When building a home theater system, the fun doesn’t stop at the basic components such as the television or surround sound system.  In this second article on setting up the perfect home theater system for your enjoyment, we will cover how you can potentially use your iPhone or Android phone as a universal remote for all of the new A/V gear that you just bought, as well as what types of setups would work best for your specific home.

Using Your Smartphone as a Universal Remote

It seems like smartphones can do anything you want them to nowadays.  They will talk back to you, take you places you want to go, let you browse the web and check your email faster than ever before, and so much more.  One of the things that phone manufacturers have attempted to create since the beginning of the smartphone era is the universal remote functionality.  Although the earlier smartphones did manage to work as a universal remote, ultimately the system was too buggy and didn’t work as universally as one would have hoped.

Fast forward to today’s age, where phones have 5.3 inch screens and dual core processors as well as more RAM than your computer did a few years ago, and we are finally just starting to get the universal remote thing correctly.  With the help of certain add-ons such as the RedEye Mini, your smartphone can control all of your infrared devices through the use of a proprietary app.

The Impact of your Home Theater Room on your Gear

If the room you plan on turning into the ultimate man cave is small, you may not be able to stick the largest TV you can afford in there, at least not without its side effects.  Generally, for televisions under 42 inches you should be less than 9 feet away from the screen, but if the television is larger than 42 inches it is strongly recommended to sit at least 9 feet away so you don’t cause any eye fatigue, and the whole family can enjoy it.

Take a look around; how many windows are in the room, and how many of those windows allow the sunlight to shine directly on the television set?  Glare on your screen is probably one of the most annoying parts of watching TV, and nothing ruins your Desperate Housewives marathons like a sun shining onto the characters’ faces.  If there are windows in the room, and they touch the television, you may want to look into bigger screens and either LCD or LED displays, as these tend to be brighter and easier to see in sunlight.

If there are no windows in the room though, and you can get it as dark as you want, a plasma display will definitely be your best option as it will allow for the most vivid colors to come through without any other light’s interference.

When it comes to surround sound systems, you have a few options to work with.  If the room is small enough, you may be able to get away with buying a soundbar that will go firmly above the television and still provide you the surround sound experience.

If the room is 9x9 or bigger, you could opt for a wired surround sound system and attach the rear speakers above the back wall, behind the couch, and the front speakers near the TV.  This will allow you to have that 3D audio effect that comes from true surround sound.

If the room is bigger than 9x9, you may want to get a wireless sound system instead.  Though a bit pricier, the ease of installing speakers with virtually no wires will help you feel better about the purchase, no doubt about it.

There are plenty of things to take into consideration when building the perfect home theater system that is suitable for you, and there are many factors that make up the equation.

Your room size and sitting preference will largely determine what equipment will work best for you, as well as the design of the room and the windows that may expose too much sunlight, though with the tips provided in these two articles, you should be armed with enough knowledge to make a well informed decision and enjoy your home theater.

Whether you want to make your own personal man cave to escape to or a place where the entire family can relax together and enjoy a good movie, the home theater is becoming an integral part to many homes.

It provides a great way to leave all of life's stressful events and problems at the door and indulges the senses with fantastic sights and sounds.Building the perfect home theater system can seem tricky at first, but once you learn the basics and know what to look for, it can be fairly simple and straightforward.

In this two-piece feature we will be covering all of the basics of setting up the ideal home theater system, and we will touch on the components that make up a home theater system, different speaker possibilities, as well as more high tech things.

Firstly, what makes up a home theater system? Below are the basic components to every home theater system, as well as a short description.

Television

Probably the most recognizable piece of a home theater system.  There are many different choices available, though the most popular home theater TVs are LCD, LED or plasma television sets.  Size of the television should depend on the room size; for any television 42 inches and over, at least 9 feet should be between the television and the viewer.  Plasma tends to be the best overall solution if you don't have any windows in the room, but if you want sharp, clear pictures while you have windows around, looking into LED or LCD TV Reviews might be a better option.

Speakers

The sound system is a little more complicated to decide on than a television, I believe.

If you want to really ”feel” the movie, then you will obviously need the biggest speakers you can afford.  Other options for great sound include wired or wireless surround sound system packages, separate pieces of surround sound, or sound bars.

More on the speaker types will be discussed in the second piece.

Media Player/Content Provider

How will you watch TV?  The range of options here is tremendous.  You could have a cable television subscription, media boxes such as Roku and Boxee that provide access to digital content such as Netflix, or you could keep things simple and get a complete media system such as a Playstation 3 or a specialized Blu Ray player that will grant you access to all of the digital content in addition to providing a way to play certain formats such as Blu Ray and DVD.

Cables and Connectors

Unless you are going for a minimalist, all-wireless setup, there will be a lot of cables behind your system.  You will need to purchase several HDMI cables, a powerful surge protector, speaker wire and component cables, just to name a few things.

Furniture

Where are you going to sit when you enjoy your home theater system?  Would you prefer a long couch that the entire family can sit on together, or perhaps break it down into individual seats, or if the room is big enough and your budget permits, perhaps theater-style seating?  This section also includes things such as the TV or speaker stands, and any special lighting you may implement such as dimming theater lights that we will go over in the next segment.

 The Budget

Of course, the budget can be one of the most important parts in building the perfect home theater system.  There are several variables to take into consideration: room size, desired TV size, speaker power, and how the furniture will be laid out.  Some fixtures may require minor construction, which could significantly increase the price of the project.

