In the first article in this series, we talked about the different types of home theaters that you might be asked to put into a home. In the second, we focused on the dedicated cinema room.
This time, we’ll focus on a common basement remodeling project – the media room or game room. This room differs from the home cinema in that it’s usually part of a larger entertaining space, which may include a bar, a pool table, conversation areas, or other entertaining spaces.
The media room is often separated from the rest of the space by a half-wall or a counter where a row of stools provides additional seating. There may also be more viewing screens such as flat panel TVs around the bar or in other segments. And your client will want to do more than watch movies on the main screen. Our clients want to watch sports, TV, and even video games on the big screen. And sometimes they even want a stage for their kids to perform on.
There are differences in acoustics, sources, seating, ambient light, and video distribution among other things.
Room acoustics
The first thing we notice with media rooms is that they’re missing a wall (sometimes two!). The back wall is often a half-wall, and a side wall can be missing or partially missing. This makes the theater room part of the rest of the space, including the other occupants in the movie, sports show, or video game if they choose. It also allows sound to move between the spaces, so the movie is heard at the bar, and the pool table is heard in the theater. The base level of ambient sound (the “Noise Criteria”) can be much higher when there’s a party, which means the volume needs to be higher in order to hear the softer passages. Of course, that volume invades the rest of the space during the louder scenes. This is probably exactly what the client wants when they’re watching a baseball or football game, but may not be ideal in a movie. It also means the sound bounces around the room differently, which can impact the surround-sound imaging even when there’s nobody else sharing the space.
Sources
When a client asks for a media room, they usually are thinking the space will serve multiple purposes. They’ll want to watch movies (Blu-Ray, Internet downloads, or Video-on-demand), sports (over-the-air or cable TV), regular TV programming, home movies, and even video games (Wii, Xbox, or Playstation). You need to consider where these sources will live, and especially in the case of the Wii, how the users will interact with the screen. There has to be enough room to play the active games like Wii Sports without knocking into the screen or the seating. And finally, people standing in front of the front row are likely to interfere with the projector image unless the room is very carefully designed and configured.
Video and Audio Distribution
Since the clients want the rest of the space to interact with the theater, you many need to consider multiple screens to ensure that everyone has good sightlines. The guest sitting at the bar will want to know the score without having to walk around the corner to the theater room. And of course you’ll want to carefully plan speaker locations so that all guests can hear the game without annoying echoes or delays, and without it being too loud for conversation. Speaker types and locations are important here, as is proper amplification.
Note that the client may also want to put something different on different screens. For example, the main screen may be showing the home team football game, while the bar TV may be showing a different game. A TV in a conversation area may show a movie for the kids, while the outdoor TVs may be showing a baseball game! For each different item that’s showing, you need a source, and you need a video switcher capable of routing that many signals to that many displays. And if the displays aren’t all capable of showing the same resolution (some may be 1080p, while others are 720p), you need to be able to scale the signal appropriately. And of course you need a way to control all of this!
Ambient Light
As the space is also an entertaining space, you’ll need to make sure there is plenty of natural light in the room. This means a normal low-lumen projector, designed for use in near complete darkness, won’t be able to project an image bright enough to compensate. You’ll need a brighter projector and possibly a higher-gain screen to make up for the additional light but still provide an excellent picture. And night-time entertaining will have a different level of light than day-time entertaining, which means the projector may need multiple calibration levels.
Seating
Many times, clients will opt for sofas instead of theater chairs in a media room – they’re considered more friendly in this type of space. And tiered seating may be out of the question, although bar stools behind a counter or half-wall may give the client backup seating space. But these seats aren’t usually within the surround-sound-stage, which means the audio portion of the event may not be very good from those seats unless the speaker locations are designed correctly.
Other thoughts
In many ways, a media room is even more complex than a cinema room. While the cinema room has to do audio and video very well, the media room has to be able to switch personalities quickly and easily.
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.
Showing posts with label home theater design. Show all posts
Showing posts with label home theater design. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
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.
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.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Home Theater: Contractor Basics
How many times have you heard a client say, “I want a home theater?” Over the last few years, this area has become common in both remodeling projects and initial home designs.
But what exactly is home theater?
