 HOW CAN YOU CONVERT YOUR SMALL ROOM INTO A HOME THEATER?Do you wish to convert your small room into a home theater, but think it is too small? Like your basement? This should not hold you back. The most important element of a home theater is the sound. An immersive movie experience brings out the sound as if it is in a real world setting. A car moving from left to right will feel exactly that. Unfortunately there is little you can do about the size of the TV in a small room because placing a screen that is too large, makes the viewing a bit unconfutable because of the close distance. Still, you can convert your small room into a functional home theater room with a bit of imagination and the right components.
GET THE VIEWING DISTANCE RATIOS RIGHTExperts recommend that the viewing distance be between 1.5 to 2.5 times the sizes of the screen. If you have a small room, you can go with the lower number. If the room is 5 feet, divide by 1.5 which gives about 3.3 feet (40 inches). MOUNT AN OVERHEAD PROJECTORProjectors images have become of very high quality while the cost of projectors has gone down. It is possible to get a projector for home use at less than $500. The good thing with a projector is that the size can be resized. The projector can be mounted overhead to save on space. USE A SOUNDBARA soundbar combines all the speakers of a 5.1 surround system into one slimline compact housing. A soundbar is self-powered meaning there is no need for a receiver. As such it can be plugged directly into the DVD player and is good to go. A sound–bar is usually placed in front of the TV or viewing wall. A sound–bar costs significantly less than a quality 5.1 surround sound speaker system. BE IMAGINATIVE WITH THE SITTING ARRANGEMENTA small room does not give you the luxury of setting your seats in rows. A large sofa could also hog up the space leaving little space for other loungers. Individual loungers are easier to place in the room. Arrange them in a staggered placement so that everyone in the room has an unobstructed view. The recommended clearance space between seats is 20 inches. However for a squeezed room this can be reduced to 14 inches. The good thing is that ordinary affordable sound and video equipment work well for a small room. This is because the small space makes the experience more enveloping and immersive.
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 TOP SOUND SYSTEM FOR HOME THEATERS IN 2018Sound is the most important component for a home theater. It is what makes the experience so immersive. Also, it is what makes a car moving from left to right sound like it is doing so a few meters away. Now, there are different audio configurations of sound systems available depending on your budget. And over the year, sound systems are becoming smaller and more powerful every year.
BASIC COMPONENTS OF A SOUND SYSTEMFor a home theater, your sound systems should have the following components:
For optimal surround sound, look for speakers with enhanced features including:
SOME OF THE BEST SPEAKER SYSTEMS FOR 2018Going for less than $150, this is one of the most affordable high quality speaker systems in the market. It comes with a 100 watt sub-woofer, 4 – 2.5 inch satellite speakers, and 2- ½ inch tweeters. The audio performance of this speaker system has been compared to high end models that cost several thousand dollars. It comes with a 300 watt sub-woofer and 4 2-way satellite speakers. The striking design of this speaker system is impressive. The speakers can be placed freestanding on different surfaces as well as be mounted on the wall. There is an 8 inch 200 watt sub-woofer, 4 2-way satellite speakers. Each satellite speaker has 3.5 dual mid-range drivers and a ¾ inch tweeter. Logitech speakers have always been a favorite with gamers. The design is compact which hides the power in this audio system. There is a 500 watt sub-woofer that comes with 3 inputs. You can simultaneously plug in a games console, cable TV and DVD player. There are 5 satellite speakers. If you are looking for a discrete sound system, this would be it. These speakers are only 4 inches tall and are wireless. These are all-purpose speakers but you can opt for an add-on sub-woofer. So there you have it folks! Cinema System’s top sound system for home theaters in 2018.  WHAT MAKES THE PERFECT BASEMENT HOME THEATER?A basement home theater is one of the best basement ideas to fully utilize this space. When done correctly, a basement home theater makes this the favorite space in the home. When it is not well-planned, a lot of money can end up going to waste. Thus, when putting up a home theater in the basement, get these fundamentals right for the best results:
