From the layout to positioning of equipment and lighting, every aspect needs to be considered before setting up an exclusive entertainment zone

Recreate the theatre experience

From the layout to positioning of equipment and lighting, every aspect needs to be considered before setting up an exclusive entertainment zone

When any room or a section of it is being specifically demarcated for a particular purpose or activity, the planning required gets much more complex. After all, specialisation of any kind requires in-depth experience and expertise. So here’s what the experts recommend when it comes to recreating the theatre experience at home with an exclusive entertainment zone. Be very specific Making a significant investment in time and energy up front to thinking, doing your homework, and mapping out your project plan will certainly pay long-term dividends. This, according to the Home Theatre Design Guide, will help to ensure you get what you want out of your home theatre and possibly help to avoid some otherwise costly mistakes. The first step is to clearly identify your personal objectives. For some enthusiasts, the design concept may translate into something that mimics as many aspects of a real movie theatre experience as possible. For others, this may mean partitioning a space in their home for casual television viewing and gaming. As long as you know what the end game is, you will at least know which way things are headed. Analyse the space Before determining your requirements, it's helpful to first make a sketch of the space you're working with. Graph paper works well for this activity and you can easily sketch something that is fairly close to scale. Additionally, you should spend some time looking at other home theatres for features that you would like to replicate. Many aspects of a home theatre planning and design are interdependent. For example, your choice of video equipment may affect the placement of your seating. The placement of your seating may affect the layout of other things in the room, such as speaker placement. Make sure you devote plenty of time during the planning stages of the process to map out not only the location of your home theatre lighting, but what purpose it will serve and how it will be controlled. Ultimately, this can have downstream effects on what type of lighting you select to fill those needs, which will also impact your budget for the project. Design and layout Deciding where to put components is just as important as which ones to buy. The hometime website points out that there are several things to consider when designing a home theatre including personal preferences, physical requirements, and budget. Many times there are features to a room that dictate where a home theatre can go. Features such as built-in shelving, wall length, size and shape of the room, windows, etc., can eliminate an entire wall or half the room as placement possibilities. Quite often, it is observed that the equipment itself dictates its location. The larger the screen, the farther the distance must be between it and the sitting area. After all, larger screens will obviously require more distance from the viewing area. The essential components l Video and Audio Input Devices l Audio Processing Devices l Audio Output l Video Output l Ambience Two decades ago, a typical home theatre system would have a laser disc or video cassette player connected to a large rear-projection television set. Gradually the technology progressed with the development of the DVD-Video format, Dolby Digital 5.1-channel audio or surround sound speaker systems, and high-definition television (HDTV). In recent years, 3D television technology and Blu-ray Disc have ushered in a new era of home theatres. For those having the budget, a home theatre setup would include an advanced disc player, high-definition video projector and projection screen with over 100-inch diagonal screen size, and a several-thousand-watt home theatre receiver with five to seven surround-sound speakers plus a powerful subwoofer. Among the advanced systems are 3D-TV-enabled home theatres making use of 3D television sets or projectors and Blu-ray 3D players along with the special glasses. Take it forward Those who have the space can create a custom-built screening room, with cinema-style chairs and high-grade sound equipment designed to mimic commercial theatre performance. Higher-end home theatres commonly also have sound insulation to prevent noise from escaping the room, and a specialised wall treatment to balance the sound within the room. These more advanced installations often include sophisticated acoustic design elements, including ‘room-in-a-room’ construction that isolates sound and provides the potential for a nearly ideal listening environment. Ideal options available Home theatres can either be set up by purchasing individual components or a HTIB (Home Theatre in a Box), which includes all of the pieces from a single manufacturer. HTIB systems are a simpler and more cost-effective solution for most families. Component purchasing is only advisable for electronics experts who know how to attain improved quality in video or audio with proper knowledge and research. For instance, some speakers perform better in smaller rooms while others perform better in larger rooms and seating location must be considered. Finally, while selecting the decor scheme, try to go in for a dark coloured ceiling. Paint or place stars that glow in the dark on it for a ‘wow’ experience.