How to Set Up a Home Theater for Movie Night & Game Day with $175

Fall is prime time for football, hoops, prestige TV, and spooky-season marathons. You don’t need a Hollywood budget to make your living room feel like a theater; Walmart’s house electronics brand onn. makes that easy on the wallet.

Match the gear to your room

Before you buy anything, consider your space. The secret to a “wow" movie night or game day isn’t a giant spec list — it’s a setup that fits your room. Right-sizing the screen and choosing the simplest sound solution beats overspending every time.

Small rooms (bedrooms, dens — up to ~150 sq ft)

Think simple and tidy. A small-to-midsize TV and a compact soundbar will do more for clarity and comfort than a gigantic screen rubbing against your eyeballs and a pile of speakers occupying your mattress.

• Screen: onn. 32" Roku TV (reg. $98, on sale for $88), onn. 50" Roku TV ($178), or onn 55" Roku TV (reg. $240, on sale for $188).
• Sound: onn. Bluetooth 2.0 compact soundbar with Multi-Color LED Lighting ($39.88) for clear dialogue. Clean commentary and fuller sound at modest volumes without cable clutter.

Medium rooms (most living rooms — ~150–300 sq ft)

Here’s where your dollars work hardest. A midsize screen and an affordable Atmos soundbar deliver a huge upgrade in clarity and impact without turning your living room into a wiring project.

• Screen: onn. 65" Roku TV (reg. $340, on sale for $298) or onn. 70" Roku TV ($368)
• Sound: onn. 5.1.2 Dolby Atmos soundbar with wireless sub + surrounds ($199) for theater-feel, immersive movies and stadium-feel, game-day energy; you could also consider buying pre-owned to save $50. If you don’t want rears, the onn. 2.1 bar with sub alone ($99) is the value play.

Large rooms (300+ sq ft or open-concept spaces)

It’s time for big picture and big sound with minimal complexity. Just be sure to sit 8–10 ft from a 75" screen; your optometrist will thank you.

• Screen: onn. HD LCD Home Theater Projector ($74.68), which projects images up to 210", or onn. 150" Class HD LED Projector ($136.99). Caution: For bright large rooms you can’t darken in the daytime, go with a 75" to 85" TV instead.
• Sound: onn. 5.1.2 Atmos (wireless sub + satellites, $199) to fill bigger spaces without running speaker wire. Or just the bar ($99) to stay under $175 with LCD.

Whatever your room size, every kickoff and plot twist will feel bigger without blowing the budget.

More quick wins that make everything better

• Mount right: Aim the middle of the screen at seated eye height; tilt slightly if it’s higher. This onn. full-motion TV wall mount (reg. $71, on sale for $54) provides better viewing angles and less glare. Also consider blackout curtains.
• RGB backlights are fun and cheap — only $6.97 for onn.’s backlight for 55" TVs.
• Use eARC: Plug the soundbar into the TV’s eARC/ARC HDMI port for reliable audio and one-remote control.
• Picture presets: Go with Roku’s default “Movie" or “Sports" mode in settings, then nudge brightness/contrast to your liking — free quality boost.

Spend Smart: What Not to Buy

You don’t need boutique cables, just a certified onn. Ultra High Speed HDMI 2.1 Cable and you’re set for 4K/120 and eARC. (Use the shortest cable that reaches cleanly; long runs add clutter and cost without improving quality.)

You also don’t need an 8K TV; there’s barely any 8K content and zero benefit at this budget. And skip extra streaming boxes if your TV already runs 4K apps — like onn.’s Roku models above.

And if you do want to splurge, a retro popcorn maker is never a bad idea.