Ensemble Theatre Group

Today, for many people, watching a movie is something that takes place at home, not in a movie theatre. The introduction of DVD’s and projectors and sound systems targeted at the Home Cinema enthusiast, allows anyone to create a film experience that often beats what is on offer at the local cinema!

When it comes to budgeting for your home theatre, you have some big choices to make. It’s possible to spend anything from $1000 to $1,000,000 on a home cinema, although typically a good setup will cost no more than $3000. The key is to budget wisely, don’t spend all your money on a Projector while buying cheap speakers or your experience will suffer!

Typically, a Home Theatre setup will consist of a DVD (or nowadays a Blu-Ray) player, a Home Theatre Amplifier, a set of surround sound speakers, and a Projector and screen. Some people prefer to use an LCD or Plasma TV, but while these are good enough for TV programs, sports or video gaming, nothing less than a proper projector and screen setup will give you the real “big screen” feel you get at a movie theatre. When budgeting, don’t forget to include the cost of extras like cables, and seating, and even dedicated lighting and remote controls if you want them.

With the death of HD-DVD, Blu-Ray is now the only hi-def movie format, so the heart of you system should be a good quality Blu-Ray player. There are now plenty to choose from, with prices starting from around $300, but surprisingly, one of the best Blu-Ray players is a the Sony Playstation 3. Not only is it a very capable video games machine, but it’s video output is of a very high quality, and it benefits from very speedy menus and loading due to it’s powerful processors.

Your next purchase should be a Home Theatre Amplifier (Amp). Home Theatre amplifiers are different from Stereo Amplifiers, in that they can decode the sound formats used by DVD’s and Blu-Rays, and have outputs for 6, 7, or 8 channels. A good amplifier is a must, look for one that is powerful enough for your room, and can also decode the latest sound formats. Some amplifiers will also switch your video between multiple inputs and outputs, which can be useful if you want to hook up several sources to your projector and speakers.

Speakers should be chosen to match your amplifier. For home cinema the most popular setup is 5.1, where there are 5 main speakers, and 1 “subwoofer”, a speaker dedicated to producing very low “booming” sounds. If you want to feel every explosion or gunshot of a film, buy a speaker package with a high-quality subwoofer! The 5 normal speakers are placed around your seating position; one in front, one each to the front left and front right, and one each to the rear left and rear right. 6.1 and 7.1 systems are available with even more speakers, but 5.1 is good enough for most rooms.

Lastly, you will want a projector and screen. The models that are right for you will depend on your room size and the level of ambient light when you watch your films. In general, look for the brightest, most high-contrast model you can afford, and buy a model that produces at least a 720p image, although preferably 1080p.

Finding the perfect picture for your home theatre can be difficult, and it also depends what your definition of a home theatre is. For most individuals, a home theatre is having a beautifully large and modern TV with surround sound speakers in a room other than the living room: a room specifically designed for enjoying the big game or for watching the newest released DVDs.

A TV by itself is not enough, though, since an important factor is viewing distance. In that respect, it’s like going to a movie theatre. Most people do not like the very front because not only do they have to crane their necks, but there is so much to take in all at once and it can be overwhelming.

Then there are those individuals who think home theatre system, and that means having an actual screen and projector. Technology is amazing, and now many individuals can afford to own an actual home movie theatre complete with projector and screen. If this sounds exciting, by all means, look for the right projector and home theatre screen for your perfect vision of a home theatre, but make sure to do your research first.

If you are looking to purchase a home theater screen, you should know that there are specifically three types of home theater screens available. The first one is the fixed home theater screen. These are the simplest, and most common, screens. They are usually designed to be permanently mounted on the wall. The disadvantage of this screen is that once it’s set, it’s set. There are advantages, however.

One advantage is you can hide ugly wires and cables quite easily with this type of installation. The screen itself is made of a fabric that will be stretched onto a frame and then fastened into place. A wrinkle free white surface should be the end result. If it is not wrinkle free after a professional puts it in, demand the job is done right.

The second type of screen is the tripod home theatre screen. These are the types of screens that are portable because they are attached to a tripod. These are best for meetings, like a business demonstration requiring slides, or an outdoor training. It is okay for these types of purposes, but they are not designed for actual movie watching.

The third type of screen is a wall mounted retractable screen. Remember the screens teachers would use in elementary school when they had an overhead projector? That’s exactly what this is. These types of screens are usually installed on the wall, but they can be pulled down. These are more expensive than the fixed home theatre screen, and are best for homes that are smaller and therefore have less area to work with, otherwise they don’t give any advantage over the basic model.

If you want a true to life movie viewing experience at home, these are your three options. Do the research, figure out your budget, and then enjoy the unique experience of having your very own projector to see the DVDs as if you were still in a small town theatre.