1. Chapter 1 Buying Gear

   1. Hacks 1–8

   2. Master Theater-Speak

   3. Audition Before You Buy

   4. Buy from Chain Stores with Skepticism

   5. Buy in Person from Electronics Boutiques

   6. Shop Intelligently at eBay

   7. Find High-End Equipment Online

   8. Buy Cabinets for Your Gear

   9. Plan Your Room Décor

2. Chapter 2 Video Components

   1. Hacks 9–20

   2. Get the Right TV

   3. Your TV's First Steps

   4. Move Your TV Safely

   5. Fix Panasonic's Picture Glitch

   6. Figure Out Aspect Ratios

   7. Avoid Cheap Projectors

   8. DVHS on a Budget

   9. Cover Black Bars with Letterbox Mattes

   10. Improve the Picture on Rear Projection TVs

   11. Paint Your Theater a Neutral Color

   12. Backlight Your TV

   13. Add Metal Plating to Support a Center Speaker

   14. Squeeze Your TV into Your Basement

3. Chapter 3 Audio Components

   1. Hacks 22–27

   2. Get the Right Receiver

   3. Watts Are Meaningless Without Context

   4. Amplify the Front Soundstage

   5. The Mythical Burn-In Period

   6. Use Gain Offset to Regulate Volume

   7. Use Dynamic Range Compression to Regulate Volume

4. Chapter 4 High Definition

   1. Hacks 28–35

   2. Ensure You Can Get HD Programming

   3. Get the Right Type of HD Set

   4. Add a Set Top Box

   5. Properly Size Your HD Image

   6. Get the Right Antenna

   7. Erect an OTA Antenna

   8. Don't Use Portable Signal Strength Meters

   9. Resolve Problems After Buying an HDTV

5. Chapter 5 Speakers and Wiring

   1. Hacks 36–47

   2. Organize Your A/V Racks

   3. Get the Right Speakers for the Job

   4. Select the Perfect Rear and Side Speakers

   5. Little Speakers Can Create Big Problems

   6. Add Bass Shakers to Feel the Lows

   7. Lower the Resonant Frequency of Aura Bass Shakers

   8. Use Subwoofers as a Poor Man's Bass Shaker

   9. Convert In-Wall Speakers to In-Ceiling Speakers

   10. Banana Plugs Trump Bare Wires

   11. Use the Same Speaker Wire Lengths (Not!)

   12. Use Thicker Wiring for Longer Runs

   13. Bi-Wiring and Bi-Amping Speakers

6. Chapter 6 Subwoofers

   1. Hacks 48–54

   2. Learn Sub Talk

   3. Choose the Right Subwoofer

   4. Match the Sub to Your Room

   5. Hook Up Your Subwoofer Correctly

   6. Optimize Subwoofer Placement

   7. Use Multiple Subwoofers

   8. Remove Subwoofer Hum

7. Chapter 7 Connectivity

   1. Hacks 55–59

   2. Cable Basics

   3. Watch Out for Entertainment Centers

   4. Don't Be Swindled into Buying Overly Expensive Cables

   5. Use Your Receiver for Video Switching

   6. Understand Component Video Switching

8. Chapter 8 Calibration

   1. Hacks 60–74

   2. Choose the Right Seating Distance

   3. Get the Best Calibration Tools

   4. Choose the Right Calibration DVD

   5. Calibrate Speakers with a Sound Meter

   6. Set the Receiver's Reference Level

   7. Avoid Using THX Optimizer

   8. Avoid Using Internal Test Tones

   9. Set Your Speakers to "Small" in Your Receiver Setup

   10. Hack Your TV's Service Menu

   11. Clean the Optics on RPTVs

   12. Reduce Focus Problems on RPTVs

   13. Reduce Lens Flare on RPTVs

   14. Focus Your Front Projector

   15. Don't Mess with Odd Screws

   16. Annual Home Theater Tune-Up

9. Chapter 9 Do It Yourself

   1. Hacks 75–83

   2. Build Your Own Speaker Stands

   3. Add Rollers and a Stand to Your TV

   4. Construct a Screen for Projection

   5. Mask Your Screen

   6. Construct Speaker Cables Using CAT 5

   7. Home-Grow Your Power Cables

   8. Build a 16-Bay UHF Antenna

   9. Ground Your Outdoor Antenna

   10. Build a Lens Hood for Your RPTV

10. Chapter 10 Remote Controls

    1. Hacks 84–89

    2. Add a Programmable Remote

    3. Program Your Remote with ProntoEdit

    4. Create Custom Graphics for Color Remotes

    5. Learn IR Codes the Smart Way

    6. Work around Proprietary Remote Systems

    7. Disable NetCommand for Faster Response

11. Chapter 11 HTPC

    1. Hacks 90–93

    2. Choose the Right Display Resolution for Analog-Input HDTVs

    3. Add Custom Resolutions with PowerStrip

    4. Adjust the Overscan on Your HDTV Display

    5. Play Video Games in Custom Resolutions on HDTVs

12. Chapter 12 TiVo

    1. Hacks 94–100

    2. Must-Skim TV

    3. Navigation Shortcuts

    4. The 30-Second Commercial Skip

    5. Streaming Internet Audio Broadcasts to TiVo

    6. Signing Up for the Home Media Option

    7. Remotely Scheduling a Recording

    8. Moving Shows Between TiVo Units

1. Colophon

Our look is the result of reader comments, our own experimentation, and feedback from distribution channels. Distinctive covers complement our distinctive approach to technical topics, breathing personality and life into potentially dry subjects. The tool on the cover of Home Theater Hacks is a film loupe. Invented around 1775, the loupe is a small magnifier used by jewelers, watchmakers, and photographers. Loupes come in several varieties. Watchmakers prefer the kind that are held by the eye socket. There are loupes that are worn as eyeglasses; others clip onto eyeglasses. Some are illuminated or have built-in tweezers. Photographers typically use handheld loupes to more closely study negatives and contact sheets. Mary Anne Weeks Mayo was the production editor, Audrey Doyle was the copyeditor, and Leanne Soylemez was the proofreader for Home Theater Hacks. Darren Kelly provided quality control. Mary Agner provided production assistance. Reg Aubrey wrote the index.

Hanna Dyer designed the cover of this book, based on a series design by Edie Freedman. The cover image is an original photograph by Classic PIO Entertainment. Clay Fernald produced the cover layout with QuarkXPress 4.1 using Adobe's Helvetica Neue and ITC Garamond fonts.

Melanie Wang designed the interior layout, based on a series design by David Futato. This book was converted by Julie Hawks to FrameMaker 5.5.6 with a format conversion tool created by Erik Ray, Jason McIntosh, Neil Walls, and Mike Sierra that uses Perl and XML technologies. The text font is Linotype Birka; the heading font is Adobe Helvetica Neue Condensed; and the code font is LucasFont's TheSans Mono Condensed. The illustrations that appear in the book were produced by Robert Romano and Jessamyn Read using Macromedia FreeHand MX and Adobe Photoshop CS. This colophon was written by Mary Anne Weeks Mayo.