A Sports Lover’s Guide to Setting Up Multiple TVs in One Room

Nothing beats simultaneously watching the latest games at your favorite sports bar — after all, who can beat that massive wall of screens? But why change out of your pajamas and make the cross-town trek when you can recreate the same feeling in your own home?

Read on to learn how you can create the TV wall of your dreams and bring the sports bar atmosphere right into your living room. We’ll cover the process of setting up multiple TVs in one room, from how to set up duplicate/separate displays and manage sound inputs to how to troubleshoot if things go awry.

How to Have Multiple TVs in One Room

Mount and Power Up Your TV

A TV stand can add some class to your media room. But when setting up two TVs in one room, wall mounts are likely your best option. Measure the wall to ensure you have plenty of space for both TVs. View our guide on selecting the correct sized TV to help you pick the right one for your area.

Follow the wall mount kit instructions to properly install the TV to the wall. Once your TVs are mounted, it’s time to run power.

Two TVs and the hardware needed to watch your favorite content can take up a lot of power. Ideally, you’ll want to use a surge-protected power strip for your TVs and accessories to help keep your media center safe. Run the power strip to a central location near your TVs, plug your hardware (TVs, cable boxes, DVD players, etc.) in, and ensure your technological masterpiece is powering on.

Set-Up Your Media Source

Once you have connected your TVs and devices to power, connect the audio-visual cables from your peripherals (game consoles, cable boxes, etc.) to your TV. Depending on the make/model of your TV, these cables may have HDMI, display, VGA, or DVI ends attached to them.

Set Up the TVs’ Audio

With your TVs mounted and powered up, it’s time to get the audio cranking. Though having two TVs blasting separate sports audio in your face at the same time might sound appealing, it may be a little distracting when you’re trying to tune in to a specific game. Create a better multi-viewing experience by using a soundbar to switch between audio sources. You can turn on subtitles for the television that is muted.

A soundbar has multiple input sources, including HDMI, RCA, Bluetooth, and digital optical inputs. Run your main TV to the soundbar using the HDMI source and the others using various inputs. Keep the soundbar remote handy and alternate between input sources depending on which TV’s audio you’d like to hear.

How to Have Two TVs in One Room Stream Separate Content

For Smart TVs

Most modern smart TVs include a built-in Roku, Chromecast, or Apple TV+ unit. If your TVs have streaming hardware built in, your media setup will likely be a breeze. Simply create or connect an account and start watching! Many of these wifi streaming services also offer live TV, which can be a real game-changer for watching sports.

For Analogue Connections

If you plan on using a cable box to watch games, you’ll need to install two separate sources in the room for each TV. You can usually purchase additional cable boxes from your cable provider. Install a splitter at the wall for your coaxial cable, ethernet cable, or another cable type your service provider uses. Follow your cable provider’s instructions to set up both boxes.

For Adapting Older Technology

If you don’t care for cable and your TVs aren’t so smart, you may need to utilize a streaming service like Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast, etc., to watch the game. In this case, you’ll likely need to purchase a streaming device for each TV.

Depending on how many TVs you plan to stream on, it may be worth it to buy a smart TV instead. We recommend the 75″ Samsung QLED 4K UHD Smart TV, which offers incredible features like Quantum Dot technology, amazing visuals, and 3D surround sound.

How to Set Up Two TVs in One Room to Stream Identical Content

If you’d prefer to have your TVs display the same content on each screen rather than stream individual content, you’ll want to use an HDMI splitter. Purchase an HDMI splitter that reflects your number of TVs and plug it into whichever input device (game consoles, cable boxes, Chromecasts, etc.) you want to display on multiple screens.

Then, plug HDMI cables into the splitter’s ports and connect them to your TVs. That’s it! Now, your device will output the same image to multiple screens!

Pro Tip: Many HDMI splitters require a powered connection to work. If your TV has a powered USB port, you may be able to power the HDMI splitter through that port. If not, purchase an HDMI splitter that can draw power from a wall outlet.

Troubleshooting Your Multi-TV Setup

If you’re having issues with your ultimate viewing experience, check out the following audio and visual troubleshooting tips.

Subpar Video Quality

If you had to connect your TVs via an extraordinarily long HDMI cable and notice that your image quality has decreased, you may need to:

• Use an optical HDMI cable, which can support full high-definition up to 25–50 feet.
• Use an active HDMI cable, which amplifies the signal and may run 50–100 feet without decreasing quality.
• Use an HDMI extender, which can transmit HDMI over Wi-Fi and extend signals over extraordinarily long distances.

With these options, you should be able to extend your HDMI connection as far as needed to watch the game, no matter where your output device is.

Audio Isn’t Working

If the audio to one or more TVs isn’t working, check the input source on your soundbar. Some soundbars have several input sources outside of the HDMI and digital optical inputs. Ensure each input (HDMI, display, digital optical out, etc.) is set to the TV you want to watch. If the input setting is correct and there’s still no audio, ensure the cable is firmly connected to the TV and the soundbar.

If the audio isn’t working, replace each cable with a new one to ensure the connection between the TV and the soundbar is secure. Additionally, try unplugging each TV from the soundbar to test if their built-in speakers work without it. If they aren’t, your TV could have a bigger sound issue.

TV Isn’t Working

A broken TV can put a serious damper on your entertainment extravaganza. If you don’t see a picture on your TV, try plugging it into a different power source or using a different HDMI cable. If you’ve ensured your TV is on, but the screen is still black, it may be time to head to Rent-A-Center to upgrade to a new television.

Achieve Your Perfect Setup With Help from Rent-A-Center

Are you ready to make the jump to multiple TVs in one room? It’s time to head to your local Rent-A-Center — your hub for the best tech from top-name brands. Rent to own new 4K, OLED, LED, high-definition TVs, soundbars, and more to create the perfect game-day space!