5 Reasons to Cut Cable for Internet TV – Part 1 of 3

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You have just finished building the perfect home theater. The home theater recliners are in place, the ideal projector / screen combo is installed and all of your components are wired up. One question remains before you sit back and pick up the remote: Should you stick with cable TV or “cut the cord” and opt for only Internet TV? Below we present 5 good arguments for cutting the cord, and next week we will present 5 more arguments for sticking with your current cable plan.

5. Most TV shows available on Cable TV are also available online – Often, streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime offer new TV episodes a week or less after they originally air.

4. Cable TV prices keep going up – After the six month promotional period, cable TV prices can increase to 2 or 3 times their original monthly price. A $49.99 promotional bundle of TV, phone and Internet can quickly grow to $200 a month or more. In contrast much of Internet TV is free or costs a small monthly fee.

3. Internet TV can be streamed from a variety of devices – Whether you choose to watch your favorite movie or TV show on your tablet, laptop, TV or other device, Internet TV can accommodate you. Also, many game consoles, set-top boxes and even Smart Televisions can access popular streaming services like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon.

2. Both cable and internet TV is available in HD – Switching to internet-only TV does not mean that you have to suffer through non-HD quality programming. Both cable TV and Internet TV channels offer full HD resolution.

1. Internet TV is the wave of the future – Large companies like Apple, Intel and Google are investing large amounts of money to refine and improve Internet TV. As more and more enhancements are made, the better and more accessible Internet-only TV becomes.

Put the Max into Your Home Theater with a 2 Million Dollar IMAX System

Image from www.imaxprivatetheatre.com

When it comes to building a home theater, the sky is definitely the limit. While most people are content to sink 10 – 20,000 dollars into their home system, top of the line home theaters can get up to the millions of dollars. The price tag is usually influenced by three things: The size of your home theater space, the shape of the home theater room layout and the quality of your equipment. The pinnacle of these requirements comes in the IMAX Private Theater which can be yours for a cool 2 million dollars.

Image from www.imaxprivatetheatre.com

Room Size and Geometry: The smallest IMAX screen available is 21 feet, which requires a room space of at least 15.5 feet high, 36.5 feet long and 26.5 feet wide. This massive space is not only to contain the screen, but to allow adequate space and geometry for the sound system and room acoustics to work together perfectly. IMAX even offers to work closely with your architect and interior designer to ensure that the home theater room offers the best size and sound.

Image from www.imaxprivatetheatre.com

Equipment Quality: The IMAX projection system for the home theater market is truly the best in the business. It is comprised of twin 4K projectors that face each other. The images that they project bounce off an intricate mirror system and on to your screen. The projection room requires a separate sound booth to prevent projector noise and heat from ruining an otherwise perfect movie night. Soundproofing in the room itself also makes sure that no outside noise gets into the theater while no sound gets out annoying your neighbors.
More technical information about the IMAX Private Theater can be found in this article from DSI Entertainment.

Of course, this setup does not include the first-run content that you will surely want to enjoy in your new theater. A couple of options are available once your IMAX theater is up and running:

Image from dsientertainment.com

Bel-Air Circuit: If you happen to be a high level Hollywood player (a-list director, producer or talent), you can join the members-only “Bel-Air Circuit”. (Although talks are underway to expand membership to those who can afford it). Membership in this exclusive group allows you to get first-run movies directly from the studios on the same day that their films open. Studios send out the movies free of charge, though the projection equipment needed is the same arclight projector used by commercial theaters.

Image from www.primacinema.com/

Prima Cinema: The Prima Cinema server is a device that allows you to download first-run movies on a pay-per view basis. This system works with standard home theater equipment so you do not need to invest in commercial gear. The cost is expensive ($35,000 for the server plus $500 per movie per view), but still far less than commercial equipment. Also, Prima Cinema is currently in talks with IMAX to package their product with the IMAX Private Theater.

Take the Fun Outside: Building Your Own Outdoor Home Theater

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Now that summer is here, many of us are looking at our outdoor decks and thinking “movie night”. While it is easy enough to take your laptop or tablet outside to watch a flick, nothing beats the experience of a full-size outdoor theater. There is something nostalgic about sitting under the stars and watching a movie with family and friends. For older people, it brings back memories of drive-in theaters with window mounted speakers. For others, it may be a whole new experience that creates whole new memories. Either way, nothing beats sitting outside with your favorite drink and some freshly grilled BBQ while watching a great movie on the big screen.

