Home theaters can be as elaborate or as simple as their owners desire. Inexpensive basic models can be set up in minutes while more-expensive versions go to great lengths to emulate the movie-theater experience. Properly placing all the components is the key. Set up correctly, even the most-basic system delivers theater quality. Set up poorly, the best equipment in the world cannot help.
Front and Center
Home theaters group most of their components--screen, stereo system, front speakers, subwoofer, playback components like DVD players or cable boxes and stands to carry them--in a single basic location. The screen must be placed where it will not reflect light from windows (leading many experts to recommend setting up home theaters in the basement). Each component requires shelf space strong enough to support it. The left and right speakers should be equidistant from the screen, with a subwoofer just to the left or right of the screen.
Seating Location
Since it can determine the quality of your viewing experience, seating is perhaps the most important consideration for a home theater. For screens up to 31 inches, plan on six to eight feet of space between your seat and the TV. For screens between 31 and 40 inches, allow eight to 12 feet, and for screens larger than 40 inches, plan on at least 10 feet. If you lack that much space, consider getting a smaller TV. In addition, watch the traffic flow and set up your home theater where no one walks between the viewer and the TV.
Rear Speakers
Rear speakers provide the sense of surround sound--the ambient background noise that lets you feel you have been absorbed by the image--which completes the home theater experience. With a 5.1 system, place the left and right rear speakers parallel and at a space equidistant to the viewer. A 7.1 system includes two additional rear speakers, which should be placed behind the viewer (also at an equidistant space). Measure carefully for wiring--you'll need to run it between the rear speakers and the stereo system at the front of the home theater. Watch for wire placement across any walkways and secure the wires with runners if there is a danger of tripping.
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