The very concept of a home theater appeared with us quite a long time ago, but still not every film lover is able to describe what it is. Some believe that this is a large screen with a good acoustic system, while others are sure that this is a whole set of components that costs at least several thousand US dollars. Which one is right? Yes, everyone, but in their own way.
What is home cinema?
Note that a home theater should consist of several elements:
1. Video playback systems (plasma, multimedia projectors, etc.).
2. Acoustic system.
3. Favorable viewing conditions.
Choosing a location for a home cinema
It’s better to think about your own mini-cinema at the planning stage.
Technical equipment - a TV or projector, sound, player - everything requires a network connection or communication between elements. It will be much more aesthetically pleasing if the wires are hidden in the wall or, at a minimum, neatly locked in a box.
It would also be a good idea to make at least partial sound insulation in the cinema area, lay sound-absorbing material in the walls, and carpet on the floor. If you choose a projector rather than a TV, you'll need to think about mounting a screen or painting a wall (more on that below).
As you already understand, all this requires knowing in advance exactly where the cinema will be in your apartment, and you can’t easily change this place later.
It is best if a separate room or niche is allocated for watching movies (which is more realistic in modern city apartments).
It’s even more realistic to turn your living room into a cinema. In this configuration, you can choose a transforming space and think through several lighting scenarios.
The ideal location for a cinema is 6 meters long and 4 meters wide. This is a standard that you can strive for if the square footage of your apartment allows it. But other sizes and shapes of the room can be arranged as a cinema hall. Just like in the bachelor’s apartment we wrote about earlier, a narrow living room is transformed into a cinema hall - the screen for the projector is simply lowered.
Other photos of the apartment can be seen here.
Designing a subwoofer enclosure
Before you start purchasing materials and start working on how to make a subwoofer with your own hands, you need to design and roughly estimate the design and shape of the main part of the subwoofer - the housing.
The design of the case is divided into two main stages, each of which should be done as thoroughly and carefully as possible in order to ultimately obtain a high-quality product:
- Establishment and approval of Thiel-Small parameters for the loudspeaker
- Program for calculating acoustic designs
Other tools, such as a subwoofer box, can also be made by yourself.
All of the above can be purchased at almost every electronic goods store. Everything is installed according to the instructions that come with all components. Everything is written quite clearly and even a layman can figure it out and install everything without errors or breakdowns.
The main thing is to follow all the rules and do it carefully and carefully in order to make a high-quality subwoofer for the home with your own hands.
Projector or TV?
If you decide to get your own home theater, this question will definitely arise before you. What's better?
The projector has one main advantage: it allows you to make the screen really large. It feels like you're in a movie theater!
But at the same time it will cost at least twice as much as a TV. For good picture quality, you need to buy a film projector; it is very different from a regular office projector, including in cost. In this case, you need to prepare the wall. Even a first-class image can be ruined if projected onto an unprepared surface.
And most importantly, analyze whether there is enough space in your future cinema for such a large screen?
Note: even in a small apartment you can set up a cinema with a projector. The screen can be hidden in the ceiling or rolled up when not in use.
What to listen through
AV receiver
This is one of the main components of the DC; it can be called the brain of the system, converting video and audio signals. It serves as an amplifier and switcher with multiple inputs and outputs for connecting a large number of devices, ranging from multimedia to Blu-ray players and game consoles.
When choosing a receiver you need to pay attention to:
- Device power . Manufacturers often write in the specifications that the amplifier power is 1000 W per channel. In fact, this indicator corresponds to only one column connected. If there are more speakers, then the power will be less.
- Switching capabilities . Decide what you will connect to it, whether you will need to use Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.
- Digital-to-analog converter (DAC) - responsible for sound quality.
- A parameter that is not taken into account by many is the current strength of the amplifier. If it is insufficient, low frequencies will be reproduced with attenuation.
Acoustic system
The standard set of system 5.1 consists of:
- central column;
- floor-standing front speakers - 2 pcs.;
- rear, shelf - 2 pcs.;
- subwoofer, always active (with built-in amplifier) - 1 pc.
To be able to reproduce the DolbyAtmos signal, you will need special speakers, for example, Onkyo SKH-410, or acoustics built into the ceiling of the hall.
How to prepare a wall for a projector?
