Entertainment at home is an essential requirement these days. Home owners are spending a few bob on good quality equipment and going a cut above the “in a box solution” standard, understanding that their spend is an investment not a throw away impulse purchase.

In the interest of giving you the buying public, a comprehensive insight into what Home Cinema is all about and if you are a DIY-er, the necessary tools to get started with building your own, I have put together a series of 12 posts (plus this intro) to go out each Tuesday & Wednesday over the next 6 weeks covering a “top to toe” run down on the essential elements to a great Home Cinema System.

There is lots to cover and the posts will have lots of detail but not too much to leave you baffled. The content subject matter will be simply put and should be easily understood by anyone who is non technical. At worst the posts will educate you on what is possible and how its done and so you will gain a good overview- a preferable position to be in when looking for suppliers for installation.

Having some insight into what is required from various elements in your system is a sensible move. System providers can educate you on these things but having a base knowledge before you buy is going to speed up your decision making and altogether allow you to make more informed decisions that get you the system you want.

Spiderman Screenshot

Subjects To Be Covered

There are many subjects to cover and others might break it down differently, but in no particular order, this is how I see it;

1. Introduction
2. Cabling
3. Cinema Receiver
4. Speakers
5. Media Sever/ Player
6. Music Server
7. Games Console
8. Projector & Screen
9. Control System
10. Acoustics
11. Rack
12. Furniture & Seating
13. Lighting

The first in the series will be on the cabling. I covered cabling systems quite in depth on a couple of recent occasions and I will reference those posts for those who would like further detailed information. It seems cabling is the sensible place to start. I will then move through the equipment detailing the options available to you, how they should be installed and the various common features of each.

I’m not sure I’ll be able to turn you into a Pro but I can definitely show you some of the things to look out for and help demystify this largely misunderstood area of Custom Audio Visual Systems.

Considering how this concept has just been born today and it’s Wednesday already, I’ll bang out the second in the series later today.

I hope you enjoy.