The most common question we hear is “should I buy an LCD, plasma, or LED television”? Still people are not familiar with the different home theater and media room technologies to understand the HDTV selection is best based on their viewing preference or TV watching habits. To clarify, plasma’s are the most natural looking, LED’s are the brightest, and most LCD’s have matte plastic screens which reflect less ambient light. So when deciding whether to buy LCD, plasma, or an LED ask yourself, do I watch a lot of fast action sports? Is the room bright from having many windows with direct sunlight? Do I need a wide viewing angle? Either way, Michigan Home Theater is a direct retailer for all major top name HD televisions. Still have questions, visit our FAQ section.
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Motorized screens
Motorized screens are best utilized in a multi-function media room situation; motorized screens are not usually found in dedicated theater rooms. The idea here is to retract the projector screen when not in use in order to reveal an art piece or an LCD, plasma, or LED television behind the large projection screen. Some clients prefer to watch their 55” HDTV during the day and their projector with a 120” screen in the evening, after the sun goes down, all in the same room. This allows to client to have a first floor theater room, perhaps if they do not have enough space for a dedicated personal theater.
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Video distribution
Ever wish you could start an HD television show or HD movie in one room and finish it in a different room? Well, we can do that, having your video sources connected to multiple HDTV’s is not uncommon. Additionally, it is possible to distribute your security cameras to multiple displays in your home. We have also done multiple displays behind a wet bar in clients homes, each TV behind the bar broadcasting a different game, usually three or four. Video distribution also allows the home owner to have ultimate flexibility and control so you are not limited to being secluded in your media room or theater room.
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Fireplace solutions
70% of all flat panel TV’s we install are above a fireplace mantle, we do a lot of them so we are really good at it. If you have an older home or a brick face on the fireplace, this may prevent the installer from hiding all of the wires or the project may not be cost effective. Otherwise, newer homes or fireplaces with a drywall front are slightly easier than those with a brick face. If you are planning to do it yourself, be sure to use “in wall rated” audio and video wires. If you’re not sure, hire a professional (like Michigan Home Theater), professionals have special tools and techniques which make the project begin and end smoothly.
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Projectors
Overhead video projectors are by far the ultimate accent to your movie room. Large flat panels usually go up to about 65 inches diagonal. With an overhead projector, the available screen size is determined by the distance between the projector and the screen, the further the distance between the two, the larger diagonal screen size. Newer projectors are now able to show high contrast and high resolution video images. When choosing an overhead HD projector, look for vertical and horizontal shift, keystone adjustment, and a high contrast ratio. The bulb life of most projector bulbs is expected to usually be about 4000 hours, if you use your projector 20 hours / week, the bulb should last almost four years. When replacing a bulb, you should expect to pay $200-$300 for a replacement bulb. When planning to install an overhead HD projector, be certain you can control the amount of light in the room, both natural and artificial. Any unwanted light will wash out the image before it hits the screen.
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3D television
Are you ready to take your movie watching pleasure to the next level…? With the introduction of 3D Blu-Ray movies and more 3D titles becoming available each month, we are always ready to help our clients experience home entertainment like they never have before. The 3D experience requires very little special hardware; you’ll need the obvious, a 3D television and a 3D Blu-Ray player, but also you will need a high quality HDMI v1.4 cable (high definition multimedia interface), a 3D Blu-Ray movie on disk and a pair of 3D glasses. All of which are available from Michigan Home Theater.
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Hide away
Hideaway TV’s are very popular in custom homes or where the interior designer and homeowner is not interested in seeing the TV when it is off. The furniture which houses the HDTV also has an enclosed lift unit which activates when you decide to turn on the television. These plush furniture units are available in many wood grains, colors, and trim levels. The lift unit is smooth, quiet and able to accommodate even large flat panel TV’s. The lift unit is controlled via remote control, usually encoded into the universal all-in-one system remote. When you are done watching, the unit collapses and lowers into
the finished cabinet, out of sight.
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