Top Home Theatre Installation Tips

The first thing you need to do, even before you consider purchasing a projector, is to determine if you are going to project onto a screen or a wall. If projecting on a screen, you should purchase your screen when you purchase your projector. 

2) Once you have purchased your video projector and screen, and get your screen placed and set up, then you can proceed through the following steps to get your video projector up and running.

3) After unboxing a projector, determine how and where you will place it in relation to the screen.

4) Most video projectors can project towards a screen from the front or rear, as well as from a table-type platform, or from the ceiling. Note: For placement behind the screen, you need a rear projection-compatible screen.

5) Having port window glass encasing your projector will not only lengthen it’s shelf life, but it will also improve your overall theatre experience.

6) To project from the ceiling (either from the front or rear) the projector needs to placed upside down and attached to a ceiling mount. This means that the image, if not corrected, will also be upside down. However, ceiling mount compatible projectors include a feature that allows you to invert the image so that the image is projected with the right side up.

7) If the projector is going to be mounted behind the screen, and project from the rear, that also means that the image will be horizontally reversed.

8) If the projector is rear-placement compatible, it will provide a feature that allows you to perform a 180-degree horizontal switch so that the image has the correct left and right orientation from the viewing area.

9) For ceiling installations - before cutting into your ceiling and screwing a ceiling mount into position, you need to determine the required projector-to-screen distance.

10) Obviously, it is very difficult to get on a ladder and hold the projector over your head to find the right spot. However, the required distance from the screen is the same as it would be on the floor as opposed to the ceiling. So, the best thing to do is find the best spot on a table or near the floor that will provide the correct distance for the size image you desire, and then use a pole to mark that same spot/distance on the ceiling.

11) A tool that aids video projector placement is distance charts provided in the projector's user manual, and distance calculators that projector makers provide online. 

12) If you are planning on installing a video projector on the ceiling - it is best to consult a home theater installer to make sure that not only that the project distance, angle to the screen, and ceiling mounting is done correctly, but whether your ceiling will support the weight of both the projector and mount.

The noise of the projector will not be heard to disturb your theatre experience and you will feel like a MILLION BUCKS.

13) The most important detail when installing a home theater projector port window is to use anti-reflective glass.

Once both your screen and projector are placed, it is now time to make sure everything works as intended.