Home Theater How Tos

Home Theater Cable Management

A major aspect of any DIY home theater installation, cable management is important for aesthetics and safety purpoes. Thankfully, aesthetically appealing home theater witing options exist. Manage the wiring of your home theater entertainment system by running wires under cable raceways on the floor, hiding them on the wall, or installing home theater wireless speakers. If you are looking into wiring your   theater with house speakers 5.1 or 7.1, you may want to consult a Wired Up 85268 professional about structured cabling network specifications and documentation.

Cable Management in Home Theater Design

Tangled cords and wires are more than just unsightly. They can also impact the performance of your home theater installation components and pose a safety hazard (Yes, people do trip and fall over tangle cords all the time).  While the installation and wiring of more complex cable management systems should be initiated by professionals from Integrated IO® in Fountain Hills, there are some basic steps the DIY home theater enthusiast can carry out to try to keep his or her cabling structured and orderly.  Wireless speakers are another option. For more advice on how to install wireless speakers on your own, see the section addressing that specific cabling matter below.

Location of Power Supply to Home Theater

The total voltage required to safely power your home theater is determined by whether you have wired your home theater system with 5.1 speakers, have 7.1 sound wired in, and a host of other factors related to your theater's audio and video and any smart home components you have decided to wire to your home theater system (such as video security monitoring and phone system installation). Most homeowners find it optimal to position their home theater equipment against a wall with multiple power sources. If this is not possible, you may be able to use extension cords or make a DIY project out of your chord management. Brainstorm your DIY chord management options, wire needs, and structured cabling desires, and devise a plan that will work with your home theater system.

Length of Cables and Wires for Home Theater System

When designing your home theater with cable management in mind, it's also a good idea to consider keeping the length of the wires to a minimum. All wires have resistance to electricity, meaning longer wires cause more power draw on the component and less signal to the end unit (like the speakers). As you might expect, this can cause issues with the performance of your home theater system. A professional assessment, followed up by a documented, specification-based structured cabling network program, can help you optimize your theater's design so that the wires and cords that help control your system are only as long as they need to be.

The Wireless Alternative: How to Install Wireless Speakers

Installing home theater wireless speakers is no easy task. That being said, however, it is a project that an ambitious and well-researched DIYer can undertake. Specifications for the installtion of cordless speakers vary based on speaker type. A 7.1 run diagram dictates the installation of one popular speaker type; and 5.1 speakers must be arranged in a different way. 

State-of-the-art technology tends to be incorporated into wireless speakers, and the lack of cables and wires required for the effective operation of these sound systems means that your room will be less than cluttered. Installing wireless speakers, however, is not without its disadvantages. Since 5.1 and 7.1 digital sound can also be enjoyed in wired platforms, you may want to consider these arrangements. For tips on wiring your house for a 5.1 or 7.1 speaker system, check out this blog post.

Appearance of Completed Home Theater

For most home theater systems, the homeowner wants to have completely hidden wires for the cleanest appearance. To plan your cable management properly, you will want to consider carefully any wires to be run through walls as well as an cable raceways to be used to camouflage cable runs. Typically, vertical cable runs are best done inside the walls, and horizontal runs easiest with cable raceways. If you do not have the time, energy, patience, or know-how required for the DIY installation of home theater components and chord management, call Integrated IO® Fountain Hills, serving 85268 and other Phoenix area zip codes!