Home Theatres of the Year

Fire in the Sky

As viewers settle into the theater, a walk-in mode programmed into the Crestron control system keeps the room well lit and fills the sky ceiling with daytime blue. Then show time begins. A programmed 7-minute delay lowers the lights and fades the sky into coral, magenta and finally a midnight blue. Fiber-optic LED constellations appear, and shooting stars streak overhead.

Great Seats

The supple and slick Italian leather CineLounger seats where manufactured by First Impressions and custom-dyed to match the wall panels. Meanwhile, four-way masking on the 174-inch screen that covers the unused top and bottom portions when superwide 2.35:1 aspect ratio movies are shown. The slightly curved, overlaid and LED-backlit acoustical panels, as is the concealed and powerful Genelec surround-sound system.

Front of Theater

The scoop below the screen helps tie the room together visually - and serves as a giant trap to absorb excess bass. Hidden behind it are the system's two subwoofers, which straddle the center line of the 132-inch-wide Stewart Filmscreen screen. More traditional acoustical treatments are hidden behind the theater's fabric walls. They include broadband absorption panels in areas prone to first reflections and combination panels to offer a mix of high-frequency diffusion and mid- and low-frequency absorption

Stars Shine

This theater also has a three-chip DLP Runco projector with an anamorphic lens to produce superwide CinemaScope images. And let's face it: When the lights go down, the real stars of the show are the projector and speakers. Studio-grade-quality Genelec speakers provide plenty of horsepower in here, though just to say the three Genelec HT210B front speakers and four AIW26 surround speakers are powerful thoroughbreds is not giving them credit for their sophisticated design and nuance.

Family Values

An outdated CRT projector and 16:9 screen were scrapped in favor of a Runco three-chip DLP projector and anamorphic lens setup with a 123-inch Stewart CineCurve 2.35:1 screen. The homeowner's carpenter handled the extensive woodwork modifications. A mix of new and existing sources found their way into the updated system, including a Kaleidescape DVD server, Sony ES Blu-ray player, Western Digital movie player, DirecTV HD DVRs and even VHS VCRs. The Kaleidescape system can engage or disengage the power-sled anamorphic lens based on the film's aspect ratio, while other sources have a fixed lens position with manual override.

Vegas Light Show

These Ohio homeowners want to treat guests to a Vegas-style neon light show. And judging by what's surrounding that 10-foot-wide Stewart Filmscreen Electrimask display, we'd say guests will feel like they're walking down the Strip. The screen can automatically mask the sides for 1.78:1 content (common to high-def TV programming and many movies). For the audio, a JBL Synthesis sound system was implemented because it could be fine-tuned for the irregular-shaped room via its proprietary amplification and processing.

Bevy of Sources

There are a bevy of sources to choose from. The family can choose content from TiVo, cable TV, Apple TV and a Kaleidescape movie server - all stored in an equipment rack located elsewhere, of course, so no one's eyes stray from all the home theater drama

Potential Disaster

The decor in this theater is very nice. Its wood trim and warm look is inviting. And there's a 123-inch fixed screen showing a Full HD 1080p picture from a top-of-the-line three-chip DLP projector. We'd take that in a heartbeat. Then there are the B&W 804S front speakers, paired with a B&W HTM3S center channel, four B&W Signature 7NT surrounds, and two REL R-505 subwoofers producing some very fine sounds.

No Signs of Water

You could never tell that this theater was once a flooded basement. After 1 Sound Choice's remodel, water and mold turned into a 132-inch Stewart Filmscreen CinemaScope screen, Runco RS900 Projector, Triad Speakers, and more. All the equipment is run by a Control4 system, controlling the lighting and the alert for the doorbell; the lights at the front of the theater flash when the doorbell is rung. The seating for ten was achieved by using United Leather's Sahara seating in a deep mahogany-toned leather

Star Ceiling

A fiber-optic star ceiling hangs below the ceiling with decorative rope lighting shining out. The look evokes a floating, 3D-like starfield that gives the room a greater sense of depth

Everything's Under Control

This project was based on the client's concept of a screening room. The area was designed with a full lobby and provides a spectacular view from the neighboring Lounge and Bar area. All sub-systems, including HVAC, security, surveillance, drape control, can be controlled from within the theater via a Crestron Infinity automation system that has a custom interface.

This article is sourced from www.cepro.com