Many people are opting to forego going out for an expensive movie theater date in favor of creating a cinematic experience in their very own home that can be experienced everyday. It is true that the initial cost of home theater installation and electronics can be quite substantial. However, if you enjoy going to the movies, it would be advantageous to have your own home theater.
Constructing a home theater can be quite a daunting task. It entails such weighty decisions as choosing a particular home theater design, deciding on a home theater projector, plasma or LCD flat screen TV, and purchasing a surround sound system. The two most important aspects when considering your home theater installation are the picture and sound. If you are currently contemplating the decision to purchase a television, such as plasma or LCD flat screen TV, or a projector for your new home theater design, you should consider the pros and cons of each before making a final decision.
Both a plasma and LCD flat screen television are similar to the screen on your laptop computer. They both have wonderful picture quality. However, the level and crispness of blacks and whites are not the greatest. LCD TVs are limited in size, where you would be able to obtain a larger picture with both plasma and projection TVs. Available flat panel models vary greatly in size. You have sizes that range from handheld up to 84”. The average size falls within the 20-42” inch range with the most common sizes being 26”, 32” and 42”. Most, if not all models that are smaller than 42” are LCD flat screen TVs. On the low end of estimates, you can expect to pay approximately $1000 for a 32” model, between $1500 to $2000 for a 42” model and well over $2000 for models 50” and over.
The width of plasma and LCD flat screen TVs make it easy for them to be mounted on a wall or even over your fireplace mantel. They are also easy to move from room to room without much effort. One advantage of using a LCD flat screen TV in home theater design is it enables the home to combine its television activities with its online, computer activities. LCD flat screen televisions are specifically designed to provide computer interactivity while doubling as a television.
If you want to capture the true feel of a cinematic experience, purchasing a home theater projector would be best for your home theater design. One important consideration when deciding on a projector in your home theater is ambient light. If you are choosing to install your home theater in a room with a lot of windows it can cause problems, as the light would degrade the image on the screen. The ideal location for a home theater when using a home theater projector is one where you can control the lighting. This can be accomplished by the use of blackout curtains or having your home theater in a room where there are no windows such as a basement or interior room.
One particular advantage of a home theater projector is the size of the screen. Projectors can produce images of 81” or larger. This is not possible with plasma or LCD flat screen televisions. However, your home theater would have to be fairly spacious to project such a large image from the projector to the screen.
In addition to the projector, it is necessary to purchase a screen. The quality of the image is dependent not only on the quality of the projector, but also the surface onto which the image is projected. A quality high definition projector would be wasted if the image were to be projected on an inexpensive $20 screen or on a wall. An equally high quality screen that has a matte finish to diminish both glare and reflection would be optimal.
If you have the space and the appropriate lighting scenario, a home theater projector is the best option for a true visual cinematic experience.