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A lot of people are putting more money into their living room because they are spending more time at home.  So what do you need to put together the best experience in your living room?  There’s the obvious stuff like a large screen television and that surround sound system.  Then there’s the non-obvious stuff. 

Get a good universal remote

Face the reality of how you use your equipment.  You could use all of the remotes that came with your components like a DVD player, the TV, and the receiver, but that’s just not worth the effort.  A universal remote is a hugely important part of any real home theater setup.  Bite the bullet, pay the $100 for a Logitech Harmony Remote.  The macros are definitely worth it.  

Trust in wires

Many home theater components need an Internet connection these days.  While you could try to have an all wireless setup, a wired network is more reliable.  Depending on your home’s layout, getting a wired connection to your home theater may not be easy.  Getting ready made cables for long runs can also get pricey.  If you’re inclined, make your own Ethernet cables and save yourself some money. 

Get an Ethernet switch

Once you get an Ethernet connection to your home theater, put in a network switch so you can connect your various components.  If you’re still squeamish about making your own cables, get a powerline adapter.  You probably won’t have the same speeds as Ethernet, but it’s better than nothing and may be faster than your Wi-Fi network. 

Get a HDMI switch

You can find older models of HDTVs for low prices.  Perhaps you even picked one up during the last holiday season.  One of the major drawbacks of older HDTVs is a lack of HDMI ports. 

You can get a receiver that supports multiple HDMI inputs and it will act like a switcher for your PS3, XBox 360, TiVO, or whatever.  If you pick up a budget receiver, it may have limited HDMI options.  No problem.  Grab a HDMI switch.  It adds another component to your setup, but it expands your options when you want to purchase a HDTV or receiver.

Protect your components

Invest in a hefty surge protector.  Don’t go into the bargain bin of your hardware store for one of these.  This device could protect every single component in case of a power surge.  You spent a lot of money on your devices, don’t protect it with a glorified extension cord. 

In no way is this an exhaustive list of everything you need, but these are things that are easily overlooked.  Hopefully you can use this advice to make your home theater experience fantastic.