My tips for installing a home theater system

With the cost of High Definition TVs steadily dropping, more and more consumers have also been investing in home theater systems. For an incredible home theater experience, there has to be more than compelling visuals. What the perfect home theater system should be is loud, comfortable and integrated to ensure exceptional delivery of the best quality movies, music and TV shows right to our living or family room.

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Choose the right video and audio components

 

We must look for the right size TV for the room. It takes more than getting the largest screen we can afford, as there’s a science to this. We must choose a TV according to the size of the room, as well as the viewing distance of people from the screen to have maximum enjoyment for the most number of people. A person should ideally sit at a distance 1.5 to 2.5 times the size of the screen from the TV. Remember: TV sizes are measured diagonally, or from the screen’s top left corner to its bottom right corner. With a projector, we can adjust the screen size but this type of equipment will need a large blank wall onto which video will be projected. There has to be 12 to 15 feet between the wall and the projector for excellent results.

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Speaker configuration and placement

 

When deciding how to setup a home theater system, we need to consider the multiple seating locations that we want as this can also influence our decision on whether to go for a 5.1, 7.1 or 9.1 system. The center channel speaker should be placed directly below or above the display, as this component is where most of the dialogue in a movie come through. If the center channel speaker can’t be located directly above or below the TV, we just need to ensure that it’s as close to the display as possible and angled towards our ears. The front left/right speakers should not be too close together since that will create a small sound stage that results in losing out on separation among the center, front right and front left speakers. Neither should they be placed too far apart.

 

Surround speakers should go directly to our right and left. Surround back or rear speakers are extra surround components that are quite helpful when there are multiple rows of seating. The subwoofer is the .1 in a 5.1, 7.1 and 9.1 system. The best place for it is not a set criteria, as we are supposed to do trial-and-error for optimal placement.

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Connecting the speakers and subwoofer/s

Never mix up the positive and negative ends of the speaker wire when plugging them into the receiver. Red is positive (+), black is negative (-). The wire that attaches to the positive terminal on the speaker should be the same one that goes into the positive terminal of the receiver; this goes both ways with the negative wire. Spade and/or banana plugs facilitate connecting and disconnecting equipment while reducing the likelihood of wires shorting out or touching. The subwoofer hooks up with a single RCA cable. The plug that says sub preout or sub out should be connected to the input on the subwoofer.

Setting up the perfect home cinema experience – how I do it.

With a home theater system, we can bring magic and excitement to our family’s video entertainment experience. To create a truly immersive home theater environment in our home, I not only planned the right system for our family room but also chose the perfect type of system everyone of us really wanted, the TV and audio electronics. I also made it a point to check out the many available entertainment sources and what we can expect from each one, so I was able to make a suitable choice for our use.

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I chose the suitable minimum equipment for our use, and these included a broadband internet connection, the biggest HDTV (or Ultra HDTV, if you prefer) our budget could manage, and a surround system. I configured the speakers properly by finding the optimum locations for them in the family room. Thanks to how audio contributes to 50 percent of our cinema experience, I chose a premium quality surround sound system that can create a complete audio environment around everyone. A good 5.1-channel system is good enough for full surround sound experience. The 5.1-channel format can include a DVD and Blu-ray media player, broadcast TV, plenty of streaming sources, along with a number of Super Audio CDs. I would have gone for the 7.1-channel configuration, which boasts improved directionality of sound effects while adding to the impressive audio ambience of 3D plus some premium streaming sources and Blu-ray Disc that also sound great with a 5.1, but the 9.1 configuration totally blew me away. The 9.1-channel system totally sold me with its added front height speakers that have enabled the whole family to optimize Dolby Pro Logic® IIz, which derives height information from the signal.

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I chose a home theater receiver that can really handle all the audio and video for our system. This is where the streaming set-top boxes, consoles and other inputs are currently plugged into while being able to send video to the TV and audio to the speakers. With our home theater receiver, we have a more organized home entertainment system as one device connects all our gear and manages it. I also invested in a soundbar, but this is entirely an optional item. This device provides an affordable and space-saving means of adding great sound to any home theater system. In addition, there are some sound bars that are amplified and powered, eliminating the need for a receiver. I also picked up some longer spare cable for all the devices in the system and these include speaker, component video, HDMI, and Ethernet cables. I added a few new power strips so everything is nicely organized.

Purchasing a new home theater receiver is not easy

Building a house theater may be daunting task however on account of the massive selection of components and configurations that are accessible to the consumer. This is just another significant decision which must be taken under consideration before purchasing an expensive or inexpensive home entertainment receiver. A number of the greater end models will be a little pricey and probably present you with a bit of the shock, but you’re going to manage to locate a wonderful home entertainment receiver that suits into your financial plan, no issue. More and more, folks are spending additional time at home watching movies and consuming media as an alternative to paying to visit movie theaters.

Undeniably, if you build a house system, you’re going to want a receiver. In addition, You need to opt for a receiver that permit you to accommodate your future expansion requirements. You ought to select the most suitable receiver to fulfill all of your requirements, also as have an eye on possible future expansion.

When searching for a receiver, make certain it has an ample number of inputs along with an easy control interface. It’s the vital interface between you and also the receiver and you’re going to spend lots of time utilizing it. What you need to do is locate a couple features which are important to you personally and try to locate a AV receiver which has those features. This receiver will say if you possess a speaker that’s out of phase, wherever your speakers ought to be moved, to accomplish the best sound, and in case your sub-woofer is set too loud for your own room.

