Home Theater Guide

Welcome to Global Home Theater Systems. This site will provide you with all the information you need on setting up your home theater system, and what models and products will be perfect for you. Whether you are looking for simple projection and speaker systems, or advanced 3D technology and a complete cinema experience, you will find all the information and advice you need to make the best decision.

The last decade has seen consumer trends veer towards something more than just a television set. Now that we can watch almost anything we like where we like, on things like laptops, tablets and smart-phones, having a boring old television in the corner is becoming less and less justifiable. So, if people are to buy dedicated home entertainment equipment these days, for a little extra thought and cash home theater systems are well within reach. This has been helped along by advances in LCD and plasma technology, alongside high definition output, and these have quickly overshadowed the old dominance of CRT's, and now that flat panels are no longer astronomical in price, there are real options available to be more adventurous with your home entertainment.

Why Global Home Theaters?

This site has everything covered, including AV receivers, speakers, television (LCD , LED and plasma), projector systems and projector screens, furniture and décor, DVD players, Blu-ray players and games consoles. There are also helpful articles which explain the differences between different systems, what you should be looking for, and what further ideas can compliment your system.

The Basics

A home theater or home cinema is the technological set up of audio and visual equipment, and all of the additional furniture and luxuries, which provide a movie theater experience as close to the real thing as possible.

Investing in home theater is different to a simple television investment because with home theater you are looking for a great audio and video experience that gives you pleasure akin to theater going but in the comfort of your own home.

The Benefits of Home Cinema

When you go to the cinema to watch a new release, the impact of the film is vastly superior to a standard television. We are living in a modern world and you would be surprised just how close an experience to the real thing you can enjoy at home.

The first obvious benefit to home cinema is the size of the screen. Larger widescreen pictures are far superior to standard screen sizes, as they enhance the realism of the film, and engross you much more thoroughly. Widescreen holds many benefits of standard aspect ratios, and allow you to see more inside the frame, especially for widescreen releases (the current standard) and sports programs.

You might think that the audio is not as important as the visuals, but you would be wrong. A home cinema audio system is designed to provide much higher quality sound than you find in standard televisions, and is commonly surround sound. You should consider nothing less than surround sound if you are serious, and current formats like 5.1 surround (five speakers and one subwoofer) amongst others provide the heavy bass and the 360 sound definition needed to immerse you in exciting films, television and sport.

There are many different media options, and you are able to connect DVD and Blu-Ray players, satellite and cable systems, games consoles, computers, and other forms of home entertainment. Furniture, accessories and decorations add the all important atmosphere and sense of occasion.

What Do You See at the Cinema?

The movie industry these days primarily uses the 35mm film format, and it is this format you will see in the theaters, and although it was first introduced in the late 19th century, it has remained the international standard for over a hundred years, thanks to its versatility, and the balance in the cost of the film stock and the image quality. You may have been lucky enough to revel in the image maximum (or simply IMAX), which is a film format with much greater size than 35mm, and gives much greater image quality.

You might ask what is the resolution of film formats like 35mm so you can get the same in your home cinema? Well this is where you might appear foolish, since while these days the resolution is what everyone talks about when it comes to television sets, the 35mm film you see in the cinema (like all film formats) has a continuous image in all 3 directions. It does not have the digital resolution that we are familiar with, although you can quantify special frequency of details in the image using analysis techniques so that it can be compared to digital. The difference between film and digital TV is the same as analogue and digital photography.

The audio that you get at the cinema is just as impressive as the film, and the vast majority of films are shot in a dual video/audio process, where the audio is recorded separately to a recording device, and then synced up to the video post production. In the realm of sound there are three primary digital sound systems; Sony Dynamic Digital Sound (SDDS), Dolby Digital and Digital Theater Systems (DTS). Digital sound began its life with DTS and the film 'Jurassic Park', and since then digital sound-on-film formats have become the standard.

The technology you enjoy at the cinema is obviously out of reach for most home theater buyers, and the range of different technologies and products is as varied as cinema technology itself, so it helps to research as much into the subject as possible before you make any choices.

