Home Theater Gadget Gift Ideas

The holidays are finally here.  Over the next few days the gift buying is only going to get more intense as people embark on that annual shopping trip for the perfect holiday gifts for loved ones.  Looking for some great gadget gift ideas for that high tech lover in your life this year?  Here are a few great home theater-themed gift ideas:

1- Home automation system: Give the gift of full home control this holiday season.  A home automation system has started to become very well recognized over the years and as a home theater company that does home theater installation and a variety of other home theater services, we have been getting asked more and more about home automation systems.  What does a home automation system enable you to do?  It gives you the ability to control the lights in your home theater or TV room with a universal remote.  It can give complete control over climate, whole house lighting, blinds, pool and spa, lawn sprinklers, access gate, surveillance, securing, A/V and much more right at your fingertips.  What a great holiday gift to give this season.

2- Universal remotes:  Another great home theater-themed holiday gift to give this season is the universal remote.  With all the components we use these days just to access our favorite entertainment sources, wouldn't it be great to only need one remote? No need to shuffle back and forth with several different remotes when a universal remote offers full control over all of your components. An all-in-one remote makes for a great gift this year.

3- Room darkening shades:  Consider some room darkening shades as a gift for your home theater lover this year.  A custom home theater is a great addition to your home, but what makes it even better is recreating the movie theater atmosphere.  Room darkening shades give the room added darkness providing ambiance and the true movie theater experience.  

Looking for some more home theater-themed gift ideas or have a few of your own great gift ideas?  Feel free to leave us a comment below or contact us.

Choosing a Home Theater Projector

As a Winnetka Home Theater Company, we know all things custom home theaters and are very skilled at the art of home theater installation and frequently we are asked what types of home theater equipment are "the best."  Each piece of equipment has its own pros and cons, so it is hard to say which pieces are really the "best of the best."  Many times it is based on preference.  Have you recently made the decision to use a projector to complete your home theater?  Great!  So how do you choose which projector is best for you and your home theater?  It can be a tough call since there are so many different types of projectors available on the market today.  Here are some tips on how to choose the right projector:

1- Your budget: When it comes to purchasing home theater equipment you should always keep your budget in mind.  How much are you willing to spend on the home theater equipment that you will be purchasing?  Projectors alone can get quite pricey, so your budget really needs to be taken into consideration.

2- Space: Keep in mind the amount of space you have available in the room that you will be placing your home theater and projector in.  Space is a big determinant for how the projector will look when you use it, so make sure you have plenty of room.

3- Deals: When you begin shopping for projectors ask yourself first if you will be buying brand new or used.  If you are planning on buying brand new you should plan on spending top dollar.  Buying used gives you a little wiggle room to save some money.  Deal are out there, especially if you check Ebay, Craiglists or other similar deal sources.  Another option is going refurbished.  There can be some great refurbished projectors out there as well.

4- Lamp check: One of the most important parts of any projector is the lamp.  Lamps can get quite expensive especially with some projector models, so find out what type of lamp your projector choices utilize.  If you have decided to get a used projector keep in mind that if the projector is older the lamps may be extremely difficult to find.  Make sure you are able to get a replacement lamp.

5- Overall performance: When it comes to a projector's overall performance there are two things you need to keep in mind: lumen vs contrast.  A projector over 1500 lumen's with a contrast ratio of 500:1 will typically work well in most settings.  When it comes to resolution most (but definitely not all) projectors can display 720p/1080i.  Newer projectors typically can display at 1080p, but these are usually pretty expensive.  While you are trying to make your decision check around to see what multiple models offer.

Have your own experience with using a projector for your home theater?  Let us know what you think and leave a comment or contact us.