Towards a Successful Home Theater Design: A series of articles to get started.

It is this home theater magic that all of us are after when setting up a home theater. However, a correct home theater design is crucial for this immersing experience.

At the same time, it is impossible to be successful in your design efforts unless you have an understanding of the various aspects of home theater - A/V receivers, speakers, big screen television and HDTV displays, home theater seating, etc.

Some basic technical knowledge would surely be an asset in this high-tech world. Luckily enough, there is a lot of information available - in particular on the web - to guide you in your home theater design approach.

We are not underestimating that when it comes to a dedicated home theater room design, the whole process may get pretty complex. In such circumstances, a trial and error approach is surely not the way to go - professional help is advisable to avoid costly mistakes.

Even so, an understanding of the concepts surrounding a good home theater design is always desirable. This applies independent of whether you hire a home theater design expert to help you realize your dream home theater, or decide to go for the do-it-yourself approach.

Installing a home theater is a big decision and an investment in itself; if planned carefully, it will provide you with years of good quality entertainment.

In these discussions on home theater design, we will not be dealing with equipment selection. This is all being covered in detail under the respective sections of our Practical Home Theater Guide.

Instead, this series of home theater design articles takes a deeper look at the various issues of home theater design. Subjects discussed include budget and space requirements, room setup, equipment placement, home theater wiring, room lighting, home theater furniture, theater seating, and overall room decor. Other related topics are also covered; these include TV viewing distance, tactile transducers in home entertainment, equipment racks, and the use of movie posters to further enhance the dedicated home theater room.

We hope the information contained in these guides will help you - through a step-by-step process - achieve a successful home theater design.

Home Theater Design Guides - Article Index

Home Theater Design is a vast science. The articles featured below discuss at great length the various aspects of home theater - from initial design up to final implementation.

This information should help you plan the whole process in a structured manner. Plan your home theater carefully before you buy and your choices will become easier. Plan before you start your home theater installation and you will avoid costly mistakes.

Note: If you are new to home theater, we suggest that you follow through these articles in the order listed below.

Home Theater Design Basics:

	Installing a Home Theater: It all starts here... Independent of the home theater installation you plan to undertake, available space and budget constraints will determine your approach. Basic information and advice to help you get started.
	Home Theater Room Design Basics (1): Room Acoustics and Lighting A two-part article on home theater design that discusses ways to improve the room acoustic performance and lightning for a more enjoyable home theater experience. Part 1: Home Theater Acoustics and Soundproofing Discussing ways to improve the room acoustic performance. Is soundproofing of your walls always necessary? Part 2: Enhancing Home Theater Lighting What can you do to enhance the room lighting? What about the use of lighting control systems and X10 devices to control the lighting in your home theater?
	Home Theater Room Design Basics (2): How BIG is Your Room? A small bedroom, a shared living room, or a dedicated room for your home theater? The size and nature of your home theater room play a determining role in your home theater experience.
	Home Theater Room Design Basics (3): The Dedicated Home Theater Room For the ultimate in home theater design - a dedicated home theater room specifically designed for watching moves, videos and TV is the way to go.
	Home Theater Room Design Basics (4): Equipment Placement Just as important as which equipment to buy, is deciding where to put your gear. The correct placement of system components is a major contributor towards that much-desired magical experience in home entertainment.
	Guide to Audio Video Equipment Racks Related to the issue of equipment placement is the use of equipment racks in home theater installations. AV Rack enclosures come in all shapes and sizes, and are great to help you keep your gear well organized and safe - essential for long-term trouble-free operation. Yet there is more to equipment racks than a storage space for your home theater gear. More in this series of articles. In the process, we also discuss AV Rack Solutions such as the AVRAK rotating rack system, and home theater furniture such as the Maria Yee line of media cabinets for that unique finishing touch in the home theater.
	Speaker Placement and Delay Settings in Surround Sound systems Home Theater Speaker Placement Correct home theater speaker placement plays a critical role towards achieving that seamless ‘enveloping’ sound so important in the overall home theater experience. Time Delay Settings in Surround Sound Systems Not much of a home theater design issue, but this is tight up with your speaker placement. Correctly set delay settings in surround sound playback systems can lead to dramatic improvements in your listening experience. More in this article... Note: More on Home Theater Surround Sound can be found under the Home Theater Sound section of the site.
	Home Theater Decor Would you like to capture the Hollywood magic? Details are what make the difference. The overall home theater decor plays a determining role towards achieving a true cinema experience.
	Movie Posters - a great way to relive the movie magic in your home Related to your home theater decor is the use of movie posters to decorate the walls of your home theater room. Movie posters do provide a great way to relive the movie magic in your home. However, the fascinating world of movie posters is more than just a beautiful picture hanging on your home theater wall promoting a favorite film. Discover more in our Movie Poster Guide.
	Home Theater Pictures - A Visitor's Gallery Let's see what others have done! This is not a guide but surely, having a look at what others have done to build their home theater masterpiece can trigger the creative part in you when it comes to designing your own home theater.

Miscellaneous Home Theater Guides:

	A Guide to Home Theater Seats Do not underestimate the importance of proper home theater seating in your home theater design - the design and layout of home theater seats play a determining role in your home theater experience.
	Feel the shake! Tactile Transducers in Home Entertainment Bass shakers, Buttkickers... Add the sensation of tactile sound and discover a totally new dimension in your home theater experience with the use of tactile transducers!
	TV Viewing Distance Buying a big screen TV for your home theater room? Care should be taken as one may easily fall into the trap of buying a too large TV. More info in this TV viewing distance guide. Note: This guide deals with 2D TV viewing; for 3D HDTVs, please refer to our article 3D TV Viewing Explained.
	A Guide to Home Theater Wiring – Selecting and Installing Speaker Wire A correct home theater wiring approach is important for your home theater sound. Poor workmanship and low quality speaker wire will surely have an impact on your speaker performance.