital output. If you have a Dolby Digital capable receiver (assuming you are using the sub for home theater purposes) set the switch to Dolby Digital even if you are using a Pro Logic source. The reason for this is that it allows your home theater receiver to manage the bass output & crossover frequency of the bass information. Your receiver will ensure the proper output to the sub in the case of Dolby Pro Logic source material. If you use the Pro Logic inputs only, Dolby Digital programs may not be reproduced properly. The same goes if you have multiple inputs on your sub. If your input is labeled LFE it is the equivalent of a Dolby Digital input. You want to use the input to the RCA style plug (or plugs) if you are using the subwoofer in a surround system. If you have speaker level binding post inputs, these are almost always for using the subwoofer in a non surround sound speaker setup. Preset the subwoofer level control to about halfway before running the white noise test tone to calibrate your receiver speaker levels. You absolutely must run the test and balance your speaker levels to have the surround system perform properly. Don’t worry about the crossover frequency control on the sub for Dolby Digital or better systems. For Pro Logic set it to the point where bass in your main speakers drops off, (or 80 Hz if you can’t find any info, and adjust from there for best sound) which will require looking at the documentation for your speakers.

If you are not using your sub in a surround system, you may, with advantage, use the speaker level inputs on the back of your sub. If you have relatively small speakers without much bass output this can provide a substantial sound quality advantage. The receiver left and right channels are connected directly to the subwoofer, and the left and right speakers connect to the speaker out connectors on the subwoofer. What this does is allow the sub to produce the low bass that the main speakers can not, which of course the other types of connections would do also. The advantage here is the fact that with the subwoofer connected this way, it filters the bass out of the signal to your main speakers, so they speakers never try to produce the bass that they can’t handle. This results in clearer, cleaner sound and more volume capability from your main speakers.

Subwoofer placement is generally as below for other speakers. It is true that bass is omni directional and so you should be able to place a subwoofer anywhere, but as usual this depends on your situation. I play music loud, and can detect where the subwoofer is located by the feel of the vibrations. I find it very distracting to have the bass seem to come from the front of the room, but the vibrations of the bass coming from another direction. I therefore always prefer a subwoofer to the front of the room. The subwoofer should be adjusted in accordance with the setup (pink noise test) procedure of the amplifier it is being used with, if on a surround system. This usually means a crossover point of about 80Hz. If you have a phase switch or knob, set it to the position where the bass sounds the loudest. I also notice that most manufacturers recommend the sub be placed to the front of the room on a horizontal line with the main speakers. (Actually, to make all the speakers an equal distance from the listening position, they would form an arc.)

How to get the most out of your speakers & How to improve your sound quality for no extra money (unless you need speaker cable!)

The first consideration with a new speaker system is placement, and the second is wiring, both of which deserve consideration. We will cover wiring first with some generalities that apply to all kinds of speakers. The placement part will cover in home speakers only.

Wiring your speakers

First and foremost, wire selection can be very important. If your speakers are to be installed in-wall, you will need speaker cable rated cl3 or equivalent. If outdoor speakers, you should try to use what is termed a “direct burial” cable or equivalent.

Next, if you care about the sound quality at all, 22 gauge cable is not recommended. It can be used for very short runs, and is smaller for hiding, but due to resistance you will sacrifice some sound quality. I would recommend 16 gauge wire for most runs, unless you really want to get the best out of your speakers, in which case use 12 gauge or larger. For a long run I would recommend larger than 16 gauge cable. Click here to see our cable article and distance chart. I personally use a good audio quality 12 gauge cable myself, but you will pay more for cable this large. The advantages are better dynamics, and the amplifier can control your speakers better due to low resistance wire. As always, let the price point of your speakers determine the cable. Don’t put expensive cables on cheap speakers, and vice versa. BTW, don’t try to use romex (house wiring) instead of decent quality audio cable. Really, just say no. For so many reasons.

One common question is if fancy cable makes any difference. I must state here that many persons consider the very subject to be so much snake-oil. I personally believe that I can hear some differences, depending on the quality of the associated system. In other words, any hearable differences in cable will be more noticeable in a system with more resolution. Also consider that many listeners not selling cable claim to hear a difference. Consider any double blind tests carefully. I usually can pick holes in the logic behind most of these tests, and point out factors not considered. One perfect example was an amplifier test (by a major audio magazine) that level matched the amps, did a double blind test, and asserted the amps sounded identical, so they recommended that everyone buy the cheaper amp. Here’s the rub: Under their exact conditions, which are not normal listening conditions, the amps sounded the same. Consider this unmentioned idea: The cheaper amp had less power output than the other, and under normal listening conditions, say with loud rock music, and inefficient or difficult to drive speakers would have pooped out before reaching satisfying listening levels, not to mention clipping and distorting from overdriving the amp. One problem with the double blind tests is, in order to be accurate, they have to control every factor in the universe that could affect the results, even unknown factors. The other is, in order to compare everything on an even playing field, they purposely diminish or nullify the differences, then triumphantly proclaim they are all the same. The perfect example from above is level matching at a volume level that does not stress the more easily stressed amp.

