Home cinema, also commonly called home theater, are home entertainment set-ups that seek to reproduce the movie theater Most movie theaters are commercial operations catering to the general public, who attend by purchasing a ticket. The movie is projected with a movie projector onto a large projection screen at the front of the auditorium. Some movie theaters are now equipped for digital cinema projection, removing the need to create and transport a physical film going experience and mood with the help of video and audio Home audio, essentially, refers to any audio electronics intended for home use, such as home stereos and surround sound receivers, which are becoming the most popular piece of home audio equipment. Home audio generally does not include such standard equipment such as built-in television speakers, but rather accessory equipment, which may be equipment in a private home.
In the 1950s, playing home movies became popular in the United States ^ b. English is the de facto language of American government and the sole language spoken at home by 80% of Americans age five and older. Spanish is the second most commonly spoken language with Kodak Eastman Kodak Company is a multinational US corporation which produces imaging and photographic materials and equipment. Long known for its wide range of photographic film products, Kodak is re-focusing on two major markets: digital photography and digital printing 8 mm film 8 mm film is a motion picture film format in which the filmstrip is eight millimeters wide. It exists in two main versions: the original standard 8mm film, also known as regular 8 mm or double 8 mm, and Super 8 projector equipment becoming affordable. The development of multi-channel audio systems and later LaserDisc The LaserDisc is a home video disc format, and was the first commercial optical disc storage medium. Initially marketed as Discovision in 1978, the technology was licensed and sold as Reflective Optical Videodisc, Laser Videodisc, Laservision, Disco-Vision, DiscoVision, and MCA DiscoVision until Pioneer Electronics purchased the majority stake in in the 1980s The time period saw social, economic, and general change as wealth and production migrated to newly industrializing economies. As economic liberalization increased in the developed world, multiple multinational corporations associated with the manufacturing industry relocated into Thailand, Malaysia, Mexico, South Korea, Taiwan, China, and new created a new paradigm for home cinema. In the early to mid 1990s The 1990s, also known as "the Nineteen Nineties" or abbreviated as "the Nineties" or "90s", was the decade that started on January 1, 1990 and ended on December 31, 1999. It was the last full decade of both the 20th century and the 2nd millennium, a typical home cinema in the United States would have a LaserDisc or VHS The Video Home System is a consumer-level video standard developed by Japanese company, JVC, and launched in 1976 player fed to a large rear-projection television Rear projection television or RPTV is a type of large-screen television display technology. Up until the mid-2000s, most of the relatively affordable consumer large screen TVs (up to 100 in ) used rear projection technology. A variation is a video projector, using similar technology, which projects onto a screen. In the late 1990s, home theatre technology progressed with the development of the DVD-Video DVD-Video is a consumer video format used to store digital video on DVD discs, and is currently the dominant consumer video format in North America, Europe, and Australia. Discs using the DVD-Video specification require a DVD drive and a MPEG-2 decoder . Commercial DVD movies are encoded using a combination of MPEG-2 compressed video and audio of format, Dolby Digital 5.1-channel audio Dolby Digital includes several similar technologies, which include Dolby Digital EX, Dolby Digital Live, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Digital Surround EX, Dolby Digital Recording, Dolby Digital Cinema, Dolby Digital Stereo Creator and Dolby Digital 5.1 Creator ("surround sound Surround sound technology used in cinema and home theater systems, video game consoles, personal computers and other platforms. Commercial surround sound media include videocassettes, Video DVDs, and HDTV broadcasts encoded as Dolby Pro Logic, Dolby Digital, or DTS. Other commercial formats include the competing DVD-Audio and Super Audio CD (SACD)") speaker systems, and high-definition television High-definition television refers to video having resolution substantially higher than traditional television systems (standard-definition TV, or SDTV, or SD). HD has one or two million pixels per frame, roughly five times that of SD. Early HDTV broadcasting used analog techniques, but today HDTV is digitally broadcast using video compression.