Setting up your own home theater is not as expensive as it sounds. The idea is to watch a movie outside, not try to replicate the 5.1 surround sound of your inside home theater. Drive in theaters were nowhere near IMAX quality anyway. A decent outdoor venue can be created with a homemade screen, consumer level projector and receiver, standard stereo speakers and a laptop/Blu-Ray player/game console or set-top box. A simple setup like this is also desirable in case you need to take everything inside if Mother Nature decides to crash the party.

Sound: For the outdoors, a simple 2-channel stereo setup is ideal for two reasons. The first is ambient outdoor noise. There is no way to completely shut out ambient outdoor noise without walls and insulation. The second reason is that you do not want to annoy your neighbors and people the next block over with ground-shaking bass. Teenagers with oversized car stereos already have a lock on that.

This brings up a good point. Always invite your neighbors to your outdoor screenings. This lets them know about your planned event even if they can’t attend.

Picture: Unless you have tens of thousands of dollars to spend on your home theater setup, you will need to wait until it is dark before showtime. When you set up your screen, make sure that outside light pollution like a neighbor’s porch light or street lamp does not interfere with the picture. Even a full moon can detract from the picture’s quality. A screen can be as simple as an ironed bed sheet strung up on a wall, or a sophisticated inflatable screen like the Airscreen Airtight. Any consumer-grade projector will work fine as long as it is set up properly. Many projector set-up guides exist online to help you find the perfect projection angle. Likewise, the Web has numerous tutorials on building your own screen for indoor or outdoor use.

TheaterSeatStore.com Offers Customers 3 Ways to Save this Memorial Day Weekend

As Memorial Day Weekend ushers in the summer months and a plethora of cookouts, picnics, get-togethers and other social engagements, TheaterSeatStore.com has unveiled a new Memorial Day Sale that is designed to help you make the most of entertaining family and friends. This sale offers three different ways to save money and get ready for summer festivities quickly:




Free Power Recline on Klaussner Home Theater Seats – Klaussner makes some high quality home theater furniture, most of which is able to house motorized power recline mechanisms. Power recline works with a quiet motor that leans your chair back into any comfort angle. During the Memorial Day Sale, you can get a free power recline upgrade on any Klaussner home theater recliner except for the Twilight series (which cannot accept power recline). This promotion can be redeemed by calling (888) 602-7328 and speaking with one of our friendly and knowledgeable Sales Experts.

6% Off Everything Else – If you are not in the market for Klaussner Home Theater Seating, you can still enjoy a 6% discount on almost any other item on TheaterSeatStore.com. This discount is good for everything from home theater seating to Entertainment Centers and Accessories like popcorn makers. Products by Palliser, Catnapper and Jackson Furniture are not eligible. To take advantage of this discount, just enter the Coupon Code SIXTSS into the online shopping cart at checkout.

48 Hour Turnaround on Quick-Ship Items – This offer applies to those items that TheaterSeatStore.com has in stock. Every time a Quick-Ship item is purchased, TheaterSeatStore.com will ship that item within 48 hours of receiving the sales order. There is no charge for this service. This promotion is especially important to anyone who needs to receive their new purchase in a short amount of time. The promotion automatically applied to all Quick-Ship items, so the customer does not need to do anything more than complete the order.

You need to act fast if you want to take advantage of this sale. It will end on Tuesday May 28, 2013 after Memorial Day Weekend. Order now and get ready for summer fun!

Home Theater Highlights: The Top 3 Expensive Home Theaters of 2013

We’ve all thought about winning the lottery and what we would do with all of that cash. You could keep it in a giant vault to swim around in like Scrooge McDuck, or a better alternative would be to build a monumental home theater like the ones that we found below.

Star Trek Home Theater – Cost 3 Million: Images of this Star Trek themed home theater exist all

Image from geektyrant.com

over the Web. This residential home theater was designed for a hardcore Star Trek fan with deep pockets by ECS (who may not be in business anymore as their website link is broken). Exact instructions were given to the designers to keep the room as close to the bridge of the U.S.S. Enterprise as possible. With high-end video and audio systems, touchscreen control, seating for 9, concert style lighting and a commercial HVAC system, this home theater is closer to a commercial venue

Image by slaymancinema.com

than a home rec-room.



The Crimson Home theater – Cost 3 Million: Inspired by the glitz and glamour of old Hollywood, this 8,000 square foot theater has all the trappings of a movie palace of yesteryear. Designed by home theater designer Jason Vorhees and Slayman Cinemas, the Crimson Home Theater’s look was inspired by a single piece of red fabric. The Old World décor of this theater hides a sophisticated 18 speaker setup that delivers 8,400 watts of power. Add to that an 18 foot diagonal screen, and this old timey theater can showcase the latest blockbusters with ease.
One of the greatest features of this home theater is the opening which is made to resemble the front of an old movie palace.