Polarity or Phasing of your speakers is very important. This means finding the wire with a stripe or writing on one side, and connecting that wire to either the + (red) or -(black) on the amplifier and the speaker. It does not matter whether the stripe on the wire connects to plus or minus, as long as it is the same at both ends, and on all speakers. I always connect the plus to the stripe, just to be consistent. If you get this wrong you will lose almost all your bass response, and voices will float around instead of being centered when they should be.

Home Speaker Placement

Ideal placement for best sound is going to vary with the type of speakers you have, but we can supply some good generalities. Obviously, for a surround system, you have some built in limitations. The center channel needs to go above or below center of your television, (or perhaps centered behind a projection screen) and the left and right front need to go to the left and right front. So on for the rest of the speakers. It should be added at this point that for surround sound placement the ideal is all 3 front speakers an equal distance from the listener. This actually places the front speakers on an arc. It is generally good to put rear surrounds a little higher than ear level so that all listeners get a better chance to hear all the speakers. Leaving aside the obvious details of surround sound, here is how to improve the sound of your system for free.

First, don’t put anything in front of your speakers, and if they are placed in a cabinet make sure that the front of the speaker is even with the front of the cabinet. Also, keep in mind that some speakers such as the rear ported variety perform very poorly in cabinets. Make sure speaker ports, which may be in the front, rear, side or elsewhere, are not blocked. This goes for subwoofers also.

Stability is also important, your speakers need to remain stable at high volume levels. If they move with loud drum beats, your system will be robbed of punch and impact. If you use speaker stands make sure they are stable enough for the size of speakers you have. One quick tip is to use some blu-tack or mortite putty between the speaker and stand to improve the coupling and add stability. Spike on the bottoms of the stands work well for carpeted rooms.

Next, check out the sound of your speakers. Generally, most speakers sound better when aimed directly at the listener, and located at ear height. This is not always the case, however. If the treble or voices sound a little too sharp, then perhaps the speakers will sound better aimed straight out instead of at the listener.

Listen to the bass. Is it boomy, or lacking? If your speakers sound a little boomy, like they are in a barrel, bass response can probably be improved by moving your speakers farther from a wall or corner. If your speakers are too lightweight in bass, they may sound better closer to a wall. Remember not to block any bass ports. If the speaker is rear ported it needs a little space out from the wall and clearance on the sides of the speaker to perform properly.

One little tweak you might try: some speakers sound better with the speaker grills off. Try removing them and see if they sound better. In many cases there will be no noticeable difference, but it costs nothing to try.

Other issues:

If your speakers are correctly phased as described above but voices are not sharply locked in location you may have your speakers too far apart. This generally applies to stereo, not surround sound.

If not used on a surround system, the subwoofer crossover point should be adjusted to coincide with the drop off in bass from your main speakers. You may find this listed in your documentation, usually on the order of the -3db point. If your speakers still don’t seem to perform like they should, you should consider whether the amplifier attached to them is up to the task of driving them. There are more issues here than power, especially impedance. An amplifier that has high wattage may drive 8 ohm speakers well, and do very poorly on 4 ohm speakers if the amplifier is not designed for “high current” or rated into 4 ohm speakers. In addition, many amplifier (or receiver, home theater amplifier, etc) manufacturers use various methods to exaggerate the wattage ratings on their amplifiers. The true rating to look for is called the RMS rating, and should be rated into a specific impedance (4 ohm, 8 ohm) etc and at a specific distortion rating. This does not imply that all amplifier & receiver manufacturers that use terms such as a ‘Dynamic Power Rating’ are trying to deceive consumers. In some instances (such as with NAD equipment) such figures can be very meaningful. Just make sure you are comparing apples with apples, and use the RMS rating as a baseline for comparison. If ALL other factors are equal, the one with a higher dynamic power rating can have more punch and impact.

Any information on this page may be freely copied, as long as the link below is included.

