how do you build a movie theater in your house

^{How to Build a Home Theater}

1. Choose a Location The ideal space for a home theater is 20 feet long by 13 feet wide and relatively isolated from the rest of the house. ...
2. Frame and Insulate prev next Building Home Theater Shell Building the shell of a home theater is similar to building any other addition to your home – with ...
3. Pre-Wire Surround Sound Most home theaters use a 7.1 surround sound system. ...
4. Pre-Wire a Video Projector For a realistic, large-screen theater experience, you'll need to pre-wire a projector system. ...
Pre-Wire Lighting Appropriate lighting is essential for creating a movie theater atmosphere. This includes recessed lighting in the ceiling and sconces along the side walls. ...
Install Drywall and Sound Barriers When hanging the drywall, make careful incisions through which you’ll route all of your pre-wired electrical and audio cables. ...
Set Up Video and Sound Systems Once your drywall is painted, you can hang your speakers, projector, and screen. ...
Install Theater-Style Seating

Full Answer

What do you need to build a home theater?

7 Gadgets to Help You Build the Coziest Home Theater System

1. Epson EpiqVision Ultra Short Throw LS300 3LCD Smart Laser Projector. ...
2. Sony X900H 65” TV. If you prefer a good quality TV instead of a projector, you're at the right place; and if you are asking which one stands out ...
3. Sony HT-G700 Soundbar. ...
4. Roku Express Streaming Media Player. ...
5. Govee Immersion TV LED Backlights with Camera. ...

More items...

How to install the perfect home theater?

We Install The Perfect Home Theater Setup, You Make the Popcorn

• TV, Screen, and Projector Installation. Viewing quality is everything in a theater. ...
• Audio System Installation. Audio and visual go hand-in-hand while watching a movie, and if just one of these elements isn’t the best quality, it can ruin the entire movie.
• Chair Installation. ...
• Wiring Installation. ...
• Create the Perfect Home Theater With Revelation Services®! ...

What do you need for a basic home theater?

What do I need for the best home theater system?

1. TV or projector with screen. Without the right picture, you are going to miss out on a lot of the action. ...
2. Surround sound speakers. The picture is just half of the equation for a complete home theater system. ...
3. Surround Receiver. ...
4. HDMI cables. ...
5. HD sources. ...
6. A programmable remote. ...
7. Surge protection. ...

How to design and plan a home theater room?

• Room shape. Square rooms tend to produce odd harmonic distortions. ...
• Windows. The fewer, the better. ...
• Walls. If you're tempted to staple inverted egg cartons all over your walls to muffle sound, relax. ...
• Flooring. ...
• Wall/room color. ...
• Speaker placement. ...
• Ideal distance. ...
• Playing center field. ...
• Woof, woof. ...

How much does it cost to build a in home movie theater?

The national average range for installing a home movie theater is between $20,000 and $70,000. Most people pay around $50,000 to convert a basement room into a dedicated home theater with carpeting, risers, seats, acoustic materials, and a full sound and visual setup.

What are the 3 major components of a home theater systems?

Typically, a home theater system includes the following components:A TV or projector and screen.A video source. ... A home theater receiver.More items...

How do you make a movie theater in your bedroom?

Home Theater Ideas: How to Design the Perfect Room for Movie...Use Your Attic… Photo via @elite_screens. ... … Or Your Basement… ... … Or a Spare Bedroom! ... Pick the Appropriate Paint. ... Enhance Your Theater Carpeting. ... Incorporate Soft Lighting. ... Create a Fiber Optic Star Ceiling. ... Go for a Projector & Projector Screen.More items...•

How much does it cost to build a small theater?

Movie Theater Square Foot Cost Assuming Decorative Concrete Block / Steel JoistsCost Estimate (Open Shop)% of TotalCostTotal$1,377,500Contractor Fees (GC,Overhead,Profit)25%$344,400Architectural Fees7%$120,500Total Building Cost$1,842,400

How much power does a home theater system use?

