• Where you place your speakers matters.home sinema system image by Pavel Losevsky from Fotolia.com
  
  As high-tech innovations have evolved the way movies are delivered and presented, some homeowners have kept pace by installing state-of-the-art home theaters. At-home availability of instantly streamed movies, large-screen high-definition television, 3-D technology, surround-sound, and recliners with cup holders can make you rethink buying movie tickets. If you have decided a high-end home theater would be a great addition to your home, it's best to invest some time in planning before you spend your money.
  
  

Consider All Options

• Plan all available choices carefully before going out and buying your home-theater setup. For example, it may seem to you that it would be a good idea to watch your favorite movies and sports projected onto a wall or screen. Careful planning may reveal that such a choice would create annoying shadows, and that a flat-screen TV would be a better option. Take into consideration the size of the theater room and how much space you have for furniture, stereo, television and speakers when you look at what is available on the market for home theaters.
  
  

Speaker Placement

• Decide whether the speakers you buy will be a component of your home theater that you want to show off. If not, you can purchase speakers that you can conceal in the ceiling and walls of the room. Just make sure to build the hidden speakers into your home theater design in such a way that you do not compromise the quality of their sound. The House Designers website points out that some speakers are specifically built to be hidden, and can be placed in architectural elements of the room designed for the purpose, or behind walls covered with special acoustical fabric. When positioning your speakers, place the three front speakers with the screen. The two rear speakers should be on either side of the theater chairs, just above ear level.
  
  

Screen Placement

• Plan to place the screen so it with be directly in front of the viewers and at their seated eye level. This will enhance the viewing quality and create a movie theater feel. According to the Practical Home Theater Guide website, the size of the screen should be used as a guide to the appropriate viewing distance. Measure the width of your screen, and double it. The resulting figure is the recommended distance for the closest seat in your home theater. For example, if you have a 64-inch screen, the closest seat should be no closer than 128 inches (about 10.5 feet) away from it. The distance of the farthest seat should be five times the width of the screen. For the 64-inch screen, place the farthest theater chair no more than 320 inches (26.5 feet) away.
  
  

Lighting

• Plan to place light fixtures in a way that will not create a glare on your screen. The Practical Home Theater Guide website recommends you connect all the lights in your home theater to dimmer switches so you can adjust the lighting easily. If there are windows in the home theater room, use blinds or blackout curtains designed to eliminate all possibility of distracting glare from sunlight.