If you're seeing similar color problems on your TV regardless of the input source (cable, DVD player, or network television), the problem is probably on the TV side. You can probably correct problems, such as discolored flesh tones or other colors, by adjusting the set's hue and saturation. Splotches of color in different areas of the screen—this problem is limited to traditional CRT (cathode-ray tube) sets—are probably a result of exposing the TV to a magnetic field. Modern home theater speakers are shielded, but older speakers sometimes aren't and can generate a magnetic field strong enough to cause a problem. A qualified technician can easily correct these splotches.

The image is there, but it's grainy. The first thing to check when you encounter a grainy picture is the source. If it's cable, check that channel on another TV to see if the problem is present there, too. If it is present on another set, call a neighbor who's on the same cable system and ask if she sees the problem. If she does, call the cable company and report the issue.

If your neighbor doesn't have a problem, but all your TVs have grainy pictures, the problem is in your main cable feed. Likely causes are a poor connection or a component that has developed problems from exposure to weather. If you can safely access the point at which the incoming cable connects to your house, check that connection for a tight, corrosion-free fit. Another well-known culprit is the common splitter. Check the connection on the input side of the splitter, and if that doesn't correct the problem, replace the splitter. Also note that you can use splitters to multiply the analog outputs of digital satellite receivers and cable boxes, but you shouldn't use a splitter for the digital signals that feed into these devices.

If the problem is localized to one TV, check the connections between the input source and the TV. If cable is the input source, unscrew the cable fitting and retighten it. If a VCR (and the tracking is properly adjusted) or another device is the source, do the same if it's connected via coax cable and do it on both the device and TV ends of the connection. If you're using an RCA cable, unplug and reconnect the RCA plugs several times. Also try rotating the plug back and forth several times with it inserted most of the way into the jack. This back-and-forth motion is a simple way to free connections from signal-robbing oxidation that can build up over time between a plug and a jack, and it's a good idea to do this with all connections once a year as a maintenance measure.

My television is marred by shadows and ghosts. How can I clarify the image? Most commonly seen in multi-CRT projected images, whether front-projected or as part of a rear-projection television set, ghosting, or shadowy edges, indicates a convergence problem. Proper convergence occurs when the three elements of a projected image (red, green, and blue) are calibrated so that their signals combine (converge) perfectly into a single image on the screen. Convergence can become maladjusted during shipping and can drift out of alignment over time. Fortunately, all multi-CRT projectors provide user-adjustable convergence.

Setting convergence may look complicated at first glance, but it's not. Some sets will display a single white "cross" in the middle of the screen. If the convergence is not properly adjusted, you will clearly see colored shadows outside the white lines. Follow the on-screen instructions to horizontally and vertically realign the colors. Red, green, and blue should combine to form a bright white cross with no significant coloring outside the lines. Other sets will display a grid across the entire screen, providing multiple adjustment points on the screen. Make adjustments, as outlined above, for each adjustment point.

Audio Annoyances

The home theater experience is as much aural as visual. When audio problems arise, you can usually track them to one of these common causes.

How do I restore sound to a silent screen? Before troubleshooting audio problems, be sure the volume control is set to a reasonable level. It's easy to crank up the volume when you're experiencing sound problems and forget about it. You may damage your equipment, not to mention your ears, if you find the problem and restore the signal with the volume at a high setting.

When you lack audio, first check to make sure the receiver is working by switching to another source such as the tuner or perhaps a CD player. If these other sources work, skip the next two paragraphs and continue.

If you still have no audio, switch off the receiver and check the speaker cables. Many speakers have spring-loaded connectors from which speaker wires are easily dislodged. The same goes for the receiver's speaker connections. Be sure you have solid connections on both ends and make sure the polarity is correct: Confirm red to red, black to black, or whatever color scheme your system uses. Switch the unit back on and check for sound. Confirm that any Tape Monitor settings are off. Make sure the speaker settings are properly configured.

Many receivers have outputs for multiple sets of speakers, and you can switch these different sets of speakers on or off. Some receivers have physical switches on the front panel, while others are in a menu system. If you still have no audio from any source, power the receiver off again, unplug the AC power cord, and hold the power switch in for 60 seconds. Wait another 60 seconds, reconnect the AC power, and switch the receiver on. If you still lack sound, your receiver may be in need of repair. Unless your receiver has user-serviceable components, such as fuses, and the instructions for replacing the components are in the owners manual, never attempt such repairs yourself. Never remove the cover from any piece of audio/video gear. You probably won't be able to fix the problem, and you don't want to risk electrocution, so call a professional.

