The best tips for home theater wiring are to plan ahead, to be aware of the location of all equipment, and to keep in mind what equipment is being used. Having a plan and understanding the best ways to connect everything in a system properly will make wiring more effective and efficient. Sometimes, equipment in a system is located in one central place while, at other times, the wiring for a home theater system must travel quite a distance, affecting how the wiring should be done. In addition, the type of equipment that is being used might dictate what type of wire is best and how it should be used.
For some consumers, determining how and where to use home theater wiring might seem like something that can be self-taught, but in reality, it is always better to consult manuals and to read instructions before trying to attempt the wiring for a home theater. Sometimes even if the equipment is wired so that it does work, it is not producing the best quality that it could because of slight changes that are needed in the wiring. Home theater wiring is something that can be a do it yourself project, but it needs to be well thought out and planned in order to avoid mistakes.
Home theater wiring might entail simply connecting a few pieces of equipment in an entertainment center or could mean setting up a complex system with multiple zones. Increased distance between devices makes the job of wiring more difficult because multiple wires are often needed and sometimes have to be run behind the walls or ceiling. It is important to understand that the farther a wire has to travel between connections, the heavier the gauge should be. Following this tip will prevent the video or audio from losing quality as it travels from one connection to another. For this reason, it is always best to use the shortest wire possible.
In order to achieve the highest possible quality, home theater wiring also needs to be adjusted according to the equipment is being used. Speakers for a surround-sound system require a kind of wire that is different from the cables that go between a receiver and a television. It is important to know what type of wire is needed for each of the pieces being used. Also, many larger pieces of equipment, such as a receiver, have multiple inputs, and it is helpful to know which ones are best used for each type of input that is being used in the system.