The Kipnis’ Outer Limits Home Theater – Cost 6 Million: We have covered music producer Jeremy Kipnis’s home theater

Image by kipnis-studio.com

before, and it still stands at the pinnacle of home theater spending. The six-million dollar price tag of this huge home theater includes a 22 foot diagonal screen, no less than 20 audiophile-worthy Snell speakers, and a home theater setup that gets the best possible sound and video from anything from digital media and DVD’s to old formats like VHS and LaserDisc. Plus, a copy of the Kipnis Outer Limits Home theater can be yours! Just contact Jeremy Kipnis through his website for details.

Building Your Own Home Theater PC on the Cheap – DIY HTPC Systems Under $500

Image from istockphoto.com

With so many different gadgets attached to your home theater system, you might ask why you need to add a PC (personal computer) into the mix. The answer is simple, a Home Theater Personal Computer, or HTPC is capable of integrating many of the tasks that previously required different components. These tasks include recording TV, watching steaming video, storing digital media files and playing music, to name a few. The best part about HTPCs is that they can cost very little money to build or program, even by computer novices. Also, HTPC’s can be configured to work with a remote, eliminating the need for a keyboard and mouse on your couch.

If you would rather purchase a fully functional HTPC off the shelf, there are many options available that still meet a low budget. Companies like Assassin HTPC and Performance PC offer complete systems for less than $500. System costs go up from there with high end systems available for thousands of dollars.

For those who don’t mind (or even relish) getting their hands dirty, here are three inexpensive ways to build your own HTPC:

Convert a New Computer – Computer manufacturers have created smaller computers called Small Form Factor for light computing tasks like internet browsing or running a cash register. Despite their size, these little PC’s pack enough processor and graphics power to stream HD quality video. They are also small and quiet so they won’t take up much space in your entertainment center. Ideal products include the Shuttle X350 and the ASUS EEE Box. As an added bonus, Windows 7 and 8 come with a Media Center that can do most of the tasks you need. For those who want to stay away from Microsoft, an Apple Mac Mini also makes a great HTPC with plenty of blogs and forums dedicated to it.

Convert an Old Computer – Most people have an old PC gathering dust in their closet or basement. These can easily be converted into powerful HTPC’s with very little money. All you need is an HD capable video card and the XMBC operating system. This Linux-based system is designed to control all of your media functions with very little memory usage. How-to guides and tutorials are available all over the web like this great article from Tech-2.

Build One from Scratch – For those who love to build things from scratch, the Raspberry Pi development kit is a perfect solution. This is a Linux-based computer board that is the size of a credit card and has enough computing and graphics power to make a good HTPC. It’s used for hardware development and DIY projects by students, hobbyists and entrepreneurs. Lifehacker, the DIY website, loves the Raspberry Pi and has a great tutorial on building a raspberry Pi HTPC.

Indianapolis – Area “Superman” Home Theater Goes the Distance with Style and Power

image from electronichouse.com

Vikram Rao did not originally set out to create a superhero-themed theater, but as his “Fortress of Solitude” took shape with high end components, professional sound-proofing and a striking red / blue / black color scheme, HT fans watching his progress on AVS Forum quickly dubbed it the Superman/Man of Steel Home Theater. Rao has been passionate about movies and music since childhood, so he spared no expense to transform a room in his basement into the ideal entertainment space. Rao hired many experts to help complete his vision, including custom home theater builder/contractor Jeff Parkinson, who brings his passion and mechanical engineering background into every project. As this massive project took shape, every detail was displayed on this AVS Forum thread that quickly grew to 32 pages.

Soundproofing: The room is built more like a bunker with 12-inch concrete walls on three sides, and rebuilt walls and ceiling are stuffed with R19 and R25 material. The wall studs (doubled for strength) hold four layers of drywall with Green Glue noise dampening compound in between each layer. The flooring hides acoustic rubber mats underneath the plush carpet, and the stage is filled with many bags of ordinary play sand.

Audio: The peak output of this massive sound system is 15,000 watts. Seaton Catalyst front speakers combine with JTR, Procella Audio speakers and an 18 inch sub to deliver rib-shaking sound that has driven some patrons from the room! Rao worked directly with JTR and Seaton Experts to get the system working perfectly. The seat riser also works as a bass trap to keep the sound from traveling to the rest of the house.

Video: The 144-inch Seymour Screen takes up the front of the room and is acoustically transparent to allow all sound from the front speakers and subwoofer to thunder through. Crisp video is delivered by an Epson Powerline Pro Cinema Projector. This is linked to an Oppo BDP-103 Blu-Ray Player and Sony PS3 to get the best out of DVD and Blu-Ray media.