If the sound is working on other sources, check the connections between source and receiver. Once you've verified that the connections on both ends are secure, gently wiggle the cable near the connectors on each end. If you hear crackling and popping or if the audio is intermittent, you probably need to replace a defective cable. If connections and cables are secure but you still don't have sound, you may have improperly configured something on the receiver, the source, or both.

Make sure you have selected the appropriate input on the receiver and remember that source devices that output digitally, such as DVD players or even some CD players, often provide that output in more than one way. For example, many DVD players can output a digital audio signal through either a digital coax connection or a fiber optic output, but they don't output through both at the same time. If you've set your DVD player to route its digital audio signal through its fiber optic output but you've used the digital coax output instead, you won't have sound. Likewise, most of today's home theater receivers can accept digital audio feeds via either coax or fiber optic, but you must select the appropriate input. The digital audio settings must match on both devices, and these settings are almost always handled through menu systems.

Weak Sound

It's not uncommon to set up a home theater system and experience disappointing audio performance at first. Typical complaints are a "thin" sound, little or no bass, or sound that lacks a rich, robust nature. It's probably not the fault of your equipment, but you may have configured it improperly.

All modern home theater receivers are capable of decoding and playing Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtracks. The signal enters the receiver via a single cable, either coax or fiber optic, where it's electronically separated into its individual channels, amplified, and routed out to the speakers. There are five main channels (front left, center, front right, rear right, rear left) plus a dedicated subwoofer channel.

Many receivers have a speaker size setting that you configure within the menu system. Different receivers handle this issue in different ways, but we'll use one of the most common approaches, which is to offer two speaker size settings: large and small. This can be a bit confusing because it really has nothing to do with speaker size.

When set for large speakers, the receiver sends the full range of sound (bass, mids, and highs) to the main speaker channels, along with a lows-only signal to the subwoofer channel. In this configuration, a good subwoofer will certainly enhance your experience, but you'll still get good, rich sound through the main speakers even if you don't have a subwoofer.

If this setting is set to small speakers, however, the lows get routed only to the subwoofer channel, while the main speakers receive only mids and highs. If you don't have a subwoofer, the classic thin sound will result. Even when you have a subwoofer, the soundstage may still have an unusual quality that's not pleasant. Unless you have a good reason not to, we recommend that you set the speaker size to large. Your main speakers will then have the full frequency range to work with.

The sounds on the left are stronger than the sounds on the right. How do I balance the output?

A properly calibrated home theater system can be a wondrous aural experience, an immersive environment that draws you out of the mundane and into the on-screen world. Many home theater systems, however, just don't sound like they did on the showroom floor. Most of the time, it's not that the system or its components are inferior; it's simply not properly calibrated.

To remedy the problem, you'll need to buy or borrow a sound level meter, with which you can tweak the levels of the individual channels to match, as they should. Try RadioShack's 33-2055 digital meter ($49.99; www.radioshack.com). You can adjust a system with your ears, but it won't be accurate, and accurate calibration can make the difference between mediocrity and excellence. A properly calibrated, balanced soundstage often creates the sensation of an entirely new system, so dramatic can be the difference. There are two ways to calibrate. You can use the test tones built into your system and simply adjust the levels to match each other, or you can buy or rent a home theater calibration DVD, which has a set of specialized audio calibration signals, along with instructions. Ovation Software's Avia: Guide To Home Theater ($49.99; www.ovationmultimedia.com) and Joe Kane Productions' Digital Video Essentials ($24.99; www.videoessentials.com) are two popular choices.

Calibration typically takes around a half-hour, and the results will amaze you.

I hate that low-frequency buzz coming out of my speakers. How do I get rid of it?

A constant, low-frequency hum or buzz is probably the age-old "60Hz hum." Without getting too technical, this hum usually has its source in the AC power lines in your home. Try plugging your equipment into a different outlet or spread the equipment power among several different receptacles' outlets. Also be sure that signal cables and speaker cables are as far away from power cords as possible. If they must be near each other, try to have them cross each other at right angles and always avoid parallel placement as much as possible.

The sound coming out of my speakers is distorted. Do I need new speaker wire or new speakers?

When you hear distortion, the first thing to check is the volume. If it's cranked, and reducing the volume eliminates the distortion, you're up against the technical limitations of your gear. Regardless of whether the amplifier or speakers are causing the problem, there's nothing to do but lower the volume level or buy new gear.

If you're already at a moderate volume and you hear distortion, check to see if it's occurring in one speaker or more than one. If only one is producing distorted sound, check the speaker cable connections on both ends. If they're secure, try temporarily swapping the speaker wire between that speaker and one that's operating properly. If the same speaker is still distorted, the speaker is probably defective. If the previously clean speaker is now distorted, first replace the speaker wire. If the distortion persists, the distortion is in the signal itself, indicating a problem in either your amplifier/receiver or the source. Try another source. If the distortion persists, it's the amplifier/receiver. If not, it's the source device, be it a CD player, VCR, etc., or its cable. First replace the cable that connects it to the amplifier/receiver. If the distortion is still there, the source device has a problem.

Distortion across multiple speakers may also indicate a problem with the amplifier/receiver, but it can also be the result of a reversed-polarity connection somewhere in the system. Be sure all speakers are corrected properly with regard to positive and negative. Match red to red, black to black, or whatever color scheme is in use in your system. One reversed speaker wire in a system can cause distortion, an unbalanced soundstage, and generally poor audio quality across an entire five-speaker array.

Source Struggles

One little problem can be a major annoyance in the home theater experience, but you need not put up with it. Find that bug and squash it!

What can you do to prevent DVDs from skipping?

Audio CDs have spoiled us, no doubt about it. The format has proven durable and, in most cases, quite tolerant of minor scratches and scuffs. It is a mistake, however, to assume that DVDs share that tolerance. Although they look like CDs, they are different, and they're much more sensitive to abuse. A scratch that wouldn't even cause a CD to hiccup may cause skipping and may end your movie session for the evening.

Handle DVDs with care, always by the edges. Use a dry, soft cloth to remove any smudges from the shiny surface. A disc repair kit is an inexpensive investment and a good thing to have on hand. For instance, the Maxell CD-325 Value Pack includes disc and laser lens cleaning supplies ($16.99; www.maxell.com). If, however, you find yourself without one in the middle of a movie, try using a soft cloth and a dab of toothpaste to polish a scratch away, working from the center of the disc out in straight careful motions.

Also note that the label side is actually much closer to the data layer; deep scratches on the label side can damage the disc beyond repair.

If you're having trouble playing most discs you put in your player, the problem could be in your player. If the player's read lens is accessible, gently wipe it clean with a soft, dry cloth. If it's not accessible, try a disc cleaner, such as the Allsop Laser Lens Cleaner ($10.99; www.allsop.com).

I'm getting a borderline, "trashy" picture from my satellite connection. Is it the signal or the hardware?

Most of today's consumer satellite systems are digital and, when properly configured, produce a splendid image most of the time, but there are limitations to the format. The signal arrives at your dish in the form of a digital bit stream: 1 (ones) and 0 (zeroes). As with most digital signals, if it's strong enough to work, it's usually great quality; digital transmission and reception are much more all-or-nothing in nature, not subject to the same maladies of weak reception that can affect traditional analog signals.

It is possible, however, for a digital signal to be right on the border between acceptable and unacceptable. In this case you may experience intermittent loss of picture (and sound), or the picture may freeze, jerk along, or show blocky artifacts. This happens during heavy cloud cover, but if you're seeing it during clear weather conditions and you're certain that your dish's view of the satellite is unobstructed, you may have a dish alignment problem. Go into your satellite receiver's setup menu and find the signal strength meter. It shouldn't fluctuate a great deal, and it shouldn't be much below mid- to high-80s (on a percentage scale). If it fluctuates, you'll need to realign your dish. The satellite programming providers, mainly DirecTV (www.directv.com) and Dish Network (www.dishnetwork.com), provide tools on their Web sites that will give you the proper aiming coordinates for your geographic location.

Finally, although these systems do a good job, their bandwidth is limited and certain artifacts will be present in the picture of the most perfectly tuned system. As a rule, the busier the picture with motion and detail, the more the picture will suffer. Common imperfections include a trashy, garbled look in areas of small detail, especially small detail in fast motion. Edges in motion may also suffer from jaggies or from a stair-step effect. Until the technology improves, we'll have to live with these limitations.

Get Back On Track

Most home theater problems are simple configuration or wiring issues. With a little time and patience, they can be eliminated and the show can go on.

by Jerry Hatchett