Home Theater
Home Theater the basic’s
What you should know about Surround Sound:- WiKi
What you should know about HDTV:
Sony VPHG70 Crt projector
1400-960 resolution
1250 peek luminusMoome
HDMI imput mod
Key Digital Scalar
HD leeza 1080P
100 inch screen
DYI wilsonart
Costume Built
Sunfire Theater Grand
Pre amp Balanced out’s
rs232 software crontrol
Adcom Amps
1-3 channel 200w per
1-2 channel 250w per
Pioneer DVD
SDI output mod
HTPC custome built
BlueRay DVD
rs232 control
Polk Audio RTi series speakers
Acoustic Research15 inch 350w powered subwoofer
What you should know about Surround Sound:
First it is important to know that I have been a fan of home theater for many years, The passion started back in 1981 when I bought my first high end stereo and hooked it up to the TV or rather hooked the TV to it, although this was not surround sound it did seem to ad more life to content and make the room seem bigger. Sad but true, many consumers still have the idea that Surround Sound is as simple as hooking up a few speakers to the TV. There is so much more to it than that which is why I have decided to write this simple primer. Surround Sound got it’s start when in 1977 when Star Wars hit the theaters. Sound moved around the room as if you were there, this maid movies come to life in a way we could not have at home. Within a few years Dolby labs maid Surround Sound affordable to the average consumer by embedding the Surround Sound content into the stereo signal and then decoding it with a simple processor that would split the signals into 5 individual channels. So all you needed to have theater like sound was a Stereo HI FI VHS and a Surround Sound decoder, soon these decoder chip’s were standard in many mid price range stereo receivers.
Now that we have a bit of history out of the way I will try and explain as simple as possible how Surround Sound works . Stereo is 2 separate channels that when combined make sound appear to float in the center of the listen field, when separated it gives the listener the sensation that sound is moving from right to left, Here is a simple 2 channel stereo test file (click to play)
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Please never hook 4 speakers to your stereo 2 in the front and 2 in the back and then invite your friends over, crank it it up, and profess you have surround sound.
Although surround sound is very similar to stereo it takes more than just 4 or 5 speakers, The source you are listen to must have the surround sound signal embedded in the stereo signal, which then must be decoded by a dolby DTS chip, When this is done right you have 5 channels, LEFT — CENTER — RIGHT — LEFT SURROUND — RIGHT SURROUND — and SUBWOOFER (lfe) (ie)5.1. The sound track is split into 5 channels during the recording phase, Most vocal content will come from the center channel with music and effects coming from the left and right, low frequencies are sent to an internal cross over that sends that signal to the subwoofer. The rear left and right surrounds are used mainly for ambiance and echo making the listen field seem very large and alive, Also if something on the screen moves left then right then forward, the sound will travel from the left speaker into the center then right and out to the rear, and the reverse of that if it’s coming from the rear.
Even if you have surround sound speakers and a surround sound receiver (decoder), if you are listening to a source that is not recoded in surround sound you will only hear sound from the center channel speaker, or front left and right on some occasions, but you will never hear anything from the rear surround speakers. This is the most misunderstood part, I hear it all the time, (my rear speakers arnt working) when in reality the source is just not recorded in surround. Here is a sample audio track recorded in Dolby prologic (surround) (click to play)
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. if you have surround sound speakers and a sound card that supports 5.1 you should have herd all 5 speakers come to life. Here is another sample track (click to play)
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. Since the release of dolby 5.1 there have been many new technologies come about, such as dolby digital 7.1 and Dolby Pro Logic IIx 
They all work in much the same manor except with the added speakers the listen field appears to have a bit more movement.
What you need to have surround sound
- At least a 5 speaker system, 4 matched stereo speakers 1 center channel speaker and 1 subwoofer
- A audio video receiver, or if using a PC, a sound card that supports Dolby Prologic or DTS
- And finally a source recorded in surround sound
Click here to Check out more Home Theater photos in the galley and The Wikipedia for Home Cinema is here
What you should know about HDTV:
HDTV is also a misunderstood technology. Chances are you have never seen HDTV per say, even if you were in a department store looking at a HDTV on display, the content on the screen is most likely standard definition. There are 3 major components to HDTV, the display (Hardware) the Content (Software or Video) and the Decoder (Scalar). Never can you have true HDTV without the 3. There are a few way’s to receive HDTV signals, One is over the air broadcast, this is where the HDTV signal is embedded in the standard broadcast, You can pick up and decode this content with a specialized HDTV antenna connected to a Over The Air decoder, Another way is through your TV provider such as Direct TV, Time Warner, Dish Network: ect most providers now offer HDTV decoders with built in DVR’s.