We hooked up a wattmeter (everybody should have one) to a typical 37-inch LCD HDTV and cable box, and found that the combo used a total of 172 watts. When we added a 5.1-channel home theater with a powered subwoofer, it kicked our consumption up to 244 watts.

What components do you need for a home theater?

The most basic components for a home theater system would consist of a video display (a standard TV, a plasma or LCD TV, a projector, etc), a surround sound A/V receiver, and a video source (DVD or Blu-ray player, cable or satellite box). When creating more elaborate home.

How do I set up a small home theater system?

4:287:37Is Your Room Too Small For A Home Theater?? No....it's not - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo when it comes to setting up home theater speakers in a small room you have two options. OneMoreSo when it comes to setting up home theater speakers in a small room you have two options. One option is to do in-wall speakers which is obviously going to help you save on some floor.

How big does a home theater room need to be?

Choose a room that's at least 15 feet wide and 20 feet long and you should have a good basis to start building your home theater. You may be a bit cramped if you opt to go smaller than this minimum home theater room size.

What is a good size for a theater room?

Many theater speaker manufacturers recommend that your room is at least 10 ft x 12 ft (3.05 m x 3.66 m) in dimension for optimal installation. With this amount of space, you can also sit comfortably away from the TV screen. You won't feel overwhelmed by the size of the TV or the sounds.

Does a theater room add value?

Home theaters are generally thought to return you around 65% of their original cost. So, if you have spent $20,000 on a home theater, expect it to add around $13,000 to the value of your home. So, yes, it adds value, but a loss in terms of return.

How much does a cinema projector cost?

A theater can purchase a film projector for as little as $10,000 (though projectors intended for commercial cinemas cost two to three times that; to which must be added the cost of a long-play system, which also costs around $10,000, making a total of around $30,000–$40,000) from which they could expect an average life ...

How much does it cost to install a projector screen?

This project's low cost is $2,000 for a basic projector and screen, speaker setup, and professional wiring....Home Theater Installation Cost.InstallationAverage Costs (Labor only)Projector and Screen Installation$100 - $500TV Installation$100 - $1,000Sound System Installation$300 - $2,000Feb 5, 2021

What is the most important component in a home theater system?

The Receiver. Your receiver connects your speakers, video input, and the display device. It is the central hub of your home theater system. Many receivers include their own speakers while others will have inputs that allow for any speakers to be used.

What components do you need for surround sound?

A 5.1 surround sound system (the most common) will usually be comprised of a channel speaker (think dialogue), right and left speakers (think music), rear speakers (place these on the outer perimeter of your room or behind you) and the subwoofer. Combined, these components create the ideal surround sound experience.

What is needed for a home surround sound system?

For a proper surround-sound system, you need two to three speakers in front of you and two to three speakers to your sides or behind you. The audio signal is split into multiple channels so that different sound information comes out of the various speakers.

What are the most important speakers in a home theater?

A center channel speaker is the most important speaker in a surround sound setup because it does most of the work. Most of the action, and conversation, in a movie, happens front and center on your screen, meaning that the center channel is the one reproducing it.

Build a movie theater in your home

Ever since I became a homeowner, I have dreamed about having a movie theater in my house. But they can be costly. The average price of a movie theater room can range up to $30,000. So naturally, my goal is to do it for a lot less than that. Let’s break down the basics of what you will need for a home theater room and see how it goes price-wise.

Projector or TV in a Theater Room?

Depending on the size of the room and what you are trying to achieve, this decision will likely be a cost choice based on size. While LED TVs have come down in price a lot, getting a LED tv over 75 inches is still going to cost you thousands of dollars. At the same time, a video projector and screen can be significantly less.

Picking a screen size for your movie theater in house

Picking out a screen size is going to be your first challenge. The best thing to do is to measure out the dimensions of the screen you’re looking at and put some Post-its on a wall to see how it actually looks. From there, you can decide if that is too big or too small.

