Home Theaters

“Consumer demand for multi-function systems is at an all-time high, and the ability to consolidate wires, boxes and remote controls is welcome in many homes,” said Frank Azor, senior vice president and general manager of Alienware’s worldwide product group.

To solve this problem, AMD and Alienware have teamed up to release the Hangar18 HD Entertainment Center, a multimedia powerhouse with HD DVR capabilities, support for up to four tuners, 5.1 surround sound receiver, integrated 200W per channel D2Audio amplifier, DVD/CD player/burner, HDMI output, and up to 2 TB of storage.

From the looks of things, this hardware looks very promising. Check out the video below for some of the cooler functions and uses.

Finding hardware designed as a comprehensive media solution that is right at home in your living room, does not come cheap. The initial price tag for the Hangar18 is $1999.

For two grand what can you expect? You are able to watch, pause, and record your movies, TV shows, photos, and internet videos on your widescreen TV in high definition, listen to all your favorite songs and artists with Hangar18’s onboard 5.1 surround sound amplifier, wirelessly stream all your media to other PCs, mobile devices, and media extenders throughout your home and download content from all over the internet to one secure location to store and share with your home and others.

All that and more. Check out more of the Hangar18’s features at Krunker.com. Also, check out the full original press release from AMD.

Price withstanding, I can’t wait to try one of these out and I expect to be very impressed.

amd, alienware, hangar18 hd home entertainment center, multimedia

Star Wars and George Lucas play a heavy role in many young men’s lives. Most of them have movies, toys and an endless arsenal of jargon and quotes to prove their love. Not Johann Peters, co-founder of Longview, Wash.-based custom installation firm Charisma Productions. He took his love to a whole other level.

Lucas, creator of the Star Wars franchise, has a 300-seat home theater at his Skywalker Ranch in California, dubbed “The Stag”.

To pay ultimate homage to one of his childhood heroes, Peters spent $100,000 to build a 16-seat replica of “The Stag”, including some of its best amenities such as a dozen speakers, 12,740 watts of amplification and a JVC DLA Projector.

Peters stuffed more into this 18′W x 30′L room than you could cram in an Imperial trash compactor, and shows it all off on a 150″ screen.

After 8 months of work and numerous squabbles with his business partner, he finally had his long-dreamed of replica and a place to relive his childhood fascination with all things Star Wars.

For more pictures and information on this Ultimate Home Theater and a comprehensive list of equipment included in it, check out the articles here and here.

ultimate envy, home theater, 3 geb, george lucas, star wars, the stag

As if today’s dream home theaters weren’t enough to blow most of our collective minds, Microsoft (and a few other companies) is planning to take things to a whole new level.

Similar to Apple’s new iPhone, only “lifesize”, this touch sensitive 30-inch display can recognize physical objects or tagged devices like phones, cameras and even credit cards, and can transmit data to the device by touching the screen.

Check out Microsoft’s demo video below for some live action:

The applications for this technology are only limited by imagination. While it is being developed as a business tool for now, I can’t help but dream of how it can be used in a home theater.

Think of controlling your whole media room from your “coffee table”, including telling your microwave to cook the popcorn and seeing previews of other movies the actors you are currently watching have starred in. Or perhaps recognizing your guests and sending drink and food orders to the kitchen.

Check out this CNET review to see some more possibilities:

With an initial price tag between $5,000 and $10,000, it is expected to arrive in November in T-Mobile USA stores and properties owned by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. and Harrah’s Entertainment Inc. I doubt many of us are going to run out and add it to our own home theaters anytime soon, but one thing’s for sure though, the future is getting closer and closer, and it definitely looks amazing.

Microsoft expects consumer versions in the next three years or so.

Be sure to check out the Microsoft site for more of what they are planning on doing with this exciting technology. The blogosphere is also ablaze with Surface talk. Read some more great posts here, here and here.

Needless to say, this baby gets three green envy buttons from me and almost demands a 4 GEB category all to itself. Congrats to Microsoft on (finally) making a hit!

microsoft surface, tabletop computer, home theater, 3 geb, multimedia

Not everyone, including myself, can afford to buy their way to the ultimate home theater. Oftentimes, it’s far more feasible to build your own and save a bit of cash. Conversely, doing things yourself can look amateurish or otherwise leave something to be desired.

While looking for more home theaters to be jealous of, I came across this great theater built entirely by a man and his father.

