The first thing that you should do in setting up the your home theater system is to ask for your family's agreement, especially if the system would be installed in the living room or some other room that is shared by the family.

Getting high quality devices is your top priority if you want the best home theater system. Start with the television. The popular choice is a flat panel high-definition TV. There are actually two types of flat-panel HD-TV, the Plasma HD-TV and the LCD. Plasma TVs are larger than an LCD TVs because they are made for a large home theater setup. Plasma is also the television of choice for many although its price is somewhat higher compared to an ordinary LCD TV.

Your home theater would also need a good video source, the DVD player. Today, technology is getting more and more advanced and almost all DVD players come in the 6.1, Dolby? Digital Surround. The latest technology called Blu-Ray is yet to conquer home theater enthusiasts.

Both TV and radio broadcasting will be in the digital format in the near future. The different digital formats will be decoded by a receiver to produce an excellent sound. These multi-channeled formats are Dolby? Digital 5.1 or EX 6.1, DTS, THX Surround EX? 6.1 and AC-3. Receivers can be connected to a majority of players like a VCR and HiFi so compatibility is not an issue.

Good speakers play a major role in installing your home theater system. Speakers typically come in 5 pieces. These are 2 front speakers, 2 rear speakers and a center one. Also, it is very important to properly position the speakers to achieve the perfect distribution of sound. Remember, every speaker produces different sounds at the same time. Ask your dealer for instructions or follow the owner's manual in setting the speakers properly.

Use high-quality cables for your home theater system. Video and audio are both transmitted as electrical signals through cables and if you are using a low-grade cable then it will affect the quality of these signals. Also, install power surge devices to protect your equipment. It is best to ask for assistance from a professional electrician in doing this.

The guidelines above are some basic things to remember in setting up the your home theater system. Read home theater magazines or surf the Internet for more tips and recommendations.