It isn’t enough to just have the latest and greatest home theater equipment. You must take good care of it in order to pull out the best performance, and have an overall functionally and aesthetically appealing room. In addition to maintenance and AV tweaking, you’ll need to keep your gear clean if you want the top-performance possible.

You’ve got to understand proper AV equipment care in order to preserve the life of your devices. You can’t just go in there with a rag and some cleaner and swipe away the grime – you could end up irreparably damaging the surface, the finish, or even the inner mechanisms of your device. So, if you’re proud of how well all of your equipment shows off your flat screen TV frame, you’ll want to keep it clean to keep it looking and performing at its best.

There are some basic cleaning rules for all, or at least most, AV equipment. Be absolutely sure that the device is in “off” (not just standby) mode before tackling the dust. If you can, unplug it to be doubly sure. Furniture polish or wax is meant for furniture – not for your gear. Keep it for the mahogany coffee table and the traditional wood flat screen TV frame, and never use it on electronics. When you do pick a cleaner, don’t spray it straight onto the device. Spray it onto a cloth to protect your delicate home theater components. And finally, after reading this article, go check out the user’s manual for your equipment. If you don’t have a hardcopy, many manuals can be found online. There is usually a section on care and cleaning, and it’s best to follow the manufacturer’s guidelines when it comes to the delicate operation that is cleaning your home theater.

So now on to the specifics. We’ll begin with tips on cleaning your plasma or LCD HDTV, as this is usually the central unit of a home theater. Before you begin, keep in mind that you can keep your flat screen TV frame mounted, or you can remove it with a few easy snaps. An LCD TV screen will be damaged by common household chemicals like Windex, so purchase a cleaner specifically designed to be gentle on screens. The cloth that you use should be soft and either dry or nearly dry – most LCD screens get damaged by moisture and too much rubbing, so treat this delicately. If you must use a cleaner for that stubborn dirt, try a small amount of water first.

Your TV might not be the dustiest thing in your home theater. In fact, the nature of Blu-Ray players, DVD players and gaming consoles make them highly susceptible to dust and dirt collection. The fans that are used for ventilation often make dust settle on the back, around the cables, and when you’re doing your general sweep of the room with a duster, you will often miss those areas around the buttons and underneath the devices.

In order to do a thorough job of cleaning these devices, you should pair your regular cleaning with something a bit more rigorous. Try using that same soft, dry cloth that you used for your TV. You’ll want to start with the device that is on top of the stack and move downward, because dust will likely fall from the top down. On the chassis, keep the dusting motion designed to dust away from the vent holes to preserve the delicate inner workings. When you move to the front panel, you might want to use a soft paintbrush, as this will get you precision without being so rough as to knock around your settings. For the inside of your device, keep an optical lens cleaner disc handy. These are versatile little discs that spin and use small brushes or holes to pull away the dust and dirt.

Cleaning your home theater properly will not only make it look great and highlight your modern flat screen TV frame, but it will also prolong the life of your components. The tips above are all great to follow, but just to reiterate an important point – because not all devices are created equal, check out the cleaning section of the manufacturer’s manual before diving in to your home theater dusting day.

Clutter is something we can all live without. And as more and more “connected” devices are being released each month, we have increasingly varied options when it comes to reducing the cable clutter in our home theaters. Everything from HDTVs to Blu-Ray players, from surround sound systems to gaming consoles, is being upgraded to be compatible with wireless technology. This is good news for those of us who would like to see a smooth, streamlined home theater without a mess of cables winding along the floor from speaker to TV to AV receiver to wall outlet.

To begin your journey into the wonderful world of wireless home entertainment, you have to set up a home network. This involves setting up a modem to access the Internet through your Internet Service Provider, either through cable, phone line or satellite. This modem is then attached to a router, which is the central hub that connects all wireless devices. For more information on how to configure your modem and your router, contact your local ISP.