A home theater system can be bought with as little as $2,000, but the price can easily exceed $30,000 if you indulge in the latest and greatest, and opt construction to provide the best fit for your new system.

In the next part we will go over the unique new things you will be able to do with your home theater system, such as controlling the television, speakers and lighting system with your iPhone or universal remote, and how to go about picking suitable equipment for most types of rooms.

3D Equipped LCD TV's have barely been on the market for two years, yet many consumers are dropping the cash on this new technology to get a firsthand look at what all the fuss is about.

Should you be one of these early adopters, or should you want and see how the market and its products play out, and see the big picture?

There are a few things you should take into consideration before you make the jump to the new era of television displays.

Picture Quality and 3D Effect

How do you know that you will even like watching shows and movies in 3D?  What if you spend a few thousand dollars on something that you realize you don't enjoy once you get home?  Before you even begin researching which 3D TV to get, I strongly recommend you watch at least two or three 3D films in a movie theater.

While it may not provide the personal in-home experience you might feel in the comfort of your own home, the huge screen, powerful speakers and generally high end 3D picture quality will allow you to make an educated decision on whether or not you even like the 3D effect.

If you can't handle the fact that most of the time you will be required to wear what could be uncomfortable 3D glasses, or if you end up suffering from dizziness or severe headaches, then perhaps it might be time to look at the non-3D TVs instead.  On the other hand, if you end up loving the immersive 3D effect, then you would probably love having the same thing, though on a (unless you're loaded) much smaller scale, in your home.

The Price to Pay for High Quality 3D

What I find true about 3D-capable television sets is that only the most high end, top of the line TVs have the best 3D picture quality.  They will be able to provide the most realistic 3D picture that will cause you to move to the side when you see an onscreen tiger charging towards the screen, while the lower end, and even a lot of the traditionally high end TVs might fall short of the experience.

One thing to note: Having a high quality 3D TV can be expensive.  If you are not yet ready to spend at least 2 to 3 thousand dollars on  the television alone, then you should wait a little longer before making the plunge into the 3D world.  Buying a subpar 3D TV has a high chance of producing a poor 3D image that might leave you with a bad taste in your mouth and significantly reduce the likeliness of you ever buying another 3D TV again.

Also, keep in mind that in addition to yourself, everyone else that wants to watch TV with you must be wearing 3D glasses, which could become really expensive, really fast.  By watching the 3D movies in theaters you will be able to make a guess as to how comfortable you are wearing those funny looking glasses on your face for hours at a time.

Closing Thoughts

Overall, if you want to be a part of the growing number of early adopters for 3D TV technology, don't mind the sometimes uncomfortable 3D glasses and have enough cash to spare for a high end television set, then it seems like it would be the perfect choice for you.

However, if you are not comfortable spending so much money on a new technology and get headaches easily from 3D viewing, you might be better off waiting a few more years to see where the 3D movement takes us.

You've just dropped a few thousand dollars on the latest flat panel display and want to know how to maintain it, or perhaps you have an ageing LCD TV that you are sure has at least a few years left, and want to find out how to squeeze every last minute out of it.

Whatever the case may be, caring for your LCD TV is simple, and a few little things can be done that will make a lasting impression on the lifespan of your television.

Temperature and Humidity

This general rule goes for any electronic, but is especially important for large, sophisticated electronics such as LED and LCD TV's.  A TV's lifetime is greatly reduced when it is constantly exposed to high temperature conditions and fluctuating levels of humidity.  On the other hand, keeping the TV in too cold of a room will adversely affect the response time and overall brightness of the display.

Cleanliness

While this point might seem obvious to some, it is important to regularly dust off your television, give it a clean with some LCD TV cleaner, and restore it to its clean, shiny old self.  Dust will accumulate around the vents causing it to overheat more easily, it can gather on the display, which will result in diminished picture quality, and it will overall detract from the viewing experience if you are watching an awesome movie and during a dark scene you notice that someone has written "please clean me!" with their fingers in the dust film on the TV screen.

Burn In

When not using the TV, shut it off!  This will prevent a condition known as "burn in" which is when an afterimage is left on the screen even after the image has changed or the television has been shut off.  It is caused by static images on the screen, such as when you leave a game paused with the TV on and you go eat dinner, or when a static image such as a racing game's HUD remains on screen regardless of whether you are playing or not, or if you leave the TV on the guide menu.

Shutting the TV off instead of leaving it on will prevent most cases of burn in, which in some instances can become permanent.  Nothing is worse than watching your favorite television show while trying to ignore a burned in afterimage of the continue screen from Mortal Kombat.  If you do notice that there is an afterimage that is taking a while to disappear, try leaving your TV completely off for at least 48 hours.  This usually resolves most burn in afterimage issues.

Storing and Moving

If you have to move your LCD TV, make sure you have enough manpower to comfortably move it without shaking it around.  Bending the TV or tilting it too violently may cause permanent damage to the display, since the screen is made out of glass and the LCD can be quite delicate.  If you are going to store your TV, try to keep it in a dark space that has relatively low humidity and is constantly at room temperature.

In conclusion, it is not too difficult to properly maintain your LCD TV if you follow these few simple steps.  By keeping your TV clean and free of any burn in images, you can rest assured that you will be happily watching your favorite shows and movies for many years to come on your shiny new LCD TV or your aging display.