Home Cinema

The ultimate home entertainment viewing option is a room set up as a cinema with a high-definition front projector. This is now a much more affordable option than in the past. The cost can be well under ?1000 if you are willing to do a bit of DIY for the screen and mount. The main obstacle to setting up a home cinema now is finding the right space. It can be done in your living room provided there is at least about 4 meters (12 feet) distance between where you want to put the projector and the wall with the screen. If you have less room than that it is still possible, but you should check the projector specifications to make sure it can give the picture size you want.

The room

The wall with the screen will obviously need to have a suitable clear area. Most homes are not designed for this kind of technology so it is rare to find a really optimal wall in a typical house or flat. Room designers tend to waste the most appropriate wall by adding a large fake fireplace surround. You can often put the screen above a fireplace but make sure that the space is big enough and the height is going to be comfortable to watch. If not, ask yourself whether you really need the fireplace there. If you have central heating and dont use the fire, why not get rid of it and plaster over to give yourself a better screen area?

The projector

When choosing your HD projector you will find that the two main technologies available are LCD and DLP. DLP has traditionally been the most cost effective option but some people find that they see a rainbow effect on the screen. This can be especially noticeable when the image is black and white and your eyes are moving to track the action. The latest DLP projectors use a faster wheel speed to reduce this effect so you may never notice it. LCD projectors dot have this problem but sometimes the colour and contrast ratio is not as good with LCD as it is with DLP. Again, the technology is improving and this is no longer always the case. check the specification of the product before buying.

Front projectors are normally mounted on the ceiling above where the viewers sit. This avoids people standing in the beam and casting a shadow on the screen, but obviously you have to make sure that any ceiling lights are not in the way either. You can buy a ceiling mount but make sure that it is securly attached to the ceiling joists. If you cant see where they are it may be necessary to take up the floorboards in the room above to see them. Sometimes an easier alternative is to put a small shelf on the back wall just a few inches from the ceiling. The projector can be attached to the bottom of the shelf. Again, make sure that the attachment to the wall is very solid so that the projector does not droop down. With this option you may not need the ceiling mount which can be an expensive extra.

The screen

Once the projector is set up and running you will be able to see exactly where the image falls, so put the screen up next. You can buy a suitable screen with the projector, or you can make one yourself very cheaply. You just need a peice of chipboard cut to the right size and sufficiently thick that it stays very flat. Paint it with white matt paint and then screw it to the wall at the right place. Some people like to outline the edge of the screen with black tape to give a cleaner border to the picture. Some paints work better than others. It is possible to buy specialised screen paints that give a much clearer picture especially with dark images. this is because the paints are specially mixed so that they reflect the right light wavelengths matching the colours of a projector.

Surround sound

If you are looking for a real cinema experience do not neglect the sound system. Good surround sound is essential but it does not have to be too expensive to work. One problem you will face is how to avoid having the wires running over the floor. You may have to pull up the carpet and run them underneath. Sometimes it makes sense to get rid of the carpet and lay a false floor over the cinema area so that the wires can run underneath that.

The only other thing you will need to do is put up some heavy curtains to reduce ambient light. the best viewing time will be in the winter evenings anyway so dont worry about removing all stary light unless you are using a dedicated room. Some people like to use the basement which is ideal for being dark.

Finally, buy a popcorn maker, sit back and enjoy.