-Make absolutely certain you learn and know about products, models, manufacturers, trends, long-range technologies, specifications, and more. Don't be misled.

-Ask plenty of questions, make certain you are not intimidated to ask, and ensure that you fully understand the given answers.

-Make sure you have a very good outline of what you want to achieve, and stick with it.
-Avoid the "I wish I had" statements at a later date.

-Some have gotten into the business, because the requirements are not outwardly stringent.
-Make sure your dealer is product, trend, and background knowledgeable, and is a licensed California contractor. Ask his experiences and verify by references. Check with the Contractors License Board.

-There are many levels of equipment to which the term applies. Make certain you know what level of products are sold by a particular vendor and how those will apply to your "plan".

-The "does it come any smaller" and "does it come in white" attitude does not equate to the reality of home theater! -Décor and colors should be the last concern for decent home theater. Product quality and capabilities are most essential to quality home theater.

-Box speakers have been designed around stringent parameters. A great deal of design, experimentation, and testing goes into the design of good quality loudspeakers.
-In-wall speakers are easy to make and do not follow the same criterion. Don't be fooled to think that in-walls will make a great system.

-There are many offerings but very few of good quality. Make sure you understand about resolution, their differences, and the extreme limits and inability of a 42" to produce high definition.

-All broadcasts in are now HD only. That is either 1080i or 720p lines of horizontal resolution. Make sure you understand what this means, and what you will get long-term utilization from your purchase.

-Ask for a copy and read it thoroughly. If there is none available, you are asking for trouble.

Who does what if things go wrong is a very important consideration at the time of signing and not at a later date.