Watch movies on the big screen, at home, with the perfect home theater system for any budget. Nothing beats the big screen experience for movies or games, but home theater is an expensive hobby to get into. This is the guide you've been looking for, so get out your shopping list and tape measure as I walk you through every aspect of planning your own home theater, from design to choosing shades and most importantly of the television:the projector..
Projectors are the type of device where you really do get what you pay for. Regardless of your budget, it will be the most expensive purchase in your home theater system. Never buy a blind projector - If you can't find a local demo room, then be sure to find high-quality photos, videos, reviews, and comparisons online from trusted sources.
Most projectors will have 720p or 1080p, with a few hundred dollars difference in price. Remember that with a large image, you'll really notice that difference in resolution, so if you can afford it and plan on projecting to a big screen, you'll really appreciate spending a little more. Make sure you're buying a projector that actually projects at 1080p, rather than one that just "supports 1080p" - meaning the signal is turned down to something lower. The image sample taken from my Optoma GT750 Gaming Projector Review Optoma GT750 3D Gaming Projector Review and Giveaway Optoma GT750 3D Gaming Projector Review and Giveaway I love projectors; I have fond memories of nights spent in front of the projector with all my housemates as we huddled under the kotatsu (a Japanese hot table item) and settled in to watch... Read More 720p on a large projection screen.
A specification that you will see quoted quite often is the luminous value (except where it's so low as to be embarrassing). Lumen is a measure of the amount of light emitted by the projector; in simple terms, the brightness. A low light value. - 1500 or less - It will only be visible in a dark room. 3000 lumens and above will be visible in daylight, but honestly some The projected image will look better When there is less ambient light. The photo below shows the image from a 3500 lumens projector.
Another key point to pay special attention to is the life of the bulb (quoted in hours) and replacement cost . Projectors use incredibly powerful bulbs and can cost up to a third of the projector's original price to replace in some cases; a replacement for the Optoma gaming projector we reviewed earlier this year costs around $120. Bulbs are rated by the number of hours they should last; a few thousand, usually, so it should last a year to two years with moderate use. If you've set your home theater to be as dark as possible, you may be able to switch the projector to a lower wattage. economy mode without too much damage to the image (in fact, some movie buffs say full brightness is too blinding on some higher lumen models).
In addition to light bulb replacements, you'll need to clean your air filters every 3 to 6 months, replacing them if they've perished.
Finally, stay away from any LED-based or ultra-portable projectors; they can last longer, but the image quality is terrible and they typically have 10% of the light output of a bulb-based model.
A quick note on image ratios :widescreen media 16:9 ratio, ideal for games, movies and general use. Avoid old projectors that only have XGA , WXGA , and SXGA , since these are all 4:3 ratio and less than 108op resolution.
The biggest problem I've run into when planning a home theater is that projectors need a good throw distance, and the further distance you give them, the bigger your screen can be. This value is fixed - Model X projector at a distance of Y meters from the screen will give you an image Z inches wide .
Of course, range distances vary by manufacturer and model; Once you've found a suitable projector, use this helpful projection calculation tool to find out how far away you'll need to place the projector to get a certain size image; or conversely, the size of the projected image, when placed at a certain distance.
In this case, placing the Optoma GT750. 3m away will result in a massive 5 meter diagonal image . I could probably handle a drive-in movie theater with it! This is what is called ultra short throw , so you don't have to place it as far away to get as large an image.
The projector also needs a clear line for the light to travel. any objects in the way, such as human heads or feet, will obscure the image. The best way around this is to mount the projector to the ceiling - that's another $50-$100 just for mounting - and fix it to any ceiling boards you're not happy with. A coffee table is fine for use with ultra short throw devices or temporary use; I've even used a metal frame attached to the sofa beforehand for an inexpensive solution for the student house.
For the best image quality, the projector should be placed in the center; you can project from the outside to the side, but the image is severely distorted. Just don't do it.
Also make sure your projector has adequate ventilation on all sides; do not mount it inside anything, or heat buildup will severely damage the life of the bulb. These things get really hot.
Finally, don't forget to sit down. If you have money to burn, you can spend a few thousand dollars on professional-quality movie theater seats with beverage warmers, mini-fridges, and all sorts of other nonsense. A good sofa works well for most people!
There are two reasons to use blackout curtains:thick, heavy material that blocks more light than regular curtains, also sometimes called "room darkening curtains." The first thing is to improve the quality of the image:dark projector projectors simply do not display satisfactorily in anything but the lowest lighting. The second is purely aesthetic, for those who want a "true" theater experience, nothing less than pitch black with adjustable LED lighting is acceptable.
Today, the first reason is no longer really valid:high brightness projectors can work well even in daylight, a projector screen will improve this even more, although everything will look better at lower light levels. In general, though, you don't need special curtains unless you really want that movie theater feel.
If you already have curtains you really like, consider lining them DIY-style with cheap but thick material. You should also be able to buy a new pair for around $50-$100 - Amazon has a whole category for them.
Experts will tell you that the projector is only half of the equation; You need an equally good screen to go with it. For the absolute best quality, the room, the projector and the screen must be matched. However, the experts are also trying to get you to get rid of as much money as possible, so take that advice with a salt-filled popcorn bucket.
If you are going to buy a screen, avoid high profit Models (that focus light towards you), as these can cause bright spots of light in the center and poor image quality when viewed from the sides. Elite displays offer a good balance of affordability, size, and quality; Or you can buy special paints with a reflective coating if you prefer to use the wall but want better performance.
However, not all of us can afford to spend that much money just for a decent screen or fancy paints, and to be honest matte white wall will give you a large projection surface for a fraction of the cost. Unless you really need to project in a bright environment, you can get 95% of the image quality on a matte white wall for hundreds of dollars less than if you had purchased a similar sized screen.
A home theater is nothing without surround sound - 5.1 at least, which means 2 front, 2 rear, 1 center speakers and a subwoofer. 7.1 and 9.1 they are becoming more and more common now, too. An inexpensive, but still perfectly acceptable, 5.1 surround sound package that includes speakers and an AV receiver (a combo amp and input selector) will set you back around $300, like this package from Onkyo.
Your system should come with instructions for ideal speaker placement, but the following THX diagram is a rough guide for the planning stages.
You can buy wiring ducts at any hardware store, which are usually bonded and have an adhesive surface to stick to the wall or baseboard. Wiring under the rug is also an option, although you need to use a tension device to pull the rug up to the tack at the edge of the room.
A home theater is an investment that will surely reward you with great experiences for years to come, dramatically enhancing your enjoyment of movies, TV and gaming. At the very least, buy yourself a projector! Do you have any more tips for setting up a home theater? We haven't even touched on the media center devices. 5 options to consider for your next media center. 5 options to consider for your next media center. I have spent the last 5 years of my life searching for it and countless thousands of dollars in the process. . I am speaking, of course, of the Holy Grail:the most important media center. Truth be... Read More
