Home theater design consists of much more than high-powered televisions and surround sound speakers. To be truly competitive with public movie houses, and to offer the eclectic homeowner a truly superior cinematic encounter, home theater design must reflect, balance, and work in complete harmony with its immediate environment and end-user commands. As sound and video are both directly affected by architectural acoustics, interior lighting, and natural light encroaching into the home, exceptional home theater design actually consists of multiple design layers where key components are balanced and networked together to provide a harmonious audiovisual unity that works in tandem with homeowner controls and automation and lighting programs. This requires both a multi-specialty skill set and access to literally thousands of audiovisual devices in order to provide a truly custom home theater design specific to the taste and desires of the individual client.
Our team initiates every home theater design project with a systematic and detailed consultation with the client. We develop a soft copy of the system first, using CAD software to represent individual audio/visual components, map out the automation and networking of controls and subsystems, and build visual models of layered lighting and acoustical affects. The resulting 3-D visual schematic of our proposed home theater design allows the client to clearly visualize the outcome and instantly provide us with feedback or request for changes prior to purchasing equipment of accruing labor costs.
Upon client approval of the proposal, our team then conducts a series of highly detailed, systematic tests on room acoustics and lighting levels. We measure window dimensions and corresponding natural light levels in order to determine which methods of natural light control will work best in that particular home theater design. We draw upon years of cross-training and partnership with major building contractors and architectural firms to carefully assess the acoustical qualities of wood, stone, interior brick, and other composite materials that will function as the physical housing of the new home theater. Systematic analysis of ceiling height and corner angles enables us to precisely anticipate the optimal audio frequency that will deliver the maximum quality of sound in that particular room. This data in turn helps us determine the size, number, manufacture, and placement of forward and surround sound speakers and audio distribution systems. Our certification and extensive experience in electrical design and home automation makes it possible to design a home theater in virtually any size room or custom floor plan, provided the environment offers exceptional acoustic potential.
We rely heavily upon client preference for television and projector selection. Often this is simply a matter of taste. Some clients prefer front-end projection screens that fill an entire wall. Others prefer their home theater designed around smaller, flat screen televisions that sit within the wall or an entertainment system. Regardless of build or model ultimately installed, each television and projection system features professional grade components whose picture quality, anticipated lifespan, and level of customization far surpass retail equivalents that may appear, but by no means function, the same.
Lighting also plays a critical role in home theater design, requiring a tight balance between functional light for comfort and safety and dim and speciality light for film viewing and appropriate special effects. Our relationship with over 20 major lighting manufacturers enables our home theater design team to select energy-saving, high-end lighting equipment that delivers the exact level of control and flexibility necessary to customize lighting to movie genre, historical period, audience, and homeowner preference. Our technicians can turn direct control of these lighting levels over to the host, or we can link multiple lighting levels and effects back to a central home automation control unit, using sensors and timers to automatically dim the lights the moment the host hits “play.”
As ever-growing numbers of people return home for entertainment that offers direct participation and personal control, home theater design becomes increasingly popular and sophisticated. ILD leads the way in this new, exciting, and continuously evolving industry. Contact Us at 713-863-1133 and learn how we can design a home theater for you!
Labels: Home Theater Design, Home Theater Lighting, Houston Home Theaters, Lighting and Home Automation
Home Theater Lighting creates an ambient environment that motivates friends and family to come to a private residence for a superior movie-going experience. Home theater lighting and automation, when done correctly, not only equals the quality of public cinema, but in many respects exceeds it. Home theater lighting accommodates direct control of lighting intensity so the host can dim the room to levels optimal for movie viewing. Sufficient task and accent lighting must remain on to some degree, however, so guests can move freely in and out the room without hazard or inconvenience. This skillful blend of light and darkness takes an expert home automation team like the one that makes Illuminations Lighting and Design a leader in home theater equipment and customization.
First and foremost to any home theater lighting job is direct remote control over the lighting levels and multiple lighting themes we program into a home automation lighting system. We link an AMX hand-held remote to both the audiovisual equipment and the lighting control system superstructure. When the host hits play, a pre-programmed timer begins to dim the lights as the movie credits begin to roll. This emulates the dimmable lights of theater that focus attention on the screen and set the mood for an altered state of reality. At the same time, it offers personal control and customization that public cinemas do not provide. Based on the size of the room, the type of projector used, and the overall layout of furniture and decorations, home theater lighting specialists pre-program multiple themes into the home theater system that allow the host to not only choose the amount of time it takes to dim the lights, but also offers a variety of individual light levels and effects that compliment the genre and theme of the specific movie the guests have come to enjoy.
