Connect a receiver to your home theater

What is a receiver?

A receiver is that big, heavy thing that your speakers and other components plug (like a DVD player, TV, CD player, Xbox, Playstation, iPod, etc.). His "brain" of the problem, really. The idea that all components of a receiver is the concept of audio, video switching you to different video sources (such as TV, DVD, camcorder) on your TV allows
and then change the audio source accordingly- All this without touching anything but the recipient.

Of course, the main purpose audio / video switching, with an audio receiver is bringing in external speakers as the surround speakers or stereo.

Most receivers have a variety of inputs, and more specifically to 8 speakers and a subwoofer (, 5.1 or five speakers and a subwoofer), video inputs, and even HDMI. You can use the Xbox console, plasma and DVD Player of the recipient and using aRemote to be between all the different video sources (games, TV, DVD-Video) and the speakers pump switch surround sound. Start with the inputs and outputs. If you do not understand something, read the full how-to, most of which will be explained in detail.

Remember that a receiver is the hub for all your complete home theater, so this How-To effectively guide you through the basics of connecting your home theater.

So what the hell is all the 'stuff'the back of the receiver?

I'm going on almost everything that is on the back of the receiver. What I'm from this tutorial a Harman Kardon AVR-247 is based, I will start from the top of the camera left and the right way, then I am left with the next line and begin so on.

The first three entries are for antennas. An FM antenna cable would slide to the decision of the first two children in the remaining slots for the AM connector. OfOf course, not the antennas in order to invite, but if you AM / FM reception through your speakers want, you should proceed to do. These are the default ports, so if you lose one of their antennas, you just go and buy another for a little "money.

You've probably heard of composite video. It is a very simple video connections are available from multiple components (TV, DVD, VCR, etc.). His political and economic. As such, the quality is low.
Composites with an RCA cable for video(yellow) and two RCA cables for stereo audio (white and red). The problem is that a composite video cable combines luminance and chrominance, the cable itself, reduces the image quality. You lose a lot of sharpness and color begins to deteriorate from the original source. Be useful if you need extra power or device that combines both composite video. Otherwise, use something else, like component video. Seems very different.

S-Video is the next countryLine after composite. It uses a different type of connector (five needles in a circle) and offers slightly better video quality. There's also a video cable, you only need to connect the audio separately. In this case, you should probably use a pair of RCA cables, red and white for your audio inputs.

Next up: a ton of composite audio inputs. These inputs use left channel and right channel RCA cables, usually red and white. They look like the yellow composite video cable, and you canalso for video and the yellow is used for audio, but leave the color as it is;) Composite Audio is the bottom of the barrel-in audio. Its fine for further use, but if you are looking for high quality surround sound, you do not want composite. Game systems like the Wii or Xbox, and DVD players as the basis for a perfect combination for composite audio.

The same goes for VCRs, CD players, and everything is just a composite audio output. Even if you do notSurround sound, or the receiver is only two channels (2.1, stereo audio), not in a position to use anything but composite audio. Note that there is a composite audio into a composite video input, so it is easy to fix. Connect the entries are wrong and have no sound when it is in particular that the video input.

Here we have one of the least-used features of a modern receiver: 6 (or 8), the pipeline directly. It is only used for two purposes: SACD or DVDAudio. SACD stands for Super Audio CD. This is a proprietary audio format developed by Sony for CDs that are special recorded in 5.1 surround. This means that it is a CD or a DVD / CD player for SACD, a receiver with SACD) support (as shown, and of course, Super Audio CD. DVD-Audio, c ', the idea of the different brands have different media (audio from a DVD, not CD!).

DVD-Audio discs are special DVDs that are recorded in 5.1 surroundSound and can be played on devices with support for them. These CDs go all the way up to 7.1 surround sound, which means that you must have two front, enjoy two rear, two side speakers and a subwoofer, 7.1 surround sound. Most receivers support up to 7.1 hours, but you will not find DVDs with that kind of capacity for the films. 5.1 surround is still the de facto standard, so you take the time to buy more speakers in the foreseeable future.

You can skip this next item po ', because it onlythis brand of receiver (Harman Kardon). The bridge is a feature implemented that have to make a connection
an iPod. You must buy a separate component that includes a docking station and special cables to connect to the iPod. It fits perfectly with the receiver, the display
Menus and songs on the LCD screen in front of the receiver. Allows you to your music through the speakers pump, and stereo or surround.