Now that you’ve got the building blocks for a networked home theater, you can move on to the actual components of the soon-to-be-wireless system. Let’s start with the largest and most central component for many home theaters – the flat screen HDTV. There are several options for a connected TV in today’s market, all of which can be wall mounted and can incorporate a TV picture frame. When searching for the perfect wireless TV, remember that limitations are usually placed on what the TV can and cannot do on the Internet. For instance, a particular HDTV might allow access to Netflix and a photo sharing service, but it will not necessarily allow you to browse web sites through a Google search like a computer would.

A lot of HDTV manufacturers call the specific connected features “widgets”. These widgets are usually the limited abilities that the TV has in on-line access. In one instance, you might be able to access a local weather widget and a stock market widget. These would allow you access to real-time information on your local weather or specific stock conditions, based on your location and your preferences. You could not, however, log-on and check your email or browse a news aggregate site for the latest stock or weather information.

What’s great about Net TVs, wireless HDTVs or connected TVs is that they are constantly being upgraded. Because they can access the Internet through your home network, you can automatically download any updates to the software. This can result in expanded access, as the TV manufacturer decides to open up social networking widgets, YouTube video streaming widgets and more.

Many of the big-name manufacturers have a version of a connected TV on the market. Sony, for instance, has the Bravia line which includes TVs that can access Yahoo news, YouTube videos, Flickr photo sharing, Amazon video-on-demand and more. And several Samsung TVs have access to a host of Yahoo widgets, such as Yahoo Finance and Flickr, as well as 3rd-party widgets like eBay and USA Today. Not to mention the fact that a wireless HDTV can connect to a home theater PC and access pictures, videos and more on your hard drive.

If you are interested in purchasing a TV that includes wireless capabilities, now is a good time to buy. There are new HDTVs being offered all the time that are at the cutting-edge of wireless technology, and companies are quick to follow the industry leaders in this trend. Once you’ve chosen the wireless TV that suits your needs, you can incorporate a whole host of other wireless devices, like speakers and a Blu-Ray player, to truly have a wireless home theater.

For those of you just getting the hang of HDMI 1.3, the news of a new HDMI technology, HDMI 1.4, might initially come as an annoyance more than anything. HDMI 1.3 cables have already simplified your home theater setup, so why bother with upgrading to the latest version? Well, the feature that has every audio and video enthusiast excited over this new development is simple: HDMI 1.4 can transmit Internet data.

On the most basic level, this means that each and every one of your devices, from game consoles to set top boxes, needs only a single HDMI 1.4 cable connected to a device that is equipped with Internet connection. No more Cat 5 cables or Wi-Fi connections for every device that you want to hook into the great information highway. If you have, say, a TV that can access the Internet via Wi-Fi or Ethernet, every device that is connected to that TV via HDMI 1.4 will also be connected to the Internet (assuming the device has the proper hardware for this connection).

The technical term for this new capability is the HDMI Enternet Channel, or HEC. Your devices must have certain characteristics to take advantage of this technology. They must all be able to “talk” to each other, and they must all be able to accept HDMI 1.4 cables. The new HEC technology transmits not just video data, but all types of data via the Internet connection. This means that you can transfer photos or other media directly from your TV to a DVD burner, or store them on your hard drive with no additional cable hookups.

While the HEC technology is the most exciting aspect of the new HDMI 1.4, there are several other additions that make this cable unique. It includes Audio Return Channel (ARC) technology, which allows those using the audio tuner inside their TV to ditch extra analog stereo cables and use HDMI 1.4 to transmit the sound from the tuner to their receiver. It also has the ability to transmit most of the 3D data that is currently available. While this is not yet widespread, it appears that the industry is slowly making a shift towards more 3D video for home theater use, and once all of the devices and discs catch up, HDMI 1.4 will come in handy.

Your home theater setup could shed quite a few cables with this new configuration. This will be a welcome addition for anyone just starting to collect the devices and components for their new home theater, but it might be a bit of a financial burden for those who already have their home theater established. HDMI 1.4 has several exciting new features, and if you’re interested in creating a web-enabled hub as part of your home theater, your options have just been simplified.

