Keep it Simple: Easy control of a multiroom audio and video system is important. Look for controllers that make it easy to select from your music library in a remote room, for example.

Power It: A multichannel amplifier is a great way to power speakers in several different rooms. You may also need a whole-house audio processor, and the more CD and DVD players, the better.

Serve it Up: If you’re shopping for a media server, look for one that can play a variety of formats such as Windows Media Audio (WMA), MP3 and others. Also look at the different compression rates and how those might affect how many songs, albums or movies the server can store.

Wire, Wire, Wire: If you’re building a room from scratch, wire to every possible audio and video location with speaker wire for audio, Category 5e cabling for computer data, music and video, and RG-6 cable for video. It’s much cheaper to wire before the walls close.

Get Some Sun: Put speakers on your patio or deck and make that another entertainment zone. Get weatherproof speakers; some even come disguised as garden rocks.

Backup Singers: Many mulitroom music systems are heard through in-wall or in-ceiling speakers. These are great for blending in with the decor, but consider in-wall and in-ceiling speakers with “back boxes” that enclose the drivers in the wall.

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