In the last few weeks, I've covered $2500 and $5000 home theaters. But what if you have a bit more of a budget? Perhaps you're planning on a big tax refund, or have been saving for this.
Well, I have to say, $10,000 opens up a whole world of possibilities in home theater. You now have options for a good projector or a large panel display, possibly some seating, and upgraded sound.
I'll talk about two possibilities here: The large panel and the projector. First, we'll talk about everything except the display, then talk about display choices last.
Audio Gear
At this level, we'll move up to a more powerful A/V receiver, and upgrade the speaker package. We'll stick with on-wall speakers at this price point. Although we could easily put in-wall or in-ceiling speakers in to get the equipment out of the room, we'd have to make compromises in other parts of the system to get the same audio quality.
In addition to more power, the receiver also gains some interesting features at this point. In particular, we add iPod compatibility and possibly network integration. This means that you can start to think about internet radio, and streaming your MP3's from networked computers. The receiver can also do upconversion of standard-definition video signals like DVDs, VHS, etc.
Control
For the control system, we move up to a sleeker remote that can handle more complex controls. For example, you can now have the remote remember if your DVD is on or off, and send commands only if they are needed. In our $5,000 system, the remote had to use "brute-force" control methods - force the receiver to always turn on, for example. This "smart-force" approach will reduce the time required to turn on the system, and especially reduce the time required to switch from one mode to another.
Sources
We'll also move from an upconverting DVD player (which improves the look of your standard DVDs, but isn't really high-definition) to a Blu-Ray (or HD-DVD if you prefer) player. This gives you true high definition movies. Some of the more recent Blu-Ray (and all HD-DVD) players also allow for interactive Internet connections, so that you can get more features, play games, get updates on actors, directors, upcoming movies, etc.
Other items of interest
At this level, some people choose to stick with a smaller screen and entry-level sound in order to add home theater seating. Depending on the trade-offs you're willing to make (leather vs. vinyl, size of TV, etc.), you could get 4, 6, or even 8-person seating at this price point.
You may also choose to integrate some lighting control. If you do, you'll be able to really "wow!" your guests by automatically dimming lights when you start a movie, or brightening the room when you pause or stop!
Display
Now we come to the most visible feature of your home theater - the display.
At this price point, you will probably be going for BIG! A 58" plasma would be a great addition to this theater (I chose plasma primarily because at this time, larger plasmas are still less expensive than the equivalent size LCD).
Or, for an even bigger size picture, consider a projector and screen. Depending on the room size, you are probably looking at an 84-106" fixed-mount or manual pull-down screen. You can also opt for a 1080p projector, or a step-up 720p projector.
The 1080p projector would be entry-level (single chip, not as bright, lesss video processing capability). The 720p projector, on the other hand, would have lower resolution (but still hi-def), but would be brighter, and would have better video processing capabilities. The 720p may also have three separate display chips, which will result in better colors and contrast.
Remember, we're a custom installation company, so all of our packages include professional installation, programming, and calibration. Plus, this would include all required cabling, mounting, and instructions on how to use the system (not that you'll need much, given the simplicity of the remotes!).
There are a lot of choices in home theater. This is by no means the only option in this price range - the right home theater for you is really dependent on your tastes, your budget, and your room. Our goal is to work with you to uncover what's most important, so that we can put in a system that is perfect for your room, your tastes, and your budget!
For more information on how Inspired Electronics, Inc. can put in your dream home theater, visit our web site at http://www.inspired-electronics.com or call us at 847.471.4420 for a consultation!
Thanks -
Rob
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Your Home Theater Budget - $5000
Last time, I talked about a $2500 home theater. That's great for a lot of people, but many people want more. Larger screen, more power, better control, etc.
Again, there is a very wide array of options, so don't take this as the only possible system you can get for the money.
In this package, you would step up from stereo sound to 5.1 surround sound, and move to a 46" LCD television. In addition, we could either wall-mount or table-mount the TV, and the receiver, DVD, and your cable or satellite receiver would all be mounted in a cabinet underneath the TV. All equipment would be protected by high-quality surge suppression, and you would get an easy to use one-touch remote control.
