Must-Have Upgrades for a Superior Home Theater

If you’re a movie buff looking to modernize your home theater, we have everything you need to create the perfect entertainment system

Some of the most exciting technology advancements available today are all centered on entertaining you. High-definition resolution at 1080P was the gold standard for many years, but that’s been surpassed by 4K technology and other advancements. A 5.1 surround sound system was once state of the art, but now there are better systems available so you can enjoy your movies and shows to their fullest potential.

If you live in Baton Rouge and it’s been a few years since your home theater installation was finished, you may be due for an upgrade. Here’s what you need to modernize your home theater.



SEE ALSO: Why Choose Acadian For Your Home Theater Installation?

YOUR DISPLAY

Although there are a smorgasbord of options out there, you want a 4K Ultra HD display for your home theater. There are a few 8K TVs now available for purchase, if you really want to future-proof your system, but currently there’s very little in terms of native 8K video content.

It’s important to note that not all 4K TVs are the same, however. Your home theater display should use High-Dynamic Range imaging, or HDR. TVs and projectors with HDR give you a wider and more intense range of colors than screens that don’t have it, which helps with color contrast to produce more lifelike images.

Another pro tip: Go with an OLED 4K TV. Unlike LCDs or regular LED displays, each pixel on an OLED screen is lit individually. By not relying on edge lighting, it’s easier to separate brighter and darker tones on the screen. This way you get better contrast and true black colors for a better image.

There’s one last thing to note when it comes to 4K home theaters: Every piece of the system must be 4K-compatible. From screens, to receivers, to the right cables for handling the extra bandwidth you’ll need them all to work together. Not to mention a home network fast enough to handle 4K streaming. No worries, we will guide you every step of the way.

YOUR SOUND SYSTEM

While 4K displays are impressive pieces of technology, your sound system is often what immerses you in whatever’s happening on screen. Now you can use the same surround sound technology as many movie theaters: Dolby Atmos. What separates Dolby Atmos from prior technologies is the immersion factor, rather than loudness or sound quality. (Though Atmos systems are still plenty loud and very high quality.)

In years past, you built a surround sound system by placing speakers throughout the room. This directed the sound to different channels to create a layered approach. Dolby Atmos systems work a bit differently; each sound on the soundtrack (meaning all the sounds you hear on screen, not just the musical score) is rendered as an individual audio object. Each of these objects is then placed in a three-dimensional soundscape created by speakers in front of you, to the side, even behind you and overhead.

Installing a system creates an unprecedented level of immersion. A word of warning, though: You only get the full effect with content mastered for Dolby Atmos. More and more content is Atmos compatible, though, and you’ll still get high-quality sound with other audio content.

HOME NETWORK UPGRADE

As physical media becomes increasingly less common, video streaming has become much more prevalent. This presents some challenges when it comes to streaming video at 4K-quality. You may have the best TV and speakers on the market, but you need a sufficiently powerful network for 4K streaming.

Like we mentioned earlier, watching 4K content requires every component of your home theater to be 4K compatible. Your home network is the first link in that chain, so it needs to be fast enough to handle 4K streaming. Internet speeds can vary widely depending on geographic area, your Internet service provider and the type of network cabling you’re using. That’s why we recommend you get a professional network installation.

Ready to bring your home theater installation into the 21^st century? Call us at (225) 442-9849 or fill out our contact form. You can also click on the chat box below to speak to one of our associates.