Going to the movies without leaving home will be one of the great objectives of many users from now on. Because the great premieres will have to be experienced in a different way than we did up to now. So let's talk about how to create or what you need to improve in your current configuration to achieve a cinematic experience at home.
The experience of going to the cinema
Going to the movies is more than just enjoy a big screen and an audio system made up of several speakers. It really is a social event in which everything counts, such as that previous time before entering the room, the initial trailers, the popcorn and that conversation after watching the movie with the person who accompanied you or with friends who have also seen it. What's more, even displacement can have its appeal.
Of course this is all a matter of taste. For some, in addition to all of the above, it is added that it is one of the few places where they really focus on what they want to do, watch the movie, and manage to forget about other distractions such as mobile notifications or getting up from the sofa several times are a reason some. While for others, between the time it will take to get to the cinema and being subject to certain schedules, they directly rule out the possibility of going and look for other options.
Among those other options is to build your home theater. An idea that is not bad to take into account, especially now that, given the current situation, going to the movies will be more complex. Because many rooms remain closed, others will not reopen and those that did are offering a different experience, less comfortable in some ways. For this reason we are going to focus on how to achieve the best home theater experience.
home theater
Today, taking into account the drop in price that large-inch screens have suffered, anyone could already say that they have a home theater. In addition, thanks to smart TV platforms or devices such as Chromecast, Fire TV, Apple TV or consoles such as Xbox One or PS4, among others, it is easy to access a multitude of services with thousands of movies and series.
Of course, having a large screen and one of these devices with access to Netflix, Disney+, HBO, etc., does not guarantee a cinema experience or the best cinema experience. So we are going to see how you can create from scratch, upgrade or remodel your home theater system.
The screen
If you have a television with a considerable number of inches, there is little more to say. For example, 65 or 75 inches is already a good size, but you can always go a little further and you may even be interested in the idea of having a projector for those more special contents.
Thanks to the use of a projector it is easy to have a 100″ diagonal whenever you want without disturbing the rest of the time during which you are not seeing anything. It may seem quite the opposite, but it really is very useful and practical if when you sit down to watch content what you do the most is watch movies and series. Because for other content such as videos on social networks, some sporting event and things like the news, you can see them on your mobile device, computer or small TV that you have at home.
When choosing a projector, you can opt for very simple models or go for models capable of reproducing and displaying content with 4K resolution. Since you are going to invest, our advice would be to do it for one of these models.
These three proposals are high-end models, capable of projecting images at 4K resolution (there are more interesting models with 1080p resolution) and where the level of brightness or luminance is not a problem when used in slightly brighter environments. Although the advice is always to do it controlling as much as possible every possible source of light that exists in the room and especially the natural light that can enter through the windows.
Finally, although it is not 100% necessary, if you do not have a good surface on which to project the image, the projection screens They also help to achieve a better contrast, eliminate possible reflections or bounces of light -by absorbing it better- and, in general, give better quality. Even those black frames help to better focus attention.
See offer on Amazon See offer on Amazon See offer on AmazonThe price of projection screens has dropped significantly and since they can be rolled up, they do not have to be always visible. What's more, you can remove them and place them only when you need it. Although if you find a way to always leave them in place without harming the decoration, even better. What's more, until special paint for projection surfaces.
Sound
the sound of the cinema is special, especially if you go to a room with the latest in audio technology. And we are not just saying this because of the volume and the use of multiple speakers, some rooms already allow you to enjoy the Dolby Atmos experience and everything that the use of spatial sound entails.
You can do it at home too. It is true that later, depending on the content, you will enjoy or not that higher quality and unique experience, but if you use a good system, you will quickly appreciate how the experience improves.
In actuality there are very interesting sound bars if you don't want to go around placing speakers around you as was usual a few years ago with 5.1 and even 7.1 systems. In any case, if your idea is to create a home theater it is worth doing. Because playing with algorithms and sound projection to emulate that surround experience will never be the same as having exactly audio emitters at each point.
See offer on Amazon See offer on Amazon See offer on AmazonAny of the above solutions will allow you to enjoy your movies and series even more. The most attractive option may be the Sonos Beam for price and options. Although if you like what the manufacturer does you can also look at the Sonos arcbut it is more expensive.
Also do not forget that if you do not want to disturb other people who live with you or your neighbors, you can also use headphones. If you opt for that option, make sure they are models that offer good quality, such as the Bose 700, Sony WH-1000XM3 And even the AirPods Pro thanks to the new update that will arrive shortly with support for 360 sound.
Extras that enhance the experience
Along with these image and sound improvements, there is something you can still do to improve the experience. The first will be at your choice and consists of looking for a good seat. Your current sofa, an armchair or any other option where you can sit comfortably. The second is related to lighting.
It is true that in the cinema we enjoy the film in the dark, with no more light than the one that bounces off the screen and those small dots of emergency lights. At home you can do the same, but it is also very interesting what Philips has been offering for years with its Ambilight.
Without the need to have an Ambilight TV, Philips Hue bulbs and especially the Play Light Bar They are ideal. If you combine them with the new Philips Hue Sync Box even better, because they allow you to synchronize the lighting with the content you are playing. That means that it adapts intensity and color to what is displayed on the screen.
If you do not want to make the investment that the whole set implies, having some RGB smart bulbs will also be enough. It is true that you will not have the dynamism that automatic switching offers, but it does help to have a soft light, sometimes colored, when viewing content. So keep that in mind.
Live the cinema without leaving home
We all already have the idea of experiencing the cinema without leaving home, but sometimes we don't finish giving it that final touch or seeing if we actually have the best option according to our needs and budgets. So we hope this works for you.
Logically, it is also important that you take into account practical aspects such as the calibration of the image itself and how the furniture and position of the speakers affect the sound experience.
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