HOME THEATERS

Congratulations! The renovation came in on time and under budget! The whole country's going digital, so your timing is perfect. You are about to create a home theater.

Only 2 considerations remain - equipment and lighting. The following tips will help you make good choices to get your home theater up and running.

Projection-based equipment features screens up to 100 inches - this is the real big-screen experience. Think about your room before you decide on front- or rear-projection units.

If you expect to use your theater room strictly as a theater, either system will work well. If someone will likely be reading  or playing games in the room, look at rear projection. A front-projection generates a light stream that can be interfered with by other lights. A rear-projection system is self-contained, so those who wish to turn on a lamp can do so.

 Although screen sizes are smaller, TV-only theaters provide a great theater experience. Two types of displays are available. Again, issues of light can help you choose what is best for you. Plasma offers strong definition between dark and light, clear detail, depth, and true colors. The gas cells of plasma do not permit light-leak between cells, giving truer and deeper black levels than LCD.

LCD means light and plenty of it. An LCD features a brighter display and more intense colors than plasma. An LCD is the perfect choice for a room with high ambient light, whether from daylight or adjacent areas.

Close examination of both may reveal no major differences in picture quality. You may well find that both perform equally well in your room, advise experts.

Various sources like America Home Today contributed to this article. There are various online resources for more information, one such site to check out is http://www.hometheatertips.com.

It should not be a surprise that celebs have home theaters. But I doubt many compare to what Michael Jackson had @ Neverland Ranch. His had hospital beds for sick children.

I hear that he had a film vault too. One that any Hollywood studio would envy according to one source. He had 35mm prints of his favorite films.

- Paul

HAPPY JULY 4TH!