To me, the remote is one of the best things about spending a little more money. In my house, we have a one-touch remote. Not long after we put our system in, my wife and I were going out for the evening, and my mother-in-law was watching the kids. Now, my mother-in-law is great at watching kids, but she's not really interested in trying to figure out how to use the collection of remotes in order to "just watch TV". But with the new remote, my daughter (who was 7 at the time), showed her grandmother how to use the TV. "Just press the 'Watch TV' button, Grandma," she said. And with just that one button push, the TV came on, the receiver came on, and the cable box came on, the TV and receiver inputs were set correctly, and she was watching TV!
Of course, the larger TV and the surround sound also improve your TV watching. Most people agree that for sports or movies, a larger TV creates a better experience. And the ability to mount it all on a wall really improves the feel of most rooms.
Since we're an installation company, all of our packages come with installation and calibration. So you don't have to worry about which wires to plug in where, or how to mount the TV to the wall. And we adjust the color and sound to work perfectly in your room. After all, why bother spending $5K on an entertainment system that doesn't sound right, or doesn't look right?
As with everything we sell, we only use quality brands like Samsung, Denon, Canton, and Universal Remote (URC). So you know you're getting solid equipment that will perform well for years, along with reputable warranty support in the event that something does go wrong.
As with any package, you can always make trade-offs. If you want better sound, you could step up to a better receiver and speakers, while switching to a rear-projection TV. If you want a larger screen, you could go back to stereo sound. If you want an even better one-touch remote, you could consider a smaller TV screen. The options are endless, and the answer to the right system lies in your room, your style, and your budget.
Next time, I'll step up to the $10K level. There are a lot more options here, including gaming, ultra-large projection screens, theater-style seating, etc.
For more information on how Inspired Electronics, Inc. can put in your dream home theater, visit our web site at http://www.inspired-electronics.com or call us at 847.471.4420 for a consultation!
Rob
Again, there is a very wide array of options, so don't take this as the only possible system you can get for the money.
In this package, you would step up from stereo sound to 5.1 surround sound, and move to a 46" LCD television. In addition, we could either wall-mount or table-mount the TV, and the receiver, DVD, and your cable or satellite receiver would all be mounted in a cabinet underneath the TV. All equipment would be protected by high-quality surge suppression, and you would get an easy to use one-touch remote control.
To me, the remote is one of the best things about spending a little more money. In my house, we have a one-touch remote. Not long after we put our system in, my wife and I were going out for the evening, and my mother-in-law was watching the kids. Now, my mother-in-law is great at watching kids, but she's not really interested in trying to figure out how to use the collection of remotes in order to "just watch TV". But with the new remote, my daughter (who was 7 at the time), showed her grandmother how to use the TV. "Just press the 'Watch TV' button, Grandma," she said. And with just that one button push, the TV came on, the receiver came on, and the cable box came on, the TV and receiver inputs were set correctly, and she was watching TV!
Of course, the larger TV and the surround sound also improve your TV watching. Most people agree that for sports or movies, a larger TV creates a better experience. And the ability to mount it all on a wall really improves the feel of most rooms.
Since we're an installation company, all of our packages come with installation and calibration. So you don't have to worry about which wires to plug in where, or how to mount the TV to the wall. And we adjust the color and sound to work perfectly in your room. After all, why bother spending $5K on an entertainment system that doesn't sound right, or doesn't look right?
As with everything we sell, we only use quality brands like Samsung, Denon, Canton, and Universal Remote (URC). So you know you're getting solid equipment that will perform well for years, along with reputable warranty support in the event that something does go wrong.
As with any package, you can always make trade-offs. If you want better sound, you could step up to a better receiver and speakers, while switching to a rear-projection TV. If you want a larger screen, you could go back to stereo sound. If you want an even better one-touch remote, you could consider a smaller TV screen. The options are endless, and the answer to the right system lies in your room, your style, and your budget.
Next time, I'll step up to the $10K level. There are a lot more options here, including gaming, ultra-large projection screens, theater-style seating, etc.
