1) Don't put the screen too high This one happens a lot. Unfortunately, it's really uncomfortable to watch for any length of time, which affects your ability to become fully immersed in the action.
The centre of the picture should be at eye level, and no more than five degrees up or down from there. Just like when driving, or working at a computer, you need to be in a comfortable position.
2) Don't get the screen size wrong - too big, or too small Too often, screen sizes are worked out like this: (i) what fits in the space and (ii) what's in my budget? The problem is that you can end up with a picture that's either too small to fill up your senses - it's not immersive enough - or it's so big you can't see what's happening at the sides, which is uncomfortable.
The 'sweet spot' is a viewing angle ranging from 36 degrees to 55 degrees from your head to the sides of the screen. That is big enough to be 'cinema' without being overwhelming and uncomfortable - just right!
Within that ideal range, it's fine to use your own taste and judgement.
3) Don't put seats along the side walls Remember how the sound system should be able to take you to other places? That's really hard to do if you're right next to a side wall, and the surround system won't be able to work its magic.
That said, if you need to put 'occasional' seats in, that can be okay - say for having friends round to watch the game.
4) Avoid hard surfaces Very hard, reflective surfaces - like porcelain floor tiles, or large expanses of glass, really affect how things sound. That's fine in a bathroom - all that echo makes our singing seem better - but it plays havoc with a surround soundtrack!
A good cinema sound system makes you feel like you're in another space, but if the room echoes too much, it won't work. It also makes it harder to hear what the actors are saying, especially at lower volumes.
5) Don't choose products from online reviews There are two big problems here. First, reviews can be faked - it's straightforward to apply SEO techniques and make a poor product seem amazing.
The second problem is more subtle, and applies equally to honest, impartial reviewers. Products are all reviewed in context - at the particular price point and for a given room size. That context might not be the same as yours, in fact it almost certainly isn't.
Projectors, for example, have defined limits to their light output, which affects the screen sizes they can deliver. It's no use if you buy a projector that 'had great reviews' - but at the size you need, you end up with a dingy, washed-out picture and a forgettable experience.
In our designs, we approach the room first, which gives us the performance specification we need, and finally we look for products which fit.
Simply AV
Home Cinema don'ts:
1) Don't put the screen too high
This one happens a lot. Unfortunately, it's really uncomfortable to watch for any length of time, which affects your ability to become fully immersed in the action.
The centre of the picture should be at eye level, and no more than five degrees up or down from there. Just like when driving, or working at a computer, you need to be in a comfortable position.
2) Don't get the screen size wrong - too big, or too small
Too often, screen sizes are worked out like this: (i) what fits in the space and (ii) what's in my budget? The problem is that you can end up with a picture that's either too small to fill up your senses - it's not immersive enough - or it's so big you can't see what's happening at the sides, which is uncomfortable.
The 'sweet spot' is a viewing angle ranging from 36 degrees to 55 degrees from your head to the sides of the screen. That is big enough to be 'cinema' without being overwhelming and uncomfortable - just right!
Within that ideal range, it's fine to use your own taste and judgement.
3) Don't put seats along the side walls
Remember how the sound system should be able to take you to other places? That's really hard to do if you're right next to a side wall, and the surround system won't be able to work its magic.
That said, if you need to put 'occasional' seats in, that can be okay - say for having friends round to watch the game.
4) Avoid hard surfaces
Very hard, reflective surfaces - like porcelain floor tiles, or large expanses of glass, really affect how things sound. That's fine in a bathroom - all that echo makes our singing seem better - but it plays havoc with a surround soundtrack!
A good cinema sound system makes you feel like you're in another space, but if the room echoes too much, it won't work. It also makes it harder to hear what the actors are saying, especially at lower volumes.
5) Don't choose products from online reviews
There are two big problems here. First, reviews can be faked - it's straightforward to apply SEO techniques and make a poor product seem amazing.
The second problem is more subtle, and applies equally to honest, impartial reviewers. Products are all reviewed in context - at the particular price point and for a given room size. That context might not be the same as yours, in fact it almost certainly isn't.
Projectors, for example, have defined limits to their light output, which affects the screen sizes they can deliver. It's no use if you buy a projector that 'had great reviews' - but at the size you need, you end up with a dingy, washed-out picture and a forgettable experience.
In our designs, we approach the room first, which gives us the performance specification we need, and finally we look for products which fit.
3 weeks ago | [YT] | 9