Important Considerations

You should spend time to carefully consider the different options available to you, depending on the size of your room, your personal preferences, and your budget. You may be looking for a condensed home cinema package, or at the other end of the spectrum a large projector system and audio system, complete with all the exponent luxuries like cinema seats and popcorn machines. Things that you should specifically consider, and are covered by this website include:

• • Budget – Before you make any choices, you should decide how much you are willing to spend overall. As with all things you get what you pay for, and will certainly notice where the extra money goes if you decide to splash out, but you will also be surprised how much you can get for relatively little.
• • Technology and brand – Branding is not everything, but purchasing from well established and reputable brands is always a safer bet then going with a less well known brand, even if they do prove costlier. There is also a lot of choice when technology is concerned, such as LED, LCD, plasma, HD and 3D, and it is up to you to research which technologies would be best for you.
• • Compatibility – Not all different brands and technologies are compatible with each other, and so make sure you avoid buying separate components that cannot be connected with each other.
• • Size – Measure out the room in which you plan to install your home cinema. Smaller rooms work better with flat panel screens, and can be well accommodated by smaller surround systems or even stereo systems. Larger rooms need to be more carefully considered, and a larger television and surround set up should be aimed at for a worthy experience.
• • Speakers - It is always a good idea to consider the shape and structure of your room to help get the best acoustics. You will also need to consider the locations of your speakers with respect to the visuals and the seating arrangements.

Installing a Great Home Theater System

The time and effort spent on the installation of your home cinema will depend on what you have purchased and what you envisage the end result to be like. Re-designing a new cinema room from scratch is a great idea as you are able to create an authentic cinema experience, and you are also able to make acoustic considerations when choosing floor, wall, ceiling and furnishing materials. In general, better acoustics mean fewer echoes, and so soft furnishings and other sound-absorbent materials are your best bet, especially in larger rooms. Lighting is often overlooked but is very important in creating a sufficient cinema ambience in the room, to get you and your friends and family in the mood, and to provide a great setting for home concessions!

How to Setup an HD Entertainment System

Building a Home Theater

Outdoor Home Theaters

Converting your garden area into an outdoor theater is becoming more and more popular thanks to improvements in screen projection size. Portable projectors are great purchases as you can use them both indoors and outdoors. Theater screens can go almost anywhere, and make a great addition to a veranda, a bar, a Jacuzzi or an outdoor pool area, and taking your surround system outdoors is much easier than you might think. Many people make their own screens with frames and fabric, and in doing this you can make your screen truly massive.

There are many specialized suppliers of outdoor home cinemas, including Open Air Cinema. They offer Cinebox HD home instant backyard theaters (home outdoor theater in a box) with HD audio and visuals with the support of OAC, offering projection screen sizes up to 16 feet wide. Cinebox HD professional offers the same home theater in a box portable set up with projection screen sizes up to 25 wide, perfect for professional conferences. CineBox is as portable and as high quality as it can be, with a pre-wired audio mixer and a Samsung Blu-Ray player, an inflatable viewing screen, Behringer speakers and a high-end Optoma projector.

Major Home Theater Brands

Below is a list of the most popular and reputable brands for audio and visual home theater products.

Sony

Sony caters for all home theater technological products, such as 3D, LCD, LED and plasma televisions, 1.1-3D virtual surround sound, 5.1 and 7.1 channel systems, Blu-Ray players, 3D Blu-Ray players, wireless connection systems and Playstation 3D. The entire product market is covered by Sony, and usually covers mid to high range budgets, and there are often deals and packages available.

Samsung

Samsung has products across the range for home theaters, which include 2.1, 5.1 and 7.1 channel sound systems, 3D, LED, LCD and Plasma televisions, Blu-Ray players, 3D Blu-Ray players, wireless connection systems and 3D sound. Prices cater for budgets across the board.

Panasonic

Panasonic provides all of your home cinema solutions, with 1.1, 2.1, 3.1, 5.1, and 7.1 channel systems, 3D Blu-Ray players and recorders, HD hard disk recorders, LED, LCD and plasma VIERA televisions, 3D VIERA televisions and wireless connection devices. Panasonic products are in general highly rated, competitively priced and easily available.

Yamaha

Yamaha provides a range of products for home theater audio systems, including HiFi components and speaker systems, digital sound projectors, virtual surround systems, 5.1 and 7.1 channel systems, Blu-Ray and DVD players and home theater packages. Prices are quite expensive, though there are some mid-range products available.

