Home Cinema for Contractors

Your client just told you they want a home theater as part of their remodeling or building project. You think, “Cool, this is really going to make this project a great living experience for the client!”

Now you need to make sure you design and build the theater that your clients are hoping for. And you probably don’t have a degree in acoustic design. This article will give you some basic rules-of-thumb to get you going. For more detailed design help, please contact Inspired Electronics, Inc. at info@inspired-electronics.com, www.inspired-electronics.com, or 847.471.4420.

In order to be sure you create the right room, you first need to delve a little bit more into what the client really wants. Take a look at our previous article to learn about the different options, so you can narrow down what your client is really interested in.

Now, let’s assume for this article that the client really wants that holy grail of home entertainment experiences, a dedicated home cinema. Here are a few things you should consider when designing and building that room.

Room acoustics
Everyone knows that the video display is a critical part of a cinema experience. But have you ever really considered the audio? Room acoustics play a huge part in making that home cinema room sound as good as it looks, delivering a knock-your-socks-off experience.

The room should be rectangular in shape, with the screen on the short wall. And all four walls and ceiling should be there – if you have a half-wall opening onto another room, the acoustics change significantly. There needs to be a door, and windows are generally not desirable. Any sort of ell or nook will also change the acoustics.

Walls should be flat, although columns and a proscenium are fine.

In general, you want the room furnishings to absorb or disperse some of the sound energy in the room, without damping the room too much. If the room is too absorptive, it will sound “dead”, and if it’s too reflective, it will sound “bright” or “echo-y”. Curtains across or beside the screen are fine (but shouldn’t cover the speakers), and furniture will also be sound absorptive. Carpet is good for the same reason. But don’t dampen the room too much – you can always add acoustical treatments later if necessary.

Note that bass frequencies behave differently than treble frequencies. They are much harder to control after construction, so you need to take them into consideration during the design phase. You may consider using a dedicated software package to predict how the bass frequencies are going to interact with the room. In some cases, you may need to provide for a way to “trap” the bass, or plan for multiple subwoofers to even out the response.

Room isolation
Your client probably wants sound isolation from the rest of the home. This serves two purposes. First, it allows someone to watch a movie at full volume without disturbing others in the home. Second, it removes outside noise such as the HVAC, street noise, or other outside noises that interfere with low-volume listening.

In order to properly isolate a room, you need to build a “room-within-a-room”. This means double stud walls, with a sound-dampening material woven between the walls. Double drywall does little to prevent the most annoying sound frequencies from traveling to another room unless a sound-dampening barrier is also used.

The Screen and Speakers
Most clients will want the screen to be as big as possible. You need to be sure they can see the bottom of the screen from the back row. You also need to be sure there’s room for the speakers. Speakers can be hidden behind an acoustically transparent screen if needed. Your client may also want an ultra-wide screen (anamorphic widescreen). This allows the client to watch movies in the very wide 2.35:1 aspect ratio format. You will want a masking screen and an anamorphic lens at the projector for this option.

In a dedicated cinema room, the client will expect the Left/Center/Right front speakers, plus 4 or 6 surround/rear speakers, plus 2 or even 4 subwoofers. This setup has the ability to deliver the best possible sound to every seat in the room.

Other room factors
Be sure you can fit as many seats as the client wants. If there are two or more rows of seating, you’ll need to have clear sight lines from the back rows.

The projector will most likely be mounted toward the back of the room, near the ceiling. Too low, and heads will be in the way – too high, and the projector may “wash” the ceiling too much. And it needs to be centered with the projector, of course. Some projectors have vertical and horizontal shift mechanisms, but you may not want to rely on that.

The audio and video equipment (amplifiers, Blu-Ray player, control systems, etc.) all need to live somewhere. Ideally, they will be accessible from the room without taking up room space, which usually means putting a pull-out rack in a closet or cubby. Make sure there is access to the back of the rack for upgrades, repairs, or reconfigurations. And be sure there is sufficient ventilation, as amplifiers get hot, while Blu-Ray players can be sensitive to heat!

Where to get help
For any electronic system, it’s important to bring in a CE pro (custom electronics professional). The CE pro will be able to help design the electronics, in conjunction with the architect, builder, and interior designer, in order to deliver the perfect experience for the client. That same CE pro will be able to recommend and provide the right mix of equipment and control systems for the client, staying within the client’s budget, and finally install and calibrate the equipment to ensure the best experience possible.

If you’re looking for a CE pro that you can trust to work with you and deliver the best results for your clients, call the experts at Inspired Electronics, Inc. We specialize in residential and commercial audio, video, and control systems. Call Keith Rose at 847.471.420 or email at keith@inspired-electronics.com.

For more information about Inspired Electronics, Inc., visit our website at http://www.inspired-electronics.com.