As we mentioned briefly in the previous post a great home theatre set-up involves the coming together of multiple components such as speakers, processors and amplifiers as well as streaming platforms for various audio and visual media to provide an experience that replicates that of a small multiplex cinema, within the comfort of your home. What distinguishes one home theatre system from another then, is the way in which it is designed or set up to meet the specific requirements of each home, such as room size, space available, layout and furniture, viewing arrangement, etc.
Some of the basic components that make up a home theatre system include:
- A display device that can range from basic television to ahigh-end television or even a projection system. This is determined by personal preference, size of the room and what it can accommodate, as well as viewing position within the space
- A receiver is the component that is responsible for decoding digital signals, processing, and amplifying them and sending the right signals to the right speakers and displays.
- Speakers are the most critical component as an enhanced audio experience and are what distinguish a regular television viewing experience from a home theatre experience
- Media – you may have a great system, but you need to have movies and music to watch and listen to on that system!
With the proliferation of media input systems in the age of the Internet, these days we also include streaming playeres and platforms in addition to any physical media that may be already in use. In addition there will be wiring which will connect all the various components, as well as some ancillary components such as surge protectors, sockets and the like to tie up all the loose ends and ensure that the system is protected from erratic power surges that may occur.
In this post, we will focus on media, as the first step in putting together your dream system.
Media
Over the last decade, we have seen and experienced a tremendous growth spurt in the audio-visual and media spaces. While traditionally movies and music were available on physical media such as LPs, cassettes, tapes, and later laser discs and CDs, eventually DVDs, and then Blu-Rays, these came with the disadvantage of wear and tear, especially with frequent use. In addition, storage and maintenance was cumbersome, causing a lot of potential for damage and loss of precious audio-visual data.
Gradually, as the Internet has opened up in terms of access, affordability as well as usability, we find more and more virtual media is now available for consumption. Music and movies have almost entirely moved to online streaming, especially in urban areas.
Physical media:
We usually recommend people choose Blu-Ray and 4k Ultra HD discs these days, as these formats provide the highest, uncompressed video and audio quality and are best suited for the superior experience one would expect from a home theatre system. While Blu-Ray discs are available in 2D and 3D options, we suggest clients choose 2D versions as they are more affordable, but also because 3D as a technology has almost disappeared in the home display context.
Online streaming:
Streaming services that are internet-based, allow access to libraries of music and movies stored on the cloud. These services ensure that you can take your movies and music with you on the go and access it from anywhere and anytime as long as you have access to the internet. All that is required is:
- A working and stable internet connection
- A device or player that can access these services, through an app such as a phone, laptop or tablet
- An account with the specific service/s
- A time-based subscription to access the media on the streaming service
Services:
Some of the popular movie services these days include Netflix, Hotstar, Amazon Prime, Zee5, and Apple TV, to name just a few. Some popular music services are Spotify, Apple Music, Prime Music, Jio Saavn, and Gaana. With more and more platforms becoming available, the options and variety of content available is only increasing and making it easier to access high-quality content right from the comfort of your home. Most services have a free and a paid version, with limitations on the free service. All services are also not available in all countries, and the type of music and movies vary from service to service. We recommend you research the services available in your country before signing up for the ones that make sense for the kind of content you like to consume.
Streaming Movie Players:
All smart televisions today come with multiple services pre-installed within them, and the TVs themselves function as the players. These streaming services are accessed via specifics apps that are loaded on the television. However, for some TVs that don’t have these services, HDMI interface devices such as Google ChromeCast, Amazon FireStick, and Apple TV can be used as a conduit to connect the services to the television. These same devices are also capable of connecting to projectors so you can watch content on a large screen for large group viewing. Another option are gaming devices such as Sony PlayStation 4 and Microsoft Xbox One that also have streaming services built in.
Streaming music:
While all movie streaming players have music services built in to them as well, people who have stereo setups will need music streaming players to access music services separately. Networked streamers or players are devices that have the capability to stream and play audio content that is stored in the cloud or even on your home laptop or computer. Brands such as Denon and Marantz have options for streamers that work well with high-end systems.
Increasingly smart speakers such as the Amazon Echo Dot, or the Google Home Mini have audio outputs and can also stream audio content are being used in home systems. By connecting these speakers to a stereo amp system, you can access a universe of audio content as well as use voice commands to select the content of your choice. While the sound quality may be lower than with a dedicated streamer, this is sometimes chosen as a cost-effective and convenient solution.
We hope this has been useful. We know the options can be overwhelming, and that is what we are here for – to help! You can just tell us something as high level you want to be able to watch Hindi and English movies and choose the movies on your phone, and we will find a way to make it happen.
As always, please feel free to contact our experts at Cinebels for any questions you have. And stay tuned for our next post on how to go about building your dream home theater.
