EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ENHANCING THE VISUALS IN YOUR HOME THEATER

Welcome to our guide on achieving the best video quality in your home theater installation! As an AV installer, I aim to deliver captivating visuals when watching movies, TV shows, or sports. Transforming your living space into a cinematic haven requires careful consideration of various factors related to video performance.

In this blog, I will highlight what matters most in achieving the best video quality possible in your theater. We'll delve into resolution and refresh rates, contrast and black levels, and calibration. By understanding these essential aspects, you'll appreciate how we maximize the potential of your home theater system in San Juan Capistrano, CA. 

Your Orange County Home Theater Installation, Explained

There are two primary styles of home entertainment spaces that the audio/video specialists at Launch Systems incorporate into homes in Huntington Beach, CA and the greater Orange County area regularly. The home theater is perfect for movie buffs that prefer a low-light, low-distraction environment. The other is the media room, great as a multi-use space for the entire family to enjoy simultaneously, even if you aren’t all watching the big screen. To determine the best fit for your home, it’s important to assess the entertainment space and the needs of your family. Scroll below to learn more about what’s required for media room and home theater installations!

SEE ALSO: 4 Fun Things to Include in Your Home Theater Design

Home Theater

For a home theater space, it’s critical to assess the size and shape of your room. Having a projector and projection screen combination is a common solution for larger, longer rooms. Projection screens can be much larger than TV displays, though at a higher cost, and ultra-high-definition 4K projectors provide crisp, vibrant colors. Tiered seating arrangements are frequently incorporated in home theater designs to ensure every viewer can see the big screen at the front of the room. You can even incorporate your Control4 home automation system to lower the projector from the ceiling and raise it back, effectively hiding away your technology when it’s not in use. Home theater spaces are dark, immersive entertainment areas that the entire family can enjoy; they offer large viewing screens and plush, tiered seating for the most comfortable and immersive viewing experiences.

Media Room

While a home theater installation is more expensive, a media room installation is nicer to your pocketbook. Though not as large as projection screen and projector combinations, TV displays are getting progressively larger each year and cost considerably less. Media rooms serve the entire family simultaneously, so the kids could be playing billiards on the other side of the room while you and your partner lounge on the sectional sofa watching the latest Netflix episode of your favorite show. Sound in a media room can still be immersive, and automated blackout shades can block out any annoying glare or sunlight from outside, but due to the multi-function use of the space, it’s not the best spot for movie watchers that get distracted easily! Most media rooms are also flowing spaces where family members can come and go from the room as they please. They also come in many shapes, whereas a home theater is typically in a rectangular space. You can also utilize the Samsung Frame TV display to serve as a work of art when it’s not being used for movies, sports, or gaming. Then tap your finger on the smart device of your choice to adjust the display, change AV sources and more! To determine the best fit for your Huntington Beach-area home, let the Launch Systems team take a look at your entertainment space. Media rooms and home theater installations are some of our specialties, and we’d love to chat with you at the bottom of your screen!

Launch Systems is the Orange County Leader in Home Entertainment

The local cineplex just doesn’t have the same appeal as it used to, especially with the many social and economic changes we’ve experienced since early 2020. Instead of dealing with chatty strangers that pull out their phones and don’t respect the “No Talking” rules, bring the entertainment to your Newport Beach, CA home!

With a customized home theater design and installation from the professionals at Launch Systems, you’ll be able to enjoy your favorite streaming and cable TV shows along with the latest feature films and, of course, the classics, too! Keep reading to discover four fun additions you can consider for your very own personal cinema experience in Orange County!

SEE ALSO: Don’t Let Social Distancing Get You Down – Socialize in Your Home Theater

Seating

Our home theater design team assesses your entertainment space to determine the best AV and seating locations. Perfectly placed seating in luxurious fabrics ensures viewers are not only comfortable, but they can see and hear the action on the screen in stunning clarity and detail without squinting or being overloaded with the sound and picture. Too shiny fabrics would reflect too much light, while dense, matte materials would be better suited for the space.

Acoustic Treatment

Sound is made up of waves, and as sound waves exit speakers, they are known to bounce around the room and cause sound distortion. That’s why seating fabric is important, like we mentioned above, but it’s also important to consider digital room correction software and acoustic panels for your home entertainment areas. Acoustic panel materials vary in the amount of sound they absorb, and every space is different, so it’s essential to work with a professional instead of simply tacking them to your wall wherever you’d like.

Your Movie and TV Experience Just Got a Lot More Exciting!

As a professional Control4 dealer in Portland, OR, we expertly design and install smart systems every day. With smart lighting, shading, and more, incredible comfort and convenience are a mere button press away. We’ve written several blogs about our love for Control4 home automation solutions, and we will continue to do so because the brand continually offers innovative home control technology for every room of the house – from the kitchen to the media room to your outdoor spaces. Besides the staple high-performance audio and video components required for the ultimate personal home theater experience, there are two other aspects of smart home control you should consider. Scroll below to learn how effortless control and smart lighting can change the way you enjoy movies, TV shows, gaming, and sports!

