Now that platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ and HBO have become popular, the best alternative to watching movies is to set up a home theater. Doing it is quite simple, as we will demonstrate shortly, and gives you the opportunity to Enjoy the big screen from the comfort of your home.
Going to the movies can certainly be quite enjoyable, but hosting your own movie at home is on another level. You won't have to share with strangers, you'll be able to monitor the progress of the movie, and even better, you'll have a personalized food and drink menu. If you want to reap all of these benefits, all you have to do is follow a few steps to set up your own home theater.
1. The projector comes first
The most essential thing when it comes to set up a home theater is to have a good projector and the first factor you should consider when purchasing one is the resolution. As a general rule, this cannot go below 1080p; lower quality will result in a blurry projection. Despite this, we recommend not staying at 1080p and instead opting for a 2K (1440p) or 4K (2400p) resolution, which are more suitable for large projection. For example, the resolution of the projector is 1080p. difference between 1080p and 4K are abysmal.
Also, we recommend you have Beware of projectors that “accept” 4K, 2K, etc. These devices certainly support the resolution promised by the seller, however, some are not able to preserve the original video quality during projection.
Instead, the projector may only convert your HD movie to a lower resolution. To avoid ending up purchasing the wrong product, we suggest verify that the projection resolution is equal to the accepted video quality.
Another important measure is the projector's brightness, which is measured in ANSI lumens, with a minimum of 1,500 recommended for darkened theaters. 2,000 lumens is a convenient choice if the theater will be dimly lit, and if you plan to set up your theater in a naturally lit location, a projector that reaches or exceeds 3,000 lumens is a must.
Like these, there are many other crucial features that you should consider when buying a good projector. Here are our guides to buying the best projectors:
And why choose a projector and not a TV?
If you're wondering why you shouldn't just buy a TV, here are some reasons why. A projector is the best choice when setting up a home theater:
- Bigger size: With a projector you can show your movies on screens larger than 100 inches without any major difficulties. On the other hand, televisions rarely reach this screen size, and when they do they are usually quite expensive.
- It takes up less space: You will only need the projector and the projection screen, which take up much less space and can be transported without much difficulty.
- More affordable: A projector costs considerably less than a Smart TV. Plus, you can buy a high-end one without having to pay an excessive price.
2. Get the screen to project
The next element you need to rely on to set up a home theater is a good screen to project your movies on. We tend to think that a white wall is enough, but the truth is that it doesn't compare to the image quality, brightness, and sharpness that a white screen offers. projection screen designed especially for this purpose.
When choosing a screen, the most important thing to consider is that the gain should be as close to zero as possible. If the gain were lower or higher, we would get more brightness in the central part, so the audience at the ends of the home theater will have a hard time seeing the feature.
Also, we must Consider whether this screen can be rolled up and transported. to another location or, on the contrary, it is permanently installed on the wall. Both work equally, although with the first, we can move our cinema to another room or even outside the house without much difficulty.
3. Set up a good sound system
Since we have covered the entire audiovisual part, it is time to talk about speakers, since You will need a decent sound system for the audience to enjoy. The basic option here is the sound bars, which, although you cannot expect the best sound quality, are at least a superior option to the speakers that are already integrated in some projectors. Or if you want to go to the highest level, acquire a home cinema 5.1 to feel total immersion.
Still, you can opt for some good ones headphones for watching movies and series, which, like home cinema, will take the experience to higher levels.
Sound bars vs. home cinema (surround sound)
While sound bars are sufficient for a small audience, if we have a large family, we want to invite several people or we are demanding with audiovisual quality, The most convenient option is a surround sound system, which consists of several speakers arranged in a specific pattern.
The most common surround sound system in home theaters is 5.1, in which we place a subwoofer in the center, two speakers in front and two in the back. There are also 7.1 and 9.1 sound systems that offer greater immersion, but they are not essential for setting up a good home theater.
4. Installing a home theater
During the installation process, Your greatest ally will be the instruction manual projector and your surround sound system or sound bar. However, we can tell you in advance that you will need an HDMI cable to connect your PC or laptop to the projector, although this will most likely be included with the product.
- If you chose the sound bars Like your audio devices, you can connect this via HDMI only if the projector has an HDMI ARC port or you have an adapter to separate the audio from the video. Other options include RCA cables, mini-jack and even Bluetooth in some models.
- If you chose surround sound, all speakers must be connected to the TV receiver using a speaker cable. Please note that this is not usually included with the product.
Now, the arrangement of all these components depends entirely on your preferences. You can place the projector hanging from the ceiling (preferably) or you can place it on a high base so that it is close to the ceiling as well.
One tip to keep in mind is to install the screen after the projector, as it is much easier to move this component in case its location does not coincide with the projection.
5. Furniture for the home theater
Finally, the last step to finish setting up your home theater is furnish everything so that the filmmakers are comfortable. These can range from armchairs and seats to rugs, blankets and cushions; this varies depending on the atmosphere you want to achieve. We also recommend having a table to place food and drinks on.