Having a home theatre is a great asset to any home; they are perfect for rainy days or late nights spent with the family or friends watching great movies, TV shows, and all kinds of other media. There is one problem though, not everyone knows how to effectively setup a home theatre to get the most out of the experience. Without having everything properly positioned, you can actually be losing quality on all kinds of things you watch and listen to. You should know the facts before you start.

Seating:

Seating should be between four and six screen heights away from the television or projection screen for ideal viewing. Also, position your seating directly in front of the screen. Although you may be able to see the picture from the side, televisions and projection screens are designed to be viewed from the front. After spending so much on the equipment, there is no reason why you should alter the way the content is supposed to be consumed.

Sound:

Speaker systems should be setup according to the manuals. They can be boring to read, but if you tough it out, your audio quality will be so much better. Whether your setup is as minimal as the speakers that come inside of your television, or as advanced as a top-of-the-line 5.1 surround sound system, making sure that you are positioning the sound devices in the right places needs to be done. The video is only half of the experience; make sure you have good sound to enjoy your media fully. If you aren't keen on reading instructions, there are also lots of tutorials online to help you get the most out of your system. Do a search for home theater audio systems and see what you can find.

Room Lighting:

Although you may not have thought of it right off the bat, room lighting is extremely important in how you view your media. It should be dim and variable (able to adjust), so you can both watch what you want in a dark atmosphere—which is ideal for viewing all media—and entertain guests in a well-lit room. If your home theater room doesn't already have variable lighting, you can easily change over your conventional switches to a variable light switch, allowing you to turn your lights to the intensity that you desire, for all of your needs.

General Room To-do's:

Apart from the setup of your system and lighting, there are a bunch of little things you can do to enhance your home theatre experience. First, the backdrop to your TV or projection screen, or the wall behind it, should be a dark color; a light colored backdrop can be distracting when viewing—you want the focus to be the screen. Second, make sure there is enough seating for all of your guests! No one wants to stand to watch a movie, think ahead and plan your room around the number of people you think will be enjoying entertainment together in it. Finally, a huge rule should be keeping your home theater equipment in order; keep your cables out of the way, your speakers in a safe space, and your screen firmly attached to the wall or sturdily placed on a table. All of the equipment you have is delicate, so take care of it!