SEE ALSO: Why You Should Have Control4 Automation In Your Home

Effortless Control

For just a moment, imagine what it would be like if you walked into your home theater and pressed the ‘Movie Night’ button on a sleek, aluminum-bodied remote with a touch screen. In mere seconds, automated shades lower to block out glare from the outdoors, smart lighting dims to illuminate pathways in and out of the room, your AV system cues up your Blu-ray player or Netflix, and your surround sound system prepares to immerse the family into the action of any TV show or film. It’s possible with a Control4 system powered by the Neeo remote. You could also initiate this same smart scene using voice control or your smart device of choice. Talk about a high-quality entertainment experience!  

Smart Lighting

Now consider lighting. Though we all enjoy watching movies and TV shows in the dark, the room still needs lighting incorporated to see what’s going on in the space once the credits roll. Lighting is integral, and a Control4 dealer can expertly integrate various lighting styles to make a stellar entertainment experience. Overhead lighting that dims or brightens at the press of a button makes it easy to transition from a tough day on the job into peak relaxation mode in the evening. Floor lighting can illuminate the path from comfortable recliners to the room’s exit so that it’s safe to acquire popcorn mid-movie without tripping.   If you’re ready to bring customized smart control to your Portland-area home theater or media room, chat with us at the bottom of your browser or call (949) 515-7030 to get started. You can schedule a no-obligation consultation and more when you contact Launch Systems today – we’re your local Control4 dealer. We look forward to working with you!

The Design of Your California Home Theater Can Encourage Relationships from Afar

Like much of the rest of the country, Californians are abiding by shelter-in-place orders for the sake of social distancing. Many of us in Huntington Beach, CA, miss spending time with our friends and family members outdoors, going shopping, attending concerts, and more. If you’re missing out on all of the usual friends and family gatherings, why not make the best of the situation by using your home theater design in new, exciting – and social – ways? Read on to learn three ways to stay social in your home theater or media room while sheltering-in-place.

SEE ALSO: 2 Top Home Theater Design Trends from CEDIA 2019

Video Games

If you’re a big PlayStation or Xbox fan, then you know just how fun it can be playing your games on a sizeable ultra-high definition screen. Even better, your surround sound speakers can fully immerse you in the action of a shoot-em-up style game. With the tap of a button on a smart remote, you can also dim the lighting and lower the motorized shades for a truly riveting experience. If you add a headset, then you’ll be able to play with your friends, too!

Netflix Party

You’re staying at home, your friends are staying at home, and your family is staying at home, only in separate locations. Bring everyone together by something you all are already doing – watching Netflix. You can screencast whatever show or movie you’re watching from your browser to your high-definition TV and chat live with the rest of your friends while you all watch the same thing! You can take the Netflix party a step further by using a video conferencing tool like Zoom to see your family as they watch along.

Family Zoom and Google Hangouts Visits

Once you’re done watching Netflix with the gang, you can use your large TV display to have a conference call in your very own home theater. You can use an app like Zoom or Google Hangouts to have a live video chat with your friends while maintaining a state-mandated social distance of six feet. Keeping in touch with friends and family can help you keep your spirits up during a stressful time that many of us are experiencing.   While you’re spending more time indoors, be sure to make the most of your home theater design. Launch Systems can help – call us today at (949) 515-7030 or connect with us online. We look forward to working with you.

Now is the Perfect Time to Consider a TV and Sound System Upgrade

Super Bowl LIV is right around the corner, along with a new year of possibilities. As you consider your 2020 goals, why not include a plan for upgrading your home theater or media room so you’re able to throw the biggest and best Super Bowl party out of all your friends in Newport Beach, CA. With ultra-high-definition TV displays and surround sound, everyone will be able to enjoy a high-quality viewing experience in your home. Launch Systems is your home audio/video expert in Newport Beach and the surrounding areas. Keep reading to get a breakdown of some new AV basics to consider for your upcoming Super Bowl party!

SEE ALSO: Here are 3 Way to Hide a TV in Plain Sight

Great Picture

There are a variety of options on the market to choose from to enjoy big-screen action, and deciding which type of TV display for your audio/video system upgrade can be confusing. Typically, you’d want to consider an LED or OLED variety of TV display, and the difference mainly stems from how the pixels are illuminated. OLED options provide deeper shadows and brighter highlights; each pixel can illuminate or turn off individually. This is perfect for dark scenes and movie watching. OLED is also excellent for wider seating arrangements because the viewing angles don’t degrade up to 84 degrees. LED TVs include zones of LED that can be dimmed or backlit independently for inky blacks, accurate detailing and realistic brightness. Pixels are backlit, and specific areas of the screen can be controlled to offer the best picture of the game available. LED TVs don’t have as wide a viewing angle, so if your entertainment space is wider, this may not be the best option.

High-Performance Sound

Ensure everyone at the party of the big game hears every bit of the action! You can incorporate floor standing speakers, wall-mounted speakers and even architectural speakers into your audio system upgrade. All can provide excellent sound for every bit of gameplay or an announcer’s dialogue. You simply need to decide what style suits your interior design scheme best. You can also incorporate a mix of each – it’s up to you! A one-size-fits-all solution won’t do for your next Super Bowl party. Launch Systems will show you the options available during your consultation, then design an audio/video system unique and perfect for your Newport Beach, CA home.   No matter which team sees victory at the Super Bowl, your Super Bowl party will be the best on the block, and your friends are sure to enjoy their time with clear TV displays and riveting sound. Call Launch Systems today at (949) 515-7030 or contact us using this form to get started on your entertainment space in the new year.