In the 2000s The 2000s was the decade that started on January 1, 2000 and ended on December 31, 2009. It was the decade in which the 21st century and 3rd millennium began, the term "home cinema" encompasses a range of systems meant for movie playback at home. The most basic and common system could be a DVD player A DVD player is a device that plays discs produced under both the DVD-Video and DVD-Audio technical standards, two different and incompatible standards, a standard large-screen television Large-screen television technology developed rapidly in the late 1990s and 2000s. Various thin screen technologies are being developed, but only the liquid crystal display , plasma display (PDP) and Digital Light Processing (DLP) were released on the public market. These technologies have almost completely displaced cathode ray tubes (CRT) in, and a "home theater in a box They are manufactured by most makers of consumer electronics. At the lowest end of the price range are "2.1" units which include a combination DVD player/three channel amplifier with only the most basic features, a remote control, left and right speakers, and a small subwoofer speaker . Models in the middle price range include HTIBs made" surround sound Surround sound technology used in cinema and home theater systems, video game consoles, personal computers and other platforms. Commercial surround sound media include videocassettes, Video DVDs, and HDTV broadcasts encoded as Dolby Pro Logic, Dolby Digital, or DTS. Other commercial formats include the competing DVD-Audio and Super Audio CD (SACD) speaker A loudspeaker is an electroacoustic transducer that converts an electrical signal into sound. The speaker moves in accordance with the variations of an electrical signal and causes sound waves to propagate through a medium such as air or water system with a subwoofer A subwoofer is a woofer, or a complete loudspeaker typically between 8" and 21" in diameter, which is dedicated to the reproduction of low-pitched audio frequencies (the "bass"). The typical frequency range for a subwoofer is about 35–200 Hz for consumer products, below 100 Hz for professional live sound, and below 80 Hz in. While a decent common home cinema set-up might more likely include a Blu-ray Blu-ray Disc is an optical disc storage medium designed to supersede the standard DVD format. Its main uses are for storing high-definition video, PlayStation 3 video games, and other data, with up to 25 GB per single-layered, and 50 GB per dual-layered disc. Although these numbers represent the standard storage for Blu-ray Disc drives, the player or media center A Home Theater PC or Media Center is a convergence device that combines some or all the capabilities of a personal computer with a software application that supports video, photo, and music playback, and sometimes digital video recorder functionality. In recent years, other types of consumer electronics, including gaming systems and dedicated appliance/computer with a 10-foot user interface A 10-foot user interface is a software GUI (graphical user interface), designed for display on a large television (or similar sized screen), with interaction using a regular television-style remote control, a video projector A video projector takes a video signal and projects the corresponding image on a projection screen using a lens system. All video projectors use a very bright light to project the image, and most modern ones can correct any curves, blurriness, and other inconsistencies through manual settings. Video projectors are widely used for conference room and projection screen A projection screen is an installation consisting of a surface and a support structure used for displaying a projected image for the view of an audience. Projection screens may be permanently installed as in a movie theater, painted on the wall, semi-permanent or mobile, as in a conference room or other non-dedicated viewing space. Uniformly white with a "widescreen A widescreen image is a film, computer, or television image with a width to height aspect ratio greater than the standard 1.37:1, Academy Frame aspect ratio" 16:9 aspect-ratio The aspect ratio of an image is the ratio of the width of the image to its height, expressed as two numbers separated by a colon. That is, for an x:y aspect ratio, no matter how big or small the image is, if the width is divided into x units of equal length and the height is measured using this same length unit, the height will be measured to be y format, and a several thousand-watt home theatre receiver with five to seven surround sound speakers plus a powerful subwoofer.
The most expensive home theater set-ups, which can cost up to and over $100,000 (US), have expensive digital projectors and projection screens, and maybe even a custom-built screening rooms which include cinema-style chairs and audiophile An audiophile, from Latin audio "I hear" and Greek philos "loving," is a hobbyist who seeks high-quality audio reproduction via the use of non-mass-produced high-end audio electronics-grade sound equipment designed to mimic (or sometimes even exceed) commercial theater performance.
