TVs & Home Theater

Home Theater Equipment: Projectors, Antennas, Remotes and TV Add-Ons

Home theater equipment is everything that gets a picture and sound onto your screen and makes it easy to control, and Easy Life Markets sells the practical pieces: a portable projector, screen mirroring, TV antennas, remotes and mounts. This category covers the gear around the TV as well as projectors that can replace one.

What should you buy? Start with your source and screen. If you want a big picture on a budget, a mini projector does it. If you watch broadcast TV, an antenna and, where the signal is weak, an amplifier. If you stream from a phone, a wireless display dongle. If the remote is lost or you use an Android TV box, a replacement remote or air mouse. Our current range includes the HY300 Pro mini projector, a wireless display dongle, an indoor HD antenna, a TV signal amplifier, three remotes and air mice, two WiFi IR hubs, a monitor wall mount and a retro HDMI game console. More home theater equipment will be added over time. The current price and availability are shown on each product page.

What a Home Theater Setup Needs

Every setup has the same four parts: a source, a screen, sound and control. The source is where the picture comes from: an aerial signal, a streaming box, a phone, a laptop or a console. The screen is a TV, monitor or projector. Sound can come from the screen's own speakers, a soundbar or separate speakers. Control is the remote, an app or your voice.

Most problems people have with a home cinema come from a weak link in one of these. A great TV with a poor aerial gives a broken picture. A projector with no easy way to send video to it gathers dust. The home cinema article on Wikipedia gives a good overview of how the parts fit together.

Types of Home Theater Equipment

Projectors

A projector throws the picture onto a wall or screen, so the image size is set by the distance and the room, not the price of a panel. Mini projectors are compact and easy to move between rooms. They work best in a dark room on a smooth, light wall or screen.

The HY300 Pro portable mini projector is a compact white unit in a pivoting stand that can point at a wall, a screen or the ceiling. The supplier lists support for 1080P Full HD at 1920 x 1080, a projection size of up to 130 cm and a rated power of 65W. It comes in two versions and with four plug types, so choose the plug that suits your sockets.

Screen mirroring and streaming adapters

A wireless display dongle plugs into a TV, monitor or projector's HDMI port and shows a phone, tablet or laptop screen without a cable. It is a simple way to show photos, videos and presentations on a bigger screen. The wireless display dongle is listed with a 1920 x 1080 output and comes in 2.4G, 5G and dual-band versions. Dual-band and 5G versions usually suffer less from interference in busy WiFi areas. Some streaming apps block mirroring of protected content, so check the app if a film will not show.

TV antennas and signal amplifiers

Free-to-air digital broadcast TV needs an antenna. Indoor flat antennas are easy to place and work well when you are close enough to the transmitter. An amplifier boosts a weak signal before it reaches the TV's tuner.

The indoor HD TV antenna with amplifier is a thin black panel about 21 cm by 12 cm, with a USB-powered inline amplifier and a cable listed at 10 ft, so it can sit on a wall or window away from the set. The TV antenna signal amplifier is a small inline booster that goes between an existing antenna and the TV. The supplier lists a frequency range of 470 to 862, which is the UHF broadcast band, a gain of 20 and an impedance of 75, and it takes power from a USB plug.

An amplifier cannot create a signal that is not there. It helps when the signal is weak, or when a long cable or splitter loses some of it. If the signal is very strong already, an amplifier can overload the tuner and make the picture worse.

Remote controls and air mice

Remotes get lost, broken and chewed. A replacement saves you buying a new TV box. Air mice add a motion-controlled pointer, which makes web browsing and apps on an Android TV box far easier than arrow keys.

The AKB76037601 remote control is a replacement handset for smart LCD TVs that use that model code, with a number pad, navigation ring, playback keys and four coloured buttons, on two AAA batteries. The G10 voice remote with air mouse comes in four versions that differ in voice input, gyroscope pointer, backlight and Bluetooth. The MX3 air mouse has a remote on the front, a small QWERTY keyboard on the back and a motion pointer, and connects through a 2.4G USB receiver.

Universal IR hubs

A WiFi infrared hub lets a phone app send the same signals as your handheld remotes, so you can run the TV, set-top box and air conditioner from one place. The WiFi IR remote hub is a small black box, 50 mm square, on USB power. The smart IR remote control is a Tuya WiFi gateway with a learning function, which can copy buttons from remotes it does not already know. Both need a clear line of sight to the devices they control.

Mounts and consoles

The 14-24 inch monitor wall mount takes screens with VESA 75 x 75 mm or 100 x 100 mm hole patterns and holds them about 10 cm from the wall with tilt and swivel. It suits small TVs and monitors in kitchens, bedrooms and offices. For a little retro fun on the big screen, the retro HDMI game console plugs into a TV and comes with two wired controllers.

Comparison of Home Theater Equipment

Starting Small: Home Theater Equipment in Stages

You do not need to buy everything at once. Most people build their home theater equipment in stages, and the order matters.

1. Fix the source first. A clean signal is worth more than a bigger screen. Get the antenna placed well, or the streaming box running smoothly.
2. Fix control next. A remote that works, or an air mouse for a TV box, makes the whole system pleasant to use every day.
3. Then grow the screen. A mini projector adds a big picture for film nights without replacing the TV you already have.
4. Then tidy up. Mounts, hubs and good cable routing make the room look finished and keep things safe.