For more information on how Inspired Electronics, Inc. can put in your dream home theater, visit our web site at http://www.inspired-electronics.com or call us at 847.471.4420 for a consultation!
Rob
Monday, January 28, 2008
Your Home Theater Budget - $2500
One of the key factors in putting together a great home theater system is your budget. We will put together the best possible home theater or electronic system for you within your budget, but we do need to have a target budget to work from.
One of the biggest concerns I hear from people is that they really don't know how much these things cost. They see ads for flat panel TVs all over the place, and they seem pretty cheap (for example, a 42" 720p LCD for $800, or a 47" 1080p LCD for $1500), but they know that's not the whole story.
Consider also the mount, the wiring, and the labor to put it all in and make it work. Plus, many people want to add surround sound, which means a receiver and speakers (and speaker wiring and mounts), possibly a DVD or Hi-Def DVD player, and a good programmable remote control. And if you're thinking along the lines of a dedicated room or media room with a projector, you need the screen and projector, plus more wiring to be able to place the projector correctly. Oh, and don't forget power. Most homes don't have outlets where your TV will go, although we're starting to see that in newer homes.
So how much can I expect to spend? Well, over the next few Blog entries, I will talk about a few common systems at various price points. Note that there is an almost infinite variety of choices. I'm not trying to put together the cheapest system by any means, but rather to offer some common choices in the hi-def arena with great quality brands and models. And of course, since installation is our business, installation is included in all of these packages.
I'll start with an entry-level system, coming in at $2500. With the continued drops in television prices, a $2500 home theater isn't really a stretch any more. For this price range, you're looking at either a smallish flat panel (37" or 42"), or a medium sized DLP Rear Projection (say, 50"). Add in a stereo receiver and bookshelf speakers, and a reasonably good upconverting DVD player, and a few cables, and you have all of the basic equipment to make a pretty good audio and video experience. We would mount this equipment on a stand or table that you provide, hook it all together, and calibrate both the audio and the video to give you the best possible picture with that equipment.
All of the equipment here is made by a major manufacturer (Samsung, Denon, Canton), so you have good eqiupment (albeit at the lower end), and reputable warranty support. You don't get surround sound or a one-touch remote, and this would be in your living room, family room, or similar. For some people, this would make a perfect bedroom system.
Of course, you can always make trade-offs. If you want the one-touch remote, you could go with a smaller TV. If you want a bigger TV, consider the rear projection. If you have a little more in your budget, you can move to 5.1 surround sound instead of stereo.
In my next entry, I'll tackle the next level - $5,000. I think you'll be surprised at the additional value you'll get at that level!
For more information about Inspired Electronics, Inc., visit us on the web at http://www.inspired-electronics.com. We look forward to installing your home theater!
Rob
One of the biggest concerns I hear from people is that they really don't know how much these things cost. They see ads for flat panel TVs all over the place, and they seem pretty cheap (for example, a 42" 720p LCD for $800, or a 47" 1080p LCD for $1500), but they know that's not the whole story.
Consider also the mount, the wiring, and the labor to put it all in and make it work. Plus, many people want to add surround sound, which means a receiver and speakers (and speaker wiring and mounts), possibly a DVD or Hi-Def DVD player, and a good programmable remote control. And if you're thinking along the lines of a dedicated room or media room with a projector, you need the screen and projector, plus more wiring to be able to place the projector correctly. Oh, and don't forget power. Most homes don't have outlets where your TV will go, although we're starting to see that in newer homes.
So how much can I expect to spend? Well, over the next few Blog entries, I will talk about a few common systems at various price points. Note that there is an almost infinite variety of choices. I'm not trying to put together the cheapest system by any means, but rather to offer some common choices in the hi-def arena with great quality brands and models. And of course, since installation is our business, installation is included in all of these packages.
I'll start with an entry-level system, coming in at $2500. With the continued drops in television prices, a $2500 home theater isn't really a stretch any more. For this price range, you're looking at either a smallish flat panel (37" or 42"), or a medium sized DLP Rear Projection (say, 50"). Add in a stereo receiver and bookshelf speakers, and a reasonably good upconverting DVD player, and a few cables, and you have all of the basic equipment to make a pretty good audio and video experience. We would mount this equipment on a stand or table that you provide, hook it all together, and calibrate both the audio and the video to give you the best possible picture with that equipment.
