Building a Great Home Theatre System: Going to the movies is such an awesome thing to do. Whether you are looking to spend some time out of your hectic work life, or watching the latest movies at the cinema, seeing a movie does help you a lot.
And for someone who wants to spend quality time with family, the costs can add up overtime. From splurging on candy and popcorn to buying drinks, you could end up spending a lot of money at the theatre.
This is why you should consider setting up a home theatre. And no, you don’t need to be a celebrity or some Hollywood bigwig before you do this. You can build a great home theatre system without breaking a bank.
In this guide, we walk you through the process of setting up your first home theatre system. We bet that you will like the excitement when you have friends, family members and colleagues visiting you and binge-watching some classic movies at your home.
First things first – let us learn how to build this great theatre system in your home.
What Type of System do You want?
The first thing you want to do is to decide on the type of home theatre system you want. You may not need a full system if all you need is impeccable audio to play your sound.
If that were the case, you want to buy a soundbar that comprises a subwoofer and a pair of speakers.
However, you should consider buying a system that can combine both audio and TV, if you want to have a full cinematic experience at home.
With that being said, let us now consider some of the important items you need to buy to build a great home theatre system.
1. Invest in the Right Sound System
The first thing you want to do is to buy the right sound system. This is because the system is as important as the screen and or projector. The sound system is always built to replace the multiple speaker design of the traditional theatre.
Your goal is to pick a ready-to-use surround system that provides crisp audio quality from different sources. These sources include but are not limited to speakers to the side, front and back of the theatre.
Factors to Consider when Choosing the Speakers
These are some of the factors you want to have in mind when speaker-shopping for your home theatre system:
- Sensitivity: This has to do with the efficiency of the speaker. The sensitivity helps to specify how reliable the speakers can be and this is measured in decibels (dB). As a rule of thumb, you want to pick a speaker that has a higher decibel.
- Frequency: The frequency response has to do with the frequency ranges that can be produced by the speaker. Ideally, the speaker should have a wider range, which the speaker to provide better frequencies.
- Impedance: Most speakers rely on receivers to work perfectly. The impedance rating of the speakers (rated in ohms) helps to make this reliance less dependent and more compatible. As a general rule, speakers that have up to 8-ohms impedance can work with most receivers than the 4-ohm speakers would.
2. Go for Bigger Screens
The next thing you want to shop for is the screen. Most of the time, theatre goers are torn between big and smaller screens, but big screens win most of the time.
A larger screen size helps to deliver the content in wider dimensions, while making it possible for viewers from different parts of the room to see the action as it happens.
Factors to Consider when Choosing the Theatre Screen
Things can be a bit tricky when choosing the screen size for the theatre. When the size is considered, it is not just about the dimensions.
The resolutions of the screen, the lighting, as well as the distance from where you are to the screen are also considered.
- Viewing Distance: This is the length or distance between your sitting position and the location where the screen for the theatre is placed. As a rule of thumb, you want to stick to the recommended 14.5 feet viewing distance for a 70-inch HDTV, and up to 2.5 times the screen diagonal for a 1080-pixel HDTV.
- Screen Resolutions: The quality of movies is increasing by the day, especially with the introduction of newer screen resolutions. We are already past the days of full High Definition (HD). Today, the focus is mostly on the screen resolutions between 4K and 8K. The 4K screen resolution is one of the most popular.
Between TV and Projector: Which Should You Choose?
Should you buy a television or just get a projector for your home theatre system? The choice always has to do with the number of persons to use the room, as well as the seating distance.
For some persons, a projector is a great choice because they rely on this to get more screen coverage. With a projector, you can be confident that the project can produce larger screen sizes, up to 300 inches.
However, for most people, TVs are the best option. You can always stick to televisions with a screen resolution of 65-inch, 75-inch and as high as 85-inch. With a television (especially the smart model), you can enjoy Smart TV functions, excellent picture quality and lots of other features.
Pick the Right Media Source
You need somewhere to play the sounds from the movies. That is where the media source comes in. You want to pick a media source that does not only support multiple screen resolutions, but also offers several streaming options.
The ideal media source should:
- Have multichannel sound.
- Deliver several resolutions, especially the 4K resolution.
- Support multiple streaming options.
- Have HDR content.
Final Words
Choosing the right items for your home theatre system is not limited to the media source, screen resolution and the sound system.
You also want to consider the seating/placement so you can have a comfortable viewing angle for the screen.
The TV mount is also worth considering, as it helps to hold the television in place on top of the wall.
Likewise, installing dimmable lights helps to create that cinematic experience, while a universal remote helps you to switch from audio to TV in real-time.
