If you are building your own home theater from scratch, you might not know where to begin and you might not know what the most important things to get are. Yes, creating your own home theater can be an intimidating project, because there is a lot that you need to think about, especially when it comes to buying the right equipment. Personally, I’m a fan of the blog over at Ultimate Home Centre, because they have some good advice regarding this. Anyway, let’s go over 5 must–haves for any home theater.
- A Projector System
One of the most important big time must-haves for any good home theater is a projector system. Now, a lot of people want to go with a good old TV at first, and yes, large HD or smart TVs are definitely an option to keep in mind. However, the problem is that for the size and the quality of the image, you are paying comparatively a lot more for a TV than you would for a projector.
A projector and a projector screen will provide you with a much larger image than a TV, and they still have great quality too. However, unlike with TV, you won’t pay a massive fortune for a projector screen of the same size. Generally speaking, for a home theater, a projector is what you want to go with, not a TV.
- Surround Sound Audio
The next thing that is definitely a must–have for a home theater is a surround sound audio system. You definitely do not want to be stuck with a single or even just 2 speakers, especially if they are at the front of the room. When it comes down to it, the audio is nearly as important as the visuals, or even just as important. Sure, watching a movie is great, but you do need to be able to hear it too.
This means being able to hear raindrops, people whispering, and that car transmission shifting, not just the gunshots and loud explosions. Moreover, to make it feel like you are really immersed in the content you are watching, you want the sound to be coming from all sides, front, and the rear too. At the very least, a couple of front speakers, a rear speaker, a pair of side speakers, and a nice subwoofer is what you need to look into.
- A Light Control System
The next must–have for any good home theater room is a good light control system. Have you ever tried watching a movie that is a bit dark, when the room you are in is bright? Yeah, when a movie is dark, when there are nighttime scenes, it can already be hard enough to tell what is going on.
Now, add in a bright room to the mix, and you might not be able to see anything at all, which will of course ruin the whole viewing experience. This is why a light control system is a big must–have for a home theater. You want to be able to turn the lights down and dim the room, or even turn the lights off in full. Think about it, there is a reason why movie theaters turn off the lights when the movie starts, because it improves the viewing experience.
- The Right Seats
Another must–have for your home theater room, if you really want the best experience possible, is the right seat. Well, realistically, the home theater you are creating is meant for more than just one person, probably 4 or 6 at the least, or maybe 2 if you are keeping things cozy. The point here is that the right seats can make all of the difference.
For example, those movie theater seats are really not all that comfortable, and any movie over 90 minutes long usually results in back pain. When it comes to your own home theater, you want soft, plush, and comfortable seats, preferably something that can recline and allows you to put your feet up. A nice leather recliner with a drink holder, and maybe even an integrated drink cooler is definitely something to look into.
- A Snack Bar
Now, this might not be at the top of your list, but what’s a movie marathon worth if you don’t have the right snacks to enjoy? Every home theater needs a good snack bar, maybe a popcorn machine, a slushy machine, and any other of your favorite treats too.
Conclusion
If you are going to make your own home theater, you may as well do it right, and that means getting a good projector, the right audio system, snacks, good seats, and light controls too. This should be a good start!
