Home theater hdmi setup

Satellite or Cable box: With a Satellite or Cable box, there are only a few settings to check. You need to see if the box has an adjustment for "Dolby Digital", if so, set it to "on". Some cable boxes don't have that option, in that case it should be enabled automatically. Also, on Satellite boxes make sure "p" and "16x9" is selected. Most cable boxes will not offer p, in that case make sure "i" is selected.

Blu-ray: Surprisingly enough, many Blu-ray players do not send out an uncompressed surround sound signal by default. If you are using a receiver that supports Dolby TrueHD and Dolby Master Audio if it is less than 3 years old, and is hooked up with HDMI you should be good , go into the settings on your Blu-ray and set audio output to "bitstream uncompressed" or "pass-through". Every Blu-ray player is different, so you may want to consult the manual to see what setting will work with Dolby TrueHD and Dolby Master Audio, and then choose that setting.

I would also recommend turning off any dynamic range control options. As for video, set the resolution to "p" assuming you have a p-compatible flat-panel. Xbox The Xbox is pretty easy to setup. Turn on Dolby Digital in the Settings menu and set the resolution to p. Go to the settings and run through the auto setup for audio, and the auto setup for video.

For video, verify p is selected. If they aren't, make sure your receiver supports them and turn them on manually. Wii: If you are using component video cables, set the resolution to p. Also, go into the sound settings and turn on surround sound.

This will send Dolby mono Surround audio to your receiver that can be decoded into a pseudo 5. Each receiver will have a varying level of control, and some seem to have endless pages of customization while others only have a few basic settings. Most new receivers come with an auto-setup mic. These mics vary in accuracy and thoroughness.

Some mics take measurements from multiple positions. Other, less expensive mics only take measurements at one position.

I always recommend running the mic because some features on your receiver will not work without running the initial setup. Just realize that even the best mic can, and probably will, make mistakes. If you decide to run the Auto Setup function, make sure you go into the bass management menus after the calibration is completed to check the crossover settings for your speakers and subwoofer. Most Setup systems either don't set a crossover setting, or they do it non ideally for your speaker system.

This is why we recommend manual setup of your bass management. Navigate to that option on your receiver. You will have a global crossover setting, or you will see a list of each speaker with a frequency next to it. You'll also be able to set each speaker to "Large" i. A crossover frequency will set how low of frequency signals are sent to your speakers. Every speaker is different, so there is no absolute answer, but 80Hz is a good guess in most situations.

You can also look up the speaker's user manual and the manufacturer will typically unless they are Bose tell you how low the speaker will play.

For example, a small satellite speaker with a 3-inch "full-range" driver might only play down to Hz. In general, and I am making a big generalization, set all of your speakers to "Small" unless they have a powered subwoofer in them.

If you have floorstanding or bookshelf speakers, start by setting your crossover frequency to 80Hz. If you have smaller, satellite style speakers, set the crossover between HzHz. Many auto setup systems will incorrectly identify a surround speaker as large simply because its placed close to a wall where it gets a little bass boost.

It is a better option to set the speaker to "small" because it will take the strain off the smaller speaker by not allowing it to produce the deep bass frequencies while redirecting the bass to the speaker that is designed to do this - the subwoofer.

Most of the time having multiple crossover settings per channel group simply isn't needed so if your receiver offers this option, just set all your speakers to "small' and their corresponding crossover settings to 80Hz. If you do set the subwoofers crossover frequency higher than 80Hz, we again recommend placing the subwoofer towards the front of the room to make it less localizable.

In order to keep this article from being too terribly long, I will stop there. Below is a link to a more thorough article about crossover frequencies. If you really want to get into home theater, I crossover frequencies is something you will want to learn more about.

When using the included microphone, don't just throw it on the couch and hit start. Blankets, pillows, barking dogs and cushy chairs can all skew the results. Position the mic as close as possible to your ear level when seated - and, ideally, you'll place it on a tripod. Then, step out of the listening area, make sure everything is quiet, and start the test. Follow through with each listening position, if the mic takes measurements at more than one location.