I gotta hand it to these guys, they really did a terrific job. Included in their setup is a V2500 Dolby Digital 7.1 Channel Surround Sound receiver, Infinity Satellite Speakers, a 96″ Optoma Silver Screen and DLP Projector, step down theater seating and some great movie posters.

Really goes to show how much you can get done in three weeks if you put your mind to it.

home theater, ultimate envy, do it yourself, 3 geb

PC Mag today announced their Top 100 Products of 2007 list. Despite being less than half way through the year, I expect many of their picks will stand up on the year end list, two of which I’ve already posted on here and here.

Left out of this duo of great multimedia hardware devices is the TiVo Series3 HD Digital Media Recorder. Receiving an excellent 8.3 rating from CNET and 4.5/5 from Amazon, the Series3 can record up to 300 hours of standard definition programming and 32 hours of High Definition. It can also record up to two live shows at once.

Possibly the best feature, however, is the ability to schedule recordings anywhere from tivo.com, allowing time-short and forgetful people ample opportunity to schedule their favorites throughout the day.

Check out this video for more features and functions:

You can also check out how some other bloggers feel about the TiVo Series3 HD Digital Media Recorder here, here, here and here.

All in all, the Tivo Series3 looks to be a fantastic addition to any home theater. Price has always been my main deterrent, but it looks like Tivo is trying to position it somewhat against Apple TV and Slingbox as the price continues to fall to only twice as much (instead of three times as much). I see rebates from time to time to bring the price lower, but for now, Amazon offers the best price at just over $600.

For continuing to keep commercials out of view, and now in HD, the Tivo Series3 will continue to be an item of my envy with three green buttons.

tivo series3 hd, dmr, video, multimedia, home theater

I’m always inspired by people that build their own home theaters. Not only are they gung-ho about it, the elation they have when they finally finish is seldom seen in life.

Take this guy for example. He couldn’t wait to tell the world about his new home cinema and quickly uploaded his film to the internet upon completion. I can’t say I blame him. If I had a room dedicated to housing a Stewart Firehawk 110″ screen, a Tannoy 7.2 surround sound speaker system, an Arcam A/V Reveiver AVR250, an Arcam DVD player DV78, a Panasonic AE1000 HD projector, AppleTV, all controlled by a MX900 remote, I’d be singing in the rain.

Shoot, I’d just be happy with the vintage Pacman/Galaga standup in his waiting room.

home theater, ultimate envy, 3 geb

In Friday’s post, a giant 110-inch projection screen was featured. Panasonic is apparently trying to keep up with projection size with its high-def televisions. Check out this massive 103-inch plasma.

So how much does it cost for nine-feet of crystal clear 1080p picture quality? Sadly, more than I make in a year. Prices should fall quickly, but for now, the ticket price is $70,000.

Suffice to say, this gargantuan gets three green envy buttons.

I come across some pretty awesome home theaters in my search for uncovering the best products, at the best prices. While I try to restrict my posts to things normal people like us can actually buy, every now and then I feel the need to fantasize about what if…

Since I can’t help my envious nature, I decided to dedicate Friday’s posts to the most magnificent hedonistic home theaters I can find. Maybe if we see the things we don’t have and want them bad enough, some day, err, never mind. Let’s just get started with a look at the first Ultimate Envy home theater.

Some of the absolute best home theaters I have seen are featured at Electronic House, a web magazine that focuses on inspiring technological transformations. They recently released their awards for home of the year, and all I can really say is WOW.

First up is this 12,000 square foot Dallas, Texas home, complete with one of the coolest home theaters I’ve seen to date.

Simple, yet sophisticated, it features a 110-inch viewing screen to capture the Runco 1080p DLP projector’s impeccable picture quality.

One can only imagine watching the latest Hollywood blockbuster under the moon and stars of the beautifully-crafted vaulted ceiling. Polished wood poles give this theater even more cinema authenticity.

Be to sure to check out the slideshow of the rest of this breathtaking house on the Electric House site.

home theaters

I’ve never seen so many bonuses thrown into the sale of a speaker system package. Often, when a model is past its prime or wasn’t very good in the first place, you will have some extras thrown at you as incentive to take it off their hands.

Aperion apparently takes a different approach to selling home speaker systems.

Not only is the Intimus 532 Concert system a superior sound system with all the features you’d expect for a first-class home theater audio system, the company itself goes above and beyond what I’ve seen from any of its competitors.

Beautiful in both black and wood finish, this satellite and subwoofer set is already well-priced at $1,399, but then Aperion throws in the triple whammy for good measure. Standing behind their products, one can expect the 30-day in-home trial, but when you get to the part about free shipping AND no sales tax, you almost have to ask yourself why you’d buy from anyone else.

