Friday, September 10, 2010

How to create a home theater!

Many people want home theaters even in this economy...but most people do not have a clue how to do this...so I got my "media man" Amir to tell you all his tips on how to create a home theater that works...

Not long ago home theaters were reserved to celebrities. How would you otherwise utilize 30,000 sq ft of home space? With the ever increasing standards of living, the entertainment world and the electronics world have brought affordable cinema-like experience to the average home. Vivid detailed images and clear enveloping sound deliver unprecedented immersive entertainment. But be warned! A big screen HDTV and a few speakers around the room falls way short!

So, what does it take? First, the design (or re-design) of the room: the physical dimensions, the placement of seating, speakers and screen, the acoustic treatments and the aesthetics and feel of the room. Second, the selection of equipment, its placement and set up. And finally, the calibration and tuning of the overall system.

The room:

This is a critical design element. Certain dimensions are favorable. One example would be 8 (H) X 20 (W) X 24 (L). Other “good” ratios are also in use, but always try to avoid square rooms – or even worse cube rooms. Bad room dimensions will cause different sound quality at different positions in the room (specifically at low frequencies). For example, some seats will hear a very deep guitar while others will hear a fluffy “light” guitar. None will hear the accurate realistic sound. (Note that position of seating area and position of subwoofers will both have similar effect).

But what if I’m working on an existing space that does not satisfy these requirements? Well, creativity and compromises are your answers. Sometimes we can build a wall that would shorten one dimension by a foot or so – just enough to make it sound better. Other times the use of acoustic treatments may reduce some of the undesired effects. In all cases, we would need to adjust seating and subwoofer positions depending on room dimensions. You will need to talk to a professional certified home theater designer.

Next, seating and speakers placement… stay tuned to my next blog.

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