Onkyo

Onkyo is a well established audio product company, and provides 5.1 and 7.1 channel systems without an internal DVD or Blu-Ray player, Blu-Ray and DVD players with 3D support with audio return channels and home network capabilities. Prices vary from the mid to the high range.

LG

LG electronics provides all appliances for home cinema, including LED TV's, LCD TV's and plasma, 3D TV's, Blu-Ray and DVD players, 5.1, 7.1 and 9.1 3D surround audio systems, wireless capabilities and cinema accessories. LG is considered to be low to mid range in terms of price.

Coby

Coby is a widely available brand for those who are price conscious. They provide all kinds of audio/visual solutions, including LED and LCD HD televisions, DVD players, and 5.1 channel home cinema surround systems.

Bose

Bose is a very well known brand for its high end audio products, including 2.1 and 5.1 channel systems and specialized cinema speakers. They also provide a small range of high end HD televisions, including the all-in-one VideoWave entertainment system. Prices are certainly at the higher end of the spectrum.

Denon

Denon is all about innovation at the high end of technology. They offer an extensive range of AV products, home theater systems and audio components all tailored to the highest quality, including integrated 5.1 channel receivers with built in DVD/CD/Blu-Ray players, 5.1 surround systems, networked home entertainment receivers, multi-room systems and Blu-Ray players. Perfect for making a truly techno-home.

Beautiful Examples of Home Theaters

When it comes to any large scale home improvement project, it helps to get inspiration and guidance by looking at different home cinema projects, from modern designs to custom themes and decorations. You will also gain a better idea of what you would want and what you wouldn't want in your own home theater. The following links will help stimulate your imagination and condense your decisions.

Luxurious, lavish, and beautifully decadent designs

Innovative and custom designs

High class, opulent and prestigious home theatersThe best home cinema seating

Custom design acoustic panel home theater designs

Home Theater Resources

The following resources are useful if you need further information on products and services.

A guide to HDMI cables

A guide to setting up surround sound

General speaker guide

Building a custom home theater

Practical guidance for home theater and electronics

How to avoid the top-10 home theater mistakes

The history of home theater

Cool homes with home theaters

Home Theater Reviews

The following links give expert reviews on home theater systems and products.

Home theater reviews: The top ten

Home theater consumer reports

Home theater reviews by PC World

Home theater reviews by ECoustics

Projector Central: The best home theater projectors

Home theater top-picks by Home Theater Site

Audio reviews of home theaters

Home theater reviews by CNet

Big Picture Big Sound: Home theater reviews

Blu-ray and DVD reviews

Test Freaks reviews on speakers and TV

Product Review: Home theater reviews

HOME THEATER MAGAZINES

Home Theater Magazine Cover Price:   $59.88 Price:   $12.97 (save 78% ) Issues:  12 issues/12 months

Home Theater magazine is the perfect guide for those who need information and advice on the electronics of home entertainment. Advances in the world of home theater are chronicled in each issue, such as advances in projection, HD, 3D and more. New products on the market are previewed so you know what's in store, and detailed reviews from experts are provided, including ratings, comparisons and opinions, with useful and understandable info for novices and professionals alike. Equipment at all price ranges is included. Use this magazine to create the perfect home theater.

Sound & Vision Magazine Cover Price:   $49.90 Price:   $12.00 (save 76%) Issues:  8 issues/12 months

Sound & Vision magazine is a highly respected information hub on every type of entertainment technology, with accessible and easy to read information and advice on the latest audio and video technologies and products, including home theater technology. Advice is given on what components, technologies and brands to consider, and how to set up your home cinema, alongside current media news and reviews.

Electronic House Magazine Cover Price:   $55.60 Price:   $15.00 (save 73%) Issues:  8 issues/12 months

This magazine helps you come up with new ideas, plan your entertainment and functionality and find the best systems, brands and products to help you realize your dream. Every issue has a 'home of the month' feature, current must have products, and non-electrical extras that make your electronics go further. The magazine is certainly out there, with extravagant designs and robotic homes, but it also acts as a great source for expert info on the latest technologies and products. Subscriptions comes with 8 issues over 12 months.

Stereophile Magazine Cover Price:   $83.88 Price:   $12.97 (save 85%) Issues:  12 issues/12 months

Stereophile Magazine is a true audio/video lover's magazine and a top of the range devotee, with reliable and systematic reports and reviews of different components and technologies, not simply based on a list of provided specifications. Every issue gives insightful articles into the world of music and audio, with news and interviews from musicians, producers, audio engineers and scholars. Subscription comes with 8 issues over 12 months.

