What NOT To Do In Your Home Theater!

[DarkDune]

Lots of advice on what to do to improve your Home Theater. Anyone have some suggestions -- from personal experience if possible -- on what NOT to do in your Home Theater?

Let the stories roll!

[Fors*]

Never run just a single line of anything thru the walls. Always run at least a second line (HDMI cables, Component Cables, speaker wire, etc....) because if you ever have a problem with the cables/wires, you are basically screwed or you will be really inconvenienced in trying to run them thru the walls at a later date. Always run a "back-up" run of cables/wires from the start!!

Also, never allow anyone to use your speakers or subs as an end table or your kids to save the princess in the tower from the mean old dragon....both of these are self-explanatory.

[DarkDune]

Originally Posted by forsberg21

Never run just a single line of anything thru the walls. Always run at least a second line (HDMI cables, Component Cables, speaker wire, etc....) because if you ever have a problem with the cables/wires, you are basically screwed or you will be really inconvenienced in trying to run them thru the walls at a later date. Always run a "back-up" run of cables/wires from the start!!

Really good advice!

[sarge1976]

If you have cats, get them declawed before buying a new pair of speakers! I now have little "pills" on my speaker grills

[Another_Dude]

Don't buy the Bose Cinemate system.

My buddy did against my advice, and after setting it up it went back to Best Buy and we got him a AVR and speakers.

[Beta Man]

don't setup the projector until you're finished building the room...... The build just takes FOREVER if you don't have the proper motivation.

[dolphinc]

Originally Posted by forsberg21

Never run just a single line of anything thru the walls. Always run at least a second line (HDMI cables, Component Cables, speaker wire, etc....) because if you ever have a problem with the cables/wires, you are basically screwed or you will be really inconvenienced in trying to run them thru the walls at a later date. Always run a "back-up" run of cables/wires from the start!!

Also, never allow anyone to use your speakers or subs as an end table or your kids to save the princess in the tower from the mean old dragon....both of these are self-explanatory.

Really good advice, also never host a cock fight in your HT area, not easy cleanup.

[Irrob]

Never, I mean NEVER plug any of your gear directly into a wall outlet. At a minimum, get a surge protector.

[genkifd]

before playing around with electrical gear (speaker wires etc) - turn off the power first...... you can blow your reciever.....

[Disky76]

Don't tell your friends that you have a new, front-projection hi-def theatre in your home without expecting them to always come over, repeatedly, and suggest to always have gatherings "at your house...since you have the theatre!!".

You will soon find that you rarely go out anymore. Because the party will always come to you.

[DarkDune]

Originally Posted by Disky76

Don't tell your friends that you have a new, front-projection hi-def theatre in your home without expecting them to always come over, repeatedly, and suggest to always have gatherings "at your house...since you have the theatre!!".

You will soon find that you rarely go out anymore. Because the party will always come to you.

And if you did, change the locks and don't give out the keys!

[Brain Sturgeon]

Always measure two or three times before cutting/drilling, etc. Remember that the size of lumber is not what it is actually called-- it's a 1/2" shorter. A 2"x8" is a 1.5"x7.5". Do your math multiple times before making final cuts/drilling/etc.

Get yourself a good speed square if you're building anything that involves right angles (framing of any sort).

Don't be afraid to cut holes in drywall to run cable/conduits. Your finished product will look much better and drywall repairs are surprisingly easy.

If you're installing your home theater in the basement, make sure that it is 100%, no-holds-barred, lock-stock-and-two-smoking-barrels floodproof/septic-tank-overflow-proof. QueueCumber (Jeff Kalman) over at AVS had a beautiful, Rives designed listening/theater room with easily over $100k worth of gear that was just ruined by a septic tank back up and overflow.

ALWAYS pick the larger screen or you'll lament it later.

Oh, and.... Stay thirsty, my friends...

[Ofcrlunchbox14]

any suggestions on where to run speaker wire if not through the walls. pulling up the carpet would probably be a little difficult for me. maybe just a throw rug to cover it up, lol

[Beta Man]

Originally Posted by Ofcrlunchbox14

any suggestions on where to run speaker wire if not through the walls. pulling up the carpet would probably be a little difficult for me. maybe just a throw rug to cover it up, lol

and on that note.... I'll throw out.....


"Don't half-ass it, do it right the first time"

I have so many things that I would have liked to take my time on.... but wanted the "immediate gratification"

I've measured over and over, and I'm pretty sure that my current layout is best for seating, screen size, and speaker placement, but something inside me just says "Do it over"

My screen is on the West Wall right now, and I'd like to try it on the North wall..... based on my difficult room-layout, this would work great for the throw distance, but would give me a headache with speaker placement..... but I'm still thinking about making it happen, as now I'd wall-mount the surrounds/rear, as before I had always planned on using stands...... and I have new carpet being installed within a couple of weeks... so wires are not a problem (as they would have been before, or so I thought.... I now have access points created throughout the room)

Damn.... time to go measure some more

[Zoraster]

Do not neglect installation of no less than a mini-fridge so as to minimize beer runs.

[THE_FORCE]

Don't do what someone else has already done - go your own way and be unique design-wise....even if it's not everyone's cup of char. Originality holds the key.

[jomari]

There are a number of things to do, or not to do, naming a few off the bat...

1. do not neglect the missus/partner
2. do not terminate any wiring to the 'exact' length. at one point or another, you'd need to move/rearrange certain things, and the last thing you want is to have that terminated wiring tug back.

will get back to you folks...

[Coltboy]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

don't setup the projector until you're finished building the room...... The build just takes FOREVER if you don't have the proper motivation.

i woud agree with that, it will be a year in september i have been working on mine havent even got the carpet in yet

[erict]

Even though I don't have kids I here alot of stories about the little ones testing the true output of you're receiver using the volume knob Remove knobs with small children around

[Big Daddy]

Do not do anything x rated while the kids are sleeping upstairs (or you think they are sleeping) , unless you are good at explaining why Mommy and Daddy are naked and all the actors and actresses happen to be naked too.