Now that you have your source you will need a display capable of displaying high def signals, 720P or 1080i and even 1080p. Most HDTV’s are only HD ready meaning, You will need an outboard decoder or scalar. It is important to know also, that HDTV’s in the low to mid price range will not achieve great HDTV results, Black levels will be very poor and you will notice a screen door kind of look to the image. The cheapest way I know of to get HDTV is to buy a used CRT projector and Scalar, These units will display HDTV at it’s finest with little to know degradation, Costing around $20,000 new back in 1998 they can be puchased today in near perfect condition for around $2,000 somtimes much less.
Some people are using PC’s to recieve and scale HDTV useing a HDTV decoder card, these are called HTPC’s. HDTV can be vied 2 way’s, Standard definition scaled up to a High Definition 720p or 1080i this looks wonderful and is most likely what you will see on most displays in department stores, Then there is true HDTV this is were the source (content) is recorded (filmed) in HDTV and not changed at all but passed by the decoder (scalar) to the display, this type of HDTV is truly breath taking and will result in giving any unsuspecting viewer the WOW factor. So now the next time your at a buddies house who went and bought an HDTV and is eager to show it off, You can ask How are you getting your HDTV signal, What resolution is it, and How are you decoding it. Chances are he has the cable plugged in the back and nothing else, resulting in a standard definition signal being displayed on a HD ready TV which is not even close to true HDTV. Please take this opportunity to straighten Him out right away!
More HDTV and Home Theater photos are here and The Wikipedia for HdTv is here
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Home cinema
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This article may require copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone or spelling. You can assist by editing it. (August 2010) |
Basic home theater made up of a home entertainment system consisting of large-screen LCD television and a DVD player, (and a Blu-ray capable PlayStation 3 game console).
Home cinema, also commonly called home theater, are home entertainment set-ups that seek to reproduce the movie theater going experience and mood with the help of video and audio equipment in a private home.
In the 1950s, playing home movies became popular in the United States with Kodak 8 mm film projector equipment becoming affordable. The development of multi-channel audio systems and later LaserDisc in the 1980s created a new paradigm for home cinema. In the early to mid 1990s, a typical home cinema in the United States would have a LaserDisc or VHS player fed to a large rear-projection television. Beginning In the late 1990s,and continuing through out much of the 2000s home theatre technology progressed with the development of the DVD-Video format, Dolby Digital 5.1-channel audio (“surround sound“) speaker systems, and high-definition television. In the 2010s 3D television technology and Blu-ray Disc have ushered in a new era of home theater once again.
In the 2010s, the term “home cinema” encompasses a range of systems meant for movie playback at home. The most basic and common system could be a DVD player, a standard Definition CRT large-screen television with at least a 27″ diagonal screen size , 4:3 aspect ratio screen and a “home theater in a box” surround sound speaker system with a subwoofer. While a decent common home cinema set-up might more likely include a Blu-ray player or media center appliance/computer with a 10-foot user interface, a High Definition video projector and projection screen with a 100+” Diagonal Screen size “widescreen” 16:9 aspect-ratio format, and a several thousand-watt home theatre receiver with five to seven surround sound speakers plus a powerful subwoofer. The most advanced systems are 3D TV enabled home theaters making use of 3D TV technology and 3D Blu-ray players which use special glasses to aid viewers in seeing 3D TV movies and sporting events. The main point here is since home cinema’s are of course in private homes, Home theater means different things to different people. Home theater designs and layouts are very personal choices and the only real known minimum set of requirements for a home theater are: A television set or video projector system CRT, LCD, DLP, Plasma display, OLED, SXRD, Laser TV, rear-projection TV, Video projector, etc. (NTSC, ATSC, HDTV,or 3D TV) at least 27″ inches measured diagonally, an AV receiver or preamp and sound processor combination capable of at least Stereo sound but preferably 5.1 Channel Dolby Digital and DTS audio,and something that plays or broadcast movies in at least stereo sound such as a VHS HI-FI VCR or LaserDisc Player(both largely obsolete), A DVD Player and/or a Blu-ray Disc Player, Cable or Satellite receiver, video game console, etc. Finally a set of speakers at least two are needed but more common are anywhere from six to eight with a Subwoofer for bass or low frequency effects.
