Going to the movies without leaving home will be one of the great goals of many users from now on. Because the big premieres will have to be lived in a different way than we did until now. So let’s talk about how to create or what you need to improve in your current setup for a home theater experience .
The experience of going to the cinema
I r a film is more than just enjoy a large screen and audio system made by several speakers. It really is a social act in which everything counts, like that previous time before entering the room, the initial trailers, the popcorn and that conversation after seeing the film with the person who accompanied you or with friends who have also seen it. What’s more, even displacement can have its appeal.
Of course this is all a matter of taste. For some, in addition to all of the above, it is one of the few places where they really focus on what they want to do, watch the movie, and manage to forget about other distractions such as mobile notifications or getting up from the sofa several times. any. While for others, between the time it will take them to arrive at the cinema and being subject to certain schedules, they directly rule out the possibility of going and look for other options.
Among those other options is to build your home theater. An idea that is not bad at all to bear in mind, especially now that, given the current situation, going to the cinema will be more complex. Because many rooms remain closed, others will not reopen and those that did are offering a different experience, less comfortable in some ways. So we are going to focus on how to get the best home theater experience.
Home theater
Nowadays, taking into account the drop in price that large inch screens have suffered, anyone could say that they already have a home theater. In addition, thanks to smart TV platforms or devices such as Chromecast, Fire TV, Apple TV or consoles such as Xbox One or PS4, among others, it is easy to access a multitude of services with thousands of movies and series.
Of course, having a large screen and one of these devices with access to Netflix, Disney +, HBO, etc., does not guarantee a movie experience or the best movie experience . So let’s see how you can create, upgrade or remodel your home theater system from scratch.
The screen
If you have a television with a considerable number of inches, little more to say. For example, 65 or 75 inches is already a good size, but you can always go a little further and you may be interested in the idea of even having a projector for those more special contents.
Thanks to the use of a projector it is easy to have a 100 ″ diagonal whenever you want without disturbing the rest of the time during which you are not seeing anything. It may seem the opposite, but it really is very useful and practical if when you sit down to watch content what you do most is watch movies and series. Because for other content such as videos on social networks, a sports event and things like news you can see them on your mobile device, computer or small TV that you have at home.
When choosing a projector, you can choose very simple models or go to models capable of reproducing and displaying content in 4K resolution . Since you are going to invest, our advice would be to do it for one of these models.
These three proposals are high-end models, capable of projecting images at 4K resolution (there are more interesting models with 1080p resolution ) and where the level of brightness or luminance is not a problem when used in somewhat brighter environments. Although the advice is always to do it by controlling as much as possible every possible light source that exists in the room and especially the natural light that can enter through the windows.
Lastly, although it is not 100% necessary, if you do not have a good surface on which to project the image, the projection screens help to achieve better contrast, eliminate possible reflections or bounces of light – by absorbing it better – and, in general, they give a better quality. Even those black frames help to better focus attention.
The price of projection screens has dropped significantly and being roll-up they don’t always have to be visible. What’s more, you can remove and place them only when you need to. Although if you find a way to always leave them in place without harming the decoration, even better. What’s more, even special paint for projection surfaces.
Sound
The sound of the cinema is special , especially if you go to a room with the latest in audio technology. And we don’t just say it because of the volume and the use of multiple speakers, some rooms already allow you to enjoy the Dolby Atmos experience and all that comes with using spatial sound.
At home you can also do it. It is true that then depending on the content you will enjoy or not that higher quality and unique experience, but if you use a good system you will quickly appreciate how the experience improves.
Nowadays there are very interesting sound bars if you do not want to go around putting speakers around you as usual some years ago with 5.1 and even 7.1 systems. Anyway, if your idea is to create a home theater room, it’s worth doing. Because playing with algorithms and sound projection to emulate that immersive experience will never be the same as having exactly audio emitters at each point.
Any of the above solutions will allow you to enjoy your movies and series even more. The most attractive option may be the Sonos Beam for price and options. Although if you like what the manufacturer does you can also look at the Sonos Arc, but it is more expensive.
Also don’t forget that if you don’t want to disturb other people who live with you or your neighbors, you can also use headphones. If you choose that option, they are models that offer a good quality, such as the Bose 700 , Sony WH-1000XM3 and even the AirPods Pro thanks to the new update that will arrive shortly with support for 360 sound.
Extras that enhance the experience
Along with these image and sound enhancements there is something you can still do to enhance the experience. The first will be your choice and consists of looking for a good seat. Your current sofa, an armchair or any other option where you can sit comfortably. The second is related to lighting.
It is true that in the cinema we enjoy the film in the dark, with no more light than the one that bounces off the screen and those small points of the emergency lights. At home you can do the same, but it is also very interesting what Philps has been offering for years with his Ambilight .
Without having an Ambilight television, Pihlips Hue bulbs and especially Play Light Bar are ideal. If you combine them with the new Philips Hue Sync Box even better, because they allow you to synchronize the lighting with the content you are playing. This means that it adapts intensity and color to what is displayed on the screen.
If you do not want to make the investment that the whole set implies, having a few RGB smart bulbs will also suffice. It is true that you will not have the dynamism that automatic change offers, but it does help to have a soft light, sometimes colored, when viewing the content. So keep that in mind.
Live the cinema without leaving home
The idea of living the cinema without leaving home is well accepted by all of us, but sometimes we do not finish giving it that final touch or see if we indeed have the best option according to our needs and budgets. So we hope this works for you.
Logically, it is also important that you take into account practical aspects such as image calibration itself and how the furniture and position of the speakers affect the sound experience.
