Home Movie Theaters : Movie Star Luxury You Can Afford!
Well, besides the one about the extra bathroom?
Their own private movie theater.
Let’s face it – everyone dreams of a screening room where they can have their own personal film festival. With technology rivaling any AMC Cineplex, a home theater can become an everyday realty. Most homes today have some variation of one. It’s an easy addition to install. It only takes a day but it’ll give you many hours of pure fun.
The first question you should ask yourself is do I have enough room for an entire set up? Most homeowners usually put their set up in the basement. Here they can watch noisy action adventures without any neighbors complaining about the racket. Another good area is a great room. You can combine relaxing on your couch with a good movie and a glass of wine. No matter what room you decide on make sure that it can support both the wiring and the equipment. You should not only have enough outlets but enough space to hold a large screen along with speakers and DVD player.
The next step is acquiring good,long lasting equipment. You’re going to need a large screen TV, about 27 inches diagonally across along with four or more speakers. As for the TV plasma is about the best. You also have the decision about what kind of projection you want. There are three kinds, direct , rear projection or front projection. The first is what you already have in our television sets. It’s simply a screen with a cathode ray. Pricewise this is the best bet. It won’t cost much and can give you a pretty clear resolution (especially with HDTV) Also, consider a standard direct with a flat screen. Curved screens will be more distorted and you will also see the glare from other light sources. Real movie enthusiasts can go with the rear projection television for a bigger picture. These don’t use cathode ray tubes for the display. Instead they use projection screens. One kind is the cathode ray tube (CRT) that uses three CRTs. One each for red, green and blue. They can produce a picture with great contrast. Unfortunately they are bulky and not fit in with sleeker equipment. There is the digital light processing kind or DLP which employs digital micrometer devices to create all pixels that make up an image. However this has its’ detractions too. Gaps between these can create what’s known as the screen door effect. Also some users have complained about the screen’s rainbow effect when they change positions (this is like looking at a hose’s spray and seeing a small rainbow).
Enthusiasts can also choose the Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) for their rear projections. This method directs light through liquid crystals and magnifies it for projection. This kind of TV can be lightweight and slim. Its’ only drawback is that it doesn’t have a good black level which is the ability to provide true black. This is very important for detail and contrast. Another type suited for rear projection is the Liquid Crystal Silicon (LCoS) , a cross between DLPs and LCDs LCoS doesn’t have the screen door or rainbow effects that DLPs can produce, Some sets don’t have a very good display level. LCoS’ aren’t common as the other display types and may be hard to find in your area.
Most homeowners tend to buy front projection screens. These have bigger pictures than the rear projection ones yet have the same type of displays. The drawbacks are the screens will be made out of cloth and that movies have to be shown in darkened rooms. These work best in areas such as basements or family rooms. Front projection screens do have to be hooked up to separate tuners.
The next most important step is buying good speakers. You want Dolby quality ones . Every set should contain a front and rear set of speakers called mains, You should also buy another pair of back ones known the rears and a central one, the subwoofer. This last is the most important part of any home theater. Subwoofers are responsible for all the realistic sounds. They make leaves rustle underfoot in an outdoor scene or make a fire crackle and pop in an indoor one. The speakers will emanate sound in all directions and will make you and your fellow viewers feel pushed back in your seats. Remember that these can be placed anywhere except in a corner where the two adjoining walls will absorb most of the sound.
The last step is making your home theater as luxurious as you want it to be. Some homeowners will install a wet bar or even a microwave for drinks and snacks. Also if you have to furnish the area, head to a furniture store that sells home theater furniture. These can be customized to suit your desires. If not, then just get a few large sectionals and end tables to hold snacks. You may also want to install racks to hold your DVDs. These you can get buy at any department store such as Target or K-Mart.
You can make your movie lover’s fantasy come true by installing a home movie theater. You’ll be able to enjoy your favorite films anytime without leaving your home. The best thing? Granted it’s not that extra bathroom but it still is a dream come true!
