The Home Theater Basics

Planning to buy a Home theater system? Good, but now the question arises is how to go about it as they all look alike and there’s precious little information available in terms of expert advice. But believe me, it’s not rocket science. Here’s a step-by-step approach that will demystify the whole thing.

Room Dynamics

The dimensions of the rooms greatly affect the sound output quality of even the best audio/video devices. Perfectly square rooms tend to intensify the sound and increase resonance, which results in greater noise and less clarity. The ideal room dimensions should be 20 feet x 12 feet.

The Equipment
A home theater system comprises of various components that can all be of the same brand or medley of various brands. One cannot go wrong if he sticks to one brand. But this leaves very little scope to play around and enhance the quality of audio/video output. One should therefore mix and match the brands for optimum satisfaction.

Projectors

All home theater projectors come with a high contrast ratio. ‘Contrast ratio’ is the difference between the darkest black and the brighest white in any image. Hence, high contrast ratios result in sharper images. The best projectors have a contrast ratio of 4000:1 at a brightness of 2000 ANSI lumens. Though such quality projectors cost about over Rs 7 lakh, they definitely produce images that are equal to money’s worth.

Screens or Pasma TV

This really is a question of size. A screen makes your home theater system experience akin to that in a cinema hall. The biggest plasma screens are about 65 inches whereas, projector screen can be as big as 120 inches. However, if one has space restriction, a decent sized plasma screen is not a bad option.

Speakers

Whether to opt for a 5.1 or a 7.1 depends on the room dimensions. If the room is not big enough, then one should stick to 5.1, i.e. five speakers to a sub woofer.

DVD Players

The density of the horizontal lines projected by DVD players decides how good the picture is. The standard count for a good quality DVD player should be approximately 720 progressive lines. It should also have a DVI or SDMI output cable in order to ensure smooth transmission of data from the player to the amplifier.

Lighting

Once the basic equipment is in place, its time to prop up the room just a wee bit in order to ensure minimum sound distortion and maximum image clarity. Dim lights ensure clear and crisp picture quality. The room can also be brightly lit as long as the beam does not fall directly on the screen.

Acoustics

Since the home theater is as much about hearing as about viewing, one must pay attention to acoustics. Reverberation time must be reduced to 0.3 seconds, i.e. room should be echo free. Therefore, the room should not be overpacked with glass, as it has a high reflective index. Also, materials that absorb sound, like heavy curtains, drapes and tapestries should be used.

The whole set is expected to cost about Rs 30-40 lakhs, a small price for savoring the experience of a lifetime. Play on a DVD or an audio CD and let the action begin.