12 Ways to Know if a Home Theatre System is the Right Move

Thinking about booking a home theatre installation to upgrade your TV room or media room?

A home theatre can make watching TV and movies (or even playing video games) more fun, immersive, and enjoyable. But when you consider the equipment and setup costs, it can be a significant investment. So, how do you know if a home theatre is going to be worth it for you or your family?

The best way to find out is to go through some of the key factors involved in making your decision – things like the location of your home theatre, the setups, equipment required, costs involved, and the benefits of installing a home theatre system. We’ve put together 12 important factors to consider so you can decide whether a home theatre is right for you or not.

1. Know What’s Involved in a Home Theatre Setup

Before you book your home theatre installation, make sure you know what’s involved. Obviously, a great wall mounted TV screen is essential, but what other components do you need? Every home theatre setup will look different, depending on your space and how you plan to use it. But here are some standard home theatre installation steps:

TV wall mounting your (good sized) TV or installing a projector screen
Installing TV wall points so they’re ideally located behind the TV
Installing ceiling speakers (usually two at the front on either side of your TV screen, plus two at the back)
Installing a subwoofer
Hooking up a large floor speaker on either side of the TV
Connecting all the power cords and speaker wiring through your ceiling or walls to a central control or audio/visual receiver
Connecting any additional media devices via HDMI cable, like your PlayStation, Wii, Blu Ray player, Foxtel set-top box, and Chromecast
Connect your TV antenna cable
Add seating

Of course, there’s much more to it. Depending on your space (and your budget), you can customise and add to your home theatre setup in all sorts of different ways. Speaking of which…

2. Do You Want/Need the Extras?

When you’re planning your home theatre installation, it’s important to think about what extra features you’d like to add to make sure you have space for them and so you can start planning your budget. Some extras you may not have thought of include:

Soundproofing
Surge protection
Block-out window coverings
Dark wall paint
Movie storage
Pool table
Popcorn machine
Refrigerator for snacks (and drinks)
Fancy lighting
Cinema-style décor
Coffee tables
Movie posters and memorabilia
Fancy cinema seating
Footstools
Cushions
A nice entertainment unit to help contain some of your media players and DVDs

3. Do You Watch a lot of Shows At Home?

If you’re only an occasional TV/movie watcher, or you don’t use your TV for sports, streaming, or playing games, you may not need a home theatre installed. But if you like to watch shows throughout the week or you play games on a big screen over the weekend, you’ll probably find that a home theatre is perfect for you. With a bigger screen, higher quality audio, comfier seating, and more convenient controls, you’ll find it’s a great investment in your entertainment for years to come.

4. Who Do You Watch Shows With?

Your home theatre setup will depend a lot on how you see yourself using your system. Will you mostly watch shows by yourself? Or will you watch them with family? Or do you plan to host a small group of friends?

If you only need a home theatre set up for yourself, plus one or two other viewers, you can keep things small. You might get a small-medium TV and just a few speakers, all strategically positioned so you get the best sound/audio experience from 1-2 couches. On the other hand, if you need a home theatre installation that’s ready to host a small party, you’ll probably want to invest in more speakers to ensure surround sound and a larger TV for visibility from any couch or recliner. Speaking of seating…

5. What Kind of Seating Do You Need?

Seating is a really important consideration – you want something that’s the right size for your space, the right distance from your TV, comfortable to sit in for hours at a time, and big enough for you and any guests. Also, consider the height of your seats – if your chair backs go too high, it can change the way audio sounds in the room. Here are some common options:

Movie theatre seats (perhaps even in rows on platforms?)
Lazy boy recliners in a row
A corner lounge suite
A long lounge chair
Bean bags as back-ups for extra guests

6. Find Out How Much It Costs

For most people, the cost of a home theatre installation is a major factor. Your total cost will depend on a few things, like:

What brands you choose
The speaker system you select
How much wiring you need
What you need professional help with setting up
Any extra services you need as part of the installation (also consider TV antenna installation costs, TV wall mounting costs and TV wall point installation)
Any extra features you want to purchase for the room
Whether you’re buying new or used equipment and furniture

Costs for installation usually range from around $300–$1,200, depending on how complex your home theatre setup is.

7. What Are Your Acoustics Like?

If you’ve never had a home theatre before, you might be surprised at the impact one room can have on the rest of your house. Depending on your theatre room’s location and what materials your wall and floor are made of, sound can travel through your home and disturb sleep, work, and studies.

So, think about adding acoustic tiling or wall soundproofing to help contain the deep base and audio effects coming from your sound system. And think about the best location for your home theatre room to minimise disruption. So, let’s talk a little more about that…

8. What’s the Best Home Theatre Location in Your Home?

If you have a few options in your house for your home theatre installation, you’ll want to choose a room where you can control the light and noise levels. Plus provide enough space for the chairs and equipment, but not so much space that the sound bounces off the walls. Common rooms for home theatres include a spare bedroom, a garage, or existing media/TV room. If you haven’t already, you may need to add an extra TV wall point and extra electrical power points so you can connect your system to power and get a TV signal.

9. What Do You Want it to Look Like?

Aesthetics matter. Ideally, you want a minimal distraction from the big screen so you can focus on the show you’re watching. Some ways you can do this include:

Installing a TV wall mount
Ensuring all cords and wires as hidden
Using a single controller
Setting up an entertainment unit to house any consoles
Storing away extra DVDs and equipment in a cupboard at the back of the room

10. Do You Love Movies But Hate the Cinema Experience

If you’re a bit of a movie buff, you probably love watching movies every week or so (maybe more). But chances are, even if you could afford those ridiculous cinema prices, you probably don’t want the public movie theatre experience every time. By watching movies in your own home theatre, you can avoid:

Noisy audience members
Bad seating
Audio that’s too loud
People eating popcorn (and sitting on old popcorn)
All the movie trailers and ads
Distractions from people talking, using their phones, or coming in and out

If you’d like to create the ultimate movie experience in your own home and choose what movies to watch at what time (instead of having to stick to your local theatre’s schedule), you’ll love having your own home theatre.

11. Get the Tech Setup Right

We’ve already touched on the tech, but let’s dig a little deeper. If you’re going to book a home theatre installation, you’ll need to consider what equipment you need and how it’s set up. You’ll need to:

Choose the best quality brands you can afford
Ensure compatibility between devices
Connect the right cables and wiring
Set up the controls (ideally, with a single point of control)
Build in surge protection
Choose suitable audio devices for the best sound quality in your room

12. Work with a Professional

Finally, before you decide on your home theatre setup, it’s important to know whether you’re going to DIY or work with a professional. You might be able to throw together some basic equipment and call it a home theatre, but a proper home theatre installation requires technical know-how, planning, and expertise. Your professional installer will help you set up your room, so you get the best possible experience, enjoy the best brands for your budget, and get everything connected properly from the start.

Book Your Home Theatre Installation

Don’t wait to get your home theatre installation organised. Install My Antenna have experienced home theatre installation experts ready to provide expert advice and hands-on help with getting your system set up. Call our friendly service team on 1300 800 123 for a free quote or to book your installation today.