Archive for the ‘Design & Accessories’ Category

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09-28-2011

23
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A Thought on Home Media Storage

A Thought on Home Media Storage

When it comes to home theater design and setup, rarely do we see much thought given to the best methods for storing our software media. By this, I mean being able to show off your movie library while still keeping to the design of your space in a way that’s both appealing and inviting to your guests. After spending a great deal of time buying the right equipment and creating the desired look for your entertainment area (which may or may not include the seating arrangement), the last thing you should have is a disorganized, confused mess in your DVD and Blu-ray collection. Ideally, you want to be able to find a disc in matter of a few seconds without requiring an archeological dig in order to have a relaxing movie night.
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08-31-2011

11
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(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty

(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty

Today’s movie soundtracks, especially the action and sci-fi movies that we home theater buffs just can’t get enough of, often have very wide dynamic range with powerful, hard-hitting bass. The physical sensation of that bass, the thump you feel in your gut during a big explosion, is a key part of what makes the experience so compelling. In the quest to reproduce this, many HT owners add more and bigger subwoofers to their equipment chains, much to the consternation of their spouses and neighbors (and to the detriment of their wallets). What many people don’t realize, or may mistakenly dismiss due to misunderstanding of the purpose, is the benefit of adding a tactile transducer (aka a bass shaker) to a seat. This is a relatively simple and inexpensive tweak that can enhance the bass impact of a movie soundtrack without actually adding more bass.
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03-11-2011

14
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Can I Get a Price Check in Theater 3, Please?

Can I Get a Price Check in Theater 3, Please?

Looking for a way to spruce up the décor of your home theater room without relying on those traditional standbys of movie posters, popcorn makers, or the usual memorabilia? Try thinking outside the box a little with these abstract “Movie Bar Code” art prints that each contain an entire movie compressed to be visible in one single glance.

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08-06-2010

9
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Weekend Roundtable: Favorite Item on Display in Your Home Theater

Weekend Roundtable: Favorite Item on Display in Your Home Theater

For this week’s Roundtable, we’re taking a break from our usual movie list discussions. We’re going to shift gears a little bit and talk about something more personal. Most home theater owners like to decorate their HT rooms with posters, memorabilia, knickknacks, and other interesting odds and ends to celebrate their favorite movies, TV shows, and pop culture happenings. Let’s take a look at some of our personal favorites.

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by
07-26-2010

9
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Too Hot for Home Theater?

Too Hot for Home Theater?

I don’t know how the weather is where you live, but we’ve been having a heat wave here in Boston. Even if the temperature itself may not seem so bad (generally 80s to 90s), the humidity has made everything gross and sticky. It’s the kind of weather where you don’t want to leave air conditioning for a minute. That’s becoming a real problem for me, because the air conditioning in my apartment doesn’t extend to my home theater room. As much as I’d love to fire up my gear and watch a bunch of movies and TV shows, the thought of it is practically unbearable. Does anyone else have this problem?

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07-20-2010

2
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More Ways to Improve Your Home Theater

More Ways to Improve Your Home Theater

A couple weeks ago, I ran a post referencing over to an article about the 20 most common home theater mistakes and how to fix them. Now, my friend and former DVDTalk colleague Jason has written his own list of suggestions called “Five Ways to Make Your Home Theater Better than the Rest.” It’s worth a read, and not just because he’s a pal of mine. (Though that doesn’t hurt. I have smart friends.)

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07-07-2010

7
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What You’re Doing Wrong in Your Home Theater

What You’re Doing Wrong in Your Home Theater

A web site called televisions.com has compiled an interesting list of The 20 Most Common Mistakes in the Home Cinema. The article has a lot of worthwhile tips and advice, and points out many errors in home theater design that I see all the time.

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06-14-2010

12
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Error. Home Theater Disassemble… Reassemble!

Error. Home Theater Disassemble… Reassemble!

Did everyone have a productive weekend? I spent mine putting the remnants of my home theater room back together after it was torn apart last week to repair the water damage that occurred earlier in the spring. I must say, it’s certainly nice to have all that crumbling plaster and mold cleaned up. The process of getting here has been quite an ordeal, however. As I posted previously, I had to disconnect all my electronics, pull my speakers off the walls, pull my movies off their shelves, and move everything away from the damage areas. That much was plenty of work in itself. Unfortunately, putting it all back together again turned out to be even harder. Destruction is always easier than reconstruction, isn’t it?

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06-09-2010

4
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Are the Days of the “Bat Cave” Home Theater Over?

Are the Days of the “Bat Cave” Home Theater Over?

It has long been considered the ultimate goal for this crazy hobby of ours to create a so-called “bat cave” home theater. No, that doesn’t necessarily mean a TV room designed to look like Batman’s hideout, though that would be pretty darn cool. Rather, it’s a dedicated viewing space with an HD projector, plush theater chairs, and dark walls and furniture that will reject ambient light. There should be no windows in this room. Or, at the very least, you should be able to completely block those windows out when watching movies. Typically, finished basements are best suited for this application. To get the highest video quality and the most theatrical-style experience at home, you need to eliminate any potential light reflections and other distractions. However, a recent article from CEPro suggests that professional home theater installers have been seeing a trend away from dedicated theater rooms, in favor of multi-purpose “great rooms.”

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2
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Home Theater Apocalypse… Now!

Home Theater Apocalypse… Now!

Just over a month ago, I posted about the water damage my apartment suffered due to the torrential rain storms we here in Boston experienced this spring. After the first round of downpours, the building maintenance people came in and were able to patch up two of the three affected rooms. Unfortunately, because my home theater room is a small and very tightly-packed space, they were only able to do a perfunctory clean-up in there at the time. We decided to postpone the rest of the work until our schedules cleared up. Then, of course, we had more rain, and the damage spread. For the last month, I’ve been dealing with extensive crumbling plaster and mold from floor to ceiling. It’s been nasty.

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