A look at how today’s homeowners are making home theaters the most popular room in the house!
Home theater used to be a high-end luxury. Today it’s found a home in virtually every neighborhood in America, as homes both old and new are getting theaters. It seems that everywhere you look, basements, garages, bedrooms and “bonus” rooms are being turned into home theater/media rooms. And lately, these rooms aren’t just for family movie viewing. They’ve become popular places for parties, showers, charitable events, and even business meetings.
The truth is, home theaters are so popular because they’re all about having fun! Special effects jump off the screen. Video games come alive. Music sounds spectacular. And relaxing in a luxurious home theater seat is a perfect reward at the end of a busy day. Plus families are staying closer to home for entertainment options. A walk down the hall beats driving to the Cineplex!
Convert Space? Or Start From Scratch?
Converting an existing room into a home theater––and doing most of the work yourself––is still the most popular approach. But in recent years, an entire industry has grown up around custom construction and installation. And many homebuilders now offer custom audio/video wiring packages, and often display a home theater room in their model homes.
A Solution for Every Budget
There’s an increasing tendency for homeowners to enhance their Home Theaters with leather movie-style seats, top-of-the-line screens or projectors, curtains and lighting controls, and other luxuries. But the good news is that advances in technology and manufacturing have made home theater components more affordable. Even those on a modest budget can buy a quality, up-to-date home theater system.
HOME THEATER TRENDS BY CATEGORY
Wander into a neighbor’s home theater today, and you might see a huge plasma TV on the wall, the latest DVD player, a 6.1 speaker system, and a high definition TV satellite receiver, all integrated through a computer processor and controlled
by a remote that resembles Spock’s pocket communicator. But that’s just one snapshot. Let’s look at a few highlights in video and audio gear.
Video Trends
Video displays are now capable of displaying high-definition video at the highest HDTV resolution: 1080 x 1920 pixels, progressive scanned. And while few signal sources supply that degree of resolution today, if your HDTV has it, you’re well prepared for the future. Plasma screens are getting bigger and remain popular, but the lighter weight, lower cost and improving picture quality of LCD screens make them today’s top sellers. Rear projection systems are also getting larger screens–– and better technology–– but remain behind LCD and plasma options.
Computers, Processors and Servers
Personal computers are playing an increasing role in the distribution and playback of home theater media content. Plus, many serious enthusiasts now use a dedicated video processor rather than rely on the video processing attributes inherent in the other components of their home theater system. Some even add a network-connected media server, a computer-like device with a big hard disk for storing and distributing music and video to a home theater or whole-house audio system.
Audio trends
Of all U.S. households that own a home theater system, more than 75% have true 5.1-channel or higher surround sound. That’s proof that Americans love great audio––and tend to make it a priority.
In fact, next-generation surround sound is already in stores, with A/V receivers that offer Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus, DTS-HD Master Audio, and DTS-HD High Resolution Audio. There’s growing compatibility with add-on components like iPods and other portable music players. Some new A/V receivers also feature built-in XM satellite radio. Simply hook up a satellite radio antenna, subscribe to the service, and tune in!
Cables
Home theater tech isn't just big screens and black boxes. It also includes the cables that transmit programming to various components. Today, the HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) is the cable of choice. This audio/video connector is designed to route an uncompressed digital signal to an HD-DVD player, personal computer, digital receiver, set-top box and video game console. With HDMI, you’re ready for
the high-definition world—as well as next-generation digital surround sound formats.
Accessories and Decor
For home theater décor, homeowners still choose darker colors like chocolate brown, deep blue and rich burgundy to minimize distractions during show time. Matte finish paint prevents light from the screen bouncing off the walls. And for wall decorations–– classic movie posters, anyone?––non-glare glass is a necessity.
Today’s blackout drapes––to block light from windows and doorways–– look just like normal drapes from inside the room, and let you use almost any fabric. Adding a remote-controlled drapery track is a smart trick for hard to reach windows.
If you’re really into the movie house theme, you can add lengths of velour rope stretching between brass posts. Old-fashioned soda and popcorn machines are tasteful additions, too. These items and more are all available from home theater supply houses found online.
Lighting Trends
The latest advances in residential lighting can enhance your home theater’s ambiance, providing greater convenience as well as impressive special effects. Updating a home theater with an advanced wiring system or home automation system is becoming more popular. Home automation systems give you fingertip control of everything from lighting to shades, and from drapes to room temperature.
Seating Trends
Home theater seating has come a long way in the past decade. Today’s plush theater recliners are specifically designed to keep you relaxed and comfortable
from the opening title to the closing credits. You’ll find conveniences like lighted
cup holders, pop-out armrests, hidden storage and tray tables, and power recline. Wedge-shaped side tables let you create curved rows that optimize viewing. And for a full immersion theater experience, look for built-in “butt kicker” audio enhancers that let you actually feel the excitement on the screen through your recliner!
Putting It All Together
We’ve given you a quick look at how today’s home theaters are planned, equipped and decorated. To wrap up, let’s see how folks are making it all come together.
While home theater installation is still largely a DIY endeavor, many homeowners hire professional contractors to help them create a custom room. This is an excellent idea if you have a generous budget, or are making an addition on to your home. As for the electronic components, specialized home theater designer/installers will come and set the whole system up. Décor challenged? Many interior designers are adding theater and media room design to their list of room specialties.
What’s ahead for home theater? Plenty! As the technology evolves, look for new components hitting the shelves at every price point and level of sophistication. But one trend is certain. Home theater popularity will continue to grow by leaps and bounds!