hello world!

Home Theater Wiring

Our electrical staff provides professional home theater wiring to give your home the ultimate TV setup. So if you are looking to upgrade your home theater center, get in touch with the pros at State-Wide Electric! Headquartered in Glastonbury, we service many homeowners across Connecticut.

Contact State-Wide

When you reach out, we can discuss the various options and price points with you. Our staff will be involved in the entire planning process in order to ensure the home theater wiring project is up to your standards and requirements. Other wiring projects we perform are for home generators, dishwashers, and ceiling fans. Get your home wiring services with State-Wide today!

The Basics of Home Theater Wiring

Here are some home theater wiring basics to keep in mind: 

  • Wire length: This aspect depends on the distance between the devices and outlets and if they are hidden or hung-up front. 
  • Matching connections: Varies from device to device and cable compatibility requirements, which includes video and audio. 
  • Wall plate outlets: Double-check proper hookup and installation.
  • Pre-Wiring & Networking: Pre-wiring runs through your home’s frame to remain hidden and must be installed by professionals. After it is painted over, the integrators finish the wiring by making connections to their necessary components.  There are a few pre-wiring factors to consider first before beginning the process of a home theater project, which include the number of speakers, the sizes of the rooms and wiring maps.
  • Speaker Wiring: Speaker wires connect speakers to an audio receiver. They are available in different gauges and thicknesses. Depending on the speaker wattage and the distance between the speakers and the receiver, this can cause wiring changes. Selecting the right gauge for your specific home theater project is crucial when choosing a speaker wire. The further you’re running the wire, the thicker the cord you will need. Leaving the gauge sizing to the professionals is recommended, as we can advise on the correct gauges to prevent problems with your sound quality. 

Home Theater Wiring Planning

Wiring your home theater can be a breeze with proper planning and effort. When developing a home theater wiring project, there are key aspects to follow and plan. Using the best available home theater wiring produces the best functionality and knowing how it works is essential for anyone planning a home theater project. Home theaters have many components and each one must have the correct wiring in order to produce the best functionality. It helps to consider the wiring between the video distribution system, surround sound system, Blu-ray player, and any other devices you plan to use.  

Once you have determined the equipment you want, the placement of the home theater system is next. Then you need to determine where will your TV or projector screen be mounted and where your rear speaker will be located. Once you have a practical idea of where the system will go, the wiring installation can begin. 

Home Theater Wiring Tips

Much of the wiring job is self-explanatory, however, the following tips help to create a fully realized home theater wiring project.

Aesthetics

Loose wires look unsightly and become trip hazards. A damaged wire is not only a fire hazard, but contributes to the reduced service life of devices. In-wall installation of wires is a great way to reduce the loose wires and improve the home theater's aesthetics. If you are doing a full construction, then running the cables beneath the final layer of drywall is another great option to hide the wires.

Labeling

Marking every single cable in numerous places will save a lot of stress later. It is always difficult to trace long cables back to the source when there is an issue with just one of the wires.

Allow for Adjustment

Yes, cables should be kept as short as possible in order to maintain as little loss of signal as possible. However, the wiring should not be too tight. Having a little slack in the wire allows you to maneuver devices as you see fit.

Interconnections are Helpful

Do not be afraid to swap out long cables for much shorter interconnections in order to reduce the number of untidy cables between devices. Unsightly cables are poised to be potential hazard issues.

Speaker Connectors

It is worth investing in a set of wire strippers if your speakers have binding post connectors. A bare wire makes for the most secure connection with the best sound clarity. Stray wires can create poor sound quality.

Not Loud Enough

If audio is not as loud as you had expected, you should consider moving the speakers closer together. Either that or an upgrade with the wire to prevent such a high percentage of signal loss.