Home theater lighting depends on layers of specific types of illumination in order to out compete the major cinemas. Colored lighting triggers emotion on an unconscious level and can transform the white light of normal illumination into a mood-altering compliment to the nature and theme of the film. This is a very subtle effect that guests seldom consciously notice but unconsciously respond to with a desire to "come back again next week." Dimmable lights generate optimal, low lighting for home theaters that focuses attention away from an obscured environment directly onto the projections screen—just as the lights in a cinema do. ILD dimmable lighting offers more versatility, however, than public cinema lighting because home automation systems contain a memory feature that allows us to pre-program any number of lighting levels and themes, each with its own preset timing control. We can then link this to indirect lighting sources that use very low levels of light reflected from key points in the room to create an aura of specific colors and luminosity that compliments both the room and the feature film. With thousands of lamps, luminaries, and fixtures for specialty lighting from which we can choose, we can automate and control necessary illumination with an aesthetic flare that enhances the decorative and special effects that make home theater lighting a prime motivation to stay indoors over the weekend. The home theater lighting system will also keep specific task lights powered on at low levels so guests can leave the room if necessary. We overlay these lighting effects in such a way as to create a sense of total darkness when in reality there is always enough light where it needs to be to accommodate safe movement and special effects.
Every home theater lighting design must also be customized to the personality and lifestyle of the client and properly illuminate the physical floor plan and interior architecture of the audio/visual room itself. In order to guarantee that we can truly deliver a custom solution to every client who comes to us, we have spent many years building relationships with the world's leading manufacturers of home automation controls, task lighting, accent lighting, and decorative lighting equipment. With access to specialties like ceiling lights and wall mounted lights for indirect lighting, we can create an aesthetic that goes beyond the public domain. Call us today at 713-863-1133 to host the next grand opening at your home and amaze your guests with an experience never to be forgotten!
Labels: Home Automation Specialists, Home Theater Experience, Home Theater Lighting, home theaters, Media Room Lighting Designs
Have you ever wanted to turn a room in your house into an awesome home theater? That's what we do here at Illuminations Lighting Design. As lighting designers, electrical contractors and home automation specialists, we build excitement into your lifestyle!
On a recent residential project we transformed a simple kid's playroom into a awesome home theater and XBOX360 gaming Mecca. The before and after pictures show how the room was altered to be both a serious theater for the parents and a great space for the children to play games and watch Television.
Like all home theater projects we met with the clients first to discuss their requirements, talk through the plethora of options and establish a preliminary budget. Once a budget was established we began looking at various plasma TVs, surround sound systems, DVD players and of course, speakers.
After careful consideration it was decided that we should alter the existing cabinets to incorporate the new A/V equipment and provide enough wall space for a screen. The customer was pleased that we did not have to move the furniture and kept the same room orientation. Once we got the decorating out of the way, it was time for selecting the components.
Here is what we installed:
(1) Runco DLP Projector
(1) 84" Stewart Film Screen
(1) Marantz Surround Sound Receiver
(1) Marantz DVD Player
(1) HD Cable Box w/DVR
(1) APC Power Conditioner & Battery Backup
(1) Vienna Acoustic Speaker (Center)
(2) Vienna Acoustic Bookshelf Speakers (Front)
(2) Vienna Acoustic Bookshelf Speakers & Stands (Rear)
(2) Vienna Acoustic Sub Woofers
(1) Programmable Remote Control
(1) XBOX360 (For the kid's)
You have to see this one in person to appreciate the clarity of the picture and the quality of the sound. If you are interested in creating an entertainment center at your home contact the professionals at Illuminations Lighting Design. Call toll free at 800-863-1184 or visit us online at http://www.illuminationslighting.com/.
Your one stop resource for everthing cool!
Labels: Austin Home Theater Installation, Home Theater Experience, Home Theater Lighting, Home Theater Lighting Control, home theaters
Runco's award-winning home theater and home cinema products are now availalble at Illuminations Lighting Design.
As one of
Texas fastest growing custom home theater and home automation companies we are proud to add Runco home theater and home cinema products to our list of
credentials . Runco equipment easily integrates with any decor or lifestyle. If you are looking for the highest quality large screen viewing experience, Runco from Illuminations Lighting Design is the answer!
The Runco CL-610 (pictured above) and CL-610LT offer 1280 x 720 native resolution DLP light engines featuring Runco's powerful SuperOnyx technology for bright, pristine, high definition images. Black levels, brightness and contrast exceed anything previously available in this projector class.