Sound systemWhat you are looking for is a true surround sound feel. The best way to pull this off is by recessing the speakers into the walls or the ceiling. If this is not possible, go for speakers that are designed in a style that matches your décor style. After all, the speakers are to be heard not to be seen. AcousticsThere are different factors that play into how sound reaches your ears in a basement setting. If the basement is in the ground, most of the sound is reflected back into the room. Consequently, this can make it carry some echo. If the bigger part of your basement is not covered, sound from the outside can be an interruption. You will need to cover the hard surfaces in the room including hard flooring and hard blinds. So you could place soft thick rugs on the floor and use roman blinds to absorb most of the sound. Seating arrangementGet the seating right and you and your guests will never want to leave the basement. The first rule is that everyone has to get an unobstructed view of the TV. Second, the rule is that everyone should be able to recline without encroaching on the space of the person behind. This makes planning the seating in a basement home theater room a tricky affair. Luckily, there are recliners and wedge-shaped sectionals available today, that makes planning a tight space easy. Some of them have zero wall clearance. This implies that they recline into the room, which requires less space than the traditional recliner. While you don’t have to break the bank buying home theater seats, it is advisable to invest in good quality seats. So if you have much budgeted funds, invest in a top-of-the-range seat with exotic accessories like a back massager. Standard accessories include a cup holder, headphone jacks, and USB slots. LightingLighting plays a big role in image perception. Too much light in the room damages the cinema atmosphere, too little lighting makes the glare from the screening strain the eyes. Installing dimmable lights gives you more control of the amount of light in the room.  HOW TO ARRANGE YOUR HOME THEATER ROOM FOR MAXIMUM COMFORTThe comfort in your home theater room depends very much on how you arrange the room. A badly arranged room can be a real drag as your guests struggle to see beyond the blocked views. Getting the arrangement of a home theater right is just as important as buying the equipment. Perhaps getting the arrangement is even more important because without enjoying a good view, or bad sound can really ruin the entertainment. How can you arrange your home theater room for maximum comfort? As well as to have a neat and tidy look?
PLACING THE THEATER SOFA AND LOUNGERSThe seating arrangement is dependent on how many seats you want to place in the room as well as the available space. Many people will automatically place the seats in the middle of the room. But this is a bad spot for sound in many rooms. Why? Because bass frequencies are resolved in the middle of a room. This can be make a movie sound thunderous and jarring. The best approach to seating is by testing different spots in a room before placing the seats. A configuration where the main sofa is at the front, while the other loungers are staggered around the room usually works best. Each viewer gets an unobstructed view of the TV. For a small room, placing the TV at an elevated angle allows everyone to have a clear view even with the seats placed close together. Recliners work allow watching an elevated TV without straining the neck and back. ‘Zero clearance reclines’ can be placed in smaller rooms as they recline into the room which enables placing in a smaller room. FLOOR PLANNINGWhen placing loungers in a row, you should allow 24 inches (2 feet) plus the clearance for the armrests for the end seat. This ensures that the viewers is able to maneuver objects like comfort pillows without disturbing the person in the next seat. You should allow 20 inches clearance between the loungers. This means if your lounger is 20 inches in depth, you will need 40 inches (20+20). For a room with squeezed space, the clearance space can be reduced to 14 inches. However, anything less than that will cramp your viewers’ leg movements. You should leave at least 30 inches space on either side for use as aisles. This will allow your viewers to access their seats easier without disturbing the rest. You will not need a back aisle. ACCESSORIESRemember to leave space for a few accessories including a water dispenser, and a popcorn machine.  TIPS FOR COLOR AND DECORATION FOR A HOME THEATER ROOMWith audiovisual equipment getting more affordable, making a home theater room is becoming possible in many homes. When putting up a home theater room, it is good to keep in mind that long hours will be spent here. This is one room where luxury and comfort are paramount. Color and decoration are the two elements in the room that signify your tastes. It also plays into the general feel of comfort in this room. How can you make color and decorations work to make your home theater room the ultimate comfort zone?
