Home Movie Theaters

What makes a home theater unique depends on the personality and vision of the homeowner. In this Tiburon, CA home, the client, who is a playwright, wanted a comfortable space that was also dramatic and transitional where she could relax for hours watching independent films, invite friends in for deep conversations, or be enveloped in creative thought.

Simplicity and home theater equipment don’t often seem to go together. With the constant influx of new products and upgrades, it’s hard to maintain a user-friendly environment. After all, how can you simplify your surroundings and stay ahead of the technology game at the same time? Media servers can help solve this problem. They bring all of your movies, music, and photos to a central location and then let you access it from all around your home. Media servers also provide the integration you need so you’ll be able to just sit down and enjoy your movies and music. What a concept.

VIZIO, well known for high value, low-cost LCD and plasma TVs, is now at the forefront of the latest TV technologies with the integration of a 240Hz Refresh Rate and Scanning Backlight in their 42-inch SV421XVT and 47-inch SV471XVT LCD flat panel TVs. Coupled with a Mega Dynamic Contrast Ratio of 50,000:1 these TVs provide a contrast ratio that rivals the performance of plasma displays. The 240Hz refresh rate virtually eliminates motion blur from fast-action movie sequences and video games.

Anthem unveils the Audio/Video Master 50v (AVM 50v), a state-of-the-art music preamplifier/home theater processor with a built in tuner and independent source selection for recording. This updated version of the AVM 50 combines the latest performance-enhancing technologies with whole-home entertainment control that makes it possible for users to direct audio and video program materials throughout the house.

Engineered exclusively by Meridian Audio for Dunhill, the Alfred Dunhill AD88 Entertainment System exploits Meridian’s expertise in digital audio and loudspeaker design to deliver exceptional sound from a single tabletop component that is both stylish and unobtrusive.

My wife and I own a Queen Ann Victorian home built in 1886 in the Silk Stocking district of Mankato, Minnesota. It’s a large home with each room decorated in period furnishings which isn’t conducive to a large screen TV and visible speakers. This made it hard to watch movies and Monday Night Football, so Doug convinced Candy to build a media room in the basement.