Simply defined, a home theater is an audio and video system where the speakers are not part of the video display, but rather are separate components. That’s a lot of latitude, since it can encompass anything from a small TV hooked up to a stereo all the way up to a dedicated room with seating for 40 with a very large projection system, multiple surround-speakers, racks of equipment, and a large touch panel control system.
So the first thing you need to do is learn exactly what a client wants when they say “home theater." Here are a few basic categories to help get you started.
Small Bedroom or Living Room System with Stereo
The simplest home theater has a small (by today’s standards!) flat panel TV mounted either on a stand or on the wall (over a fireplace is common), connected to a small stereo receiver and a pair of wall-mounted (in-wall or on-wall) or free-standing speakers. “Small” typically means under 40” diagonal.
If your client wants this, make sure you know if the TV will be wall- or stand-mounted (provide power and a cable chase if wall-mounted), and whether the speakers will be wall-mounted or free standing (if in-wall or on-wall, you’ll need to pre-wire with good-quality in-wall speaker wire – typically 16/2).
The client will probably also need a place to put the DVD or Blu-Ray player, the cable or satellite receiver, and the stereo receiver. A properly-sized nook or an equipment stand are the best options for this.
The wiring chase to the TV location can have an HDMI cable, Component Video cables, or other video cables pulled as needed. We like 2” flexible raceways to give enough room for the cable heads to get through.
Living room surround-sound system
The next level up typically incorporates a larger video display and surround-sound instead of stereo speakers. You still have to worry about power for the TV if it’s wall-mounted and pre-wiring for five speakers plus the subwoofer.
You’ll still need a place for the equipment to reside, so make sure to ask the client whether they want a built-in nook or if they’ll be putting in some furniture. Don’t forget to account for space for a gaming system and a way to dissipate heat! You need a way to get video up to the TV, so that cable chase is still important.
A new component you need to consider is the subwoofer. Surround-sound speakers generally require a separate subwoofer to handle the low frequencies. Don’t put the subwoofer in a nook, because the enclosure will further focus and amplify the bass frequencies. If the client wants to hide the sub, there are in-wall subwoofers available. These need to be preplanned, since there are enclosures that need to be built into the wall.
Media Rooms
Media rooms are one of the most common forms of home theater that people think of when building an addition or finishing a basement.
These frequently have a partially separated room for the video display and surround-sound, which joins into another entertaining space. There are a couple of major “gotcha’s” with media rooms.
First, you’re usually missing a wall. This has a big impact on the audio design, and means the client probably can’t watch one thing in the theater part while watching or listening to something else in the main entertaining area.
Second, some clients will want projectors, while others will want a very large flat panel display. It’s important to ferret this out at the beginning, since it impacts power needs and video cabling.
Third, many clients will want multiple video screens. This may mean they need a video distribution system, additional speakers and amplification, and the ability to control it all. They may also have enough equipment at this point to warrant a dedicated space for an equipment rack. Be sure to learn whether the client likes to see the equipment, or would like it hidden.
Finally, the seating becomes very important. This level is where many clients want “seat shakers” (requires power at the seats and low voltage cabling to control the actuators) and multiple seating rows (requires careful attention to sight lines, audio placement, and tiered seating).
Dedicated Cinema Rooms
I use the term Cinema Room to differentiate a higher-end dedicated theater. Your high-end clients will probably prefer this term, since it offers a bit more prestige than the lower-end living room systems and more generic media rooms.
Cinema rooms can have from 4 to 40 or more seating locations, will likely have tiered seating, and will almost always be front-projection systems with a large screen. Multiple subwoofers are common, as are equipment racks. A standard 15-amp circuit may not provide enough power, but you still have to get everything on a single circuit if possible to prevent ground-loop issues.
You may also need to worry about sound isolation in a cinema room. First, you need to isolate any outside sounds such as HVAC, footsteps overhead, traffic outside, etc. This enables the theater to more accurately re-create very low volume sounds. Second, your client is likely to want to keep the theater sounds away from the rest of the house. They don’t want to have to turn down the volume on their favorite action movie so they don’t disturb the kids after bedtime!
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 (not against you) and deliver the best results for your clients, call the experts at Inspired Electronics, Inc. We are a local, family-run company that specializes 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/.
But what exactly is home theater?
