Almost half of all Americans would rather stream the newest blockbusters at home than go to a movie theater. It saves people from driving and standing in line to buy pricey tickets and concessions that they could have prepared themselves.
There are a few things that you do miss from not going to the cinema. The big screen and high-quality surround sound are nice.
What if we told you that you could have these perks in your house?
Building a home cinema will allow you to watch movies in theater quality without going to the theater. It can also add value to your property. Check out this guide to learn how to build one.
Create a Plan
Step one of creating the perfect home cinema experience is coming up with a game plan. Decide on what you want your layout to look like.
How much room do you need for seating? While you may have guests over every now and again to watch movies, it’s most likely going to be just you or you and your family most of the time. Don’t pack in so many chairs that you can’t fit your speakers or yourself in the room.
You’ll also need to decide on a budget and think about what kind of equipment you need.
Decide on a Budget
The price of your cinema can quickly get out of hand if you don’t create a budget. If you aren’t careful, you’ll pour so much money into your TV and projector that you don’t have enough to splurge on comfortable chairs or high-quality speakers.
While you should do your best not to exceed your budget, if you spend less on a piece of equipment than you planned for, there’s nothing wrong with putting those extra savings into another aspect of your theater.
Choose the Right Features and Equipment
Now it’s time to get into the heart of your theater: the equipment.
You can’t have a cinema without a big screen or surround sound speakers. You’ll also need a good receiver.
TV
There are two ways that you can enjoy your favorite movies. The first is to buy a big-screen TV.
A smart TV will be your best friend if you have an account on multiple streaming services. Opting for 4K resolution will be expensive, but it will give you the best viewing quality.
As far as screen size goes, the larger the screen the more immersed you’ll be in what you’re watching.
Projector
The second way you can view movies in your home theater is with a cinema projector. With one of these devices, there are no limits to how large you can make your screen. It can take up an entire wall if you would like.
As long as you choose a projector that’s made for cinema and not for business presentations, your movies will be crystal clear.
Keep in mind that despite advancements in projector technology, they still can’t keep up with flatscreen TVs when it comes to picture quality.
Speakers
Choosing the right speakers is almost more important than picking out a TV. Beautiful viewing quality doesn’t matter too much if you can’t hear anything, after all.
When you’re shopping around, you’ll come across wall-in speakers, sound bars, floor-standing speakers, bookshelf speakers, and surround sound systems.
Out of all the options available, surround sound systems offer the best quality. They do take up a lot of room, however, and they can be quite expensive. If you’re working with a small room and a tight budget, a sound bar might be right for your needs.
No matter what speakers you have installed, you’ll need to pair them with subwoofers to bring out their full potential.
Receivers
Receivers bring your entire setup together. They take the auto signal from your video source and pump it through your speakers.
You can hook your receiver up to several devices, so you can seamlessly switch from watching a movie to playing a game.
This being said, be sure to buy a receiver that supports several types of unique inputs. Look for Bluetooth capabilities as well as TOSLINK and HDMI support.
Choose a Location
You can have the best equipment that money can buy, but if you choose the wrong location to set up your theater, you won’t be able to make the most out of it.
Since home cinemas are often loud, you may want to pick an isolated location so you don’t disturb your family. If such a spot doesn’t exist, consider opting for some type of soundproofing.
Many homeowners place their cinema in a room without windows. You can also invest in blackout curtains.
What matters the most is the size of the room. It needs to be able to accommodate you and your equipment.
Rooms that tend to fit all these criteria and offer amazing acoustics are the basement, attic, and garage.
Add the Finishing Touches
A smart home bulb will allow you to control the lighting in your cinema at will. Most theaters aren’t complete without a programmable remote.
With the press of a button, your remote will turn on your TV, Blu-ray player, and speakers at the same time. Some programmable remotes will even dim your lights.
Creating an Amazing Home Cinema
A home cinema will allow you to watch movies in amazing theater quality while skipping the line at the concession stand. It will also increase your home value.
There’s a lot you need to keep in mind when designing your setup. Once you have a look in mind, you’ll have to invest in your equipment and start the wiring process.
It can be a lot of work! Let us take care of the building for you. Contact us today to learn more about our media room services.