The easiest option with guaranteed quality is to buy a special vinyl screen. But for the same money you can buy a large TV: screens that will not spoil your enjoyment of the film cost from 30 thousand rubles and almost indefinitely. Optimal options for 60-100 thousand rubles. For comparison, a 55-inch diagonal TV from a trusted company with 3D costs 50 thousand rubles.
Screens for projectors come in roller and tension type. A screen with constant tension will last longer, but it cannot be removed out of sight, unlike a roll screen. You can try making your own projector screen by purchasing a sheet of vinyl. But any mistake can be costly - the material is capricious.
Another option is to paint a flat wall. In an economical version, matte white paint in several layers. The brightness and clarity of the picture will be much better if you take a more expensive screen-paint - a complex of special coatings.
It is better to make the remaining walls in the room dark and matte. Or at least enclose the projection area in a dark frame.
Sound card for computer speakers
When looking for a sound card for a computer for future speakers, the initial choice fell on the X-Fi Xtreme Audio sound card from Creative; at that moment there was no point in buying more expensive, but it only seemed so.
Looking ahead, it should be noted that the quality of this sound card left much to be desired, and tinkering with the settings did not help - the default settings turned out to be optimal.
Looking even further, it should be noted that when trying to squeeze the maximum and ideal out of it, the card burned out, so I had to buy a new one. This time I bought a more expensive audio speaker - ESI [email protected] , with a maximum DAC/ADC frequency of 192 kHz/192 kHz and a DAC/ADC dynamic range of 112 dB/114 dB.
It’s impossible to say that the more expensive card worked a miracle; the effect from it was not much better than from the cheaper Creative; moreover, both of these PCI cards worked almost the same as the audio system integrated into the motherboard. This was confirmed by testing two external cards and a built-in one using the RMAA program - there was no significant superiority of these sound cards over the “sound” integrated into the motherboard.
So don’t rush to buy a separate sound card if you plan to assemble DIY speakers for your computer; the “sound” integrated into the motherboard may be quite enough to get excellent sound.
How to place the TV?
We devoted an entire study to the placement of the TV; you can read it here. Options with a TV hidden in the furniture and a rotating screen just support the idea of a transforming living room, which I have already mentioned. You can change the environment, for example, to receive guests. Various design solutions for wall decoration will help you make the TV less noticeable in the interior before the movie night arrives.
Sound
“Home cinema” is what the sound system is called for a reason. No matter how good the speakers on the TV are (and the projector does not have them at all), they will not provide such surround sound. When planning a cinema room at home, take time to resolve the issue of sound and select a modern audio system.
Soundproofing is important so that extraneous sounds do not disturb you while watching a movie, and in turn, the sounds of the movie do not disturb your neighbors. Carpets are highly desirable on floors because they are useful not only for sound insulation, but also for improving acoustics.
The most neat looking speakers are those hidden in wall niches and hidden by acoustic panels.
You can decorate the walls with relief panels - this will benefit the acoustics in the room.
Installing acoustics
Let's assume that you have managed to lay the cables. Now you need to strip the ends of the copper wires by approximately 2 cm. The exposed wires must be twisted tightly (each wire separately) and connected to the corresponding terminals on the column.
Carefully insert the speaker into the hole, removing excess wire from the inner panel of the speaker so that there is no vibration. Using a screwdriver, turn the screws until you hear a click, which indicates that the fastening tab is in place. Then tighten all the screws (there should be four of them) until they stop. At the very end, check the reliability by gently pressing each of the screws. Don't tighten it too hard, as this could strip the thread. All you have to do is install the grill and you're done! Remember, the black wire is always connected to the negative terminal.
How to make yourself more comfortable?
Being comfortable is incredibly important, in my opinion. The classic solution is, of course, a sofa. To make it even more comfortable, you can throw pillows on it, and put banquettes or poufs for your feet.
A more atmospheric option for a cinema hall is chairs placed classically in a row.
You can sit directly on the floor on comfortable bean bags. Combine them with a sofa, in which case adults will fit on the sofa, and children will have more fun lying on soft poufs.
If you are lucky and manage to allocate a separate room for the cinema, you can make a multi-level structure from pallets for large family viewings.
