Gone are the days of having to go to a theater to get great sound and picture when you watch a movie. Home theater systems allow all of those luxuries without ever leaving your home. You can literally have a theater in your living room or turn a separate room into a theater room. Theater room installation is on the rise as more families realize the benefits of having their own private theater.

What are home theater systems?

Simply put, a home theater system is a combination of audio and visual equipment that gives you a movie theater experience at home. They are increasing in popularity because people like the idea of having the luxury right at home. Not to mention, they can bypass the rising cost of going to see a movie with the family. While you’ll pay up front for the equipment and theater room installation, you’ll end up saving in the long run when it comes to movie theater admission and the price of snacks!

Different styles of home theater equipment

If you’re thinking about theater room installation or just adding some equipment to what you currently have, it’s important to know what’s out there so that you can find what works for you.

Everyday home theater systems

• If you don’t have the space to dedicate to an entire home theater room or the money to invest in an expensive system, this may be the best option for you. You can start with a TV anywhere from 32 to 55 inches. Then choose a Blu-Ray disc player (or DVD player, but more and more people are opting for the Blu-Ray). You’ll want a sound bar for this set-up as well as a stereo or home theater receiver, speakers, and maybe even a subwoofer.
• Although it may sound like a lot of equipment, it will not be as costly as some of the other home theater options. Many times you can find the equipment sold as a bundle which reduces the cost.
• When you are choosing which pieces of home theater equipment to add, you can also incorporate internet streaming so you can watch Netflix shows and movies on your home theater equipment. Whatever you end up choosing you want to also make controlling all of the equipment as painless as possible. This means using a universal remote system or maybe even a smartphone to control all of the equipment.

Custom Theater Room Installation

If you have space and money to dedicate to custom theater room installation, the sky’s the limit! This is where you need to not only carefully consider the equipment you’re using, but also who is going to install it all. If you are investing thousands of dollars in the equipment, you want to make sure everything is working properly. The team at Clarion AV can set up your home theater room so that everything can be controlled by one remote or touchscreen tablet.

Visual components

• Depending on the size of the room you have to work with, you could opt for a very large screen television to display your movies or you can go the display screen and projector route. For high-end rooms, this is usually the case. You want to make sure you choose a screen that fits the room well and mount it in a place that does not receive any light. Since many home theater rooms are built in basements, this shouldn’t be a problem.
• When it comes to the projector, you want to make sure you purchase one with an adjustable optical zoom. Many projectors come standard with this feature. Many projectors also give off a good amount of heat. This means you’ll want to locate it in a properly ventilated area to avoid heat build-up. The ceiling or wall are the most common places to mount a projector because you can place it the right distance from the screen and it can be properly ventilated.

Audio components

• Once you have the visual aspects of your home theater system worked out, it’s time to concentrate on the audio. A typical home theater consists of a 5.1 surround sound system. The components of this system are the five speakers and one woofer. When you have a professional take care of your home theater room installation, you can be sure the speakers will be placed in the correct locations to give you optimal sound.

Seating

• To get the full home theater experience, you need to have the right seating. First, determine how many seats you want to have and how many you can comfortably fit. Home theater seats come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and colors, not to mention the different accessories to choose from.
• Cup holders are pretty much standard. Some home theater chairs also come with swivel trays for snacks and built-in USB chargers.

Media Rooms

Besides home theater rooms, many people are also opting to add media rooms in their homes. Unlike home theater rooms which are designed to replicate a movie theater experience, media rooms are more social in nature.

There is usually a good size television and audio equipment, but the room is not set up like a theater. Couches and chairs make up the room so that it is more of a social setting. You may invite people to your “media room” to watch the big game, but people are also sitting around talking and kids may be playing as well. You won’t hear people tell you to be quiet because the movie is on!

A media room allows more flexibility than a home theater room. It really just depends on what you’re going for in your home.

Whether you are looking for theater room installation, home automation, security cameras, or other services, contact ClarionAV at (972) 861-2802 today to speak to a professional who can guide you in the right direction.