Wiring Ideas For A Home Theater
Posted on: 2 December 2014
When building your dream home, don't overlook the wiring. If you have plans for a home theater or want to pipe music into almost every room, you will need to sit down with your electrician and formulate a plan for new construction electrical wiring before they begin. The following ideas will get you started.
Hide the Cords
With today's television technology, a wall-mounted big screen beats a theater screen every time. The only problem is the wires hanging down the wall. Although the common fix is to seal them in conduit that almost disguises them, you can go one better with new home construction.
You have two options to completely hide cords and wires. The option you choose depends mainly on where the wires are coming from.
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Option 1: Mid-Wall Outlets
These are mainly used for the television itself. Your electrician will install an outlet in the upper center of the wall, instead of near the baseboards, so the cord and plug aren't exposed. Mid-wall outlets or ceiling outlets are also a good option for projectors, if you use one in your theater set-up.
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Option 2: In-Wall Wiring
In-wall wiring works best for ceiling or wall-mounted speakers and peripherals that are hooked up to the television or sound system. Your electrician installs conduit in the walls to feed the wires through, so they aren't visible on the exterior. As an alternative, he may run permanent wires through the wall and attach them to an adapter, so you plug in the speakers directly into a specially wired outlet.
Get With the Times
Many sound and theater systems are being run off of computers or require access to a USB plug. Your electrician can install USB outlets along with your normal wall outlets. This increases the usability of the plugs in your home as more and more items switch over to USB. In fact, USB outlets are also useful in the kitchen and the office, so you might want to add them to several rooms.
Your electrician can better help you decide on your theater wiring if you already have a basic plan. Take the time to sketch out the layout of your home theater, and let the electrician know what kind of equipment you plan to use, in order to ensure you get the best wiring design for your needs. Fortunately, the days of the A/V cart with trailing wires are long past. You can create a completely built-in theater, but upgrades to the equipment are still just as simple as plugging in a new TV.
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