Once the setup is done, you will want to go into the menu on the receiver. Typically this is done by hitting the "menu" button on the receiver remote some remotes need to be put in "receiver" or "amp" mode first. The on-screen display will then show up on the TV.

You should find a setting in the receiver menu to manually adjust the speakers. Most of the time the automatic setup systems get speaker identification and channel level spot on. If you ran auto setup in the last step, the setup mic should have already figured out if you have a 5. If you want to manually double check everything, however, you can do so with an SPL meter. You simply point the SPL meter up at the ceiling, ear height, at the primary listening position and set it to "C-weighted" and "slow response".

There will be a setting for "test tones" where you can adjust channel levels up or down in your receiver's menu system typically under Manual Setup. You want to set each channel so they measure roughly the same on your SPL meter.

Feel free to bump the subwoofer channel up a few dB however, as most people prefer a little bass boost. Don't be surprised if your levels are different on your left and right channels if, for example, your Surround Left speaker is farther away from the listening position than your Surround Right speaker, or if one speaker is nearer to a wall than the other.

If you notice that your subwoofer level is turned down as far as possible, you should turn down the volume knob on the back of the subwoofer a little bit, and run the setup mic again. You are done!! Speakers are placed and hooked up, all your equipment is plugged in, and a few important settings changed.

This is where most people quit; however, the true audioholic is never done with their system. Play around with speaker and subwoofer placement. From this point on, learn more about home theater and have fun. Consider buying an all-in-one home theater package. Several companies make packages which include speakers and a receiver, making it easy to match a TV screen to the whole package. If you're not worried about having specific types of equipment, you might want to go with an all-in-one option.

While you can't expect the same level of sound quality from an all-in-one package as you might expect from individually purchased components, all-in-one home theater systems are perfect for beginners. Determine where you want to set up your home theater. Before you purchase any equipment, figure out the general dimensions of the room in which you want to set up your home theater, then block out where you want to place the various pieces of the home theater.

You may discover halfway through staging your home theater that your selected room is too small to accommodate your preferred components. Think about your home theater's limits. Establishing a hard budget before you purchase anything will help narrow your search. Noise - Setting up a home theater's speakers will vary wildly depending on how close your neighbors are; additionally, your home's acoustics will play a part in determining which speakers best fit your needs.

Space - As mentioned in the last step, your home's size will limit things like TV screen size, speaker strength, and more.

Decide on a video input system. A video input system is optional, but recommended unless you have a cable box. Common video input sources include the following: DVD player or Blu-Ray player - While somewhat outdated, nothing beats the simplicity of a DVD player if you're not quite ready to start downloading all of your movies. Game console - Consoles such as the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4 have evolved into all-in-one entertainment systems, allowing you to game, watch TV, stream content, rent or buy digital movies, and play DVDs.

The only downside here is that your existing DVD collection if applicable will not be usable with a smart TV adapter. Purchase and plug in power strips. You'll need several electrical outlets for your TV and other components, so make sure that you have plenty of power strips in your preferred area.

Once you've set up your electrical outlets in your staging area, you're free to move onto the next part. The power strips should go in the same general location as your TV.

Depending on the location of your room's electrical outlets, you may need to use an extension cord as well. Part 2. Choose the right size TV for your room. While it is often tempting to get the very biggest screen you can, choosing a TV is more of a science than simply using the "bigger is better" concept. You should choose your TV based on the size of the room and how far away people are from the screen to get the maximum enjoyment for the maximum amount of people.

Projectors allow you to adjust the size of the screen as long as you have a large blank wall on which to project the video. You generally need feet between the projector and the wall to get the best results. Select a high-resolution TV.

Resolution is one of the key factors when trying to improve your TV's picture. The more pixels, the higher the resolution. More pixels give the picture better clarity and color. Purchase a video source. As mentioned in the previous section, something like a DVD player or a gaming console will provide your home theater setup with a source of entertainment. Feel free to skip this step if you already have a video source, or if you're going to use a cable box instead.

