| So now you have your brand new home theater | | | | 3. Whenever you are making any kind of home |
| system components sitting in their boxes in front | | | | theater wiring installation whether it be from one |
| of you and it's go time. You have to somehow | | | | component to another or from a component to |
| connect all of these foreign objects together and | | | | the speakers, make sure that both components |
| make it all work. For many people this is a really | | | | are powered off when you connect them. Many |
| intimidating scenario, but actually if you follow a | | | | is the heartache caused by someone turning on |
| few simple guidelines it doesn't have to be all that | | | | components before making the connections and |
| difficult. So here are the top 5 tips for home | | | | experiencing high sudden power loads that |
| theater wiring installation. | | | | damage their brand new equipment. Avoid that by |
| 1. This may sound corny but read the manual. I | | | | always keeping the components powered off as |
| know that there are lots of you folks that prefer | | | | you make wiring connections. |
| to just pick up a screwdriver and dive in, but you | | | | 4. Gather your cables and wires together in |
| cannot believe how much you can mess up by | | | | advance and make sure that they will stretch far |
| not taking the time here to read the installation | | | | enough from each installed component before you |
| instructions through and get a good feel for what | | | | begin installation. It's really frustrating to find out |
| you need to do in advance. In fact, you may | | | | that one of your wires or cables isn't long enough |
| somehow get the system to work without doing | | | | after you already have everything else set up. |
| that, but odds are that it will never perform as | | | | 5. A common mistake that many people make |
| well as it should simply because a few steps were | | | | when installing their own home theater setup is |
| left out while it was being installed. So save your | | | | stacking the components like the receiver, dvd |
| self the extra grief and just read the wiring | | | | player, cable box and so on, so closely together |
| installation instruction manual before you get | | | | that they have no room to breathe. Often they |
| started. | | | | will even put them inside a closed cabinet too, |
| 2. Use the correct gauge wire for your installation. | | | | which only compounds the problem. So before |
| Remember that when you have to run wire for | | | | laying out your system try to think of a way to |
| longer distances it requires a heavier gauge to be | | | | provide plenty of air flow between each |
| able to successfully transmit the signal. Here is a | | | | component which will allow it to run more |
| simple general guideline that you can use: for | | | | efficiently, last longer, and perform better. |
| lengths under 100 feet 16 gauge wire should be | | | | If you plan ahead to set aside plenty of time for |
| adequate, up to 200 feet 14 gauge wire will work | | | | your home theater wiring installation, you should |
| and over that you will probably need 12 gauge | | | | be able to get it done with little problem and |
| wire to make sure things work properly. | | | | frustration if you use the tips provided above. |