Creating an atmosphere
The show begins...the lights go out, only small lights remain on the walls and floor...the audience begins to crunch their popcorn together. This is all possible in your home!
Lighting is a very important point. On the one hand, light from the street should not penetrate into your cinema hall. Thick curtains, which can be secured with a Roman or roller blind, will help you with this. But the bright light of the screen in the dark can also hurt your eyes. To make the solution both functional and atmospheric, place small dimmable lamps in a line along the side walls. Or LED strips on the floor near the same side walls. It will turn out just like in the cinema! It is very convenient if the light intensity can be adjusted using a remote control.
Note: do not place light sources near the ceiling if you have a small room. The ceiling remaining in the dark visually increases the space.
To get the most out of your movie theater, add a stylized popcorn machine.
The decor of the cinema hall is also important, for example, you can hang movie posters on the walls. Or a clock in the shape of a firecracker. It is better to use glass and gloss in the decor; they will create distracting glare.
Soundbar design
A soundbar is a sound acoustic system assembled for specific needs. Often the device uses a DAC (central audio processor) from sound cards that were on hand. To remove and install the DAC into the system being assembled, you must have the appropriate skills (know the structure and operating principle of a soldering iron).
The soundbar looks like a flat rectangular panel that can replace massive speakers and their satellites.
To better understand the principles of operation of the acoustic system in question, let’s look at what exactly it consists of:
- Firstly, this is the player itself - the basis on which the entire system is built. Therefore, many experts recommend choosing reliable and more technologically advanced models.
- Secondly, this is, of course, an acoustic system - speakers; not a single soundbar can do without them. The choice today is simply huge, from famous brands to rare, highly specialized small firms that assemble devices to order. Enthusiasts have been known to build high-end soundbar systems using speakers built specifically to fit customer-designed designs. Everything that is important for a novice amateur assembler to know: there is no such thing as too much good sound, so you shouldn’t skimp on speakers.
- Thirdly, the DAC. The heart of any soundbar is the central audio processor. It is he who is responsible for encoding and converting the signal, as well as its output to the line. A lot depends on the processor. Someone, of course, can limit themselves to a DAC taken from a $15 sound card, but this will not be enough for a true music lover. The scope for imagination here is limited only by financial capabilities and hardware capabilities; otherwise, almost any processor that has the necessary set of codecs on board is suitable for assembling a soundbar.
A soundbar can contain up to 16-20 speakers of varying power. The secret is to distribute them at a clearly adjusted angle, otherwise you can make a mistake with the direction of the sound, which will spoil the overall sound picture. As you know, no one has canceled low frequencies, so instead of a subwoofer (usually having a very high power consumption threshold), a bass speaker is mounted here. The principle of their operation is similar, but there are certain design differences in the conversion of audio frequencies.
Soundbar design
Using the soundbar is simple and easy, and if it is assembled with your own hands, it is understood that it is as precisely tuned as possible to the needs of its creator. In this quality, a homemade soundbar undoubtedly surpasses any, even the highest quality and advanced factory-assembled analogue. After all, it’s up to you to know what’s best for you.
Another component of almost any soundbar is the remote control. Here everything is limited only by the imagination of the collector. The enthusiast is free to choose between Bluetooth, IR and Wi-Fi channels for transmitting information, each of which has its own advantages and disadvantages. Difficulties often arise in linking the remote control to the device itself, but these are also resolved during the debugging process. Most often, in order to implement a complex signal transmission scheme, it is necessary to disassemble more than one device, and this requires additional costs and time, therefore, beginners can limit themselves to a regular IR (infrared) remote control.
We host a collection of films
A true film fan does not download films from the Internet (remember that this is illegal), he buys Blue-ray or DVD. This collection needs to be stored somewhere, and doing it in your movie viewing area is both convenient and appropriate. The discs can simply be placed on bookshelves, interspersed with Oscar statuettes and portraits of your favorite actors. Or you can buy special narrow racks and focus only on storing disks.
Summer cinema
If you have a dacha or a country house, then you can organize yourself a real treat: an outdoor cinema with a portable projector. How nice it is to watch a great movie in a fragrant garden!
Photos: ru-stroyka.com, wikiaspnet.com, 2shine.ru, inspiringinteriorsideas.com, pcglad.com, salon.ru, houzz.com
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