Setting up a wireless audio and video system will typically involve one or more sets of transmitters and receivers. Before you begin the process, you may want to consider the area in which your wireless audio and video system will operate. Certain wireless technologies will work if the signal is obstructed by walls, floors or ceilings, while others might be less expensive but require a direct line of sight. You may also find that some transmission systems can handle both the audio and video components, while others require separate units for each. The exact process of setting up a wireless audio and video system can differ depending on the units you acquire, though the basic steps are often the same.
When setting up wireless audio or video, the first step is often to examine the space that your system will occupy. If the signal has to pass through solid objects like walls or furniture, then you may want to choose a high powered radio frequency (RF) transmission system. High frequency transmitters often have a range of over 100 feet (30 meters), allowing you some flexibility in how you set up the system. These systems are typically available in a number of different frequency ranges, so you may want to choose one that does not overlap with your Wi-Fi™, cordless phone, or other RF devices.
Another choice for transmitting wireless audio and video is infrared (IR) technology. These transmitters may be less expensive, though they also tend to offer lower quality audio and require a direct line of sight to transmit. Bluetooth®, on the other hand, can often allow a high fidelity signal, with a range somewhere between three and 300 feet (one and 100 meters), depending on the power class. Some devices have the ability to send and receive data via Bluetooth® without adapters, while others may have specific peripherals available.
Once you have determined the best transmitters for your wireless audio and video system, the final step in the process may be installation. This is typically a simple matter of connecting the audio and video outputs of one device to the transmitter, and the inputs of another to the receiver. Each setup may differ slightly, though one possibility is to connect the outputs of a cable box in one room to a transmitter and the inputs of a television in another room to a receiver. Splitters may also be used so that an audio or video source can be connected to both a local device and a wireless transmitter.