Of course, the musiciPod stereo sound, so the best that can happen is to simulate a surround sound or stereo surround music plays in the two front channels
is set through the rear channels and in the middle. Some receivers of this intelligent than others, but more on that later.

Here we have our high-end audio inputs / outputs. Essentially the same performance wise, you have fiber optic connections (with the square) and digital coaxial (like a cinch) cable.
Both are 100%Digital and analog composite. The only way you can truly surround sound from any source on any of these links (or the / SACD DVD-Audio use)

Almost all DVD players these days have either optical or coaxial digital outputs (sometimes both). Many cable high-definition satellite and cable are also related to
Connections you 5.1 surround sound on HD channels. The choice between the two, there's really no difference between theAudio quality, so feel free to use
what you want (or what) you too.

I do not think that I have a picture for the next card. His two current inputs. One is to the receiver power and one for everything you want. In this way, when you turn
the recipient, there is power to another device (or a DVD player, CD player, cable TV or other). Not necessarily recommended if you use this specially designed
Your needs. E 'useful if youShort of transactions, of course.

Something else will you never use: D-bus RC-5 input / output. E 'for infrared remote controls used to take care of your home theater system. Frankly, this is not something to use as none of us ever. Some of the real-doped high-end, it might be to use something for them, but I've never met a camera that uses this technology. Keep up on the remote control supplied with the product or buying a quality universal remote. It is not necessary for this option. Aalternative use of these can be a bit "more common: when the receiver front panel is blocked (eg in a cupboard), you can hang in front of an infrared transmitter. This transmitter is to another device anywhere in your room, the signals from the remote control Accepts connected. The receiving device sends the remote control receiver (via the transmitter was attached to the front over the regular infrared transmitter).

Pre-outs, which areStart just below the remote control. Pre-outs are used when a (amplifier to increase the system to power and thus the volume and add audio quality). Average
Users who do not for anything other than pre-out subwoofer. We recommend you have a cable from the subwoofer subwoofer subwoofer pre-out offer
correct frequency. And 'the right way to connect the subwoofer to your surround system. Other voices will not be used if you want to add
aAmplifier. This is very useful for home use. You can add an amplifier if you try to fill a space the size of a small house with a healthy enough, but you're not, right?

Here we finally get the meat of the speaker input system! Harman Kardon query with places for connecting speakers, as shown in the figure. They
released the work as a counter-clockwise, then sneak into the speaker wire under the cap and pull backClockwise. This will
Give your speaker cables Tug adaptation of Nice, which probably will not loosen on their own over time. Other brands may use other types of connections that bind but contributions are very common.
You can say that this is a 7.1-channel receiver, as the speaker inputs.

Up to 2 front left and right, 2 rear left and right
one center channel and two on the left and right "surround" channels, which lie midway between the front andRear speakers (surround side, or 7.1). If you have enough
Speakers, you can go out and plug in the extra 2 side, but have no sound at all to DVD 5.1. You need a DVD that supports 7.1
Surround sound, and this time there is simply no market for it. CD like blast stereo surround through all 7 speakers, but also some larger rooms, is a
Advantage.

Our last set of connectors for this receiver: component video.Best video you can close to the composite or S-video. You will notice that (a set of all three cables for video)
Submitted red, green and blue. Do not think that's what cable, though - it separates the luminance of the video signal and two color channels. In the past, the component
Has in fact represent R, G, B (splitting the primary colors in the transmission and recombination) on the target device, but is not in the current component video
Connections. Componentcan carry high-definition video signals, all the way up to 1080p, making it the most cost effective and easily accessible for entry into high definition.
Not seen on this receiver are DVI and HDMI, both digital video connections.

HDMI is the new, faster, stronger now, video and audio connection. Not to mention being the only cable that goes audio and video in one - that is in high definition.
HDMI source must be supportedAd, which links to use all its features. Not all DVD players, cable box or receiver supports both
HDMI audio and video. Increasingly standard now support both. The advantage is obvious: less clutter, audio and video quality. You can
High-definition 1080p video and 7.1 surround sound via an HDMI cable. The new cable and satellite boxes, DVD players, HD-DVDPlayers, and more expensive receivers
supports the full capability of HDMI. 's the best thing you can not as all-digital goes.