Key features of the Runco CL-610 DLP projector:
1280 x 720 (16:9), high-definition native resolution
Selectable Lamp Intensity Control (SLIC) provides two lamp intensity levels for varied lighting conditions
Internal aspect ratio control with 5 available settings
Creates bold pictures on screens up to 96 inches wide
Since 1986, Runco has been a leader in the large screen projection industry through its commitment to research and development toward cultivating the latest refinements in video display technology.
Runco offers other home theater products such as:
DLP Projectors
Plasma Display Monitors
LCD Display Monitors
Video Processors
Video Signal Enhancers
Product Archive Products
Illuminations is a full service design build firm specializing in residential and commercial indoor lighting and
outdoor lighting installation, service and maintenance as well as
home automation, home theaters and lighting control systems. They are a member of
CEDIA -
Custom Electronic Design and Installation Association. can visit them online at
http://www.illuminationslighting.com/ or give them a call toll free at 800-863-1184 for more information on home theaters or Runco products.
Like Music.... Lighting Sets The Mood!
SuperOnyx, Imagng Science Foundation, Vivix are registered trademarks of Runco International.Labels: Home Theater Design, Home Theater Experience, Home Theater Lighting, home theaters, Houston Theater Deigners
Ever found yourself in a retail store with rows and rows of televisions, showing the same video and each looks better than the other? Well you are not alone. With the mix of new technologies and standard technologies, today's television market is rapidly changing, and can get confusing. It's important, as a consumer purchasing a new television, to understand the differences, pros and cons in the varied offerings.
Basically, there are 4 types of televisions in the market, not to be confused with type of signal (SDTV, EDTV or HDTV).
Tube TV
Tube televisions are the old stand-bys. Also known as direct view, these are the bulky, big, heavy television with the CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) technology, which is a specialized vacuum tube. Newer models can display HDTV video signal. These televisions are less expensive compared to their counterparts and have a very long lifespan.
DLP TV
DLP televisions are based on a technology invented by Texas Instruments back in 1987 called Digital Light Processing. The technology is based on an optical semiconductor called DMD (Digital Micromirror Device) chip. The chip consists of over one million mirrors to process light. They come in either single chip or 3 chip configurations. One-chip DLP systems use a projection lamp to pass white light through a color wheel that sends red-green-blue colors to the DMD chip in a sequential order to create an image on-screen. Only one DMD chip is used to process the primary RGB colors. Three-chip DLP systems use a projection lamp to send white light through a prism, which creates separate red, green, and blue light beams. Each beam is sent to their respective red, green, and blue DMD chip to process the image for display on-screen. One-chip models are said to produce a display of over 16-million colors. Three-chip models can produce a display of over 35-trillion colors.They are not susceptible to burn-ins however; they do require a lamp replacement every 1000 hours to 2000 hours, depending on the manufacturer. DLP do not come in flat panel configuration. The advantages of DLP are cost and picture quality. To see a demo of DLP technology visit the DLP technology website.
LCD TV
LCD stands for Liquid Crystal Display. The Display comes either in flat panel or rear projection configuration. These panels are popular due to their light weight, thin construction, vivid colors and ability to be used as computer monitors. LCD tends to show a ghosting effect if the refresh rate is too slow while others tend to show a screen door effect, which nothing more than a pixilation effect or in other words gaps between mirrors. The best criteria to select and LCD is actually to view it, checking for those to effects before buying. LCD panels are not susceptible to burn-ins.
Plasma TV
PlasmaTV'ss or PDP (Plasma Display Panel) are considered to be top of the line in picture quality and because of this are also considered to be the first choice for high end home electronics. All plasmas come in flat panel configurations, which make them ideal when space is limited or where the aesthetics of the TV body are important. The panels consist of gases which emit colors under different temperatures. It is a common misconception that Plasmas leak gases and can be refilled. Plasmas cannot be refilled. Plasma panels are susceptible to burn-ins.Ann average life span of 6 to 8 years is typical for these panels.
As with any home theater decisions, the best choice is to have a professional guide you through the many options out there. The professional home automation specialists at Illuminations can guide you through the process to ensure that you select the right products for your space, needs, wants, and budget.
For more information about televisions and the Home Theater and HOME AUTOMATION SERVICES at Illuminations call 800-863-1184. One of our CEDIA CERTIFIED DESIGNERS will be glad to answer any questions you have or schedule a time to meet and discuss your home automation and lighting control needs.
Illuminations Lighting Design is a full service design build firm specializing in residential and commercial indoor lighting and outdoor lighting installation, service and maintenance as well as home automation, home theaters and lighting control systems.
Labels: Home Theater Design, Home Theater Experience, Home Theater Lighting, Sony Home Theaters