Ideally, you'll choose an entertainment system e. Place your TV in its proper location in the room. If you have an entertainment center, place your TV in its slot and feed the power cable out the back of the unit. Leave plenty of space between your entertainment center and the wall until you've finished setting up the entire entertainment center. If you plan on mounting your TV, hold off on doing so until you've purchased and set up the speakers and other components.

Adjust your seating to fit the TV's position. Based on the angle and height at which your TV is set up, move any seating e. This seating will also serve as a reference for the point toward which your speakers will aim. If you plan on using full surround sound, leave a few feet between the back of your couch and the wall if possible for the speakers to sit.

Part 3. Consider whether you prefer watching movies, listening to music, or a bit of both. All home theater systems can handle both movies and music, but if you exclusively watch movies then you might want to pass on 4 high-end speaker boxes. Ask yourself if you spend more time with your iPod or plopped in front of the TV. This helps you create realistic surround sound. Music - Speaker quality is more important than quantity.

Invest in a good receiver and purchase 2 hi-fi speakers to get the best quality sound you can. Understand the notation for bundled sound systems. You will often see phrases like "5. The first number, 5, tells you how many speakers are included in the package, and the second number,.

Determine the best number of speakers to buy. Base your decision on the size of your room — small rooms sq. You don't need a 7. Look into alternative types of speakers. There are a couple of non-traditional ways in which you can receive audio from your home theater: Sound bar - Sound bars often have two main speakers and one subwoofer, making them 2. While they lack the depth of true surround sound, they fit in with smaller home theaters or areas in which you can't make much noise.

These systems are also often wireless. Consider building your own surround sound system with 5 speakers, a receiver, and a subwoofer. If you want to take full control of your home theater system and get the best sound, you should consider building your own system. This is best for people who already have a few pieces, like a nice TV, speakers, or Blu-Ray player, but want to expand. To do so you'll need the following components, or parts: [11] X Research source Two raised, front facing speakers Two rear speakers at the back of the room One subwoofer, usually tucked in the corner One small center speaker optional Two side speakers optional.

Draft a floor plan for your room to find the center. Once you've bought the speakers and receiver, you need to figure out where to put them: Make a simple drawing of your room highlighting where you are sitting and where your TV is placed. Make notes of your furniture, doors, and windows so that you can accurately plan out your system. Place your two front speakers at ear height, angled towards your seating location.

One speaker goes on either side of the TV and they both point inwards. If you are looking at the speakers from your couch they'll be at a roughly degree angle to you. Place your center channel speaker above or below the TV. This speaker is usually smaller and is designed to deliver crisp dialog right to the viewers.

It should be front and center so that it clearly broadcasts to the entire room. This is where you'll place a soundbar if applicable to you. Place side speakers in-line and above the viewers. Side facing speakers should be parallel to the viewer, offering sound from the right and left. If you cannot fit them in line with the couch, place them slightly behind the viewer and angle them towards the couch.

They should always be 2 feet or more above the viewer, pointing downward. Place the rear speakers side by side along the center of the back wall. This allows them to work together to grab your attention.

There are also alternate set-up ideas, such as separating the back speakers and pointing them inward, that help provide the feel of surround sound if you don't have dedicated side speakers. Locate the HDMI connections on your components. Note how each input is labeled and make note of the label. Most modern AV receivers allow you to label the input in the setup menu when you are done. Connect the satellite or cable box to the AV receiver.

Note the label on the input to which you connected that HDMI cable. If you are mounting the TV on the wall and it is a tight fit, you can get a right angle HDMI adapter so the cable can fit in the back. Plug your TV and components into an electrical outlet. Be certain to use a surge protector, because blackouts and brownouts can damage the electronics in your components.

A surge protector with power conditioning will further protect delicate circuitry in high-definition components by reducing power fluctuations and removing interference. This results in the best picture and sound performance from your home theater.