WHAT’S INCLUDED IN A HOME CINEMA SETUP?
If you’re even just a little curious about installing a home cinema, you might be wondering, “what’s included?” As films become more accessible through streaming services, more and more people are opting to stay at home for a more personal cinema experience. In order to deliver this, a home cinema needs to have certain features. Here’s what you can expect when you choose to have a home cinema setup.
HOME CINEMA SPEAKERS
For a home cinema project, your everyday standard speakers just won’t do. We’re talking about the same quality audio systems you’d expect in commercial cinemas. These are the speakers that will give you the cinema experience you deserve.
These high-quality speakers will then be installed around the cinema room to bring you a commercial-grade surround sound experience. Provided the architecture allows it, you’ll be able to feel the sound moving around and behind you along with the vibrations.
These speakers can even be concealed within the walls, as with the other equipment, to save space and provide a smooth, seamless interior design.
SOUNDPROOF WALLS
Ever wonder how the halls of your local commercial cinema are so quiet, yet you still feel immersed in the film from the sound and vibrations it causes? It’s because of soundproofing.
Soundproof walls mean that you can enjoy and experience your favourite films the way you really want, without having to worry about neighbours complaining or disturbing others in the house. It’s ideal for those late-night movies or if you’re in a quiet neighbourhood.
For our recent lockdown home cinema project, soundproofing was highly important for the client. We created a room within a room, which was double boarded and ply lined which delivered a high level of soundproofing.
CINEMA PROJECTOR
To deliver the high-quality cinema experience you know and love, you’ll need a high-performance projector that can deliver HD, UltraHD or 4K visuals. You may even want a projector that can deliver a 3D experience – just don’t forget your glasses!
We installed a JVC X9 projector in a Tron-themed cinema room project that delivered a 3D experience alongside 2D capability. Complete with surround sound, the 3D picture is completely enveloping. You could very easily forget where you are whilst immersed in the on-screen action.
CINEMA SCREENS
A cinema projector works best when used in conjunction with a dedicated cinema screen. A plain wall is not ideal as you’ll lose a lot of the quality. Projector screens are designed to display every single detail of the projection. Thanks to their special coating, they’re able to easily display HD and UltraHD as if it were a TV.
You can choose to have these screens built into the wall permanently as a fixed frame or have them drop from the ceiling when needed, by remote control. Fixed frame projector screens tend to offer higher quality because they don’t need to be rolled up and stored away.
HOME CINEMA LIGHTING
Alongside the big high definition screen and immersive audio, lighting is also a huge part of the cinematic experience. It’s what sets the atmosphere and can create excitement before the film starts. With a home cinema, you can set your own atmosphere, changing the colours as you wish, as well as complement the interior design of the room.
When linked to a smart home control, the lights can be programmed as part of the experience. For example, you could program the lights to dim when the film starts or create a light sequence for when you pause or end the film, so that you can see properly.
It’s also important for a cinema room to limit the amount of natural light. Our cinema rooms are normally designed without windows or with blackout blinds to ensure no external light ruins the ambience and the cinema experience.
HOME CINEMA SEATING
A cinema is never complete without appropriate seating. A cinema is meant to be enjoyed comfortably so that you can be fully immersed in the action on screen and a home cinema should be no exception. And what’s best about home cinema seating is that you can choose the type of seating you want. If you like individual reclining seats, you can choose to have those. If you’d prefer sofas, you can opt for this instead, provided there is room. Let’s not forget the style and material is your choice too!
When we work on home cinemas, we take into account the location of the seating to ensure each seat will get the best viewing experience possible, which may require the installation of tiered seating as you’d expect to see in commercial theatres.
FINISHING TOUCHES
Some of our clients like to take the home cinema experience a step further and add a couple of finishing touches. Some people decide to have their own fridge installed for quick access to drinks or their own popcorn machines for a bit of added authenticity.
Others may want to create a theme for their home cinemas. This was the case when working on a Star Wars themed cinema in Manchester. Alongside a high-quality audiovisual system, we decorated the room with Star Wars memorabilia and installed lighting in the ceiling to give the illusion of stars in the night sky.
EXAMPLES OF HOME CINEMA ROOMS
Each cinema room is unique and will say a lot about the person or family using it. When working on the Saw Tooth Cinema in Leeds, the client wanted a room different from the rest of the house. Situated in the basement, the cinema room had to give a warm and cosy feel as well as accommodate 8 people.
We offered a full turnkey solution, which involved soundproofing the walls and saw tooth ceiling, as well as concealing the high-quality B&W CT and CW series in-wall speakers. These were specified in full 7.4.2 Atmos configuration in conjunction with an Arcam processor, Rotel amplification and artnovian acoustic treatments, to deliver powerful and immersive surround sound.
The cinema was fitted with a 4K projector and connected to TV, Blu-ray and streaming services. To achieve a relaxed and cosy feel, we added daybed style lounging alongside more formal seating, with matching fabric.
Aside from being incredibly happy with the room, the client’s cinema room itself was shortlisted for several industry awards.
However, sometimes there isn’t always a full basement or spare room to convert into a cinema. There have been situations where we’ve had to make the most of the space we have. For an attic cinema, the client required both a cinema room and a lobby area in the attic. Whilst the room was long, it was relatively thin with a low ceiling.
We were able to install tiered seating which meant up to 6 people could enjoy the home cinema. Due to the size and shape of the room, we also installed the projector and subwoofers into the rear walls, so that they were concealed from view. This allowed for a larger screen at the front and maximum seating space.
INCLUDE WHAT YOU WANT
Whilst all cinema rooms require screens, audio, lighting and everything else, you can also add your own things to the list if you wish. At the end of the day, the home cinema will likely be yours for many years to come, so you need to make sure it’s got everything you need – whether that’s a small room with the largest screen possible or a cinema with a particular theme you like. The best thing about a bespoke home cinema is that it is uniquely yours.
