[skloong]

A lot have been said about Home Theatre System and their set Up. Why do people invest in home theatre?
Is it a trend, a fad or just keeping up with the Joneses!
To many, home theatre is getting the LCD or Plasma TV and hook onto the HTIB to get the surround effect and it will be a home theatre system!
Why then, are there many questions regarding its setup when the basis seem so simple?
Questions such as the environment for set up,equipments, cabling, calibration, projectors etc?
This thread is an eye opener to find out what actually is Home Theatre and why any sensible guy would spend time, money and effort to set it up?onder:onder:onder:

Hope from here we can further understand Home Theatre setup better!

onder:

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

A lot have been said about Home Theatre System and their set Up. Why do people invest in home theatre?

For numerous reasons. For a couple of them, it’s not hard or overly expensive to assemble a home theater that sounds better than the local cinema. It’s even possible to get a better picture than the local theater, although that does take a bit more money.

In addition to better sound quality, you can watch a movie anytime of the night or day, not just when the theater is open for business. You can stop the movie to go the bathroom or get a fresh batch of popcorn, if you like. Or back it up to replay a section if you didn’t quite understand what the actors said. Also, you don’t have to deal with noisy teenagers with cell phones. You can use the HT system to enjoy more than movies – regular TV shows, sports events, and so forth. The movie theater doesn’t show soccer games.

To many, home theatre is getting the LCD or Plasma TV and hook onto the HTIB to get the surround effect and it will be a home theatre system!

HTIBs, while better than no surround sound at all, can have their problems and limitations. Many are not reliable – typically the DVD player is the first thing to crash. Since many HTIBs have minimal inputs, you can’t connect a separate DVD player, so the system is at that point useless. Speaking of minimal inputs, many people have problems connecting game systems like Xbox to a HTIB.

In addition, most HTIBs are low performance systems, their weakest point being their little “subwoofers” that can’t get anything close to deep bass.

Why then, are there many questions regarding its setup when the basis seem so simple?
Questions such as the environment for set up, equipments, cabling, calibration, projectors etc?

While marginal performance is the downside to HTIB’s, complexity is the downside to a high performance HT system. Unfortunately, the better the home theater system is, the more complicated it is, so proper set up and calibration will always be an issue, initially.

Regards,
Wayne

 

[skloong]

You can use the HT system to enjoy more than movies – regular TV shows, sports events, and so forth. The movie theater doesn’t show soccer games.
Installing HT system with link to the TV station broadcasting in analog program especially with the projection system will not bring about clear or sharp picture quality.Instead this only magnified the problem!Until and unless the TV station broadcast are in HD or digital format, will it be advisable to plug it into the projection system!
As for the purchase of LCD or Plasma TV, it is a trend in my country as the consumer themselves do not fully understand the system and its usage. The only things that matter is that the display is thin,not as bulky as the earlier CRT TV and the prices are affordable due to competition.
Moreover, the consumer perception is that projection system is costly, due to the need to change the bulb when the life span is used up, need a room and the picture quality is not as good as the LCD or Plasma display!( Due to perception at coffee stall where analog TV program is screen using a data projector!

 

[tonyvdb]

"Why would you invest in a Home Theatre System?"

Well for me it was cost for one, My wife and I have 5 girls and its far to expensive to take the family to see a good movie. We watch at least one movie a week in our home theater.
Another reason is Theaters have become poorly managed and the sound is usually poor compared to what I get at home, Have to put up with distractions of people coming and going at the theater as well as talking on cellphones etc.

 

[Sonnie]

To me it is all about being at home and having a better setup than any theater I have ever been in. The privacy of home is hard to beat... set your own time... pause for as long as you want, etc. Then the sound at home is leaps better. Besides it's also fun! :bigsmile:

 

[the_rookie]

The same statement could be said about alot of things. Why buy a 1000$ pair of cooking pans? Why buy a BMW or Corvette rather than a Kia? Why buy 3000$ desktop instead of a 400$ one from wal mart?

It all boils down to what we want out of life. Some of us spend the money buying that BMW. Others get the cooking ware because they like to cook. And we spend the 10,000$ on Home Theater equipment because we love blowing the pants off of ourselves when we watch U-571!

 

[Otto]

Is it a trend, a fad or just keeping up with the Joneses!

Well, for me, I've been playing with stereo stuff for my whole life. It's just been a long term hobby, so I wouldn't consider it a fad or trend. While I really enjoy listening to music in 2-channel, I finally got tired of watching "24" on a little TV, and the kids with cell phones finally did the theater in for me, so I extended my knowledge of stereo to TV and such. I never fall for "keeping up with Jonses". In fact, most of my friends and acquaintances aren't at all interested in my system. Of course, if someone wants to hear it or talk about it, I'm there!

So, in the end, I just do it for myself, for my own personal enjoyment and fun.

 

[lcaillo]

Another reason is the aspect of family. You can spend more on a boat to go out on with your family, but how often do you use it. I enjoy watching movies with my kids and we don't have to go out and deal with sticky floors and $6.00 lousy popcorn.

