HOME THEATRE DESIGN & INSTALLATION
What is Home Theatre and why do you even want it? Well, it’s pretty simple. Home Theatre gives you the ability to watch sports and movies in particular the way the director intended you to see it. Whether that is with screen size/ratio or speaker channels giving you the full range and effect imagined in the studio. It’s about giving you the experience that you are in the movie or at the game – not as an outsider but as a participant. Home Theatre is bringing that experience to life.
From a professionally mounted TV & soundbar in the living room, to a full multichannel surround sound system with an automated projector screen – Home Theatre will take your family movie nights and Super Bowl parties to the next level.
Home Theatre Design
What we have learned over the the 20 years we have been installing Home Theatre systems is that most customers really don’t know where to start. Most customers don’t know how much it will cost and they don’t know how it works but they love watching movies/sports and would love a better viewing experience in their home.
Many try to wire/install it themselves and many have electricians do it for them. The problem for most is that because they don’t know how/why home theatre works they often wire incorrect locations, assume wireless would be a better option when it may not be, and don’t think of future technology/potential upgrades.
At Cactus Audio Video Unlimited we have experienced and professional CEDIA trained home theatre designers & installers. We know how to get the best sound and video for your room and we know how to make it look like that picture you saw in a magazine.
Trust Cactus Audio Video Unlimited to give you the experience you and your family always dreamed of.
TV or Projector?
Both Televisions and Projectors have their pros and cons when used in a home theatre system. There are several questions that will help determine which is the right choice for your space. What is the size of the room, and how many people will be watching? How much ambient light is in the space? A dedicated theatre room that can be easily darkened will favor a projector, whereas a living room with lots of ambient light and wanting to use the system in the daytime will lean more towards a TV.
Screens are available that can be used with full ambient lighting but they do come with a price tag. Customers would mostly choose this option for entertaining guests during sporting events where you don’t want to sit in the dark.
Wired or Wireless?
Many people believe that we’re done with wire because wireless has arrived. There seems to be no wires, it’s convenient and it looks so very clean.
Well, as much as wireless has helped us get speakers and components into places we may never thought we could before – it still requires wire. For power that is. And it requires technology – technology that will one day be obsolete. You know what won;t go obsolete? Wired speakers. If you invest in good quality speakers and treat the well, they can last you a lifetime. Yes, the technology that powers them may have to change but that won’t require and re-design of the room.
We always recommend that if you can wire it – do it.
How Many Speakers?
The main factors to consider when determining how many speakers to have in your home theatre system is the size of the room and your budget. Generally, the larger the room, the more speakers you can accommodate. That being said, when working within a budget, most audio enthusiasts would agree that the quality of your equipment takes precedence over having a large number of lower quality surround speakers.
Another important factor to consider is the source of the videos you are watching, and what surround sound capabilities are supported. Bluray still offers the best quality audio but streaming services are heavily reliant on the streaming source and your internet speed. An 11.1 channel system for example would not be utilized to its full potential if the majority of your viewing is with a streaming device.
How Much?
When discussing budgets we normally start by asking “What is the absolute most you would consider spending on this project?” We don’t ask this question because we want to know how much money we can bilk out of our customers but simply because you can spend virtually infinite amount of money on home theatre and still not have it “all”.
There are many factors in detrermining a budget for home theatre; Picture size and type, Audio System, Wiring, equipment rack/shelving, automation/control, lighting, wall treatments, furniture, final cosmetics. Everything adds up QUICK so the better idea we have on what you want to spend will better allow us to make recommendations on levels of quality, number of speaker channels, overall screen size and how we can leave it ready for potential upgrades in the future.
In-Wall or On-Wall?
There isn’t really a performance difference in deciding to go with in-wall vs. cabinet speakers but there definitely can be a budget issue. Cabinet speakers are a much larger “bang for your buck”. However, they sure don’t look as sleek and pretty in your fancy new room.
There is one thing an in-wall speaker can give you vs. a cabinet speaker. Using an acoustically transparent projection screen, we can position your front channel speakers in behind the projection screen much like at the large scale cinemas. This allows the voice to come directly out of the picture for the ultimate movie experience.
Room Size?
No room is too small nor is it too big! Most people already have a room in mind when deciding on a home theatre installation but if you’re starting from scratch, consider how many people you want to enjoy the show and work you’re way out from there. We would be happy to help!