The most expensive home theater set-ups, which can cost up to and over $100,000 (US), have expensive digital projectors and projection screens, and maybe even a custom-built screening rooms which include cinema-style chairs and audiophile-grade sound equipment designed to mimic (or sometimes even exceed) commercial theater performance.
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Design
Common set-up of a basic home cinema layout with standard distance for a 10-foot user interface media player with a big-screen TV and 5.1 surround sound speaker configuration. The distance between viewer and TV varies, but is typically around 10-feet with a 32″ or larger big-sceen television display.
Today, Home Cinema implies a real “cinema experience” and therefore a higher quality set of components than an average television with only built-in speakers provides. A typical home theater includes the following parts:
- Video and Audio Input Devices: One or more video/audio sources. High quality movie media format such as example Blu-ray are normally preferred, though they often also include a DVD, VHS player, LaserDisc player or video game console systems. Quite a few home theatres today include a HTPC (Home Theater PC) with a media center software application to act as the main library for video and music content using a 10-foot user interface and remote control.
- Audio Processing Devices: Input devices are processed by either a standalone AV receiver or a Preamplifier and Sound Processor for complex surround sound formats such as Dolby Pro-Logic/and or Pro-logic II, X, and Z, Dolby Digital, DTS, Dolby Digital EX, DTS-ES, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio. The user selects the input at this point before it is forwarded to the output.
- Audio Output: Systems consist of at least 2 speakers, however most common today is 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound system, but it is possible to have up to 11 speakers with additional subwoofers.
- Video Output: A large-screen display either an NTSC, ATSC, HDTV or 3D TV (Preferably 3D TV). Options include Liquid crystal display television (LCD), plasma TV, OLED, SXRD, DLP, Laser TV, rear-projection TV, a traditional CRT TV, or a front video projector and projector screen.
- Atmosphere: Comfortable seating and organization to improve the cinema feel. Higher-end home theaters commonly also have sound insulation to prevent noise from escaping the room, and a specialized wall treatment to balance the sound within the room.
Flow diagram
Flow Diagram
Component systems vs. theater-in-a-box
High-quality home cinemas are assembled from component pieces purchased separately to provide the best combination of equipment for the cost. It is possible to purchase home theater in a box kits that include a set of speakers for surround sound, an amplifier/tuner for adjusting volume and selecting video sources, and sometimes a DVD player. Though these kits often pale in comparison to a custom-built home cinema, they are inexpensive and easy to set up; one needs only to add a television and some movies in order to create a simple home theater. This makes them popular in the public’s eyes.
Dedicated home theater rooms
A large projection screen in a media room.
This example is of home theater screening room with video projector mounted in a box on the ceiling. Built-in shelves provide a place for movie decor, DVDs, and equipment. Note the component stack on the right, where the audio receiver, DVD player, secondary monitor, and video game system are located.
Some home cinema enthusiasts go so far as to build a dedicated room in the home for the theater. 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. These installations are often designated as “screening rooms” to differentiate from simpler installations.
This idea can go as far as completely recreating an actual cinema, with a projector enclosed in its own projection room, specialized furniture, curtains in front of the projection screen, movie posters, or a popcorn or vending machine with snack food and confectionery. More commonly, real dedicated home theaters pursue this to a lesser degree. Presently the days of the $100,000 and over home theater is being usurped by the rapid advances in digital audio and video technologies, which has spurred a rapid drop in prices making a home cinema set-up more affordable today than ever before. This in turn has brought the true digital home theater experience to the doorsteps of the do-it-yourself people, often for much less than what you would expect to pay for a low budget economy car. Current consumer level A/V equipment can meet and often exceed in performance what you would expect to experience at a modern commercial theater.
