Home Theater Equipment Placement

Every component of a home theater has it's proper place. You'll have the video display in the front, the seats properly placed for excellent sound & video and the speakers placed around the room in their proper places. Now what about your electronics?

The trick it to find a place "out of the way" but easily accessible in the dark if something needs to be checked.

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   Front of the room

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   If you are trying to reproduce the look and feel of a real theater, then you won't want to put your electronics in the front of the room. Most receivers and video sources have lighted fronts that, if placed at the front of the room, will distract your attention away from the movie. This also makes it hard to access your equipment in the dark during a movie.

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2. 2
   Back of the room

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   This is, in my opinion, the right way to go. Since I made a seat in the back corner of the theater, I can sit right next to my equipment and make any necessary audio/video changes during the movie. Yes, I can do the same with a remote, but I don't like feeling around for a remote in the dark while watching a movie as it is easier for me to feel a dial on my equipment. Sitting in the back corner of the theater also gives me a chance to watch over the audience making sure everyone is OK and happy. One word of advice on this one though, when you put your equipment in the back of the theater, you will have to run long lines of video and audio cable to get to the front of the room. Last time I checked, a 20ft HDMI cable was not cheap.

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3. 3
   Hidden from view

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   Hiding your equipment out of view behind a panel is always an option, but that would also mean that it will be enclosed. If this is the way you want to go, you must make sure there is proper ventilation in that enclosed space otherwise you will risk damaging your equipment due to heat buildup.

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4. 4
   In another room.

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If you have problems with any of the steps in this article, please ask a question for more help, or post in the comments section below.

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