COLOR IN A HOME THEATER ROOMColor plays into the lighting of the room. Darker colors will absorb most of the light, while lighter colors will reflect light. It is good to note that cinema halls feature dark colors for walls, ceiling, and even furniture. Here are some color schemes that work well for a home theater room. RED TONESRaspberry and burgundy have always been favorite colors for theaters. Most theater drapes are red-toned. Red tones tend to absorb color which works well with the low lighting. You can have deep red tones for your drapes and lighter red tones for recessed wall and ceiling lights. FLAT BLACK FOR THE TV WALLYou want to highlight the TV as the main feature on the TV wall. Flat black takes away all the light on the wall and frames the TV. When viewing, the fat black helps reduce reflection highlighting the focus on the TV in a better way. GRAY TONESGray is a neutral color which means that the lighting scheme in the home theater room will not be affected by reflection or absorption of light. The color gray works well for the ceiling and walls. There is no reflection to affect the image. EARTHY COLORSShades of brown give a vintage ‘club’ feel in the home theatre room. This works well for furniture. Deep brown leather movie seats are very good at giving an impression of class and luxury. Add a few brown toned rugs as well. DECORATING FOR IMPROVED PICTURE AND ACOUSTICSLighting and textile accessories in a home theater room can make a big difference in the quality of picture and sound reaching the viewers. • Use directional and track lighting This type of lighting avoids casting a glare on the TV which could reflect and spoil the quality of the image. Couple this lighting with dimmers for easy control of brightness. • Use thick fabrics for better acoustics Roman blinds and thick carpeting or rugs improve the quality of sound. How? By absorbing echoes from hard floor and wall surfaces. So there you have it folks. Picking the right color and decoration for a home theater doesn’t have to be so stressful; if you follow this guide line.  WHAT IS A HOME THEATER PC?In the years past, PCs were confined to the basements, bedrooms and home offices. This was because of their unwieldy nature, noise and awkward ergonomics. But the PC is increasingly becoming a popular living room entertainment platform. The home theatre PC combines the traditional capabilities of the PC with all-round entertainment capabilities. It can be used to play movies, video games and watch TV in high definition. See our past article on how.
Home theater PCs are a hit with people who love PC gaming as they are able to view video on a bigger TV screen. It can also be used to surf the web, download music and more games. There are commercially available home theater PCs but people who have the know how also build according to preferred specs. HOW DOES IT DIFFER FROM THE ORDINARY PC?A home theater PC comes with higher performance hardware. The video card is able to support higher resolution in HD format which is demanded by modern PC games. The cooling needs are also higher because it draws more power when multitasking, e.g., surfing the web while playing music. The standardization of the HDMI port means that these modern PCs can connect to video players, gaming consoles and TV units. With large hard disks, home theatre PCs are able to record cable or satellite record TV. HOW DO THEY DIFFER FROM MEDIA PLAYERS?Media players like the Apple TV or the Chromecast are multi multimedia devices that deliver entertainment content from one provider. A home theater PC is more versatile as the user can connect to different devices including satellite feed from different providers. A home theatre PC is also able to play multiplayer online computer games. While gaming consoles can also do this, they lack TV programming. A home theatre PC can then be viewed as a one stop entertainment center, combining all entertainment functions of the other devices found in the typical living room. BUY OR BUILD?If you are looking to install a home theater PC, these are your two options. Buying one is probably the better option if you are a non-technical person. For example, if you’re someone who has little knowledge on details like storage, RAM, processor speed, just buy one. Building your own home theatre PC works when you want a specific build and extended functionalities. Many commercially available home theatre PCs, for example, don’t come with satellite TV tuner cards. But you can add one if you are building. You can also extend memory, add storage space and install more powerful graphics cards. If you are looking for a one stop entertainment center, a home theatre PC would serve quite adequately. Thus, it will save you money and space.  HOW TO COMPARE HOME THEATER SYSTEMSThe home theater changed the way home entertainment works. With a good budget, your home entertainment can rival that of a cinema. However, there are hundreds of home theater brands, and thousands of variations in sound and video delivery. Thus many people looking to buy a home theater system are confused on the model and configuration to pick. For examp,e what is best 2.1, 5.1 or 7.1? Which speakers go well with what video player? What equipment is best for video gaming? These are questions that come up when you compare home theater systems. Here are a few tips on how to go about the comparison.