All of the equipment here is made by a major manufacturer (Samsung, Denon, Canton), so you have good eqiupment (albeit at the lower end), and reputable warranty support. You don't get surround sound or a one-touch remote, and this would be in your living room, family room, or similar. For some people, this would make a perfect bedroom system.
Of course, you can always make trade-offs. If you want the one-touch remote, you could go with a smaller TV. If you want a bigger TV, consider the rear projection. If you have a little more in your budget, you can move to 5.1 surround sound instead of stereo.
In my next entry, I'll tackle the next level - $5,000. I think you'll be surprised at the additional value you'll get at that level!
For more information about Inspired Electronics, Inc., visit us on the web at http://www.inspired-electronics.com. We look forward to installing your home theater!
Rob
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Service and warranties
Warranties and service. Although issues don't happen very often, when they do come up, we believe it's paramount to resolve them immediately.
We've had a number of calls lately from clients who were unhappy with their current custom installation company. One company left the client without a working TV for 4 months! The TV had some warranty issues, and had been worked on several times over the intervening 4 month period, but still - 4 months is a long time for a new piece of electronics to not be working.
In contrast, we had a warranty issue with one of the systems we installed a few weeks ago. I personally called the manufacturer and arranged for the warranty repair. When the repair tech determined the TV could not be fixed, I handled the return directly. We swapped out the old TV for a new one as soon as the client could arrange time, and the swap-out process took less than an hour. Oh, and we also calibrated the new TV as part of the warranty service!
Even if you didn't buy your system from us, we'll be happy to work with you and the manufacturers of your equipment to ensure the fastest and easiest fixes and upgrades to your system. Let us do the worrying for you!
Our goal is to make your electronics experience as easy as possible. This cuts across all parts of our business, from our proposals, to installation and programming, to service and warranty.
Most of the equipment we sell and install works perfectly for many years. Occassionally, though, something goes wrong. Don't you deserve the best possible worry-free service available?
Thanks -
Rob
We've had a number of calls lately from clients who were unhappy with their current custom installation company. One company left the client without a working TV for 4 months! The TV had some warranty issues, and had been worked on several times over the intervening 4 month period, but still - 4 months is a long time for a new piece of electronics to not be working.
In contrast, we had a warranty issue with one of the systems we installed a few weeks ago. I personally called the manufacturer and arranged for the warranty repair. When the repair tech determined the TV could not be fixed, I handled the return directly. We swapped out the old TV for a new one as soon as the client could arrange time, and the swap-out process took less than an hour. Oh, and we also calibrated the new TV as part of the warranty service!
Even if you didn't buy your system from us, we'll be happy to work with you and the manufacturers of your equipment to ensure the fastest and easiest fixes and upgrades to your system. Let us do the worrying for you!
Our goal is to make your electronics experience as easy as possible. This cuts across all parts of our business, from our proposals, to installation and programming, to service and warranty.
Most of the equipment we sell and install works perfectly for many years. Occassionally, though, something goes wrong. Don't you deserve the best possible worry-free service available?
Thanks -
Rob
Saturday, December 8, 2007
The Holiday Season is here!
Will you be entertaining a house full of people over the next month? Are you just itching to show off your electronics system?
Whether you have a full-blown home theater, whole-home audio system, home automation, or a simple A/V system in your living room or game room, you should test it out a few days before your guests arrive. That way, if there's something not quite right, you can fix it in time to show off for your guests.
Of course, if something isn't working right, and you're not sure what's wrong, please give us a call. We can often walk you through the issue over the phone. If we can't fix it over the phone, we may be able to diagnose the issue enough so that a single service call can fix the problem.
We're also available to give you a refresher on your system operation. If you just can't quite remember how to do all the tricks you know your system is capable of doing, give us a call, and we can help!