Contents |
Design
Common set-up of a basic home cinema layout with standard distance for a 10-foot user interface A 10-foot user interface is a software GUI (graphical user interface), designed for display on a large television (or similar sized screen), with interaction using a regular television-style remote control media player with a big-screen TV and 5.1 surround sound Surround sound technology used in cinema and home theater systems, video game consoles, personal computers and other platforms. Commercial surround sound media include videocassettes, Video DVDs, and HDTV broadcasts encoded as Dolby Pro Logic, Dolby Digital, or DTS. Other commercial formats include the competing DVD-Audio and Super Audio CD (SACD) speaker configuration. The distance between viewer and TV varies, but is typically around 10-feet with a 32" or larger big-sceen television display.Today, Home Cinema implies a real "cinema experience" and therefore a higher quality set of components than an average television with only built-in speakers provides. A typical home theater includes the following parts:
- Video and Audio Input Devices: One or more video/audio sources. High quality movie media format such as example Blu-ray Blu-ray Disc is an optical disc storage medium designed to supersede the standard DVD format. Its main uses are for storing high-definition video, PlayStation 3 video games, and other data, with up to 25 GB per single-layered, and 50 GB per dual-layered disc. Although these numbers represent the standard storage for Blu-ray Disc drives, the are normally preferred, though they often also include a DVD DVD, also known as Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc, is an optical disc storage media format, and was invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Time Warner in 1995. Its main uses are video and data storage. DVDs are of the same dimensions as compact discs , but are capable of storing more than six times as much data, VHS The Video Home System is a consumer-level video standard developed by Japanese company, JVC, and launched in 1976 player, or video game console systems. Quite a few home theatres today include a HTPC (Home Theater PC) A Home Theater PC or Media PC is a convergence device that combines a personal computer with media center software application that supports video and music playback, and sometimes digital video recorder functionality. It normally has a 10-foot user interface and is connected to a television or other large-screen computer display, and is often with a media center A Home Theater PC or Media Center is a convergence device that combines some or all the capabilities of a personal computer with a software application that supports video, photo, and music playback, and sometimes digital video recorder functionality. In recent years, other types of consumer electronics, including gaming systems and dedicated software application to act as the main library for video and music content using a 10-foot user interface A 10-foot user interface is a software GUI (graphical user interface), designed for display on a large television (or similar sized screen), with interaction using a regular television-style remote control and remote control A remote control is a component of an electronics device, most commonly a television set, used for operating the device wirelessly from a short line-of-sight distance.
- Audio Processing Devices: Input devices are processed by either a standalone AV receiver AV receivers or audio-video receivers are one of the many consumer electronics components typically found within a home theatre system. Their primary purpose is to amplify sound from a multitude of possible audio sources as well as route video signals to your TV from various sources. The user may program and configure a unit to take inputs from or a Preamplifier A preamplifier , or control amp in some parts of the world, is an electronic amplifier which precedes another amplifier to prepare an electronic signal for further amplification or processing. The preamplifier circuitry may or may not be housed as a separate component and Sound Processor for complex surround sound formats. The user selects the input at this point before it is forwarded to the output.
- Audio Output: Systems consist of at least 2 speakers, however most common today is 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound system, but it is possible to have up to 11 speakers with additional subwoofers A subwoofer is a woofer, or a complete loudspeaker typically between 8" and 21" in diameter, which is dedicated to the reproduction of low-pitched audio frequencies (the "bass"). The typical frequency range for a subwoofer is about 35–200 Hz for consumer products, below 100 Hz for professional live sound, and below 80 Hz in.
- Video Output: A large-screen HDTV High-definition television refers to video having resolution substantially higher than traditional television systems (standard-definition TV, or SDTV, or SD). HD has one or two million pixels per frame, roughly five times that of SD. Early HDTV broadcasting used analog techniques, but today HDTV is digitally broadcast using video compression display. Options include Liquid crystal display television (LCD), plasma TV, rear-projection TV, a traditional CRT TV, or a front video projector A video projector takes a video signal and projects the corresponding image on a projection screen using a lens system. All video projectors use a very bright light to project the image, and most modern ones can correct any curves, blurriness, and other inconsistencies through manual settings. Video projectors are widely used for conference room and projector screen.