Buy home theater speakers by BIC America

http://www.smartbuyspeakers.com

The Best Way to Setup a Home Theater System

A home theater is when you buy audio and video equipment which offers you quality sound and top of the line video performance. In other words, it is just like having your own movie theater in your own home. This product is a great addition to any home and you can save a lot of money if you take your family to a movie on a regular basis, because it give you movie quality pictures right in your family room.

By using a combination of high quality audio and state of the art visual components, you will have the ability to complete a professional movie theater quality environment for you and your family. The set up of the system can be very easy and only requires a DVD player that is delivered through your stereo system and you will also need a fairly large television. Set up can also be very hard and require you to have your whole family room wired with many speakers. To spice up the room you may even want to complete the home theater system with your own theater style chairs and if you really want to get fancy, you may want to elevate the floor for better viewing.

If you would like more information about making a home theater system work more efficiently, you will need to gain some knowledge of how the professionals will design a professional theater. In many cases you will learn that professional theaters have amplifier units that will be located on the left hand side, the right hand side and in the center of the gigantic movie screen, then there are satellite speakers throughout the room. Then there are movie sound editors that will separate the sound track into up to 6 different channels. The audience may hear the dialog from any one of the speakers. This creates the audio environment of the professional movie theater.

Home movie theaters also project high definition movies on a big screen television. The television is usually wider instead of being taller. This ensures that you have a natural viewing experience. The increase in the definition of the film will also add realism to your movie. Many of the movie theater feeling is recreated by you home theater system. The DVD player can even separate your audio tracts into up to 5 different channels.

Many people have different ideas about how to situate their home theatre media center; some will find that their environment and their budget may make having the home theater impossible. However if you should be able to create your theater in the right room, the right design, and equipment selection to ensure your room is ready for heavy movie watching.

When choosing a movie theater you will want to ask yourself a few very important questions. You should know where your theater would be to ensure the maximum space for all of your equipment. You will need to know the amount of space the location has because you will want to give the information to the technician who will help you pick out the right equipment and where to place it in your space. Lastly know your budget and stick to it, that way you will know what you can do and afford when you buy your home theater.

There are a large number of movies on the market on a weekly basis, so you will love seeing them in theater quality seating and sound system of your own home theater.

How To Connect Your Digital Receiver To Your Home Theater Setup

In the not too distant past, stereo receivers were only used for connecting components of your home stereo system and switching between them, but times have changed drastically in the home entertainment field in just the last few years. Today a stereo receiver, or digital receiver as they are sometimes called, is expected to also handle video inputs from any number of devices and be able to route that as well to the TV set. In addition, today’s receivers must have the capability to decode surround sound and support up to at least 5 speakers and a subwoofer. That’s a lot to ask, and also a lot to connect up, so let’s discuss how to connect your digital receiver to your home theater setup.

If you buy an all-in-one home theater system package, you probably won’t have much problem setting things up because it’s all usually laid out for you in the instructions and the components should all match very well. But if you are putting together your own home theater package made up of different components then you need to plan ahead and buy the right equipment to get the job done.

As far as the receiver is concerned, be sure that you buy one that has the number of connections that you will need to handle all of your system components. For video, almost all receivers give you a connection for a DVD player, a VCR, and a cable or satellite box, but do you also plan to connect up a digital camcorder, a video game system, or digital video recorder? If so, you will need enough inputs for all these pieces of equipment too. And you can expect to pay more for that many extra connections, but if that is what you need, the cost is worth it.

Now you need to be sure that the connection types are what you want too. Almost all video equipment can be connected through a standard composite connection cable, but if you want to improve the video quality you will use an S-video connection instead. Having a good mix of input connections between the two can be a good idea as most camcorder video will not have to be of the highest quality anyway.

On the audio front, many digital receivers are coming with surround sound decoders built into the unit and that is usually the simplest solution. Just make sure that the digital connection for sound from your system components matches the input connection on the receiver. Usually it is either an optical or coaxial connection. Just be sure that whichever it is, they match on both ends.

Then be sure that you have enough speaker connections to drive your speaker setup. If you like to use the newer 6.1 or 7.1 surround sound system format you will need enough speaker connections on your receiver to power all those separate speakers.

Once you have the right equipment with the right connections, actually installing the receiver is a matter of staying organized as you go. It may be a good idea to label each cable set on both ends to remind you what goes where. And be sure to keep the polarity straight when you install the speakers too. Each speaker has a “+” and “-” terminal, so make sure that you match them up correctly with the corresponding terminal on the receiver or your sound quality will suffer.

Following a few well planned guidelines and being as organized as possible can help you to not only buy the right digital receiver equipment for your home theater setup, but also install it correctly as well.

Home Theater Setup Basics

Time to turn an area of your home into an entertainment area? Tune up your house with a home theater by following these basic steps.

