Installing Ceiling speakers

[Ian Mc]

2 questions regarding installing ceiling speakers...

for example a 5.1 ceiling speakers - front right, left & centre, back right & left. trying to install them and have them all in line and the fron 3 exuall distance between each other is a bit of a pain if ur on ur own, are there any good
tools (dont say a measuring tape ) for getting distances from walls, distances between each other etc... i just find it really hard to do it with a measuring tape while up a ladder...

2nd Q
ive seen b4 plastic circular, speaker templates that u can hang between joyces and beams before the ceiling slabbs go up so that when u cut out the hole for the speaker uve no fear of hitting pipes or a beam

anyone ever see therse???

thanks for help...

[BlueWizard]

A nail or thumbtack, a string, and a pencil.

Tie the string with one end on the tack, the other on the pencil, and the length as needed.

Pin the tack at the wall/ceiling junction, and mark out from the wall, the proper distance.

Next pin the tack to the center speaker mark with the string at the distance needed between the speakers; mark to the left and right. Where this mark intersects with the previous distance from the wall mark, is now the exact center of you left and right speakers. Where the thumbtack hole is on the center speaker from the wall mark, is the center of that speaker.

Steve/bluewizard

[mephistophelean]

Ian

Out of interest, what ceiling speakers have you gone with? I am potentially interested in doing this.

[Ian Mc]

simple yet excellent advice blue wizzard....

can i also ask, lets take for example i have a plasma mounted ove my fire place, im going to mount the centre speaker directly in the centre of the TV, id put it a foot or two in front of the TV, is this ok??
What then would be the reccommended distance of the right and left front speakers frem the centre speaker... and with that, what would be the best
position and distance for the two rear ceiling speakers.. position wise i would of said directly in line with the left and rigth front ones, and so long as they were behind the person listing they were fine.. Is this correct or is there a moire mathodical positioning formula...

@mephistophelean
i wud always go with the best u can afford, B&W are a good brand ive used, jamo are alo good for cinema speakers as well as speaker craft for ceiling spakers.. it all depends on what ur amps speaker channel wattage is
50 watts per channel = 50 watt spaeker per channel (some1 correct me if im wrong, its what i believe to be right.. ) also if looping speakers togethter each spakers ohm rating will half, ie 2 x 8 ohm speakers will reduce to 4 ohms if chaind together so make sure ur amp speakers channels
can handle 4 ohms....

again if some1 can correct me on this, as this is whet i belive to look out for when choosing speakers and amps...
any more speakers and amps advice wud be greatly apprreciated....