Seating
Home theater seating consists of chairs specifically engineered and designed for viewing movies in a personal home theater setting. Most home theater seats have a cup holder built into the chairs’ armrests and a shared armrest between each seat. Some seating is movie theater-style chairs like those seen in a movie cinema, which features a flip-up seat cushion. Other seating systems have plush leather reclining lounger types, with flip-out footrests. Additional features like storage compartments, snack trays, Tactile transducers (nicknamed “Bass Shakers“), or even electric motors to recline the chair are available.
Backyard theater
In places that have the proper outdoor atmosphere, it is possible for people to set up a home theater in their backyard. Depending on the space available, it may simply be a temporary version with foldable screen, a projector and couple of speakers, or a permanent fixture with huge screens and dedicated audio set up poolside. Due to the outdoor nature, it is quite popular with BBQ parties and pool parties.
Some specialist outdoor home cinema companies are now marketing packages with inflatable movie screens and purpose built AV systems.[1]
Some people have built upon the idea, and constructed mobile drive-in theaters that can play movies in public open spaces. Usually, these require a powerful projector, a laptop or DVD player, outdoor speakers and/or an FM transmitter to broadcast the audio to other car radios.[2][3]
History
1950s, 1960s, and 1970s
In the 1950s, home movies became popular in the United States and elsewhere as Kodak 8 mm film (Pathé 9.5 mm in France) and camera and projector equipment became affordable. Projected with a small, portable movie projector onto a portable screen, often without sound, this system became the first practical home theater. They were generally used to show home movies of family travels and celebrations but also doubled as a means of showing private stag films. Dedicated home cinemas were called screening rooms at the time and were outfitted with 16 mm or even 35 mm projectors for showing commercial films. These were found almost exclusively in the homes of the very wealthy, especially those in the movie industry.
Portable home cinemas improved over time with color film, Kodak Super 8 mm film film cartridges, and monaural sound but remained awkward and somewhat expensive. The rise of home video in the late 1970s almost completely killed the consumer market for 8 mm film cameras and projectors, as VCRs connected to ordinary televisions provided a simpler and more flexible substitute.
1980s
The development of multi-channel audio systems and LaserDisc in the 1980s added new dimensions for home cinema. The first known home cinema system was designed, built and installed by Steve J. LaFontaine as a sales tool at Kirshmans furniture store in Metairie, Louisiana in 1974. He built a special sound room which incorporated the earliest quadraphonic audio systems and he modified Sony Trinitron televisions for projecting the image. Many systems were sold in the New Orleans area in the ensuing years before the first public demonstration of this integration occurred in 1982 at the Summer Consumer Electronics Show in Chicago, Illinois. Peter Tribeman of NAD (USA) organized and presented a demonstration made possible by the collaborative effort of NAD, Proton, ADS, Lucasfilm and Dolby Labs who contributed their technologies to demonstrate what a home cinema would “look and sound” like.
Over the course of three days, retailers, manufacturers, and members of the consumer electronics press were exposed to the first “home like” experience of combining a high quality video source with multi-channel surround sound. That one demonstration is credited with being the impetus for developing what is now a multi-billion dollar business.
1990s
In the early to mid ’90s, a typical Home Cinema would have a LaserDisc or VHS player fed to a large screen: rear projection for the more affordable setups, and LCD or CRT front projection in the more elaborate. In the late 1990s, the development of DVD-Video, Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1-channel audio, and high-quality front video projectors that provide a cinema experience at a price that rivals a big-screen HDTV which sparked a new wave of home cinema interest.
2000s
In the 2000s, developments such as High Definition video, Blu-ray Disc (as well as the now obsolete HD DVD format) and newer high-definition 3D display technologies enabled people to enjoy a cinematic feeling in their own home at an affordable price. Newer lossless audio from Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD High Resolution Audio and DTS-HD Master Audio with more audio channels, like 6.1, 7.1, 9.1, 9.2, 10.2, and 22.2 were also introduced for more cinematic feeling.
See also
References
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Home theaters |
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Look up home cinema in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. |
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