Whether you live in Edmonton or Montreal, North Vancouver or Mississauga, building a home theater is becoming a very popular home remodeling idea. And, with the advent of DLP technology for HDTV viewing, digital large screen formats have become more affordable than ever before.

Just a few years ago, a home theater system was out of reach for many consumers, with 60-inch plasma screen televisions commanding a $30,000 price tag. Today, with breakthroughs in technology, a 61-inch HD television can be purchased for around $2,100. Affordable by nearly anyone’s standards.

Element One for Success

There are special considerations to be made in developing a successful home theater room design. The key is careful planning.

The first element is the room where you plan to install the home theater. The size of the room is going to determine the size and type of video system you choose; television or projection. Room size and characteristics will also play a role in these considerations:

• Amount of ambient lighting
• Carpeting – extra insulation or soundproofing in framing walls, and decorative fabric covered wall panels will improve acoustic as well as soundproof properties of a room
• System component placement – free standing or built in
• Speaker placement – free standing or built in
• Placement of seating in relation to video display

Element Two

The next element in determining your home theater design is the display. Keep in mind that the concept of a home theater is to bring the large screen venue into the home, for a bigger-than-life viewing experience. The size of the room will dictate some of the options feasible for the design.

Available choices for video display are:

• Traditional large screen CRT television screens (these are widely being phased out of the industry)
• Rear-projection television
• Flat panel LCD or plasma television (may be cost-prohibitive)
• Video projector/screen combination (new DLP technology has provided exceptional picture quality and definition in large format projection and rear projection HDTV applications at a very affordable cost)
• Source video format such as DVD or VCR

Third Element

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The third element in a successful home theater is sound. There are countless choices in types, sizes, and specifications of the components that make up a home theater sound system, including:

• Audio/video (AV) receiver systems, complete with speakers
• Custom component systems for bone rattling low end and crystal clear highs
• Sub woofer speakers for a thundering big screen feel at home
• Wireless home theater speaker systems, including wireless surround sound systems

Furnishings

The final element to consider is furnishings; home theater furniture for seating, and room décor. Many homeowners opt to keep the big screen theater feel with actual theater seating and wall décor; complete with understated lighted features with dimmer controls. Home theater décor can be further enhanced by using a wireless home theater system, eliminating unsightly wires and cabling.

A Professional Installer is a Good Choice

Before investing in a medium to large size system for your home theater installation, it is a good idea to check with several professional home theater installers. Ask for advice or possibly a free evaluation of the room to make sure the system you purchase is right for your particular needs.

Many aspects of properly installing a home theater system are highly technical. Wise homeowners can avoid big headaches by having a professional home theater installer put it all together and provide training for optimum use.

A good resource for finding reliable local home theater installers, whether you live in Toronto, Edmonton, or Montreal, is listing your home theater project online at HandyCanadian.com. It’s free, and there is no obligation. Begin receiving competitive bids from local installers in days, even hours. And watch the dream of your own custom home theater come to life!

To locate a reliable home theater contractor, post your project online for free and receive bids from professionals in your area.
Click here to post your project.

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