After all, you want to be sure your system is at its best when you're entertaining, so your guests can enjoy the comfort and convenience of your electronics system. There's nothing like a little "wow" factor to keep a party going!
Happy Holidays!
Rob
Whether you have a full-blown home theater, whole-home audio system, home automation, or a simple A/V system in your living room or game room, you should test it out a few days before your guests arrive. That way, if there's something not quite right, you can fix it in time to show off for your guests.
Of course, if something isn't working right, and you're not sure what's wrong, please give us a call. We can often walk you through the issue over the phone. If we can't fix it over the phone, we may be able to diagnose the issue enough so that a single service call can fix the problem.
We're also available to give you a refresher on your system operation. If you just can't quite remember how to do all the tricks you know your system is capable of doing, give us a call, and we can help!
After all, you want to be sure your system is at its best when you're entertaining, so your guests can enjoy the comfort and convenience of your electronics system. There's nothing like a little "wow" factor to keep a party going!
Happy Holidays!
Rob
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Keith Rose achieves HAA certification!
A couple of weeks ago, I reported that Keith received his ISF (Imaging Science Foundation) certification for video calibration. Now, I'm pleased to announce that Keith has also received his HAA (Home Acoustic Alliance) certification for audio calibration.
Our certifications, combined with our experience and professional tools allow us to help you get the very best out of your home theater system. While video calibration lets us get the most out of your display by setting the brightness, contrast, color balance, etc. exactly for your room and lighting conditions, audio calibration lets us set the bass and treble levels, find and fix any "hot spots" or "dead spots" in the listening areas, and ensure sound that's as clear and precise as your system can be.
Call Keith today at 847.471.4420 to schedule a full home theater calibration - you'll notice the difference immediately!
Thanks -
Rob
Our certifications, combined with our experience and professional tools allow us to help you get the very best out of your home theater system. While video calibration lets us get the most out of your display by setting the brightness, contrast, color balance, etc. exactly for your room and lighting conditions, audio calibration lets us set the bass and treble levels, find and fix any "hot spots" or "dead spots" in the listening areas, and ensure sound that's as clear and precise as your system can be.
Call Keith today at 847.471.4420 to schedule a full home theater calibration - you'll notice the difference immediately!
Thanks -
Rob
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Keith Rose receives ISF certification
What's that? And why is it important?
The Imaging Science Foundation, or ISF, is an organization dedicated to excellence in video quality. In addition to his extensive experience in performing video calibrations, Keith attended an intense 2-day class and passed a grueling test in order to achieve certification.
The class focused on how TVs display images to the viewer, what goes into an excellent picture, how the picture is created, what film and TV directors do to get the look they want, and of course, how to adjust the TV to obtain the best possible picture for the viewer.
An ISF calibration will improve the quality of your video picture by ensuring the contrast, color balance, brightness, and clarity are as good as they can be on your video screen. A proper calibration will also extend the life of your display and reduce your energy costs.
If you're looking to get the most out of your video and audio system, you owe it to yourself to have an ISF-trained tech properly calibrate your video.
The test was difficult - a large number of candidates do not pass the test the first time. But now that Keith has passed the test, you can be assured that your video calibration will rank with the best in the business!
Congratulations, Keith!
Rob
The Imaging Science Foundation, or ISF, is an organization dedicated to excellence in video quality. In addition to his extensive experience in performing video calibrations, Keith attended an intense 2-day class and passed a grueling test in order to achieve certification.
The class focused on how TVs display images to the viewer, what goes into an excellent picture, how the picture is created, what film and TV directors do to get the look they want, and of course, how to adjust the TV to obtain the best possible picture for the viewer.
An ISF calibration will improve the quality of your video picture by ensuring the contrast, color balance, brightness, and clarity are as good as they can be on your video screen. A proper calibration will also extend the life of your display and reduce your energy costs.
If you're looking to get the most out of your video and audio system, you owe it to yourself to have an ISF-trained tech properly calibrate your video.
The test was difficult - a large number of candidates do not pass the test the first time. But now that Keith has passed the test, you can be assured that your video calibration will rank with the best in the business!
Congratulations, Keith!
Rob
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