November 05, 2008 | by EH Staff

You’ll have to double check the diagonal screen size and weight of your TV before making a purchase. Most flat-panel mounts list both criteria, so you’ll see products that handle TVs 20 to 37 inches, or up to 100 pounds, for example. Ensure that the mount is also compatible with your brand of display.

Display mounts not only let you have a TV that’s snug against your wall, but many also include horizontal and vertical tilting and articulating so you can cover a wider viewing area. This comes in handy if you’re in a TV-less kitchen, but it is adjacent to a family room whose display can swivel toward the food prep island, for instance. Articulating arms also offer more installation flexibility for wall-mounted TVs in rooms where sunlight is difficult to control.

More-decorative mounts can even turn your plasma or LCD into a piece of art when not in use. These motorized, remote-controlled mounts feature framed artwork whose canvas descends or rises from in front of the TV. The mounts can often be customized to use personal digital photos as the artwork.

For all-in-one solutions, some mounts are combined with shelving systems, so you can have the TV and your components hung on the wall. These and other types of mounts incorporate cable management tubing so there’s no wire nest. Some mounts also include recessed wall boxes that go between wall studs to help your TV sit tighter to the wall.

Wires and Cables
Speakers, televisions, receivers, DVD players all need to be connected for your entertainment system to work properly. That means a bunch of wires and cables with different purposes and abilities. Don’t forget your computer and all of its digital files in the mix, either. Here are some connection basics.

HDMI (high-definition multimedia interface) passes uncompressed digital audio and video signals, supporting HD video resolutions 720p, 1080i and 1080p.

The interfaces are found on DVD players, HDTVs and A/V receivers and processors. Look for those that include the latest HDMI 1.3 version, which offers the newest audio and video technologies, like Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio and Deep Color. HDMI includes an antipirating technology called HDCP (high-bandwidth digital copy protection).

DVI (digital visual interface) sends video signals as a high-bandwidth connection between a video source and display, supporting 720p, 1080i and 1080p resolutions. DVI also employs HDCP.

Component video cables separate the video signals into red, green and blue streams, which are often bundled together. These cables support resolutions from standard-definition 480i to high-def 720p, 1080i and 1080p. The color separation provides improved color, accuracy and clarity over S-Video and composite video cables.

S-Video cables separate the video signals into luminance and color, for better quality than composite cable, but are relegated to standard-definition application.

Composite video, which looks like a single yellow RCA-type jack and is often bundled with red and white analog audio cables, sends analog video signals through one connection. These low-resolution cables should be avoided if possible.

Digital audio cables come in the form of a single coaxial cable, or TosLink (named after creator Toshiba), optical connection. These pass digital audio in formats such as Dolby and DTS and come in two-channel and multichannel applications.

RCA cables are the standard red-and-white audio cables and pass analog audio and video signals.

Speaker wire connects your loudspeakers to their amplification, with copper as the most common material of conduction. Wire thickness is usually referred to as gauge (the higher the number, the greater the conductivity). Common 12- and 14-gauge speaker wire may suffice for multiroom audio and moderate theater setups, while heavier 16-gauge wire might be used in more powerful systems. The wire can connect to your speakers in several ways, including bare wire, plug-in RCA type, “banana plugs” and spade lugs, which wrap around the speakers’ binding posts.

Category 5, 5e and 6 cables transmit data over high speeds and are used for broadband Internet and home networking. Plugged into RJ-45 Ethernet ports, the Category 5 (or Cat 5 and “enhanced” Cat 5e) cables have a bandwidth of 100 MHz for networks up to 100 Megabit per second (Mbps) networks. Cat 6 ramps up to 200 MHz and is recommended for Gigabit Ethernet (1,000 Mbps) networks.

Additional Goods
Entertainment systems can run from simple to extravagant. Along with variables such as screen sizes and sound quality, the accessories you incorporate into your room will add more flavor and personality. These aren’t necessities, but they are good to keep in mind.

LED lighting products can enhance a darkened theater room without affecting the on-screen image. Predominantly soft white or blue lights, LEDs can be strung along seating risers, ceiling soffits and other areas for subtle detail. Fiber-optic star-field ceilings are also popular for creating a night sky facade.

Acoustical treatments come in several forms and aid the room’s audio environment. They’re most common as wall and ceiling panels and can add an artistic element.

What home theater would be complete without some movie memorabilia, either in lobby areas or in the media room itself? Framed posters are a common way to jazz up your entertainment room, while authentic cinema items like popcorn machines and box-office marquees are fun if you have the space.