RECEIVER CHANNELSA home theater’s receiver is the box that gets the connections from cable, Bluray, gaming consoles and other devices. The more channels a receiver has, the richer the sound experience. A 2.1 channel receiver is able to support 2 speakers and a subwoofer. A 5.1 channel receiver has 5 speakers (2 front speakers, a center speaker, 2 rear speakers and a subwoofer). Some models have 7, 9, and even 11 channels. RECEIVER AND SPEAKER SIZEThis is an important consideration as the right size delivers quality sound while leaving adequate space in your living room. The soundbar design has speakers in one holding container that can be placed in front of the TV for better sound delivery. If you have space, you can go for stand-up tallboy speakers or designs that can hang from the ceiling. SPEAKER POWERSpeaker power is directly related to sound quality. The more power a speaker has, the higher it can produce more volume without distortion. Speakers for domestic use are usually rated 8 ohms at 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz. CONNECTIONSThe HDMI connection is standard in home theater receivers, carrying both sound and video in the same cable. If you plan on using older machines like old CD players, you should look for more connection ports including RCA, DVI, and phono inputs. NETWORKINGToday’s home theater receiver connects to different gadgets including Blu-ray players, gaming consoles, laptops, and mobile phone. For example, you can play games on your mobile while using the TV. Wireless connections eliminate the need for cabling and better placement of different gadgets. Networking options include Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Bluetooth gadgets are able to connect directly with each other, while a Wi-Fi connection needs an enabling device. CONVENIENCE ADD-ONSWhile add-ons can make a significant difference in price without a significant difference in performance, consider them when you compare home theater systems. Is there an app to ease controls? Is the control panel touch responsive? If you have the budget, go for quality and convenience.  DO YOU NEED HELP SETTING UP YOUR HOME THEATER SYSTEM?You have purchased a new home theater system, complete with 11 speaker surround but which cable goes to what port? Indeed, setting up a home theater system the wrong way can have a big impact on sound and video. And there is much that can go wrong when setting up. There is also the TV to be mounted, different devices to the network and sound equalization to do. This is where you need Cinema Systems installers. We can do home theater installation services so that you enjoy the full sound and video experience that is offered by your home theater.
HOME THEATER SELECTIONDo terms like NTSC/PAL, RCA, HDMI or Blu-ray mean anything to you? If not, you probably need help selecting a home theater system. This is the first step in getting it right. There are considerations to be made in the budget you can afford, the space of your living room, and the devices you need to connect to the home theater system. You also need to look at how you will be using the home theater. Do you watch movies more, or need a music system to match your classical music collection? We can provide an expert who can help you make sense of it all so that you get the right fit. HOME THEATER INSTALLATIONYou have to get the audio and video connections right. The placement of the speakers can also make a significant change in the sound you get from the system. We assess your living room, or media room for acoustics, and set the speakers for optimal sound delivery in the whole room. If you need to access content in other devices, for example, your playlist on the mobile, we can set it up too. This is by synchronizing Bluetooth and wifi networks between these devices and your home theater system’s receiver. TV SETUPThis is probably the most complicated step in setting up the home theater system. The reason? It is because your TV is receiving different signal in different formats. This is more so if there are other devices connected to the TV in addition to the home theater’s receiver. We can set up your TV for 3D viewing if it supports the format. There is also cable and satellite signal input setup if they have to be done separately. If you are buying the whole system including the TV, we can assist with the TV mounting so that your TV is placed for optimal viewing from different angles in the room. At Cinema Systems home theater installers, we have the technical know-how and experience to get the most out of your home theater system. So call us if you need help setting up your home theater system.  HOW MUCH ARE HOME THEATER CHAIRS?You may have the best audio-visual set up in the media room, but without comfortable seating, the experience is wasted. With a good quality Home theater chair, you can watch your favorite movies hours on end without any neck or back aches. The price of theater chairs ranges from a few hundred for Made in China products to thousands of dollars for European or US made brands. Some seats will go up to $7,000 per seat. So how much are home theater chairs for an adequately comfortable home theater experience? What can you expect by price range?