If you’re currently searching for a wonderful home entertainment setup, then you ought to definitely think about the HT-S9100THX ( click to see info on this model) . In general, for the purchase price, you won’t locate a better deal on a house theater speaker system. Purchasing a receiver is among the main decisions you’re going to need to make when building your house theater. There’s nothing worse than going to purchase something similar to a house theater receiver simply to see that the people you’re asking questions to know less about this than you do.

This written composition will try to cover the fundamental requirements you have to produce your perfect home entertainment system by picking the best audio and video receiver. A receiver is created to work along with the other components in your house theater system and you would be sure to want nice and crystal clear sound from the receiver you’re about to spend hardearned money on. But don’t forget that you could also speak to your family and friends, people you know personally who have bought a home entertainment receiver and from which you are going to be able to achieve an excellent home entertainment receiver review. Without it, you’d never come close to emulating a genuine theater experience.

How Much Should You Spend On A Washer And Dryer?

Washers and dryers have been around for decades helping people clean their clothes effectively with the least amount of efforts. Making a decision about buying a washer and a dryer is very difficult. Different manufacturers promise different things. Here are some of the things you should consider before buying a washer and a dryer.

 

How Much To Spend

The best machines in the market are the ones that possess the below qualities. The top three washers and dryers available in the market that meet these standards are LG’s TurboWash, Samsung’s SuperSpeed, and Kenmore’s Accela-Wash.

 

The LG TurboWash costs approximately $1,439.99. They offer free shipping as well. Additional 3-year and 4-year protection is available at $103.45 and $174.96 respectively.

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Samsung SuperSpeed is priced at $1,429 with special offers available every now and then.

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Kenmore Accela-Wash is priced at $1,200 with shipping charged at $55.

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Eco Friendly and Energy Efficient

The best washers save energy as well as water. Most washers wash clothes well, however take longer to wash them. An efficient washer should be able to cut the time of the wash into half. This will help conserve energy and save over 60% water. Front load washers usually take longer than top loading washers do. The best washers cut down on wash time for lightly soiled loads or even smaller loads. These washers usually recognize the need to cut down the wash time or have an option in their settings that cuts down the time.

 

Size of The Washer

Many manufacturers are making washers high on capacity. This means that some tubs have gotten bigger and some washers have even got taller. This makes it difficult for shorter people to grab clothes at the bottom of the tub. Before buying a washer, pretend to reach into the washer to grab clothes. If you feel that you will need tongs to retrieve the last piece of clothing from the bottom, buy another washer.

 

Loading Waterproof Clothes

Many washers and dryers are unable to handle the load of washing waterproof clothes like raincoats and rain jackets. Many times water is stuck in the clothes and the load becomes unbalanced. This caused the washer to vibrate. This can even damage the washer and dryer. Always check the manufacturer’s manual for waterproof clothing before buying a washer. This could save you a lot of money in future.

 

Efficient Dryer

Investing in an efficient dryer is very important. Most dryers consume a high amount of energy and do not dry clothes as effectively. LG has come up with a new concept of recycling the heat that is generated during drying. This saves on the cost of electricity. Never rely on the sensors of the dryer while drying the clothes. Over a period, the sensors are not able to detect the amount of water on clothes. This caused the clothes to stay wet and the dryer shutting off. Instead, use a timer while drying clothes. You need to know how wet the clothes are and how much time the dryer would need to dry the clothes. However, be careful of over drying your clothes. This can result in the fabric losing texture and colors fading.

Should You Get a Breast Pump?

 

Interested in finding the best breast pump for 2016? Here is our opinion!

 

Breast pumps seem to be quite popular today and if you are a new mom, or you are expecting, you may wonder whether you need one or not. There are certain situations that make a breast pump a must have item, so you should know a bit about them first.

 

Situations that require the use of a breast pump

 

Some moms need a breast pump more than others. Here are some of the circumstances that dictate the need to acquire a breast pump:

 

       Your baby experiences problems when nursing. In order to keep your milk supply steady, regular pumping is recommended.

       You have to increase the supply of milk. This may happen when you want to feed another child that belongs to a different mother.

       You want to go back to work, but you do not want to depend on baby formula for feeding your baby. Since breast milk is still the best, pumping and storing milk in glass bottles is a good idea.

       You need to leave your baby with someone else for a while. Be it because you have obligations, or you want to unwind for a few hours, you may need to leave enough milk for the baby in a bottle so they can feed while you are away.

       You want to offer some of your milk to other mothers who cannot breastfeed their babies.

 

You can wait until the baby is born

 

There is no way of telling in advance if your baby is going to experience problems when nursing. If you are still pregnant and you are yet to make a decision about getting or not a breast pump, the best recommendation is to wait until the baby is born and take things from there. You do not have to feel pressed in any way to make a decision if the time is not yet right.

 

Hospital grade pump or regular pump?

 

If you notice your baby having problems nursing, these problems will usually be obvious since you are still in the hospital. A hospital grade pump will be the best choice, because it will help you maintain a steady milk supply without too much trouble. In case you need a breast pump for other reasons, that are not so imposing, a regular breast pump will be a great solution. There are so many models on the market, that you will only need to compare them a bit to see which one is best for you.