How to Build Your Own Cinema System

Deciding to build your own home cinema system is certainly no small undertaking. As a trend, it’s becoming increasingly popular throughout the United States, especially given the often exorbitant ticket prices now charged by local cinemas. 

If you’re moving house, or are undertaking a spot of remodelling on your existing home, this could be the perfect opportunity to turn your home cinema dreams into a reality. Before you get too immersed in the details of construction, it is, however, imperative to consider some, or all, of the following.  

Doing the maths

Creating your own cinema system may be cheaper than hiring professional help, but it’s still going to cost several thousand dollars. Before you even consider proceeding with the construction phase, it’s important to make a wish list of items and cost them all individually, just to avoid any unwelcome surprises further down the line. 

Plan your layout carefully

Unless you’re extremely fortunate, the likelihood is that space in your cinema room is at a premium. A great place to begin your quest to maximise space could be tosell your unwanted CDs, DVDs and games, on a website such as Music Magpie. It may be that you’ve outgrown certain items, in terms of taste, but if not, you can still purchase the same items through iTunes, or similar sites, which means that you’ll no longer have physical copies of the CDs, DVDs and games taking up valuable space.  

When it comes to planning the layout of your home cinema room, seating should be your primary consideration. Select large and comfortable, preferably leather chairs to maximise your viewing experience.

In terms of distance from the main screen or projector, a good rule of thumb is that your seating should be placed around 2-2.5 times the width of your screen away from your television. 

Invest in the right equipment

If you’ve gone to the trouble of creating a room specifically for a home cinema, there is little point in skimping at this late stage. Opt for a projector, rather than a television: the quality of the picture is much better and retractable projection screens are a great space saver.

In addition to the projector, surround sound is an absolute must. Instead of choosing a couple of large speakers, purchase between 5 and 7 smaller ones to be placed around the room, and a high quality subwoofer; this will really help to give the room that home cinema feel.

Don’t forget the sound

When it comes to re-creating that cinema feel in your home, don’t make the mistake of overlooking the sound. You may have invested in the right projector and speakers, but ensuring that the sound emitted stays in the room is what will set your cinema space apart from the rest.

Some basic tips which cost very little include: laying carpet, putting up thick curtains (also essential in ensuring that the room is suitably dark), acoustic padding and insulation.  

Adding the right finishing touches

With your home cinema system up and running, a few finishing touches can help. Consider adding a few framed classic movie posters, a popcorn machine and a small bar or optics rail, and you won’t be able to keep your friends and neighbours away.