Design: The Red, black and gray walls and floor are broken up by sweeping curved risers and soffits. Blue LED rope lighting runs throughout the theater and is hidden by custom-made wood lips. The glowing blue light contrasts nicely with plush red carpet, giving rise to the Superman/Man of Steel moniker. Six plush leather home theater seats provide the ideal seating for guests to enjoy movie night.

Electronic House Magazine recently interviewed Vikram Rao about his home theater. You can read the article here. For a jarring contrast, see their slideshow of 5 Bad DIY Theaters.

Ancient Tips to Design Your Home Theater – Basic Feng Shui Ideas

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The Feng Shui masters of 5000 years ago could not have possibly imagined the idea of a modern home theater with wide screen TV, surround sound and motorized leather recliners, yet many basic Feng Shui principles can help enhance the comfort of your home theater space. Many of these principles appear to be common sense ideas about furniture placement, but others are much more esoteric. Following some of these ideas may be the difference between occasional use and frequent movie nights with friends and family. Most of these tips come from an article in AVSforum.com:
Basic Tips:

• Entry and Exit ways should be unblocked and well lit. They should also be in the front of the room so that none of the home theater seats face with their backs toward the door. Many people don't like to site where they cannot monitor the door to see who stays and who goes.
• Isolate the home theater from other rooms and appliances. This keeps the focus of your home theater on itself rather than outside objects. Likewise no objects like home theater seats or décor should be so prominent that it pulls attention away from the screen.
• Stay away from bright colors or shiny surfaces. These can also distract the audience from the movie, even in a dark room.

Some of the more "out there" ideas include:

image from istockphoto.com

• Energy enters the room from outside, so make sure that your door opens inward. Also be sure to keep things from blocking the door (and any energy).
• Live plants keep the room's energy fresh as well as the air.
• Add curves to your room, especially if the space is square or rectangular. Curved shapes can include round side tables, curved patterns in wallpaper or rugs and even rounded theater seats can all help.

If you really want to take full advantage of the benefits of good Feng Shui design, you can always consult a Feng Shui expert for advice. Just make sure to check their online reviews and whether they are properly trained before contacting them. You can try to decipher the formulas yourself like this article.

Tough Guy Cinema: Michael Bay Honored with BAYMAGGEDON Tribute at the Alamo Theater

Sunday! Sunday!! SUNDAY!!!

An event like this needs to be announced like a monster truck rally or a chainsaw juggling contest.

image from www.drafthouse.com

This Sunday, April 21, lucky filmgoers in four different cities will be able to take part in BAYMAGGEDON. This event honors Michael Bay, everyone’s favorite action movie director and explosion-meister. Baymaggedon will take place this Sunday at all four locations of the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema: Austin TX, Denver CO, Kansas City KS, and Houston TX. Guests will be able to enjoy 3 mystery Michael Bay films while munching on a special menu of entrees based on the main characters of Bay’s upcoming film, Pain & Gain.

Whether you love him or hate him, there is no denying that Michael Bay has redefined the action genre with more explosions and less regard for the laws of physics. Alan Cerny aka Nordling of Ain’t It Cool News put it best in his article about Baymaggedon:

“There are a lot of socially-aware filmmakers out there, like Michael Moore, who make movies to expose various injustices in the world.  I know Michael Bay hates poverty.  He hates it with every fiber of his being.  Do you know how I know that?  Because in BAD BOYS 2 he destroys a shantytown in Cuba with a Hummer.  Just devastates it.  THAT is passionate, advocate filmmaking.  He literally runs poverty over.” 

image from istockphoto.com

Michael Bay films are like chocolate covered popcorn, a guilty pleasure for many people. Plus, there is no better way to test your home theater surround sound system than with a screening of Armageddon or Transformers: Dark of the Moon. So if you are looking for something manly to do this weekend, nothing could be better than watching an explosion-fest while munching on an order of “Paul Doyle’s Carbo Load” or “The Lean and Mean”.  Tickets are still available, so get yours now!

A New Comic Book Based on Early Star Wars Notes: What Could Have Been is Coming Soon!

Deak Starkiller (Luke's father) fights Sith Knight Darth Vader with a lazer sword. Art by Ralph McQuarrie for early version of Star Wars (image from starwars.wikia.com).

