HIGH-DEF YOUR HOME: TIPS FROM A PRO
Create the Ultimate HD Home Theater with these Tips From Technology Expert Omar Wasow
Get a Game Plan.
Creating your home theater takes time and expertise, just like re-doing your kitchen or remodeling your bathroom. If you’re especially handy you can install a home theater on your own. If not, there are a range of installers who can get the job done on any budget.
Think Outside the Living Room.
The living room isn’t necessarily the best space for a home theater – it can also be that rarely-used dining room or barely broken-in den. Choose a space with few windows, a large wall and uneven dimensions (like a rectangle instead of a square) to maximize sound quality.
See the Big Picture.
Purchase the screen first and position it against a large, blank wall at eye-level (mounting the TV too high or at an angle can degrade the picture). A projector delivers the “wow” factor of a real movie theater, but an LCD or plasma flat screen still provides a stunning effect and prices for these TVs are coming down.
Equip Yourself.
Make sure you have all the necessary accessories: an AV receiver connects the components, surround sound speakers provide immersive sound and an HD DVD player allows you to watch movies in high-definition with six-times better picture than regular DVDs and pristine sound quality for the ultimate movie-watching experience.
Keep Connections Hidden.
The quickest way to ruin the ambiance of your home theater is to have unattractive wires scattered throughout the room. Run them behind a wall, conceal with a false baseboard or purchase flat wires that are easily hidden under carpet.
Get the Perfect View.
Choose seating that is comfortable and maximizes your view of the HD screen. Position the seating about three times the width of the TV away from the screen and looking straight on for the best picture
Lights, Paint, Window Treatments - ACTION!
If your budget allows, install canned track lights (pointed down so they’re not shining in your eyes or on the screen) and don’t forget the dimmers! Add shades or blinds to enhance your daytime moving-watching experience. Finally, gray is the best color for walls however, if that’s too dismal for your taste, choose a neutral color like tan.
High-def Your Home.
Just because you have an HDTV, it doesn’t mean you’re actually watching HD. Make sure you have either a high-def cable receiver or subscribe to satellite for the most HD channels. And, stock up on the more than 300 HD DVD titles available to watch movies at home in high-def.
Get In Control.
A universal remote control significantly simplifies your system, but can be tricky to set up. Hire an installer to help or choose a remote control that can be programmed using your home computer.
Small Budget? No Problem.
You don’t have to spend thousands to create an impressive high-def home theater. Simply changing around the placement of your furniture and adding a few pieces of inexpensive equipment like an HD DVD player (starting at $299) can make a big difference at a small cost.