- Atmosphere: Comfortable seating and organization to improve the cinema feel. Higher-end home theaters commonly also have sound insulation to prevent noise from escaping the room, and a specialized wall treatment to balance the sound within the room.
Flow diagram
Flow DiagramComponent systems vs. theater-in-a-box
High-quality home cinemas are assembled from component pieces purchased separately to provide the best combination of equipment for the cost. It is possible to purchase home theater in a box They are manufactured by most makers of consumer electronics. At the lowest end of the price range are "2.1" units which include a combination DVD player/three channel amplifier with only the most basic features, a remote control, left and right speakers, and a small subwoofer speaker . Models in the middle price range include HTIBs made kits that include a set of speakers for surround sound, an amplifier/tuner for adjusting volume and selecting video sources, and sometimes a DVD player. Though these kits often pale in comparison to a custom-built home cinema, they are inexpensive and easy to set up; one needs only to add a television and some movies in order to create a simple home theater. This makes them popular in the public's eyes.
Dedicated home theater rooms
A large projection screen A projection screen is an installation consisting of a surface and a support structure used for displaying a projected image for the view of an audience. Projection screens may be permanently installed as in a movie theater, painted on the wall, semi-permanent or mobile, as in a conference room or other non-dedicated viewing space. Uniformly white in a media room. This example is of home theater screening room with video projector A video projector takes a video signal and projects the corresponding image on a projection screen using a lens system. All video projectors use a very bright light to project the image, and most modern ones can correct any curves, blurriness, and other inconsistencies through manual settings. Video projectors are widely used for conference room mounted in a box on the ceiling. Built-in shelves provide a place for movie decor, DVDs, and equipment. Note the component stack on the right, where the audio receiver, DVD player, secondary monitor, and video game system are located.Some home cinema enthusiasts go so far as to build a dedicated room in the home for the theater. These more advanced installations often include sophisticated acoustic design elements, including "room-in-a-room" construction that isolates sound and provides the potential for a nearly ideal listening environment. These installations are often designated as "screening rooms" to differentiate from simpler installations.
This idea can go as far as completely recreating an actual cinema, with a projector enclosed in its own projection room, specialized furniture, curtains in front of the projection screen A projection screen is an installation consisting of a surface and a support structure used for displaying a projected image for the view of an audience. Projection screens may be permanently installed as in a movie theater, painted on the wall, semi-permanent or mobile, as in a conference room or other non-dedicated viewing space. Uniformly white, movie A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a story conveyed with moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects. The process of filmmaking has developed into an art form and industry posters, or a popcorn Popcorn or popping corn is a type of corn which explodes from the kernel and puffs up when heated. Corn popping was originally discovered by Native Americans, but became popular as a snack food during the United States Great Depression, especially in movie theaters or vending machine A vending machine provides snacks, beverages, lottery tickets, and other products to consumers without a cashier. Items sold via these machines vary by country and region with snack food and confectionery. More commonly, real dedicated home theaters pursue this to a lesser degree. Presently the days of the $100,000 and over home theater is being usurped by the rapid advances in digital audio and video technologies, which has spurred a rapid drop in prices making a home cinema set-up more affordable today than ever before. This in turn has brought the true digital home theater experience to the doorsteps of the do-it-yourself people, often for much less than what you would expect to pay for a low budget economy car. Current consumer level A/V equipment can meet and often exceed in performance what you would expect to experience at a modern commercial theater.
Seating
Home theater seating consists of chairs specifically engineered and designed for viewing movies in a personal home theater setting. Most home theater seats have a cup holder built into the chairs' armrests and a shared armrest between each seat. Some seating is movie theater-style chairs like those seen in a movie cinema, which features a flip-up seat cushion. Other seating systems have plush leather reclining lounger types, with flip-out footrests. Additional features like storage compartments, snack trays, Tactile transducers (nicknamed "Bass Shakers"), or even electric motors to recline the chair are available.
