Home theaters are still a thing these days. With the rising cost of theater tickets and a larger selection of programming on TV, it makes sense to stay home and watch something. It’s only natural that many people want to replicate the theater experience in the place where they watch the most shows. The thing is, there’s more to the home theater experience than just surround sound… although that’s a big part of it. There are many things to consider when you’re looking to create the best home theater system in your living room. The only question is, how far down the home theater experience do you want to go?
Wait a Minute!
I’m not naming names (Cough! Stuart Sweet. Cough!), but some people think that home theater systems is an old-school idea. He argues that most people are watching their favorite programming on their phones and tablets these days. Right? Well, yes… and no. People definitely watch TV on these devices, but it’s usually a matter of convenience, not choice. Take my household for example. When our kids don’t want to watch what Mrs. Buckler and I are watching, they’ll pull up their favorite shows on their devices.
Mrs. Buckler and I are watching our shows on “the big TV” in our living room. Why? Well, we’re Mom and Dad and we want the best seats – and views – in the house. This is why we’ve invested in a large screen TV with all the bells and whistles. Over the years, we’ve invested in things to enhance that experience.
Have I ever watched something on my laptop? Of course I have. I’ve dialed up Netflix shows to watch there on a regular basis. Why? Well, it’s usually because Mrs. Buckler is watching one of her “Real Housewives” series on the big TV. I’m really not into that so I take my lead from the kids and use my device and a pair of headphones to watch something else while my wife is laughing about a group of egotistical wine moms engaging in bitter status battles for all the world to see.
Surround Sound is Part of It…
…But you should care about picture quality, too. Did you know adding some LED lights behind your TV can do that? It’s true. This is call backlighting or bias lighting, and it helps reduce eye strain and also brings subtle color differences into sharper contrast. Do you want to improve your TV-viewing experience? Get this backlight kit. You can easily install it to the back of your TV.
If you’re going to invest in your home theater system, don’t just get something that works right now. You should get a high-speed HDMI cable. This cable allows a sufficient data path between the source and the display. This helps futureproof your system if you eventually want to get 4K and 8K video when it becomes available. It always helps to plan ahead.
“But What About Surround Sound?”
We expect people to ask that question. That’s because years of marketing has conditioned people to think “surround sound” whenever they hear the term “home theater equipment.” It also makes sense because who wouldn’t want to have theater-quality sound – or something close to it – at home? I know I do, and I’m guessing that you do too.
So, how do you get theater-quality sound at home? You usually need a few of things:
You know what’s just as important as having the right equipment? Knowing how to install it. (I’m assuming you plan on installing your home theater systems yourself.) Do you know how to install your brand-new surround sound speakers? Hint: it involves cutting your speaker wire to fit your specific installation. But what if you don’t have room for a full surround sound speaker system? You can still enhance your TV’s sound with…
…Soundbar Systems
Also known as TV soundbars or speaker bars, these compact speaker systems are placed on your TV stand or home entertainment system. These soundbars recreate the entire audio spectrum, which improves the sound of your home theater system. If you don’t have the room to install a complete surround sound speaker system, a soundbar is the ideal solution. Best of all, you don’t need to be an installation expert to set these up. In most cases, they hook directly into your TV.
Solid Signal Can Help You…
…With your home theater equipment needs. (You already know this, though.) If you’re not an experienced do-it-yourselfer and you have an installation question, you can drop it in our Support from Solid Signal Facebook page. One of our experts – as well as some of the other members – will give you the answers you need. To get the home theater equipment you need to improve your viewing experience, give us a call at 888-233-7563. You can also fill out the form below and send it to us.