For offering world-class sound with a deal that would make any aspiring entrepreneur proud, the Intimus 532 system earns three green envy buttons.

aperion, home theater, speakers, 3 geb

Since posting about MobMov, a company that specializes in portable drive-ins, I have been extremely curious about the whole subject. Living in California, there are about six prime months of weather where watching movies outside is a fun family idea.

MobMov offers an affordable package you can set up on your own and watch drive-in style flicks wherever you want. Taking a different approach, Harmon Interiors designed this “both sides of the screen” projector theater that is sure to be the envy of video lovers.

Anchored by a SharpVision XV-Z3000 Projector, the screen is viewable from inside the home, and offers a reversed image of the screen to viewers outside on the patio. Imagine a world where all walls were made like this.

Audio is handled through an awesome Bose BuiltInvisible speaker system, completely built into the walls and ceiling of the house. The possibilities with a set up like this are endless (unless you share a wall with your kids and you get stuck watching Jimmy Neutron all day).

Whether you have the room for a double-sided theater or not, the components themselves are surprisingly affordable. The average price around the internet was $2,499 for the projector, but I found it here and here for considerably less.

The Bose AV38 Media Center that controls all the action was available at eBay for under $1,500.

For making it possible to watch your favorite movie and take the garbage out at the same time, this set up gets three green envy buttons.

home theater, projectors, bose, media center, sharp, screen on both sides

As a person envious of some of the great home theaters out there, I often spend time surfing the net in search of the cream of the crop. Typically they are far, far, far out of my budget, but it’s always nice to daydream. I have seen many that are specifically themed for one movie, or that just pack in every single new gadget and awe their viewers with hardware alone. Personally, I prefer the home theater that is a retreat from the real world and makes you feel you are at your very own movie theater.

Today, I came across this theater that made my jaw drop. Sadly, it’s bigger than any two rooms in my home combined, so it’s not going to be in my future any time soon, but it is worth a look.

Comfortably seating eight adults, the fine leather captain chairs and the massive flat screen are what first caught my eye. Not to be outdone, the theater’s lighting is immaculate and the work station area is perfect for a candlelit dinner or for a children’s play area.

I don’t know about you guys, but I’d trade my living room and bedroom for this masterpiece.

The only information I could find on this theater was that it had won an award (duh!) and was designed by Integrated Media Systems, a Sterling, Virginia company that can be reached at (703) 464-0736. If any of you can afford to build it, I’ll defintiely come

For not needing a reason to explain why, this theater gets three green envy buttons.

home theater, awards

If you are looking for a top-notch HDMI-capable DVD player with 1080p for your home theater, Oppo has just the player for you. Created specifically for high-def tv’s and theater projectors, this is not your typical DVD player.

Through the use of advanced upconverting technology (performed directly by the DVD player), the Oppo DV-981HD excels at making standard definition DVDs look like high definition and outperforms most TV’s built-in upconversion capabilities, enabling you to enjoy your current DVD collection, as well as new HD releases for years to come.

Stunning life-like picture quality with vivid color and fine details are made possible through the player’s Emmy award winning DCDi video processing technology. Equally impressive is the player’s audio capability which supports high fidelity digital audio in Super Audio CD and DVD Audio formats and offers crystal clear sound. It also supports MP3 files, CDs, and HDCDs. The one feature this player truly lacks is a video component output, which makes the DV-981HD less versatile, but more attractive to video purists.

All in all, this Oppo release looks to be a winner, garnering an 8.3/10 rating on CNET and 4.5/5 on Amazon, where I also found the best price at $229 including free shipping.

For delivering such high quality that it doesn’t even consider offering a video component output, at an incredible price that any home theater enthusiast would be more than happy to pay, the Oppo DV-981HD earns three green envy buttons.

If watching movies in true to life color is your thing, finding the highest aspect ratio is one of the most important factors when shopping for a home theater television. The Panasonic TH-50PX60U features a 1366 x 768-pixel resolution and an amazing contrast ratio of 10000:1, giving you true movie quality in the comfort of your own home.

Though it comes in four sizes (37″, 42″, 50″ and 58″), I was told the 50″ I looked at was indicative of each and the picture was fantastic. Spiderman 2 was playing and it really brought the movie theater experience to life, truly putting my current television to shame.