Dark Horse Comics is coming out with a new Star Wars title that is sure to turn Star Wars fans on their collective ears. This new title is a comic book adaptation of “The Star Wars”, an early draft of the script that would eventually become Star wars Episode IV – A New Hope. While the basic story follows that of the final movie, many of the characters and settings are radically different. Here is a list of some of the major changes to be found:

• Han Solo is a 6-foot green lizard.
• Luke Skywalker is much older and takes the role later filled by Obi-Wan Kenobi.
• The young hero is named Annakin Starkiller and not related to Vader or Leia.
• Darth Vader is a Sith Knight, and plays a much smaller role as an Empire enforcer.
• Light sabers are called “lazer swords”.
• Jedi knights have more in common with Japanese samurai, including top knots in their hair.
• The Millenium Falcon looks completely different (though it does have the iconic cockpit).
• The Wookiees live on the planet Yavin and play a major role in destroying the Empire’s massive space station (NOT called the Death Star yet).

While there are no plans to adapt this script beyond the comic book series, we all know that successful comics eventually find other mediums to inhabit, whether it be TV, movies or video games. Plus, Dark Horse released over two dozen comics that became movies and TV shows. These include Frank Miller’s 300, The Mask and Timecop, to name a few. With such a track record, you may be able to enjoy this alternative version of a beloved franchise in the comfort of your home theater!

Big Power in Small Packages, 3 Set Top Boxes Under $100

One of the newest technologies to hit home theaters is also one of the smallest. Tiny set-top boxes from manufacturers such as Apple, Roku and WD are not much larger than a can of SPAM™, yet they pack powerful technologies like 1080HD resolution, 7.1 surround sound, wifi support and other great features that help you enjoy the best in streaming TV. In this post we are going to look at three popular set-top boxes and compare their strengths and weaknesses.

All of these boxes share similar features like 1080HD resolution, wifi connectivity, support for major streaming services like Netflix, and smartphone control in lieu of an included remote.

Image from apple.com

Apple TV – Apple’s set-top box has all of the user friendliness that you get from your iPhone or iPad. It comes with a user interface and remote control that are easy to learn for everyone from small kids to their grandparents. You can also control the Apple TV box with your smartphone or tablet with a handy app. The other handy feature of the Apple TV is Airplay. This wireless system lets you share music, video and image files  from other Apple devices. For example, you can shoot a video with your iPhone and immediately send it to the Apple TV.  One of the major downsides to the Apple TV is the lack of streaming services such as Hulu Plus and Pandora.

Price - $99.99

Image from wdc.com

WD TV Play – Made by Western Digital, the company that has manufactured computer hard drives for years, the WD TV Play is a fully functional set-top box at a smaller price tag than the other two entries on this list. Its remote also offers direct access to some of the more popular streaming services like Netflix, Hulu Plus and Vudu. Another great feature of the WD TV Play is its ability to play music, video and image files from your home network. You can easily watch movies or listen to music stored on your PC or an external hard drive, (one product in this line is the WD TV Live Hub, which has a built-in hard drive for content). The WD TV also reads more video, music and image formats than the competitors, so it eliminates the need to reformat files. The major downside of the WD TV Play box is its video resolution. While it does support 1080HD, the picture tends to look a bit washed out compared to other devices.

Price - $69.99

Image from roku.com

Roku 3 – Roku has been making high quality set-top boxes since 2010, and the Roku 3 is their latest product. This little set-top box has more channels than the other two entries combined. You can find movie and music channels to fit just about any genre and the motion control game remote lets you play popular online games like Angry Birds. The remote also has a convenient headphone jack which allows you to enjoy music or movies privately without wireless headphones. While the Roku does not support as many file formats as the WD TV, it does work directly with Plex, which is an app for your computer that streams any stored content. A built-in USB port also lets you watch .mp4 movies from a flash or external drive. While this is a downside to those who have a home server full of ripped movies, it does offer a workaround, and Roku has been good about providing regular updates to their equipment.

Price - $99.99

Upcycled Home Theater Made from Shipping Palettes

Everyone knows that young kids will just as likely play with the box that their shiny new toy came in instead of the toy itself. For some designers, the same goes for furniture. Rather than purchase a bunch of new high quality home theater seats (ahem!), an enterprising furniture designer elected to create her home theater seating from the shipping palettes that such furniture is usually delivered on. Normally we do not recommend home theater seating with objects that you find lying around, but we do love DIY projects and this one is perfect for the setting it is in.

Image by Simone Tasca

This picture comes from Simone Tasca, a designer in Brazil who loves to upcycle whenever she can. She created three rows of theater seating with nothing more than twelve shipping palettes, some large cushions and her imagination. The seats can accommodate up to six guests and while they lack important amenities such as cupholders, power recline and even legs, they do look like a comfy place to enjoy a movie night.