LESS THAN $499You can get the basics at this price. You can expect:
FORTRESSThis brand has been around since the 1930s although it became popular for home theater seats in the late 1990s. They offer around 20 base models to choose from in traditional or contemporary designs. Their home theater seats start at $1,099. Check out their bestselling Fortress Matinee brand. BASS INDUSTRIESThis American brand is best known for its luxury home and commercial theater seating. As a specialist in theater seating, they have a wide range of theater seats including home theater sofas, recliners, gliders and sectionals. Bass industries are well known for high quality materials and craftsmanship. Their theater seats start at $1,229. Check out their bestselling Paris model. COJAThis brand is popular with people looking for traditional seat design with added functionality and luxury. Coja seats come with luxurious additions such as power reclining, heat massage, and cup holders. Their seats start at $1,333. Check out their bestselling Coja Juliet model. HUMAN TOUCHThis brand is popular with people having lumbar and neck problems. Their fully robotic massage theater chairs are highly reviewed by people who have back problems. They are also one of the more affordable options with chairs starting at $547. Check out their Perfect Chair with Zero Gravity Recline. JAYMARThis is the leading name in contemporary home theater seating. Jaymar seats are highly customizable coming with high quality workmanship and materials. For this, the seats don’t come cheap starting at $1,648. Check out the Jaymar 262 model.  WHAT IS A HOME THEATER SOUND BAR?A home theater sound bar is the affordable upgrade when you want to get better sound from the TV, but do not want to invest in a full surround system. A sound bar has several speakers with different sound output characteristics put in one thin module. This module also carries the necessary electric boosters to power the speakers such that there is no extra amplifiers are needed. Modern home theater sound bars come with separate subwoofers and connect wirelessly.
SUITABILITYA sound bar is less powered and has fewer features than a component system. As such a sound bar will still sound better than ordinary TV speakers. It does not have the full range of sound that one would want for a movie or gaming experience. A Sound bar is also suitable where space is limited. A typical sound bar is approximately 40 inches which means it can fit on a shelf above or below the TV. The general rule of thumb is that for medium and smaller TVs, (below 54 inches) pick a soundbar that is no wider than the TV screen. Modern sound bars have different connection methods for a wider range of input: Wired audio input – There is usually an analogue RCA (red/white) input for older devices like CD/DVD players. There will be at least one digital audio input that is either coaxial or digital. HDMI – This input connection is increasingly being featured for richer signal input. Such as, from Blu ray and Ultra HD players that come with 3k or 4k video capacity. This also connects to gaming systems. Wireless – This includes Bluetooth and Wifi connectivity. This eliminates tangles of wires. Streaming – Equipped with wireless connectivity, some home theater sound bars will stream shows from Netflix, Hulu or Amazon. HOW TO PICK A SOUND BARPlacementWhere will you be placing the sound bar? if it is on the same stand as the TV, ensure that you have enough space, wide enough to hold both items. Also take care not to have a sound bar that is too wide as to block the beam of the remote control. Sound channelsFor normal TV programming, a 2.1 bar is adequate, i.e. it has 2 speakers and a sub-woofer. For a richer sound range, go for a sound bar with a separate sub-woofer and rear speakers. PRICEThe basic purpose of a home theater sound bar is to give slightly better sound than the TV speakers. For this, you should spend less than $200. If you are spending more than this, it would be better to consider buying a full surround system. |
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