Sporting more holes than your grannie’s Afghan, the dual HDMI inputs, three component-video inputs, three S-Video inputs and SD memory card reader for digital photo viewing promise to handle all your multimedia needs with ease. To make room for all that input, Panasonic appears to have nixed the CableCard slot, so digital cable subscribers, BEWARE! To combat this chink in the armor, a built-in ATSC tuner was installed, allowing the set to receive over-the-air HDTV signals with no additional hardware.

The two built-in 10-watt speakers pump out virtual surround sound and are more than adequate for small home theaters like my own, but this television honestly deserves to have an audio compliment equal to the picture. The set is also extremely thin and can fit just about anywhere, including on the wall. Though it weighs nearly 90 lbs., it’s less than 4″ deep and would be a big upgrade to most wall art.

In addition to the superior picture and incredible amount of input options, the set also has many of the internal goodies people may find useful including a built-in closed-caption decoder, V-chip lockout controls, on screen input labeling and a sleep timer so you can ensure you never burn an image into the already resistant screen.

At less than $1750, I’ve seen no comparison for a screen like this right now. With a stunning picture at a 160 degree viewing angle at less than twice the width of an LCD monitor, this Panasonic plasma arouses three envy buttons.

Panasonic, plasma tv, 3 GEB, video, home theater, flatscreen tv

At some point during the construction of your home theater, you need to think less about electronics and more about where everyone is going to sit. The home theater is arguably the most expensive and most enjoyed of all rooms in your home and it deserves furniture to compliment all that cool stuff.

In many home theaters, it is common to see a beautiful sectional couch around the optimal viewing areas, complete with end recliners and cup trays. Maybe that’s just my house, but still, I’ve seen it before. Promise.

Coming across the Solara Home Lounge Recliner in a catalog this morning, however, convinced me that I for one, had taken the wrong route.

These gorgeous leather microfiber recliners bring together the best in theater seating. Each one is small and light enough to move around the room and takes up little extra space when reclined. The head rest is adjustable, maintaining neck comfort while you watch television in reclined luxury.

Losing remote controls is the scourge of living rooms across this great country, but it no longer needs to be with the built-in accessory pocket. Imagine your relaxation time not being shattered by the frantic search for the channel changer as Wheel ends and your favorite prime time shows begin. Now that’s comfort.

Even after all those highlights, there is still one better. This recliner is also a power massager. What can be better than coming home after work, kicking off your shoes, dropping your weight in a form-fitting leather chair, reclining back, reaching down and knowing the remote control is where you expect it to be, turning on your big screen television and having your weariness massaged away?

For also coming in three colors (brown, beige and burgundy) and making me think about getting off from a job I don’t currently have, the Solara Lounge Recliners earn three green envy buttons.

lounge, recliners, home theater furniture, design

Flipping through a new issue of one of my favorite magazines, I came across one of the most uniquely designed improvements I’ve seen in a long time. The bulky power strips most of us have gathering dust balls behind our computers and entertainment centers are a wonderful invention, but past their prime for today’s consumers. With many plugs taking up multiple jacks due to their unwieldy size and shapes, something had to give.

Enter the PowerSquid. Finally instead of someone making a longer power strip, someone actually put their mind to work and made a completely new one which is sure to dominate its market in the years to come. It’s superiority comes from its design. Rather than make each plug in line like a ladder, PowerSquid frees up each plug with an extension cord, each of which is housed in the main mouse-shaped power source that takes up significantly less space than a traditional surge protector.

PowerSquid currently comes in three models, ranging from $18-$85. The basic model will save a lot of space and moving of furniture for about the same price as a normal surge protector, but lacks actual surge protection. This is good marketing in my opinion, and forces the savvy consumer to opt for at least the mid-level model, which is more than quadruple the price. With the value of what’s being protected in mind, this is probably a good investment and comes with connected equipment insurance and the wires are twice as long.

For home theater professionals, the Calamari model is probably your best bet as it includes the above, as well as swiveling plugs, an audible alarm for surge emergencies and neon-illuminated outlets for ten bucks more. Each model is relatively equal in size, approximately 4″x7″ not counting tentacles, and have lifetime warranties.

Design will continue to lead the way in the 21st century, as redesigns of old staples revolutionize the way we use things. The PowerSquid is an invention of necessity and makes you wonder what took someone so long to think of it. I congratulate Flexity, the company that created the PowerSquid, and see this as their cash cow and defining moment. It won’t be long before it becomes a staple in all home theaters and media centers.

For genius design and turning the ugly into an icon, I give this power strip three green envy buttons.

PowerSquid, surge protector