While this home theater setup appears at home in an industrial style loft, it may not be the right look for your own home theater. Rest assured, TheaterSeatStore.com carries a large selection of high quality home theater seating in traditional and contemporary styles. Give us a call at 888-602-7328 and we will be happy to help you find the perfect home theater recliners and accessories for your entertainment space.

Pleading the Case for Old Media

With more and more audio and video formats coming at us, it seems like a waste of time to hold onto our old records and video tapes. Why hold on to these old formats when they seem to just take up space in the garage or attic? While there are hundreds of reasons to let go of your dusty old record or tape collection, this article takes a close look at these old technologies and why they just might be worth hanging onto after all.



Vinyl Records – The record has been the primary recording medium for almost a century, and vinyl records have languished in our bookshelves and storage spaces since 1947. With your entire music collection fitting on an iPod, it seems silly to keep 12-inch records and a turntable around, but there are a couple of reasons why you might not want to get rid of your wax collection just yet.

• Durability – When stored properly, vinyl records can sound just as good as they did when your grandparents bought them for 25-cents apiece. That is because a record is made up of grooves in plastic, and as long as they are stored and handled carefully, those little grooves will last as long as the plastic itself which can potentially be thousands of years (not that you want to preserve grandma’s Lawrence Welk records for the next millennium, but who knows? That might be all that’s left of our culture by then). 
•  Sound – As we have noted before, true audiophiles prefer the warm analog tones of vinyl records to that of sterile digital recordings. Audiophiles believe that the computer cannot replicate these organic tones and the only way to truly appreciate a recording is from a vinyl pressing. This is why true audiophiles are willing to spend thousands of dollars for the right turntable to play their old albums on. 

VHS Tapes – Who can forget the huge library of video tapes that many of us grew up with? Not to mention the hassle of finding a blank tape to record the latest episode of Survivor. With new and higher resolution formats available on the market, why hang onto that clunky old VCR and tape library? A couple of reasons may keep you from throwing out your tape collection quite yet.

• Availability – With the way that video formats seem to come and go, many obscure movies and TV shows fall through the cracks and do not appear on newer formats. Because VHS tapes dominated the home theater market for so long, many rare gems of entertainment were recorded on VHS that never made it to DVD or Blu-ray. Searching eBay or Amazon will help you find some of these treasures, but more often than not, they are on video. 
• Digital Download – It’s no secret that video tape has a finite shelf life. This is why movies you watched as a kid just don’t look as good now. Nevertheless, you may want to preserve some of these great shows along with the many tapes your parents likely made of your childhood. If you don’t want a VCR cluttering up your home theater space, you can connect it to your computer instead and copy those old tapes to a digital format. You can then burn them to DVD or stream them to your TV and relive the memories over and over.

The Ultimate Home Audio System that Costs as Much as a House

Images from BornRich.com

Most of us are content to listen to compressed music files on our iPods through a pair of $10 earbuds from the grocery store, but there are those who demand more from their audio listening experience. These folks,known as audiophiles, spend obscene amounts of money on high-end stereo equipment so that they can enjoy the delicate nuances of their favorite recordings with no hiss or other noise. Audiophiles can tell the difference between a “sterile” digital recording and the warm analog tones of a vinyl record. Should you find yourself the proud owner of a winning lottery ticket, here are some suggestions for a system to help you join the ranks of the audiophiles:

 $115,000 Amplifier – The high-end amplifier maker Boulder has a sound system fit for a king (or someone with obscene amounts of money!) The 3060 Class A Amplifier can pump 900 Watts of power per channel for a sound quality that literally can’t be matched by other systems. This amplifier is so big that it requires a 240-volt outlet, just like your dryer. Also, the metal case over a thick slab of black granite gives this 450 pound amplifier a commanding presence in your media room.

$105,000 Turntable – Any audiophile will tell you that the best sound comes from records. They have a warm analog sound that can’t be reproduced by digital means. To get the absolute best sound from your record collection you need a high quality turntable, and the Proscenium Black Diamond V by Walker Audio is the best of the best. This incredible turntable actually floats the arm and needle on a cushion of air to reduce vibrations and pops. It also has noise reducing technologies like special crystalline material to reduce static and noise-free electronics. Everything you need to hear that Creedence album exactly the way it was meant to be heard!

$30,000 Headphones – Monster Audio makes high definition headphones that feature beats technology by Dr. Dre. One of their highest end models is the Diamond Tears collection. These headphones combine super clarity and style to cater to those with discerning tastes (or huge wallets). A standard set of Diamond Tears headphones will set you back a measly 300 dollars, but for our extravagant audio system, that will not do. We’ll need the $30,000 special edition Diamond Tears headphones. These come encased in 18K yellow gold and feature large spiders on the earphones made from black diamonds. The expensive (and slightly creepy) design was made by Korean artist Sally John and fine-tuned by the CEO of Monster Headphones, Noel Lee.