Adding sound, such as a soundbar or speakers, can come at any stage. Small projectors and slim TVs have small speakers, so many people add audio soon after the screen.

How to Choose Home Theater Equipment

1. Check your screen's inputs. Count the HDMI ports and note any that are taken. Dongles, consoles and streaming boxes each need one.
2. Measure the room. For a projector, measure the distance from where it will sit to the wall, and check how dark you can make the room. For a mount, measure the wall space and screen height you want.
3. Check broadcast reception. If you plan to use an antenna, find out how far you are from the nearest transmitter and which band it uses. Indoor antennas suit strong and medium signal areas.
4. Match the model code for remotes. The code is usually printed on the back of the old remote or in the battery compartment. Matching it is the surest way to get every button working.
5. Check the screen's VESA pattern. Measure the distance between the four threaded holes on the back of the screen, in millimetres, horizontally and vertically.
6. Think about your WiFi. Mirroring and IR hubs depend on it. A 5G or dual-band dongle helps in busy areas; most IR hubs connect on 2.4G.
7. Check the plug and power. Choose the right plug option for the projector, and make sure there is a USB port or adapter for USB-powered devices.

How to Tell What You Have

Your VESA pattern

The VESA standard sets the spacing of mounting holes on the back of TVs and monitors. Measure between hole centres: 75 x 75 mm and 100 x 100 mm are common on smaller screens. The VESA mount page on Wikipedia lists the common patterns. Also check the screen's weight against the mount's limit on the product page.

Your remote model

Look on the back of the remote, under the battery cover, or in the TV's manual. Replacement remotes work best when the code matches exactly. If you do not have the old remote, the TV's model number can help you find the right one.

Your antenna connection

Most TVs take a coaxial antenna lead on an IEC or F-type connector. Check the socket on your TV and the plug on the antenna or amplifier. Adapters between the two types are common and cheap.

Setting Up for the Best Picture

Projectors

Place the projector square to the wall so the image is a true rectangle. Use keystone correction only for small adjustments, as heavy correction softens the picture. Darken the room, use a smooth light wall or screen, and focus with text on the screen.

Antennas

Mount the antenna as high as you can, ideally near a window facing the transmitter. Run a channel scan on the TV after every move. Try a few spots; a metre can make a big difference. Keep the cable away from power leads.

Wireless mirroring

Keep the dongle away from metal and behind-the-TV clutter, using an HDMI extension if needed. Keep your phone and the dongle on a clear WiFi channel and close together for the first setup.

For where the screen and seats go, see our living room layout guide for help arranging the room around the screen.

Care and Safety for Home Theater Equipment

• Give projectors space to breathe. Do not block the vents, and let the fan run down before unplugging.
• Clean projector lenses with a lens cloth only. Paper towels scratch.
• Fix wall mounts into solid wall or studs with suitable fixings for the wall type, and check the weight limit.
• Take batteries out of remotes you will not use for months, as leaking batteries damage contacts.
• Keep USB-powered amplifiers and dongles on a stable supply. A weak USB port can cause dropouts.
• Route cables so no one trips on them, and keep power and antenna cables apart.

Common Mistakes

• Adding an amplifier to a strong signal. It can overload the tuner. Try without one first.
• Buying a remote by its look. Similar remotes send different codes. Match the model code.
• Projecting onto a textured or coloured wall. The picture loses detail and colour.
• Ignoring the VESA pattern. A mount that does not match the holes will not fit.
• Expecting mirroring to show every app. Some apps block it for protected content.

Who This Home Theater Equipment Suits

The mini projector suits renters, students, families who want a film night on a wall, and anyone without room for a large TV. The antenna and amplifier suit people who want free-to-air channels without a paid service. Air mice and voice remotes suit anyone using an Android TV box. IR hubs suit households tired of hunting for five remotes. The wall mount suits small screens in kitchens, bedrooms and workshops.

More Electronics and Living Room Products

Home theater equipment is part of our electronics range. For app-controlled plugs, cameras and sensors, see smart home. For console pads and controllers, see the gaming collection. For headphones and speakers, see audio and headphones. For a laptop to feed a projector, see computers and laptops. For furniture under the screen, browse our TV stand and media unit collection, such as the 63 inch floating TV stand with LED lights, or the wider living room range.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a mini projector replace a TV?

For films and games in a dark room, many people use one as their main screen. In bright rooms a TV is easier to watch. Check the specifications on the product page against how you will use it.

Do I need an amplifier with my indoor antenna?

Only if the signal is weak or the cable is long. Try the antenna without it first. If channels break up, add the amplifier and scan again.

Will the wireless display dongle work with my phone?

Most phones and laptops that support screen mirroring can connect. Check the product page for the supported systems, and note that some apps block mirroring of protected video.

How do I know which replacement remote I need?

Match the model code printed on your old remote, or check your TV's manual. Our AKB76037601 remote suits TVs that use that code.

What is an air mouse?

It is a remote with a motion sensor. You tilt it to move a pointer on screen, which makes apps and web pages on TV boxes easier to use.

Will the wall mount fit my screen?

It fits 14 to 24 inch screens with 75 x 75 mm or 100 x 100 mm VESA holes. Measure the holes on the back of your screen and check its weight.

Who do I contact with a question before ordering?

Please contact us or read the FAQ. Delivery details are in our shipping policy, and returns are covered in the return and refund policy.