There’s no better way to unwind than with a movie night with your loved ones.
When it comes to movie night, 70 percent of people prefer to watch movies at home. Thanks to advancements in technology, achieving home entertainment has never been easier.
Don’t have one?
We’re here to help you pick the best one. They’re not all the same and some might offer features or might cost too much.
Check out our guide covering DIY theatre room basics to help choose the right home theater system for you:
What Is A DIY Home Theater System?
A home entertainment system is an upgrade from your general living room set-up.
It can help give a cinema-like experience from the comfort of your couch. It’s perfect for spending the night with your family and loved ones.
Read on if you want to discover how to build a home entertainment center.
TV or Projector
For the best cinema experience, a projector and TV can offer different pros and cons. Your decision depends wholly on your set-up and preference. Read on for an in-depth comparison.
A projector could be ideal in terms of size. TVs are extraordinarily expensive. Nowadays, you can get a high-quality projector for much cheaper than a TV.
However, the performance of a project may pale in contrast to a TV. Projector viewing is dependent on your room lighting, so it doesn’t wash out. LED TV’s are generally better at producing light.
You may run into the problem of your projector bulb burning out. But compares to a TV, a projector’s brightness is easier on the eyes. If you prefer a purchase with little maintenance fees, you may prefer a TV.
You may find that projectors have come a long way when it comes to color accuracy. TVs are more adept at achieving a high dynamic range, but projectors come pretty close. Take these into account when deciding the best viewing mode for your home entertainment center.
The DIY Theatre Room
If you’re building a new house, you have an advantage in constructing your home entertainment center.
An ideal home theater room is large enough to accommodate seating and set-up. If you plan on using a projector for your set-up, your theater room should have high walls.
You may want to invest in a soundproofing system to isolate sound from other rooms and neighbors.
If possible, have tiered flooring to cater to viewing positions from the back of the room. You can always use an existing room for your home theater.
One of the benefits of using an existing room is that it’s much cheaper than constructing a new room.
Remember to keep a checklist of your equipment to prevent hassle in the future. Your existing room may not provide an ideal layout, so you might have to get creative.
An ideal home theater room has little to no windows. But you can work around this with black-out curtains. Take into account the wiring system and how much equipment you will have in the room.
Sound System
The sound experience is one of the characteristics that separates cinema from home-viewing.
You have several options depending on the layout of your room and its design. All speakers cater to different home theatre systems.
Compact speakers are less obtrusive. They are ideal for small home theater systems.
Aside from not taking up a lot of space, compact speakers are adaptable to your home design.
If space is not an issue, you can choose floor-standing speakers.
The large chambers offer a broader range of sound production. These speakers are more powerful and can better recreate the theater experience.
It’s essential to consider the size of your room. Large speakers could take up a lot of walking space.
Using an extensive sound system can overload the room and alter the sound altogether.
Furniture, walls, and floors can also affect the quality of your sound. Your speakers may end up bouncing around in your cabinets.
It could create unwanted resonance.
Sound doesn’t bounce off well from hard surfaces.
Too many large and smooth surfaces can create an unwanted echo. Talk to a professional when deciding the set up for your home theater.
A home theater system comprises different speakers for a better experience. Here are the main components of a theater sound system.
Center Channel
This speaker sits on top or below your TV. Many consider it the most important speaker in a sound system.
It delivers most of the dialogue, soundtrack, and center sound effects.
Left And Right Speakers
The left and right speakers deliver the movie’s musical score. Sound moves between the center channel and the left and right speakers.
Taking this into account, it also handles most of the sound effects.
Surround System
A surround system can help further immerse you into the story. These speakers go beside or behind your seats. It handles ambient sounds from the movie.
You may find that having a surround system channel helps deliver directional effects. These speakers can go on stands. You can also mount them to the walls.
Your Set-Up
Now that you have all your equipment, it’s time to put them together.
For a quick, acoustical test, clap your hands. If you hear a ringing sound after, that means your room is live.
Sound reflects too much in a live room. To combat this, invest in rugs or carpeted floors. The key is to balance hard and soft surfaces.
Make sure that your speakers are not right against a wall. Angle them towards the main seats.
Your wire gauge must be thicker as the length of your speaker wire runs longer.
If you chose to have a TV for your home theater, ensure that your seats are far away. Harsh LED lights could have long-term negative impacts on your eyes.
You might not get your set-up right on the first try.
Have some friends over to watch a movie, and let them give you feedback on the system. You can calibrate as needed.
Get the Best Home Entertainment System Now!
What is the best home entertainment setup? It all comes down to your equipment and how you utilize a room.
Setting up a home entertainment center takes up a lot of time and effort.
You don’t always need a full array of speakers but it’s good to take these into account, depending on your set-up.
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