Simply defined, a home theater is an audio and video system where the speakers are not part of the video display, but rather are separate components. That’s a lot of latitude, since it can encompass anything from a small TV hooked up to a stereo all the way up to a dedicated room with seating for 40 with a very large projection system, multiple surround-speakers, racks of equipment, and a large touch panel control system.
So the first thing you need to do is learn exactly what a client wants when they say “home theater." Here are a few basic categories to help get you started.
Small Bedroom or Living Room System with Stereo
The simplest home theater has a small (by today’s standards!) flat panel TV mounted either on a stand or on the wall (over a fireplace is common), connected to a small stereo receiver and a pair of wall-mounted (in-wall or on-wall) or free-standing speakers. “Small” typically means under 40” diagonal.
If your client wants this, make sure you know if the TV will be wall- or stand-mounted (provide power and a cable chase if wall-mounted), and whether the speakers will be wall-mounted or free standing (if in-wall or on-wall, you’ll need to pre-wire with good-quality in-wall speaker wire – typically 16/2).
The client will probably also need a place to put the DVD or Blu-Ray player, the cable or satellite receiver, and the stereo receiver. A properly-sized nook or an equipment stand are the best options for this.
The wiring chase to the TV location can have an HDMI cable, Component Video cables, or other video cables pulled as needed. We like 2” flexible raceways to give enough room for the cable heads to get through.
Living room surround-sound system
The next level up typically incorporates a larger video display and surround-sound instead of stereo speakers. You still have to worry about power for the TV if it’s wall-mounted and pre-wiring for five speakers plus the subwoofer.
You’ll still need a place for the equipment to reside, so make sure to ask the client whether they want a built-in nook or if they’ll be putting in some furniture. Don’t forget to account for space for a gaming system and a way to dissipate heat! You need a way to get video up to the TV, so that cable chase is still important.
A new component you need to consider is the subwoofer. Surround-sound speakers generally require a separate subwoofer to handle the low frequencies. Don’t put the subwoofer in a nook, because the enclosure will further focus and amplify the bass frequencies. If the client wants to hide the sub, there are in-wall subwoofers available. These need to be preplanned, since there are enclosures that need to be built into the wall.
Media Rooms
Media rooms are one of the most common forms of home theater that people think of when building an addition or finishing a basement.
These frequently have a partially separated room for the video display and surround-sound, which joins into another entertaining space. There are a couple of major “gotcha’s” with media rooms.
First, you’re usually missing a wall. This has a big impact on the audio design, and means the client probably can’t watch one thing in the theater part while watching or listening to something else in the main entertaining area.
Second, some clients will want projectors, while others will want a very large flat panel display. It’s important to ferret this out at the beginning, since it impacts power needs and video cabling.
Third, many clients will want multiple video screens. This may mean they need a video distribution system, additional speakers and amplification, and the ability to control it all. They may also have enough equipment at this point to warrant a dedicated space for an equipment rack. Be sure to learn whether the client likes to see the equipment, or would like it hidden.
Finally, the seating becomes very important. This level is where many clients want “seat shakers” (requires power at the seats and low voltage cabling to control the actuators) and multiple seating rows (requires careful attention to sight lines, audio placement, and tiered seating).
Dedicated Cinema Rooms
I use the term Cinema Room to differentiate a higher-end dedicated theater. Your high-end clients will probably prefer this term, since it offers a bit more prestige than the lower-end living room systems and more generic media rooms.
Cinema rooms can have from 4 to 40 or more seating locations, will likely have tiered seating, and will almost always be front-projection systems with a large screen. Multiple subwoofers are common, as are equipment racks. A standard 15-amp circuit may not provide enough power, but you still have to get everything on a single circuit if possible to prevent ground-loop issues.
You may also need to worry about sound isolation in a cinema room. First, you need to isolate any outside sounds such as HVAC, footsteps overhead, traffic outside, etc. This enables the theater to more accurately re-create very low volume sounds. Second, your client is likely to want to keep the theater sounds away from the rest of the house. They don’t want to have to turn down the volume on their favorite action movie so they don’t disturb the kids after bedtime!
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 (not against you) and deliver the best results for your clients, call the experts at Inspired Electronics, Inc. We are a local, family-run company that specializes 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/.
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