Media Connections

So far, we have the screen, the projector, and how far back it needs to be. The next thing you’re going to need to decide is how you are running the media to the projector. Unlike smart TV’s most projectors are just a projector.

Cables

We decided to run the cables through the walls and mount the Apple TV 4K in an entertainment stand. We also had a second cable for our PlayStation so that we could do some gaming on the screen. You haven’t lived until you gamed on a 120-inch projector screen.

Picking the Right Sound System for Your Movie Theater in House

Of course, no movie system is complete without a great sound system. There are many ways to do this, and we’ve tried several. The speaker setup is as important as the screen. A good movie with bad sounds just ruins the experience. So put some time in with getting a good speaker set up.

What does a home movie theater setup cost?

Based on everything I told you, this is what it would have cost to do this room if you’re buying everything brand new. The materials we bought were:

How big is a home theater?

The ideal space for a home theater is 20 feet long by 13 feet wide and relatively isolated from the rest of the house. "It has to be in a place that does not interrupt the business of the home," says Rob Rickel, president of RSR Custom Renovations and Additions. "You don't want the sound disturbing everyone."

How to connect a projector to a theater?

This involves just two cables: An HDMI cable to carry high-definition video to the projector A CAT5 control wire for accessing the projector with a radiofrequency (RF) remote. This will let you start your movies without pointing at the projector. One end of these cables should extend from the ceiling at the rear of the theater, where the projector will hang. The other end should connect to your equipment hub. Be sure to pre-wire the hub with your cable or satellite feed, as well as high-speed Internet for streaming video.

What is the insulation rating for a home theater?

You'll want to pay special attention to insulation. A rating of R30 is standard for the floor, ceiling, and exterior wall insulation, but don't neglect the interior walls. Loosely packed R11 can help keep the sound of movie explosions from rocking the rest of your home. It won't block the noise completely, though. You'll need to add additional sound barriers after you pre-wire the room.

What color seats are best for a home theater?

Comfy brown leather seats offer prime viewing of the screen in this stylish home theater. The seats complement the room's neutral palette, which is a perfect backdrop for enjoying favorite movies with family and friends.

How big is a projection screen for a theater?

Once your drywall is painted, you can hang your speakers, projector, and screen. In a theater of 20 by 13 feet, the ideal screen size is 110-120 inches. For a professional feel, frame the screen with a proscenium – a set of black acoustic panels that hide the left, right, and center speakers. Camouflage the remaining speakers with acoustic panels that double as artwork. These panels can be printed with custom designs, including family photos or favorite movie posters.

Where should the projector cables be?

One end of these cables should extend from the ceiling at the rear of the theater, where the projector will hang . The other end should connect to your equipment hub. Be sure to pre-wire the hub with your cable or satellite feed, as well as high-speed Internet for streaming video.

What kind of sound does a home theater use?

Some home theaters now use 9.1 surround sound, says Michael Fox of Cinema Sound. This adds another set of speakers in the front of the room. "If there's a helicopter flying overhead (in the movie), you'll hear that sound from those top speakers," Fox says.

Where to put your home movie theater?

This question has a really simple answer. There are two main places that are great for installing a home movie theater.

What is the best sound system for a movie theater?

The best sound system for a home movie theater is the 7.1 surround sound system. This sound system gives a highly realistic and professional result.

What is the difference between watching a movie in the theater and watching a movie in your own living room?

Obviously, the main difference between watching a movie in the theater, and watching a movie in your own living room or bedroom, is the screen.

Why is sound important in movies?

The sound is super important in the movie industry. It is thanks to the sound that the director is able to completely immerse us in the story.

What is a projector?

The projector is one of the most fundamental elements for creating a home movie theater. Without it, there is no movie. Nowadays, there is a huge variety of different types, and as a result, a huge range of prices, so there’s something for every budget.

What is a wall mounted screen?

Wall-mounted screen: these are fixed to the wall, and are exclusively used for watching movies.

Do you need blackout curtains in your living room?

If, on the other hand, it’s in your living room or some other room, you’ll need to hang blackout curtains.