HOME THEATER BOOKS

Home Theater Design By:   Duncan McClelland

Home Theater Design e-Book is a great guide on how to set up your own home cinema. It includes a step by step guide on what you need to buy and how to install and set up the cinema, from basic living room set-ups to complete rooms designed for home theaters.

Practical Home Theater: A Guide to Video and Audio Systems By:   Mark Fleischmann Publication date:   October 2011

Mark Fleischmann's Practical Home Theater is a yearly updated guide including everything you would need to know when it comes to home theater, including audio and visual systems, HD and 3D technology. It considers the pros and cons of all available technologies, such as Dolby Digital EX, Pro Logic IIz, DTS HD DVD, MP3 and SACD, and other things that other books miss such as antennas, cables, and accessories.

Home Theater For Dummies By:  Danny Briere and Pat Hurley Publication date:   November 2008

Home Theater for Dummies is an excellent reference for people who want to get to grips with home entertainment or who do not keep up with progressions in technology. It covers the basics of home cinema, such as how to choose a room, audio and video systems, cables, speakers and so on. Entertainment components like media players are covered in detail, with info on how to set up gaming systems. Great for a novice, but also very useful for anyone, this guide drops you in gently, while addressing all of the most detailed issues further on.

Entertainment Rooms: Home Theaters, Bars, and Game Rooms By:  Tina Skinner Publication date:   April 2010

This book is an interesting and insightful look into the world of homes with the best of what home entertainment has to offer, with indoor bars – from basic counters to complete sports bars – to wine cellars, indoor swimming-pools, garden home theater systems, and games rooms.

Introductory Guide to High-Performance Audio Systems: Stereo - Surround Sound - Home Theater By:  Robert Harley Publication date:   April 2007

Looking to get in the know when it comes to home theater audio? This expert guide gives you all the information you need to set up the best audio system in your home, even if you have no experience. If you enjoy music then you will be able to get the best system for your budget, enjoying the best of high-performance audio.

Home Theater Design: Planning and Decorating Media-Savvy Interiors By:  Krissy Rushing Publication date:   September 2006

This is the go to guide for creating a great home theater experience in your home, with particular attention paid to all kinds of decoration, themes, and designs with an analytical focus. The author shows how to choose the correct room, how to analyze the audio acoustics, and how to create the perfect room interior for your needs, including furniture and furnishings, and advice on how to make your home accommodating for guests.

Great Escapes: New Designs for Home Theaters By:  Theo Kalomirakis Publication date:  October 2003

Theo Kalomirakis is world renowned as the leader of creating home cinemas that are completely custom designed and individual, and other unique entertainment habitats using his own prestigious style, and this book chronicles his achievements.

Home Theater for Everyone: A Practical Guide to Today's Home Entertainment Systems By:  Robert Harley Publication date:   September 2002

This serves as a prime guide for the average electronic consumer looking to invest in a home theater system. With an individual approach, this guide shows how to shop intelligently for technology, how to avoid poor choices, and how to install, set up, calibrate, and get the most out of home theater systems.

Audio Wiring Guide: How to wire the most popular audio and video connectors By:  John Hechtman Publication date:  September 2008

Audio wiring is extremely important when it comes to home entertainment, but many people overlook this factor (to their peril) when installing new home theaters or entertainment hubs. Whether you are new to the electronic world or media savvy, this comprehensive guide explains absolutely everything you need to know when it comes to audio wiring.

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The information provided by Global Home Theater Systems is to be used for general research only. While Global Home Theater Systems strives to present the most accurate and up to date information possible, the site makes no representations, guarantees or warranties of any nature in regards to the accuracy, reliability, completeness and availability of any of the products, services and information provided. As such, you rely on our information entirely at your own risk. Under no circumstance and without limitation will Global Home Theater Systems be accountable with loss or damage in relation to the use of this website. Global Home Theater Systems has no control over or association with the content of websites linked through this website, and links from this website do not incite endorsement, recommendation or similarity of views. While we work hard to ensure this website runs efficiently and smoothly, Global Home Theater Systems takes is not liable and takes no responsibility for any site down-time due to unforeseen technical issues.

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