How to Set Up a Home Theater

At a Glance:

Why You Should Get a Home Theater

Your Home Theater Budget

Home Theater Design

Equipment for Your Home Theater

What Does Home Theater Installation Entail?

Find a Certified Home Theater Installer Near You

Why You Should Get a Home Theater

Going to the movie theater used to be the only way to experience a movie the way the studio intended; however, those who have taken the time, resources, and space to put in a home theater setup have found just how great it is to enjoy theater-caliber sound and picture right in the comfort of their homes. On top of that, since the beginning of last year, many movie theaters across the country have been closed (and may not have re-opened.) Meaning, we just really don't have any indication of when widespread Hollywood movie releases will once again be back on track, so this means it may be time to consider bringing that traditional theater experience home.

Combine these factors with the convenience and increase in the availability of video-on-demand movies, plus the never-ending list of streaming services, and the timing is impeccable for in-home movie watching. On top of providing the highest quality of movie viewing, home theaters also are fantastic for watching:

• Sporting events
• Gaming (the kids will love this one)
• TV shows

Your Home Theater Budget

Before we get into how to set up a home theater, consider how much you want to spend. Do you want a home theater that has a huge high-definition screen television and a Blu-Ray player, or do you want an entire room with the works, including surround-sound speakers and a projector? You can maximize your viewing experience if you spend a little or a lot — it all just depends on your personal preference.

When installing your home theater, your budget should account for:

• Equipment
• Installation
• Service and support

Home Theater Design

Home theaters are becoming increasingly popular with new technologies, allowing you to design and personalize the lighting, sound, seating, and other features of the room — maximizing the entire experience.

Home Theater Lighting

To embody the true spirit of the theater, you’ll want your room to have as little ambient light as possible because more light reduces your ability to see the content. With that being said, adding accent lighting can help minimize eye fatigue, while rope lighting will improve the ambiance, and even better, having it all controlled by the same automation system will help make it easy to push one button and have audio and video set up perfectly and ready to go.

Home Theater Sound

Speaking of audio, a dedicated home theater should be a room that’s optimized to provide the best sound possible. For this reason, it’s a good idea to invest in the best quality audio components like sound reflectors, diffusers, and bass traps to improve the acoustics in your home theater as well as your overall movie-watching experience.

Home Theater Furniture

Once the lights and sound are taken care of, it’s time to figure out which furniture arrangement to outfit your home theater with. Seating is one of, if not the most, important elements of an enjoyable home-theater experience. Tiered systems are great options that imitate a sloped theater so that everyone can view the screen, and you’ll certainly want to place seats far enough away so that viewers are not overwhelmed by the screen size. There are many options available for materials and design to ensure everyone has a comfortable seat in the house, and with features such as USB charging and built-in LED lights, your seating experience could be much better than an actual movie theater’s.

 

Equipment for Your Home Theater

Now that you know what you’ll need in order to create the most comfortable and efficient home theater, it’s time to break down the real important stuff ― all of the equipment necessary to keep the action rolling. And when it comes to home theater equipment, we carry some of the best brands available on the market.

Home Theater Screen or Projector

Building out your own home theater can easily deliver a quality movie watching experience that rivals, and in some ways, surpasses that of a movie theater. Whether it’s a mirror TV over the bar, a giant screen and projector, or a flat panel TV that can completely disappear behind artwork, there are many options available to take your viewing experience to the next level.

With a projection screen, you can easily get that large screen size you’re used to watching movies on, and with advances in picture quality like 8K and High-Dynamic Range (HDR), you'll be blown away with the picture quality you can get at home with the right setup. Traditional televisions can only go so big before they get expensive, but with a quality home projector screen, the size is only limited by your space.

Home Theater Surround Sound

A great home theater is only as good as its sound quality, and that’s why when it comes to your audio choice, it’s crucial to make sure the surround sound works perfectly with your space. Larger speakers are always better so they can handle the dynamic range typically found with movies or sports, and really deliver that impactful emphasis. These speakers are available in floor standing and built-in —both of which can hide behind wall treatments or the right type of projector screen.

What Does Home Theater Installation Entail?

When having a home theater installation done by our experts, we like to stick to a unique, hands-on process to help deliver the best experience possible for your home. Let us break it down for you:

Consultation

We have consultants readily available to visit your home and evaluate your proposed home theater area and make recommendations on home entertainment products or custom installation solutions. We’ll also work with you to come up with a date and time that works with your individual schedule.

System Design and Engineering

After meeting with one of our consultants, we’ll go to work designing technology systems for your home theater to address your needs. During this step, we create a comprehensive design that includes a scope of work, detailed proposal, rough-in plan, and other schematics needed to complete the job. Through this process, we’re often collaborating with the builder and other trades to ensure the design incorporates the latest information and to give the other trades anything they require to complete their work as well.

Project Management

Once we’ve determined a realistic scope of work and created the design documentation that will support the installation, our project management team will coordinate with your build team and various trades working in your home to understand everyone's preferences. They'll communicate with our internal teams and vendor partners to facilitate the completion of the work done on time and to make sure everything is on budget.

Installation and Programming

Making sophisticated technology easy and simple to use for any user requires advanced work on the back end. Putting all the parts and pieces together for smart technology and integrated systems need to be executed with skill, precision, and some finesse. Each system speaks a different language, but our programmers translate everything together so it speaks one language and can be controlled easily. Our programmers balance the technical know-how with the human element, so it's easy to use ― no matter who has the remote.

Service and Support

With today’s technology changing so rapidly, it’s important to not just choose a provider that can help you effectively identify your needs today, but a provider that will be there to offer the best service and support for the life of your home theater. Our team values your business and will be here to help answer any questions you may have about your new setup along the way or to possibly recommend upgrades as they become available to your existing arrangement.

Find a Certified Home Theater Installer Near You

Whether you’re looking to get started with your home theater setup ideas or want to upgrade your current space, AV Design Consultants is is the #1 trusted home theater installation service in the Springdale, AR area. Give us a call today at 479-365-2201 or visit us in person to learn more about our products and services.  

If we’re a little out of reach from your location, the best way to find a trusted home theater installer is by searching for a CEDIA-certified technology integrator near you. The Custom Electronics Design and Installation (CEDIA) group is the official certifying organization for residential automation and smart technology integrators.

Our Home Theater Experts - Meet the Author

Meet Justin Dysart

• 19 Years of Home Audio & Home Automation Experience
• Certified with Control4, Lutron, Paradigm, and RTI

Justin has been with AV Design for over 6 years. He has over 19 years of cumulative experience in A/V and home automation. He holds certifications from many manufacturers: including Savant, Control 4, Lutron, Paradigm, RTI, and others. Justin’s many years of experience come from not only programming home automation systems and networks but also troubleshooting them. He enjoys the challenge of creating a system that not only functions great but is also reliable and easy to use. We very much appreciate his wealth of knowledge and availability as a resource to our clients!