Backyard theater
In places that have the proper outdoor atmosphere, it is possible for people to set up a home theater in their backyard. Depending on the space available, it may simply be a temporary version with foldable screen, a projector and couple of speakers, or a permanent fixture with huge screens and dedicated audio set up poolside. Due to the outdoor nature, it is quite popular with BBQ parties and pool parties.
Some specialist outdoor home cinema companies are now marketing packages with inflatable movie screens and purpose built AV systems.[1]
Some people have built upon the idea, and constructed mobile drive-in theaters that can play movies in public open spaces. Usually, these require a powerful projector, a laptop or DVD player, outdoor speakers and/or an FM transmitter to broadcast the audio to other car radios.[2][3]
History
1950s, 1960s, and 1970s
In the 1950s, home movies became popular in the United States and elsewhere as Kodak 8 mm film (Pathé 9.5 mm in France) and camera and projector equipment became affordable. Projected with a small, portable movie projector onto a portable screen, often without sound, this system became the first practical home theater. They were generally used to show home movies of family travels and celebrations but also doubled as a means of showing private stag films. Dedicated home cinemas were called screening rooms at the time and were outfitted with 16 mm or even 35 mm projectors for showing commercial films. These were found almost exclusively in the homes of the very wealthy, especially those in the movie industry.
Portable home cinemas improved over time with color film, Kodak Super 8 mm film film cartridges, and monaural sound but remained awkward and somewhat expensive. The rise of home video in the late 1970s almost completely killed the consumer market for 8 mm film cameras and projectors, as VCRs connected to ordinary televisions provided a simpler and more flexible substitute.
1980s
The development of multi-channel audio systems and LaserDisc in the 1980s added new dimensions for home cinema. The first known home cinema system was installed as a sales tool at Kirshmans furniture store in Metairie, Louisiana in 1974. They built a special sound room which incorporated the earliest quadraphonic audio systems and modified Sony trinitron televisions for projecting the image. Many systems were sold in the New Orleans area in the ensuing years before the first public demonstration of this integration occurred in 1982 at the Summer Consumer Electronics Show in Chicago, Illinois. Peter Tribeman of NAD (USA) organized and presented a demonstration made possible by the collaborative effort of NAD, Proton, ADS, Lucasfilm and Dolby Labs who contributed their technologies to demonstrate what a home cinema would "look and sound" like.
Over the course of three days, retailers, manufacturers, and members of the consumer electronics press were exposed to the first "home like" experience of combining a high quality video source with multi-channel surround sound. That one demonstration is credited with being the impetus for developing what is now a multi-billion dollar business.
1990s
In the early to mid '90s, a typical Home Cinema would have a LaserDisc or VHS player fed to a large screen: rear projection for the more affordable setups, and LCD or CRT front projection in the more elaborate. In the late 1990s, the development of DVD-Video, Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1-channel audio, and high-quality front video projectors that provide a cinema experience at a price that rivals a big-screen HDTV which sparked a new wave of home cinema interest.
2000s
In the 2000s, developments such as High Definition video, Blu-ray Disc (as well as the now obsolete HD DVD format) and newer high-definition display technologies enabled people to enjoy a cinematic feeling in their own home at an affordable price. More audio channels, like 6.1, 7.1, 9.1, 9.2, 10.1, and 22.2 were also introduced for more cinematic feeling.
See also
| Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Home theaters |
| Look up home cinema in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. |
- Media center
- Home theater PC
- Media server
- DVD
- Blu-ray Disc
- HD DVD
- 10-foot user interface
- Video projector
- High-definition television
- High Definition
- AV receiver
- Surround sound
- HDMI cable
- Domotics
- Haas effect
- High fidelity
- Matrix decoder
- LaserDisc
References
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
Categories: Sound | Rooms | Consumer electronics
|
geoffm
ue, 24 Nov 2009 08:01:39 GM
Other than mounting it on a wall, plopping it on top of a boxy cabinet, or cramming it into a traditional . entertainment. unit, what's a TV-loving, design-savvy homeowner to do? One designer has a unique idea... read more.