 

[salvasol]

"Why would you invest in a Home Theatre System?"

I agree with all comments about privacy, family time, savings, noise, etc. ...but another reason nobody mentioned is: "Satisfaction of saying that you own a Theater" :bigsmile:

Wayne:
Are you a Dynamo fan??? :whistling:

 

[mcallister]

I have the disease and I'm glad I keep investing. I sell craft and specialty import beer for a living therefore I have to sample my product often And it would be very wrong for me to go out drinking and then to a movie and driving home!!

 

[JCD]

• I think for a few out there, it really is just a matter of keeping up the Joneses.
• I think for a few out there, they go to a friend's house who's set up for a HT and get that "WOW" thing going. Unfortunately, a lot of them go for a HTIB because they think it's just as good and a LOT less expensive or complicated.
• I think for a few out there, like most who frequent this forum, it's about all the stuff that's been brought up.

There is one thing that is missing from a home theater -- that tribal group mojo. The ABSOLUTE best time I had watching a movie was when I saw Evil Dead II at a local cinema. I was a teenage boy with a car full of teenage boys that were bored and looking for something to do. Ended up at the movies -- it was late, so there wasn't much to choose from. The only one that looked at all interesting was Evil Dead II. Everyone in the theater was screaming at the screen, telling the actors to do this or that or whatever. It was AWESOME. That experience could never happen at home. Comedies are another one -- they just seem funnier when you're in a room full of people.

All that being said, I'd rather be at home most of the time when I'm going to watch a movie.

 

[imbeaujp]

Because investing arround 25% or your money in a HomeTheater is a good investment for your RSP, and you could have an additional fiscal deduction at the end of the year.



Just kidding...

 

[splluver]

why why sounds like a 5 year old. it's better than spending your money on crack or something else destructive.:hsd:

 

[salvasol]

Because investing arround 25% or your money in a HomeTheater is a good investment for your RSP, and you could have an additional fiscal deduction at the end of the year.

Just kidding...

Not necessarily, if you have an HT room in your house it can increase the asking sales price of the house :yes: and about the fiscal deductions .......any repairs done to the house can be deducted, Right???? :hsd: . :bigsmile:

 

[skloong]

Most of your reasons are wonderful but still alot more people don`t view home theater as an essential!
I quess everyone at Home theater Shack are movies lovers and would want to do justice to the millions dollars production movies by watching them in full effect bringing out the picture quality and surround sound. Watching movies such as Transformers with a 60" Plasma or LCD TV is not the same as watching it in the Big Screen of 92" and above! We can see more details when the machines /robots transform into the robots /machines.
In Malaysia, a handful of about less than 1% of family truly own a Home Theater System!
Most family will still go to the cinema to watch a movies. Reason being, its is cheaper and in one year,they hardly go to a theater only once or twice. The people are not movies freaks like us.
Hope you will understand why the number of Home Theater Shacker from Asia are only a few.!

 

[Sonnie]

Well... we are not only or solely movie freaks, but we are "home" theater freaks (enthusiasts, aficionados).

I would think we would certainly be in the minority, just like most other hobbyist are in the minority. It is certainly not for everyone to afford. It is a luxury.

 

[joey007]

its less expensive to watch movies at home!

 

[hyghwayman]

I put my HT together for myself and family:reading: over the last few years, although my family don't understand or even care:scratchhead:. Nobody, family(outside of my own) or friends have a HT system so I didn't do it to keep up w/ the Jonesaddle:. Plus I can :hsd: while watching OTA shows like 24, Heros, Nascar or playing Halo3 all in HD w/ 5.1 SS:yay:, something my Dad never had or saw in his lifetime. I do remember him having a killer 2.0 system when I was young.

hyghwayman

 

[salvasol]

... I can :hsd: while watching OTA shows like 24, Heros, Nascar or playing Halo3 all in HD w/ 5.1 SS:yay:,

Have you ever watched "Numb3rs" on CBS Friday nights??? ...if not, I recommend that series, I know Heroes has some bass effects, but you'll be impressed by Numbers (most episodes have a lot of bass) :yes:

 

[skloong]

its less expensive to watch movies at home!

If it is less expensive to watch movies at home, why is it that most home do not own one?
I have visited home in my area and most have either a gym or a workout area but not a entertainment area? Its the priority! People believe that having a workout place will help them stay healthy, but most time the exercise machines is hardly used!.
Investing in a home theatre instead would be better as one can relax or de-stress after a hard day`s work.
Entertaining one`s to a comedy or a concert would make one feel much better after a stressful day!
Do anyone of you feel sick after watching a movie or feel workout after the exercise at the gym area!
At times, it is most relaxing to watch documentary with many lovely scenery!
Have anyone done a survey to see whether families who own a home theatre stay healthier /happier or one`s whose family own a workout equipments?
It will be interesting to know the facts!
:unbelievable: