Deciding to set up a home cinema is an exciting project. Now that you’ve made the decision, you’re likely dreaming up what features you’ll add and how fun it’ll be to invite friends and family over for movie night. But before you get into any of that, you’ll need to go through some planning.
Building a home cinema can be complicated and expensive, so you need to plan things out methodically if you want your ideas to be a success. This article will give you insight and a few pointers on how to set yours up properly!
Choosing the Right Screen
Naturally, the most essential part of any home cinema is the screen, and the word ‘screen’ can mean many things. Fundamentally, you have either large TV screens or projector setups.
If you have a large room, projectors will offer the most authentic cinematic experience: you’ll need the projector itself and a retractable or fixed-frame screen. If you have a smaller space, a large TV screen can also work very nicely. If you go this route, it’s generally best to go with an OLED screen, as they can represent blacks the best, which works well in a low-light setting.
A good first step is to take some room measurements and dimensions and head to the home cinema subreddit to ask the community for help deciding which option would be best.
Installing Comfortable Seating
When building a home cinema, never compromise on comfort; it’s no good having a fantastic HD display if no one can sit through a film without backache!
There are cinema sofas, luxurious recliner seats, and even tiered seating if you want to be genuinely authentic. The choice is yours, but remember to measure everything properly first. You’ll need to take into account not only the width of the room but also your proximity to the screen.
Getting the Sound Right
Sound is extremely important for a home cinema and can often be the most complex element to get right. For the true cinema feel, you’ll want something that offers surround sound. A 5.1 or 7.1 system works best, and advanced systems like Dolby Atmos, which can create a more diverse soundscape than traditional surround sound, are great if you have the budget for them.
If you’re trying to do things more cheaply, there’s also the option of a sound bar. This will be essential anyway if you have a projector, as they don’t naturally output sound, but if you have a TV, they’re a big step up from the built-in speakers.
Wrapping Up
Home cinemas are great fun, and with so many different ways of designing them, you can really go in any direction you like. When you set up a home cinema, remember to take your time to research each individual element—things can get confusing quickly, but the elements in this list should point you in the right direction for building the movie-watching experience of your dreams.
