10. Do use a lighting control system with a dimmer. If your room lights can be dimmed, then you can adjust them to the perfect illumination level for both TV viewing and socializing. A plain on/off switch will force you to have the room lights on at full blast which will degrade the TV’s picture and probably annoy anyone forced to sit near the lamps. Of course, you don’t want the room in total darkness, because then someone’s bound to knock over a drink.

What former NFL player calls this his man cave?

11. Do not convert it to 3D. I know, your new TV has a 2D-to-3D conversion feature, and you really want to show it off, but please, the Super Bowl isn’t being broadcast in 3D, so post production conversion in your TV can do nothing good. Plus, you probably don’t have enough 3D glasses to go around anyway. If you want to play with 3D then have a movie party the next weekend, and show your friends The Amazing Spiderman or something like that.

12. Do check everything out the day (or a couple of days) before. If you have a complex, professionally-installed system, the time to make sure it’s all working properly is not 4PM Sunday afternoon. Your A/V installer probably wants to stay home and watch the game too, not come over to your house to reboot your cable box.

Bonus Tip: Do have the Puppy Bowl playing on another TV somewhere in the house, because every now and then you need a cute break to calm down.

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Grant Clauser - Technology and Web Editor, Electronic House

Grant Clauser has been covering home electronics for more than 10 years with editorial roles in several consumer and trade magazines. He's done ISF-level damage to hundreds of reviewed products and has had audio training from Home Acoustics Alliance and Sencore. He's also the author of the book The Trouble with Rivers. Follow him on Twitter @geclauser.