Home Theater Systems
Watching movies at home has become a whole new ball game now that there are home
theater systems available to suit any budget. A home theater system is
just like having a cinema in your own home. For anyone who would like to turn
a family room or any spare room into their own private movie theater, there are
plenty of options to suit any budget
or taste. Here are a few things needed to make the transformation:
Surround Sound
Surround sound will give great sound effects for your home theater. The
reason why movie theaters have amazing sound quality is that there are
speakers strategically placed around the theater to create a feeling of
being immersed in a picture, rather than just hearing it from one angle.
The Movie Screen / TVs
The next component of a movie theater is the movie screen. Ideally, a
home theater should have a large movie screen. The larger
the screen, the easier it is to get caught up in the flow of the movie.
There are options available for screens, big screen TVs are very popular.
If you can't swing a large screen or plasma, a minimum of 27' HDTV will do
until you can upgrade.
DVD Players
A good quality DVD player that
will be hooked up to the home theater is highly recommended. Be sure to stay away from
DVD players that are too cheap as they often have poor sound and picture
quality. The better DVD players have progressive scan capabilities
and are worth the few extra dollars.
Projectors
Projectors aren’t vital to a home theater, but play a big role in the way
that movies are displayed. The best way to describe the use of a projector
is that it makes everything seem so much clearer. This will add to the
movie theater experience and the feeling of being a part of the movie
rather than just watching it.
The Receiver
The receiver is another part of the home theater experience that is
important. What a receiver does is to receive the signals from other
attached devices such as VCRs, DVDs and cable or satellite dishes and sends them to
other devices such as the television and surround sound devices. Top-of-the-line receivers often have built-in devices in them already such as DVD
players and other media players. These systems are popular and a cheaper
option than having separate units.
Dressing the Room
Once the home theater system has been chosen, it's time to "dress the room up" to make it look and sound like a theater should.
Home theater furniture is designed especially to make it easier to
arrange your components to achieve pleasing visual, sound and aesthetic effects. To
begin with, the speakers need to be arranged strategically around the room. It
is important to have at least 3 speakers in the front of the theater and
around 2 to 3 on the sides and behind where you will be sitting.
This provides the optimal surround sound effect.
The television needs to be placed right in front of the couch or seating
area.
Special attention to the distance between the television and couch needs
to be taken. Being too close to the picture will make it seem to have poor
quality and being too far away will make the theater experience seem less
realistic.
The room will need to be easy to darken on demand. This can be achieved by adding
light blocking curtains and/or blinds to windows. Curtained or fabric
lined walls will also
help acoustics, especially if the home theater is a top-of-the-line
system. Carpets on the floors will also help the acoustics and stop noises
from bouncing and vibrating around the room. Once you have the system set
up and ready there is only one thing left to do, enjoy.
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