Three Things Every Home Theater Needs

Home theaters are all about an immersive entertainment experience. Settling into a comfortable seat, dimming the lights, and watching a movie or show on the huge screen while enveloping sound draws you into that state of suspended reality the film creators love to fashion. 

Behind that immersive experience are some things that may not be front and center but are part of the infrastructure that enables it, the way that the Mid-Bay Bridge gets you across the bay to enjoy some of the Destin area's Florida Gulf beaches. It's the type of hidden tech that professional home theater companies always install but you may not always think about. So what are these unsung heroes that make a home theater tick? Please read more below. 

SEE ALSO: Popular Options to Consider for Your Home Theater

High-Speed Networking

Nowadays, most entertainment is highly dependent on fast and reliable networking connections. Whether you are streaming a series on Netflix or a 4K film from VUDU, you need a solid connection. It’s not just to avoid glitches; these services will throttle the quality level of audio and video if the connection slows. In a home theater, you need every last ounce of definition for the quality of the experience, as your big screen and high-end sound systems will reveal all the detail. Your network router should be up to date with technologies like Wi-Fi 6, and your home theater should have wired connections for every component with a jack for the best speed and reliability possible. Most control systems also depend on Wi-Fi, so you must ensure your theater has its own access point nearby for excellent responsiveness. 

Power Conditioning and Surge Protection

Home theaters have many electronic components that consume a lot of current. These electronics are sensitive to clean power that doesn’t surge or wane, as either of these situations can affect performance and even damage equipment. Power conditioning systems and surge protectors can ensure that all the electronics in your theater get the clean energy they need for peak performance. The more complex the theater, with multiple separate amplifiers, processors, AV source components, and automation systems, the more capable power conditioning setup you’ll need. 

Control and Automation

Home theaters can get complicated. You might have a screen that lowers from the ceiling or reveals itself from behind powered curtains or doors. You have a movie server, AV processor, multiple amplifiers, and a projector to power up. And all of these have to be set to the right inputs, outputs, sound, and video modes. All of this is like a small ballet to choreograph, and doing that manually is a chore. That's why any self-respecting home theater should have an automation system to direct the ballet, so you only have to press one or two buttons to start the show. And it's not just the theater components; lights, motorized shades, and temperature also need direction. A system like Control4 can take care of all these details so you can sit back and enjoy the experience.

Are you missing any of these pieces or looking at building your dream home theater? Make an appointment with our Santa Rosa Beach office, or click the chat window below to connect with us. We would love to help you!