Lauren is a contributing writer to the HD Envy blog. The picture frame TV mount options at HD Envy will provide your home theater with a boost of sophisticated style. You can choose between the pre-made picture frame TV mount solutions, or work with design and engineer experts at HD Envy to produce your own custom picture frame TV mount. Whether you are looking for a picture TV frame mount made from oak, ash, leather, ceramic or plastic, HD Envy is there. If you want to have an original, unique and stylish home theater, consider the picture frame TV mount options at HD Envy.

All the new, digital image and audio processing today is fabulous for our movie and music experience, but it does require a little extra know-how. Cables and wires can be a confusing lot, especially if you’re new to the modern home theater world that requires multiple cables for the same purpose, or one cable for multiple purposes.

HDMI is a term you’ve probably encountered. It is the standard “holy grail” of video and audio high quality data transfer. But did you know that HDMI can be transmitted over Cat5 cables? Some home theater setups will necessitate this feature, and it is ideal in many cases.

First, some definitions. A Cat5 cable is also known as a UTP cable, which stands for Unshielded Twisted Pair. Basically, this cable creates a differential signal through balanced to unbalanced transformers, or Baluns. A huge benefit to this setup is eliminating ground loops, because a Balun transformer isolates the conduction path from the home theater equipment hooked up at the other end. A transformer also allows for extended length, sometimes allowing for HDMI signals to be transmitted 150 feet or more without loss in quality.

So, why is this system a good solution? First, Cat5 cables are small, smaller than coaxial, which makes them easier to run through the house or commercial building. Also, they tend to be cheaper, which can amount to hundreds of dollars of savings if you’re installing a large project. Terminating a Cat5 is comparatively simple as well. Overall, this solution is easier, cheaper and can run longer distances than many other possible solutions.

You might be asking why every home theater solution isn’t taking advantage of the great benefits of video over Cat5 cables. It’s not the best solution in all cases. The transformer is key to achieving a high-quality signal, and the best transformers (which produce the best picture in the end) often cost upwards of $500. And despite the great distance that a balun system is able to achieve, there is some quality degradation as distance increases. Many manufacturers will advertise that this solution can produce 1080i-grade images at 200 feet, but 1080p can only be achieved at 150 feet or less.

The actual Cat5 cables are sensitive to environmental factors. They cannot be too close to fluorescent lights or to high voltage lines, should not be passively split or run through a hub, and a single Cat5 cable can only carry either data or AV, not both. And finally, a Cat5 solution requires two separate runs of cable, one shielded and one unshielded, so it is not ideal for many retrofit situations.

If your are considering a project that requires a long distance, say 100 feet or more, the balun Cat5 solution is usually the best and cheapest option. There are both benefits and drawbacks to this AV system, so be sure to assess your home theater needs and limiting factors before you start wiring.

Lauren Dugan is a contributing author to the HD Envy blog. HD Envy is a leader in LCD TV Frame production. Whether you need a classy piece for your home theater or custom designs for your commercial establishment, the Flat Panel TV Picture Frame offerings at HD Envy will satisfy your needs. You can work with the TV framing experts to create the perfect mount for your wall, a TV Picture Frame that is uniquely you. And each flat panel TV picture frame is created with easy-to-install brackets to ensure you get your TV up and running as quickly as possible. The modern home theater will become truly innovative with the addition of a flat panel TV picture frame from HD Envy.

Flat Panel TVs are designed with the modern minimalist in mind. They are sleek and slim, some measuring less than an inch thick. They are usually a sophisticated jet black, and their rectangular shape almost screams to be wall mounted. So when that super-slim, super-sophisticated TV is hanging on your wall in an artfully displayed custom TV frame, you should be able to sit back and enjoy the crystal-clear image in modern minimalist glory, right?

Unfortunately, not quite. Although the TV and the custom LCD TV frame might look just snazzy up there on your wall, you’ll notice a bundle of wires, cables and other unattractive dangling doodads snaking across your wall in haphazard disarray – one to the left, connecting your Blu-Ray player, a couple out the bottom and across your floor connecting the surround sound system, and another one out toward the right connecting your gaming console. Not a pretty picture.

So what’s to be done? Get with the times and go wireless. With cell phones and portable game devices reaping the benefits of wireless connectivity, it’s no wonder that your home theater can benefit too. Imagine a wireless HDMI cable that uses channels to connect to your TV instead of a physical jack. No more wires. No more mess.

Nearly everything can connect to a wireless box nowadays. All you need is the knowhow, and you can banish the cables from your home theater forever. And an added benefit of the wireless boxes used as hubs for your connections is their portability: you can store them in a rack, behind the couch or under a table. Out of sight, out of mind.

It is important that you consider and compare the different brands of wireless home theater technology out there. Some of them are great for short distance, but once they’re moved more than 50 feet away you lose signal power. Try reading some online consumer reviews, and keep in mind the size of your home theater and your wireless needs.

Most modern home theaters use 1080p HD video and audio, so be sure that this is supported by your potential wireless technology. Some of the wireless devices out there have a proprietary signal, which means that interference will be lower. If you have lots of wireless devices, like cell phones, BlueTooth technology and even a microwave close to your home theater, you might want to consider these brands.

All-in-all, it is possible to go wireless for nearly everything you can dream of connecting to your HDTV. Game consoles, Blu-Ray players, stereo systems… you name it. This is something you need to plan in advance to avoid having to completely retool your home theater setup, so be sure to consider wireless technology when you’re gathering your new TV, custom TV frame and other stylish attire in one place.

Lauren Dugan is a contributor to the HD Envy Blog. HD Envy specializes in custom TV frames for all your home theater needs. The custom TV frames available at HD Envy are made with an easy-to-install bracket system that is compatible with wall mounts, and will look great framing your new HDTV.

We all want that pristine, sublime landscape image we saw on the store display model of the TV we just bought – but somewhere along the line, our cables got crossed and we’re left with a washed-out wasteland. Getting the cables right for your TV hook-ups is almost as important as getting the right features in your TV and your media players, and it can stand in the way of a great looking image if not done correctly. It’s also important to know your cables if you are going to install a wall mount Wall Mount TV frame, because it will make the process quicker and more efficient.

The following descriptions are to give you an idea of what all the talk of digital versus analog is all about, and to clarify what each cable is for. And remember to keep in mind that by using a wall mount TV frame, these cables can be discretely hidden and you can free up a lot of your home theater space.

VGA Cables

This type of cable is found solely on computers, and mostly older models. It is an analog video connector, and because of this, the quality will not be as high as a digital connector. Some newer LCD and plasma TVs will have a VGA input in order to allow older PCs to connect and display their pictures, video and other media.

RGB Cables

The RGB (red, green, blue) signal is often carried through a computer’s VGA port. This is a composite cable, meaning that it is composed of several different signals that are transmitted and stored separately. This is an analog signal, and as such it requires a lot of bandwidth and it is falling out of favor quickly as newer TVs and computers begin to use digital signals. RGB cables can still be incorporated into a wall mount TV frame, and hidden just as easily as their digital counterparts.

DVI Cables

A DVI cable is the standard for transmitting a digital image. It is found on LCD computer monitors, and it allows digital signals to be transmitted between digital devices with converting them to analog. This means a clearer picture, sharper text and overall better quality. A DVI cable cannot transmit digital sound, only digital video, so an adapter is usually necessary when connecting to an HDMI connector on your flat screen TV.

HDMI Cables

This is the standard, best, and most widely-used cable today. It is capable of transmitting both 1080p images and multi-channel audio through its single cable unit. It provides the highest quality image and sound, along with the best bit rate for the smoothest experience possible. These are quickly become the industry standard because of their ease of installation, high-quality and flexibility. And even though their single unit will cut down on cords, you can still use a wall mount TV frame to hide them, and to hang your TV.

COAX Cables

The COAX cable has seen better days, and has been usurped by HDMI cables in newer TVs. It is a video and stereo audio transmitter, and produces comparatively low quality sound and video. Some older TVs have only COAX inputs, so you may need a converter if you are trying to hook up an older TV to newer digital devices.