Installing a new home theater setup can be exciting, but it can also be very frustrating, depending on whether you have DIY experience and whether you do the job on your own. Here at Gulf Coast Installations, we have years of experience with home theater installation, so we have come up with a few helpful tips to help you make the most of your home theater system once you get through the installation process!
Ways to Improve Your Home Theater Installation
Upgrade Your Cables
If you are like most people, then you give little thought to the cables connecting your television to the various components in your home. If you want to get the most out of your home theater system, this lack of thought is one of the biggest mistakes you can make.
Like any other tech, the technology behind your television and audio cables advances and needs to be upgraded once-in-a-while to keep up!
What happens if you don’t upgrade your cables with your television and sound system upgrades? You will experience poor sound or picture quality at best. At worst, you will get a sound and picture lag that makes a movie unwatchable.
So, what do you need to know about cables?
4k – If you have a 4k television and are intent on streaming in 4k, you must have HDMI cables capable of transmitting a 4k signal. You can purchase 4k and 8k HDMI cables right now, but we recommend sticking with 4k if you have a 4k television.
Isn’t 8k better than 4k? Not necessarily. If your television can only stream in 4k, having an 8k cable makes no difference to the picture you see. If you want to prepare for the future purchase of an 8k television, then, by all means, go with an 8k cable, but keep this in mind – high-quality HDMI cables cost money. A high-quality 8K cable costs more than a higher-quality 4k cable. If you are going for the best you can afford, choose the better 4k rather than a quality 8k cable.
What about audio cables?
When we talk about 4k, we are talking about picture quality, so if you are routing a 4k signal directly through a soundbar, yes, a 4k cable is necessary. If you are talking about setting up your surround sound system, you should be looking at audio cables.
The quality of audio transmission depends on the materials used in the cables. One of the more popular and highly recommended audio cables on the market today is Chord Company’s RumorX.
High-quality audio cables will not make a difference in your picture quality but will influence sound transmission. A good set of audio cables will transmit a better-balanced audio track that is clearer and more refined.
Upgrade Your Sound System
If you want the best sound for your new home theater setup, then you want to invest in a new sound system. The last thing you want to do is go all out on your entertainment center only to skimp on the audio and get a tinny, hollow quality.
You don’t have to spend a fortune on a top-of-the-line sound system to get good performance, but if that’s what you want to do, go ahead! If you can’t afford to invest in the most expensive system, don’t worry, there are many great mid-range sound systems out there for people on a budget!
When looking up brands and different systems online to see which gets the best review for your price point. Allow yourself time to do plenty of research, and you can get an incredible sound system for any budget.
Get a Subwoofer
Adding a quality sound system to your entertainment center setup is good, but without a subwoofer you are missing an crucial audio component. A quality subwoofer enhances the bass-heavy notes of any film or music you play. The subwoofer ensures a robust sound experience when combined with a complete sound system, .
If you ever want to experience a film exactly as the movie director intended it to be, you must invest in a subwoofer!
Add Dimmable or Novelty Lighting
Dimmable or novelty lighting is a cosmetic addition to your home theater system, but it creates a really great atmosphere!
There are a couple of things you can do with lighting to create a unique setup.
Firstly, you can utilize a theater screen backlight. A home theater screen backlight is specifically designed to match the coloration of your theater screen by synching with the picture. Isn’t it amazing how far technology has come?
Secondly, you can use your own “smart lighting” system that connects to your home “smart system”. With this setup, you can still change the lighting color to anything under the sun, but you choose the color or color pattern. The benefit of this type of lighting is that you can use it without the theater screen being on; you can even sync coloration with the rest of the house for festive holiday lighting!
Invest in Blackout Curtains
If your new home theater is in a room with windows, you MUST invest in blackout curtains. There is nothing worse than watching a movie or television show and having to squint at the screen because you cannot see because of the sun’s glare. Blackout curtains are thick curtains with a lining designed to block out sunlight to different degrees so that you can create total darkness if desired.
If you ask us, complete darkness is perfect for a movie room.
Looking For a Reputable Home Theater Installation Specialist?
Are you looking for a reputable home theater installation specialist in the Naples, Florida, or Fort Myers, Florida areas, our team is here to help. For the past twenty-four years, we provided the residents of southwest Florida with installation services of all types, including home theater installation.
To see what we can do for you, contact us or give us a call today at (239)682-1077 – there is no job too big or small for Gulf Coast Installations.