The last member of this item is DVI. DVI is digital, and all HDMI to process but not in a position to audio signals. HDMI can deliver technically superior picture
I do not think you can make a difference. DVI supports HD video up to 1080p and HDMI. This will be used less frequentlynow,
But if you bought a new computer or video card in your PC recently, probably has a DVI cable (or two) door on them. Most computer monitors use DVI now and video card
have to adapt. HDMI is followed by edges its way into the PC market, but to see their dominance in the field of home theater.

Now you know the common connections, let's plug it all together.

This part of the receiver by connecting you how-to version 5.1 surround Guide(5 speakers and a subwoofer), with an HDTV, high-definition cable box or satellite receiver, DVD player and a receiver 5.1.

Your TV & Components

When you turn on your TV is dependent on how important, how big is your room where you sit. If the 50-inch, remain no more than 10-15 feet, but not minus one.
Together 60 "is perfect for 12-20 feet. If you have a series of 32 inches, try further than 8-12 feet sit. TheirReceiver DVD players, cable and other components must obviously close, but not physically from each other. They are all hot, especially the receivers. If you have no choice but to drag a piece of plywood between the components in order to dispense the heat.

Have Speaker

The first step is to define the configuration. Different rooms calls for different locations for your speakers and subwoofer. If your room is a typicalRectangle, go ahead and put the two front left and right wire somewhere with the television on this side of the room. Your left speaker goes to the left corner of the right speaker to the right corner. Do not waste time with is speaker cables (unless the speakers have speaker cable plugged in, in this case, you leave hanging, for now). Please note that the President is entirely right or left, as you connect to your receiver. The speakers are not reallyCalled "left" or "right".

Depending on how you acquired your speakers, front speakers can be larger than the rear speakers. That's How You Know You are at the top. Otherwise, all speakers have the same shape and size, and you can each use for any purpose.

An exception is the central channel. Usually, a center channel is much shorter and wider than the other speakers. Should be used for the center channel. Sometimes we can all be equal to 5 speakersIn general, a very comfortable setup. You can one of these speakers for a particular purpose.

Your center channel should always be directly above or below the TV. How ever you need to do is ask! The center channel at all mean, you know. Each film will pump about 90% of the items you listen, and the rest of the sounds through the central channel. This is an extremely important for the surround-sound setup.

Subwoofermust always be on the floor. If you do not place on the floor, put it on the ground as possible to close. Behind the objections or in closets will diminish its effects. In a perfect design, the subwoofer would be (on the floor near the TV to the left or right) in the line of sight. Nothing should block the side of the subwoofer that escapes to the air (usually by a protective cover of the subwoofer itself.)

When it comes to finding a goodand is ideal for speakers, you can mount it. You can typically buy speaker connectors supported on-line or in stores. Can
existing shelves, my shelves or placed on tables or other objects. No matter how you do this, try to keep the speakers at ear level as possible. A loudspeaker on the ceiling of the room you do not get the experience of listening pleasure.

The last one, remember what they say about the plot, is the son of custody. Probablymust be at least 100 m from the son of the pregnancy, but you'll find yourself with more frequent when
try through the ceiling, carpet-wire, through the basement or to hide objects. The measurements and buy the wire, at least 10% more than
You think you need. Likely to be able to use!

Wiring

You need to know the different types of child care available before starting your home theater. If you bought a (HTIB Home Theater in a Box), it isProbably came with 100 feet of speaker wire terribly cheap. You do not want that! Do yourself a favor: Buy a high-quality 14-gauge speaker wire. Slightly more than 14-gauge is wonderful, and probably will Interent, loss of quality and low quality over long distances. Fourteen gauge is a good thickness and suitable for most home theater systems. Also make sure that the will not be too thick - some speaker wire is not easy on some receivers speaker cable outlets.

Some receiversuse proprietary speaker inputs. Sony is an example. Many Sony receivers have special connectors for speaker wire and will not accept wireless speaker. You must use the Sony-provided speaker wire to take the ends of Sony speaker wire and put it on your own or purchase these special connectors from Sony directly to place your thread in a state of pregnancy. My recommendation? Avoid all receivers with standard jobs Speaker Wire / connector / plug. Look for the post of links or other measuresYou can drag and repression on a typical speaker wire.

