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How to Connect Your Home Theater
Connecting your home theater involves buying and using the appropriate cables, understanding the connections on your electronics and the inputs on your display and A/V receiver, and (preferably) programming each device to operate via a single remote control.
Home Theater Cables
If you’ve ever stepped into an electronics store, you’ve probably noticed the large section dedicated to cables—the wires that connect all your devices and transmit media content throughout a home theater system. There’s a big market for cables because of the profit that can be made from uninformed buyers, so make sure you know what to get.
How to Shop for Cables
If you understand your options beforehand, you won’t end up with unnecessary cables:
- Don’t overspend: When you’re buying home theater components from big-name electronics stores, the sales staff will often try to upsell—to convince you to buy more (and more expensive) cables than you need.
- Don’t settle for inadequate cables: If you pick up cables and aren’t happy with their performance, return them and try another brand. After investing in the best home theater components, you don’t want bad cables to reduce the quality of your home theater experience.
- Don’t overbuy cables in quantity or length: Inexpensive cables at shorter lengths (anything less than 30') are usually sufficient for your new home theater. Check your television and audio equipment to see what types of cables are already included and buy accordingly (most sources you buy will already include all the necessary cables). Cables that are too long can create clutter and possibly detract from audio and video quality.
How to Connect Audio
If you’re a beginner with home theater, the audio connection can be the easiest. Though there are many advanced ways to hook up high-end audio equipment through optics and digital lines, two simple audio units on the back of your receiver will suffice: one for the left audio channel and one for the right. One cable connects from the audio output on your television into the audio input on your receiver.
With this system, all of your sources are connected to the television and will transmit their audio information through the television and out to the receiver, which
decodes and distributes the surround-sound signals.
How to Connect Video
Video connections can get tricky because your television or receiver will likely have five or more types of video inputs.
High-Definition Video Inputs
High-definition video and audio signals can follow one of two paths on their way to a display or speaker.
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HDMI (high-definition
multimedia interface):
This connection sends uncompressed, high-definition digital video and multichannel (surround) audio from a media source to a display or speaker through a single cable. Because HDMI delivers such crisp images and crystal-clear audio, it’s gradually taking the place of digital visual interface (DVI) on most displays, receivers, and other electronics.
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Component video: This
connection delivers video signals through three different cables, which in turn separate the video into red, green, and blue color components. If all your HDMI ports are already taken, turn to component video inputs. HDMI and component video do the same thing but take different routes to get there. Many home theater enthusiasts consider HDMI to be the better choice because it transfers digital signals in their purest form, without separating them out into different cables. Like many of the other aspects of building a home theater, it’s best to test out the options yourself and decide on your own.
Other Video Inputs
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Composite video: These red,
white, and yellow inputs became common in the 1990s. Though they’re best for non-HD sources, they’re still found on many HD televisions.
- Ethernet: This is the standard connection for home networking. Many TVs now include Ethernet connections for networking TVs into your home. The capabilities of the Ethernet connection vary from television to television—check the manual to find out specifically what your Ethernet connection can do.
- PC: The PC input is either a VGA or DVI connection—these are among the most common connections on personal computer monitors and will let you turn your new HDTV into a large monitor for your PC or laptop.
- SD memory card and CableCard: Some models, such as Panasonic’s 50" plasma TH-50PX60U, feature an SD memory card slot so that you can insert the memory card from your digital camera or camcorder directly into the TV to display images and video. Other models feature a CableCard slot, which makes your TV digital cable ready (DCR). This allows you to slide a card provided by your cable company into the back of your set to receive standard cable and high-definition broadcasting without a separate cable box cluttering up your living room.
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S-video (separate video): This
video input had a short life—it was one of the first connections made for higher-quality video signals, but it’s now rarely used. Many televisions continue to include an S-video input for devices that still use this connection, but few such devices are sold nowadays.
- USB: Many TVs are beginning to include the USB (universal serial bus) input for photo and video viewing. This connector allows you to plug your digital camera or camcorder directly into the TV for media viewing. The USB also allows you to connect MP3 players for streaming music. Check the manual for your television for the specifics on what types of USB devices can be used. USB connections are standard, so displays/receivers often contain more than one port.
Recommended Inputs
As a general rule, it’s good to have at least one HDMI input, one component video jack, a few composite inputs (those are the standard red, white, and yellow plugs), one S-video jack, and one PC jack. A CableCard slot is optional and is generally a high-end feature. (For more on CableCard, see Home Theater Sources). It’s also important to have at least one audio output, which you’ll use for your home theater’s surround-sound system.
Having more inputs is always better, as it ensures that your new display is more future-proof. This means that as technology advances and you add sources to your home theater, your display will able to accommodate them, and you won’t be forced to cable swap, or rely on a few cables that you must constantly unplug and replug to do the work of many cables.
How to Control Your Home Theater
Each home theater component usually comes with its own remote control; together, these gadgets can easily clutter your space or get lost. Instead, consolidate by doing one of the following:
- Use your A/V receiver’s remote: Most receivers come with a multibrand remote that can be programmed to operate all of your home theater’s components. Receiver remotes do have limitations, though—often, they can’t accommodate certain electronics brands and models.
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Use a universal remote: If your
receiver’s remote doesn’t cut it—or your home theater doesn’t have a receiver at all—invest in a universal remote control, which can be programmed to control all of the devices in your home theater, regardless of their brand or model. Companies such as Logitech, Monster, and Panasonic make high-end remotes that are easy to program and operate. Some third-party universal remotes offer internet access for downloading televisions guides, logos, and more directly to the remote control (some remotes can even control lighting). Depending on their features, universal remotes range from $75–300 or more.
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