Take it Outside! Outdoor Home Theater Ideas for Any Climate and Budget

As more and more people build dedicated home theaters, some are “thinking outside the box” and taking their home theaters outside. For some, watching movies outdoors evokes the magic of classic drive-in movie theaters. For others, the romanticism, mystery and thrill of their favorite film is enhanced by the beauty and ambiance of an outdoor setting. Whatever your reason, an outdoor home theater is a great way to host memorable movie nights, and with today’s technology, climate is no longer a factor. The only limits are imagination and budget, and handy DIY-ers can build a fantastic home theater without spending too much.  

The Ultimate Outdoor Home Theater – If money is not a factor, you can transform your whole backyard into a Cineplex-quality home theater like this family from Michigan. Avid University of Michigan football fans, they designed their home theater to take advantage of the beautiful fall weather before the cold Michigan winter sets in. The screen is built into a weatherproof shelter with a sliding door, and the sound system is only built into the seating areas to not disturb neighbors. Large granite tables feature built-in firepits for warmth and roasting marshmallows. Speakers are even wired throughout the house, so the game can be enjoyed from inside thanks to large picture windows. A sophisticated indoor/outdoor WiFi system helps all of the AV components talk to each other, and allows the system to be controlled from an iPad. Total cost - $55,000.

Contemporary Landscape design by Detroit Interior Designer Colorworks Studio

California Drive-in – This modern Hollywood Hills home by Belzberg Architects transforms the side of the guest house into a giant movie screen. This setup can be enjoyed from the driveway or the upper deck of the main house. It has a definite drive-in theater feel that would make for a fantastic movie night.

Modern Exterior design by Los Angeles Architect Belzberg Architects

Do It Yourself – If you don’t have a Hollywood-size budget for your home theater, don’t despair. Any backyard can be made into a home theater with the right equipment and skill. About.com has some terrific ideas to get you started. Portable screens are available including inflatable models, or a screen can be made from a white wall or ironed bed sheets. A laptop and projector makes a great AV system, and can be had for a reasonable price. Many good projectors are less than $500 these days. Outdoor speakers can be wired to your patio, or you can opt for wireless speakers that work with Bluetooth. Many of these systems can be taken down and stored when the weather turns bad.

Building Your Very Own Home Theater: Where to Start?

Many people dream of turning that unused bedroom or basement space into an awesome home theater room. Looking at that empty space opens up a variety of possibilities that are only limited by imagination (and budget!) The biggest problem at this stage is knowing where to start. Do you buy the electronics first? How do you design and build the room? These and many other questions start to flood the mind and make your home theater plans seem like an impossible task. Don’t despair! There are some simple questions to answer that can help you focus your vision and build the home theater of your dreams.

How Will the Room be Used? – Will your home theater be used primarily for watching movies or sports? Will it also be used for video gaming? How many people will be able to use the room at once? Figuring out the use and capacity of your home theater will help you zero in the right size of screen, number of home theater seats, size of the sound system and other factors. For example, a small home theater that the family uses to watch movies will be different than one that you invite your friends over to watch the big game. The former might only need a few seats while the latter will need seats that are stain resistant (from spilled snacks and drinks). Knowing what components you need like a Blu-ray player, game console or media PC will also help you determine the cables and other accessories needed.

What Size and Shape is the Room? – The room’s layout will likely dictate the size of your home theater. Small or oddly shaped rooms may only be able to accommodate a couple of seats while others can have multiple rows. To find the optimal number of seats, use this home theater measuring article to calculate your aisle width, space between rows and distance from the screen. This will help you decide how many seats to put in and the size of the screen, (not to mention if you can put that tiki bar in the corner or not).

What Theme are You Going For? – Some extravagant home theaters are built around a theme like that of a pirate ship or drive-in theater. Others are just a bare room with furniture and components added. Whatever your tastes, figuring out the theme beforehand will save you money in choosing your colors and décor. For example, you may want to build the room around a beautiful painting or memento. This makes it easy to choose your color palette and decorating scheme. You can go all out and design your room from scratch, or use something like this Theater in a Box kit.

No matter what your plans, you should get a licensed contractor to help you build your home theater. A professional can determine the best way to shape your vision and will often think of little things that you might not have considered. Now, get out there and start planning your home theater, and when you’re ready, check out TheaterSeatStore.com to furnish it.