1. Determine where you would like your system set up: in a family room, an entire basement level or only one section, etc. Grab a pencil and some graph (or other) paper and get to work with a blueprint. Don’t leave this to “notions” or things get messed up – and quickly. Pencil in (a) your focal point – usually a television or other huge screen or home theater personal computer (HTPC) (b) seating© other main screens – projector and table / speakers and amps / computer / gaming consoles / DVD player, cable box and VCR (d) storage – shelves / remote and guide organizer (e) misc. – do leave some empty space. Cramped quarters are no fun!

2. Next, research your family needs. A home theater can incorporate: video game playing with any of the popular console systems like from Xbox, Nintendo or Playstation; it can feature a computer, DVD player and other recording and playing devices. Plus it can feature fancy audio equipment with multiple speakers. Add seating, lighting and screens into the mix. And plan ahead, too, looking to the future a little to prepare for the unexpected and for growth. For example, add extra outlets (for phone hook ups / computers / power supplies / cell phone, battery and other chargers, etc and leave extra space for the unexpected – extra shelves, equipment add-ons, storage for DVDs, CDs and remotes, etc. Grab your blueprint from above and pencil in your ideas.

3. Then comes set up time! Begin with your focal point and consider that your projector can reach to adjust distance from the screen for maximum effect. Test equipment at this stage before adding everything else into the area to make sure you get the results you like. After visuals, add audio into the mix. Set up your surround sound amp with plenty of video and audio inputs for all your fun systems. Then add the speakers and test again.

4. Then arrange other items (if you have a media center computer, many of these may already be part of the system): VCR, DVD player, gaming console and other equipment. Then round out everything with seating, lighting, shelves, storage organizers, etc.

Party time! Invite your family, friends and neighbors over to enjoy and celebration. Have fun!

Efficient Home Theater Setup

Just because you are looking for a home theater does not mean you have to spend a small fortune to get it. A home theater can still work for those of us on tight budgets that still want to make the most of our viewing pleasure. With more people being interested in television on a regular basis, a great home theater setup is a must in many homes.

Home theater surrounds can vary from home to home. In many parts of the country, the homes have the ever popular basement. If you remember back to when you were a kid, the basement was used for storing things like the Christmas tree and that old couch that no one has sat on in ten years. Make sure that the basement is suitable for a living area such as a home theater with its many electronic devices. If your basement tends to hold water in heavy rains, you may reconsider placing your 52″ plasma screen television in those conditions. The basement can actually be one of the best places for a home theater. By placing the theater in the basement, you are able to utilize two or more walls that are already soundproofed because they are typically concrete walls with an earthen barrier on the opposite side. The only need for soundproofing will be in the ceiling and the fourth wall. By being able to skimp by only having to soundproof those two areas, you may be able splurge on a better home theater system.

Setting up your home theater to resemble the real theater can add to the experience of having a home theater. Start by adding the correct lighting to the room. Don’t have big bulky overhead lighting, concentrate on rope lighting in the floors along with tiered seating and comfortable chairs for relaxing. Make sure that the seats that you choose are equipped with cup holders, or that there is a convenient place nearby each seat for each family member to place their popcorn and soda. Use dark, sound proofing drapes on the walls for sound absorption as well as appearance. All of these suggestions for d?cor can really cost a ton of money. But you should be frugal when shopping for decor, after all, you want to spend the bulk of your money on the viewing and listening details of the theater, right? Here are some suggestions for decorating your home theater on a budget.

Flea markets are a great source for bargains. You may be able to find old movie posters, popcorn machines, fabrics for the walls, etc. Most towns have a regular flea market, but if you are willing to take some time for travel to other nearby towns, you will likely be able to find more options for your decor.

The internet has everything. Auction sites such as ebay sell everything you could ever need or want for your home theater. If you know what you are looking for, type it into a search engine and just sit back and look at all the results you find. Bargain sites and auction sites usually offer the best prices on these types of items, but check around before committing to anything.

Your local classified section is always a good place to start. Most towns and cities have classified sections of their newspaper where people are trying to get rid their old items or items that they just no longer need. You can usually find a great deal on many items by searching the classified section.

Shopping at outlet stores can be a great way to find bargains. The problem with shopping at the outlets is that many people binge shop at these type places and usually don’t come home with what they went for.

In short, when you actually go to set up your home theater system, check the prices on items and try to be frugal. Home theaters do not have to be expensive as long as you understand how to set them up correctly.

PS3/Home Theater Setup

I forgot to add: Tell me your home theater set up! PSN ID: mrkreep

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