Home theater use is at an all time high given all the streaming video choices families have these days from Netflix to Amazon to Hulu, as well as, traditional cable offerings and sports packages. Also, the price of the audiovisual equipment used in home theaters has never been more affordable. Here are some of the latest trends we're seeing in home theaters...

This guide will help you design and build a home theater. It all starts with a plan so we need to figure out the available space and budget you have for your home theater project. This series will deal with what's involved in building a home theater and not delve into specific product selection. Technology is fast moving and today's new hot equipment can become yesterday's news very quickly.

This guide will help you design and build a home theater. Once you know your available space and budget for your home theater project, you can starting selecting equipment. This series will deal with what's involved in building a home theater and not delve into specific product selection. Technology is fast moving and today's new hot equipment can become yesterday's news very quickly.

This guide will help you design and build a home theater. Once you know your available space and budget for your home theater project, you can starting selecting equipment. This series will deal with what's involved in building a home theater and not delve into specific product selection. Technology is fast moving and today's new hot equipment can become yesterday's news very quickly. We've learned how to setup a small shared space and now we'll dig into what you need to lookout for when you have a medium shared space available. 

Most builders, architects, and interior designers will have a problem creating a plan or budget to turn your house into a smart home. Unless you have a comprehensive smart home plan from the outset your home can become a collection of rooms with different technology in each. Offerings also change so rapidly that it's tough for home owners to even know what's available, much less if it works together or if it will be able to grow with you into the future. A technology integrator will be able to create a comprehensive smart home plan for new and existing spaces. The following tips will help you figure out what you want and how much it will cost…

Having a whole House A/V system is an increasingly popular way for homeowners in new and existing houses to enjoy music and media broadcasts in any room they choose. Separate zones can be created so everyone is happy... soothing classical in the den, a talk show in the kitchen, and downloaded hits for the kids in the entertainment room. Control devices exist to easily change the volume and selections.

So, what exactly does it mean to have a smart home? If the title didn’t give it away, automation is a major factor. You already use this aspect every day. If you have a coffee pot with a timer or a sprinkler system that goes off when you’re out of town, that’s automation. The success of your home's technology depends on many factors and your home network can make the biggest impact. We would like to give a few tips about how your network functions and why that affects the efficiency of your smart home system.

Room height will play a roll in your home theater setup when you install a front projection setup in your home theater room. A front-projection system includes a projector unit (which is usually mounted on your ceiling but can also be on a lift, on a floor mount, or in the rear wall) and a separate screen. Video sources (such as DVDs, cable, and satellite TV) are routed into the projector, which then turns these signals into light. Then, the light is projected onto a separate screen that’s mounted on a wall at the front of your home theater. The required height would depend on the size of your screen. You would not come across concerns of room height with direct view . There are a number of guiding principle here that can help in the process of determining your room height with a front projection set up...

Home theaters are no longer only an extravagance for the rich and famous. Thanks to more affordable technology, many families are enjoying a true movie theater experience without leaving home. You cannot have a dedicated room for your home theater without thinking about how you will be finishing the walls, ceiling and flooring within the room...

When you’re ready to set up a new home theater receiver, the first step is figuring out where to put it. It may seem like a simple point, but there are several factors to consider. After all, every component and speaker in your system will need to be connected to your receiver. Correct placement of system components with respect to each other as well as within your room , is a major contributor towards achieving that much-desired movie experience in the home. It may not always be possible to opt for the best equipment placement if you are installing in a shared environment such as the living room. But knowing the basic requirements for an effective design is important. Do not be tempted to proceed with a home theater installation before doing detailed planning of your home theater room design. Inappropriate plans can affect the theater experience but can also lead to costly mistakes. Even though this article concentrates mainly on the dedicated home theater room design, most of the principles discussed still apply in a shared environment.

Are you ready to convert your patios and decks into proper outside entertainment areas? An outdoor screening area is a perfect place to relax and unwind. Especially if you have the right outdoor technology. Just make sure you contact a professional technician so you do not create safety hazards and insurance liabilities in your own backyard.

You can have a theater-caliber experience at home with as little fuss as possible when it's all designed and installed correctly. It starts with a big screen, a surround sound system, and other audio/visual components. Now if the equipment is too difficult to operate you will lose interest in your investment.