It used to be that all you needed to run your television was a power outlet to plug it into and a rabbit-ear antenna to help pick up the signal. Nowadays, your TV is multi-functional and is the hub for many other devices.

DVD or Blu-Ray Player

Even if you stream most of your movies through WI-FI, you likely have a Blu-ray player for those times when the internet isn’t holding up its end of the bargain. You need to connect this to the right kind of TV with the right kind of cables. It’s a good idea to get new cables when adding new components to your system.

Amplifier and Speakers

Many people prefer better audio than that provided by a TV, so purchase a system with an amplifier and multiple speakers. Whether you go with five or seven or even more speakers, you will likely need RF power dividers to help get the sound from the amplifier to those speakers. You may want a professional to handle the audio setup for you.

Game Systems

Whether it’s you or your children, someone is likely to have one or more game systems they like to play on. Depending on the platform, you may need multiple inputs into the amplifier or the TV to connect it. If you purchased a new TV, you want to make sure it is compatible with your systems. While it is fun to play on a small screen sometimes, nothing beats playing your favorite video game on a large screen.

Computer

You may want to connect your laptop or desktop computer to your TV to use it as an extra monitor or simply enjoy content from your computer on your TV. You’ll need to look at the ports and get cables to match.

There are lots of tutorials on hooking up your devices to your TV. Once you’ve got your system set up, you can enjoy it with family and friends.