How to make a theater experience more like the real thing?

To make the theater experience feel more like the real thing, give each person their own paper bag to munch out of. If you really want to get creative, have everyone in the family decorate their bag to look like the ones at the theater ahead of time.

How to watch movies in a living room?

If your living room isn’t already set up with movie theater-style seating, move the couches and chairs to face the screen for the best possible viewing experience. One of the advantages of watching a movie at home is having the option to get as cozy as you want to, so come wearing your comfiest clothes, and bring a blanket and pillow to create a movie theater seat that can’t be beat!

What is a home theater room?

But a home theater room is more than just a sofa and a screen. Certain requirements, like controlling outside light and the ability to cast a large enough picture, should be met in order to call this a proper home movie theater. Requirements apply both to video projectors and screens as well as to large, flat-screen TVs.

What happens when a home theater shares space?

When the home theater shares space with other activities, the cinematic experience is lessened. When the non-dedicated home theater shares open floor plan space with the kitchen, cooking sounds and smells invade. When the theater is the living room, kids run around and light is difficult to control.

What is a dedicated home theater?

A dedicated home theater room is a room solely dedicated to watching videos on a big screen. This means that little else happens in that home theater except for screening-related activities. And today, screening means far more than it ever did, with streaming services like Amazon Prime, Netflix, and Hulu, BluRay movies, video gaming, and conventional cable TV.

How far away from the screen do you need to be from a projector?

This is especially important with video projectors. At the extreme end, a projector needs roughly a 14-foot throw distance in order to cast a 150-inch diagonal picture, though short-throw projectors are available.

What is a cinema light control?

Cinema light control means the ability to turn lights on and off or to graduate that light within the cinema space. Soffits, rope lights, dimmers, and recessed lights form the backbone of many owner-built home theaters. Soffits are long trays near the ceiling that run around the room's perimeter and are often inlaid with rope lights. Additionally, small recessed lights may be added to the bottoms of the soffits or in the ceiling to shine downward to form the classic home theater look. Try to keep the majority of these lights behind the viewer to avoid degrading the viewing experience.

Can you manually raise a movie screen?

Movie screens can be manually lowered and raised. Or you can invest in an electric movie screen that lowers and raises at the touch of a button.

Can you hide wires in a home theater?

Still, more and more entertainment is delivered ​through hard-wired connections and wi-fi signals. Wires need to be hidden as much as possible. Wires that extend to the front and sides of the home theater can be hidden in the soffits. Some home theater audio systems throw signals to the speakers wirelessly.

What are the options for opening a movie theater?

There are many options for opening a movie theater, including large corporate or franchise multiplexes, drive-in theaters, smaller and more specialized movie houses, and neighborhood theaters. Whatever type of theater you are interested in opening, you want to make sure it will be a popular success.

How to open a theater?

Aim for a time when there will be lots of people in town. Don’t schedule your opening night for a time that competes with a major concert or other event that will attract a lot of people.

How do movie theaters compete?

Movie theaters compete with many other forms of entertainment for the time and attention of customers. You will have to work hard and do everything you can to draw people in. Market your theater in a variety of media, focusing on how it will provide moviegoers a unique experience.

Why do theaters run crowdfunding?

Some independent theaters have successfully run crowdfunding campaigns to raise money to purchase digital projection equipment.

What is the National Association of Theater Owners?

The National Association of Theater Owners (NATO) is an organization that represents cinemas in the United States and around the world. Its members include large corporate theaters as well as independent movie houses. It can be a useful source of information and support.

How to make your theater more popular?

Partner with other local organizations. As your theater becomes more popular, think about ways to grow connections in the community. Partner with a local university to offer a series of screenings on a particular topic. Host a film festival. Hold benefit screenings for local nonprofit organizations.

What type of theaters have only one or a few screens?

Independent theaters: These may show independent films, specialized features, classics, major-release films, or some combination of these. These are more likely to have only one or a few screens. These may also be theaters that open up in a bar or restaurant.