Efficient Home Theater Setup

Posted by Nick Niesen on November 1st, 2010

Just because you are looking for a home theater does not mean you have to spend a small fortune to get it. A home theater can still work for those of us on tight budgets that still want to make the most of our viewing pleasure. With more people being interested in television on a regular basis, a great home theater setup is a must in many homes.

Home theater surrounds can vary from home to home. In many parts of the country, the homes have the ever popular basement. If you remember back to when you were a kid, the basement was used for storing things like the Christmas tree and that old couch that no one has sat on in ten years. Make sure that the basement is suitable for a living area such as a home theater with its many electronic devices. If your basement tends to hold water in heavy rains, you may reconsider placing your 52" plasma screen television in those conditions. The basement can actually be one of the best places for a home theater. By placing the theater in the basement, you are able to utilize two or more walls that are already soundproofed because they are typically concrete walls with an earthen barrier on the opposite side. The only need for soundproofing will be in the ceiling and the fourth wall. By being able to skimp by only having to soundproof those two areas, you may be able splurge on a better home theater system.

Setting up your home theater to resemble the real theater can add to the experience of having a home theater. Start by adding the correct lighting to the room. Don't have big bulky overhead lighting, concentrate on rope lighting in the floors along with tiered seating and comfortable chairs for relaxing. Make sure that the seats that you choose are equipped with cup holders, or that there is a convenient place nearby each seat for each family member to place their popcorn and soda. Use dark, sound proofing drapes on the walls for sound absorption as well as appearance. All of these suggestions for d?cor can really cost a ton of money. But you should be frugal when shopping for decor, after all, you want to spend the bulk of your money on the viewing and listening details of the theater, right? Here are some suggestions for decorating your home theater on a budget.

Flea markets are a great source for bargains. You may be able to find old movie posters, popcorn machines, fabrics for the walls, etc. Most towns have a regular flea market, but if you are willing to take some time for travel to other nearby towns, you will likely be able to find more options for your decor.

The internet has everything. Auction sites such as ebay sell everything you could ever need or want for your home theater. If you know what you are looking for, type it into a search engine and just sit back and look at all the results you find. Bargain sites and auction sites usually offer the best prices on these types of items, but check around before committing to anything.

Your local classified section is always a good place to start. Most towns and cities have classified sections of their newspaper where people are trying to get rid their old items or items that they just no longer need. You can usually find a great deal on many items by searching the classified section.

Shopping at outlet stores can be a great way to find bargains. The problem with shopping at the outlets is that many people binge shop at these type places and usually don't come home with what they went for.

In short, when you actually go to set up your home theater system, check the prices on items and try to be frugal. Home theaters do not have to be expensive as long as you understand how to set them up correctly.