If you have ordered your speaker cable, you have to do a little "cutting and removal, if you chose to buy your own. This is much easier than it looks, so do not worry!

Fairs cut the length of each individual at a time when the speaker wire, either with scissors or a knife very sharp. Now you need to strip the wire ends. Use a tool for stripping or plain old scissors. You can use the scissors onCable and gently Apply Some Pressure, how to use the scissors around the cable again, carefully cut the plastic. Finally, it is low enough that you can just slide pulling with your fingers. You need at least 1 / 4 "of exposed wire.

Now you can connect to the speakers. Note on speaker cables, the difference between the two ends. You must use as a positive and negative ones. Sometimes the coating in a different color between the two isor is it a text in one and the other not. Keep these - depending on which side you for the positive on the speaker, use it positively to the receiver. The intersection of the two can cause damage, either immediately or in the future. It might work this way, but I will not!

Connecting the speakers is fairly simple. From left to front left corner of the receiver on the left, the center speaker in the center of the receiver, etc. .. The rear speakers can be called "Surround" or "surround"instead of "retro", but retain in your head, if you have a 7.1 or 8.1-channel receiver, "Surround" may indicate side surround speakers, n. rear speakers.

Subwoofer

The subwoofer is a little more complicated. There are several ways to address these and several variations of inputs and outputs on the back of the subwoofer to do. I go with the first method, the most standard and efficient.

They are a cable to connect the sub subwoofer connected. If you do notor do not want to buy, you can use a standard RCA red and white (or a couple to replace because they are typically connected, leave the other hanging cables). Work, but really is not the best way to do this. You also need an adapter called whats Y. On the back of the sub, must be left / right input (red and white). It connects the Y-adapter with these compounds and the cable from the subwoofer (or RCA cables), the other end of the Y (Note: If you do not have a Y-adapterSimply select the input to the right or left) to connect.

Now take the other end of the cable and then plug the receiver
Subwoofer pre-out. I hope you have a subgroup of the engine, which means that the plugs in an outlet. Everything you need to do is connect the subwoofer is good, and d '.

If you do not have RCA jacks on your subwoofer, or that they have the speaker cable (and will most likely not powered), you must connect to the old way. Your front left and rightSpeaker plug in the output of the subwoofer instead of the recipient. You can then speaker wire from the left and right inputs on the subwoofer on the left and right speaker output on your receiver. In this way, the box is powered from the receiver and will not work, as well as power. They also have some power away from the front speakers with this method. A good idea is to create a subwoofer, new in-line powered buy an RCA jacks.

Connecting the Dots

YouI had the stuff the hard way. Now it is finally connected to the TV, DVD and cable / satellite. I always try to opportunities than ever before. If your DVD --
HDMI and the receiver, they are using. If your DVD S only via composite, S-Video and component, a component Use the video cable. When it comes to audio, it is absolutely necessary
via the digital (coax are usually orange) or fiber optic (usually the socket built into the camera and a door on them;when the door is opened, a red light is visible). If you do one of these, you do not get true surround sound! If all else fails, resort to composite (red and white) audio connectors.

Note: close to the terminals on your receiver look. Everything is like the first series of red, green and blue component video inputs can be labeled as "Comp 1 with". If you are using composite cablesfor sound audio, you need to connect to a power outlet to coordinate with "Comp1. This may not, by clear and recipient refer to the receiver manual to find out which video inputs use the audio inputs. In most cases you will be able to configure the receiver's internal menu using the remote control.

On some receivers, all the component video inputs are connected as a single composite audio input (usually "DVD"), so if you are more than one component input, the competition for a solid, if moreDevice is active. That's why you want to configure the component inputs to use different audio inputs.

The manual is the only way to understand how. Composite video is generally in line with the composite audio inputs with naming conventions like Video 1 -> Video 1, Video 2 -> Video 2, etc., but as DVI and component cables can not. You should also configure digital audio inputs with video inputs can be connected, you will be using. For example, if you are aCoaxial digital input (possibly "Digital 1"), and component video, you should match "Digital 1" with "Comp 1". Also in the manual to learn.