Home Away from Home Theater: Luxury Hotels with Screening Rooms

For many of us, life on the road away from our home theaters means that we have to put up with tiny laptop screens, tube TV’s that are chained to the walls or (gasp!) the book version of our favorite flick! Fortunately, if you can add a little more to your hotel budget (OK, a lot more!), then you can stay at one of these fancy resorts with their very own screening rooms. The Wall Street Journal and HotelChatter.com have already written about their favorites, so here are three more from posh destination spots from around the world:

The Crosby Street Hotel – This hotel is located in the heart of New York City’s Soho District.  Along with the 5 star accommodations and service, guests can take in a movie in their 100-seat screening room. Bright orange leather chairs contrast nicely against dark purple walls, and the 30 foot screen boasts high-end AV components and 3D capability. The theater’s technical specs are truly impressive! The room is available for private screenings, or open to the public for their “Sunday Night Film Club”.

Hotel Rival – Located in Stockholm, Sweden, the Hotel Rival features everything from a gourmet bistro to posh lounges. The Rival Theater is more of an auditorium than an intimate screening room, but it packs the hardware to rival any movie palace. The theater was designed and refurbished by ABBA’s Benny Andersson, who owns the hotel. Though used for large events and conferences, the theater is often host to theater and film events.

The Scotsman – This luxury resort is located in Edinburgh, Scotland inside the former home of The Scotsman newspaper. Their screening room is called The Scotsman Cinema and it boasts a capacity of 46 patrons in plush leather armchairs. The system is state of the art and they have regular screenings of classic and contemporary movies. Guests are treated to complimentary ice cream, popcorn and even mince pies during the holiday season.

If you don’t have the kind of cash that it takes to stay at one of these luxury hotels, don’t despair. Many of them offer screenings to the general public, so you can still enjoy the 5-star cinema treatment without the 5-star hotel bill.

Big President's Day Sale this Weekend at TheaterSeatStore.com

President's Day Sales and furniture kind of go hand-in-hand, and there is no exception in the online world. That is why we are offering a 6% discount on almost everything on TheaterSeatStore.com! Along with this discount, we are also adding free shipping and no taxes in most areas as well as one year of stain protection. If you were thinking of buying new home theater seats, but holding off due to cost, this sale is a great excuse to take the plunge and order your new home theater furniture today.

Call 888-602-7328 to speak with one of our Sales Professionals. They can walk you through the savings and answer any questions that you may have. For the 6% discount, you don't even need to call for the 6% discount, just add the code PREZTSS to the Coupon Code field on the online Checkout page.

Click this link for more details about the President's Day Sales Event.

OUYA: A Game System for the Masses – Coming Soon to Your Home Theater

Unless you are a hardcore gamer, or up on the latest home theater gadgets, you may have never heard of the OUYA. This tiny game console is no larger than a coffee mug, yet powerful enough to play games and stream video at full HD (1080i). The OUYA is slated to be in stores by April 2013 with an equally small price tag - $99.99. 

The tiny OUYA is the brainchild of Julie Uhrman, a game industry veteran who noted that many gamers were leaving TV-based consoles behind for games on mobile platforms. Part of the reason was cost, many mobile games are free or only cost a few dollars, while the latest releases for current consoles can be as much as $60. Another reason was the wide diversity of games available. Independent game developers are essentially shut out of the TV console market, so they have turned their talents toward mobile games, which have much smaller development costs. Many of which, such as Angry Birds by Finnish software developer Rovio Entertainment, became huge successes. Uhrman was inspired to bring the same open development model to TV gaming and got to work.

Soon, with the help of a great team and a very successful Kickstarter campaign, Uhrman raised 8.6 million dollars to develop the OUYA. It’s powerful hardware and features are able to carry a small price tag for three big reasons:

• Hardware – The PC board is tiny, but made with cutting edge hardware from NVIDIA, who make high-end video cards for gamers. The small circuit board carries a Tegra 3 Quad-core CPU, 1GB RAM, 8GB of Flash Storage and built-in WiFi, Ethernet and Bluetooth. The Operating System is Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. This powerful combination of hardware and software give the OUYA full HD capability and 5.1 Surround Sound. The OUYA can also stream video and music with apps from iHeartRadio and Plex.
• Games – All of the games being developed for the OUYA have one mandate – they either need to be free or offer free trials. This allows gamers to “try before they buy”. Also, because OUYA uses the Android operating system, prices are expected to be low for games as they are for mobile devices. Game developers can also make games with very little upfront capital as seen in the next section.
• Versatility - Every OUYA can also be used to develop new games, so aspiring game designers can build their own games and share them with the OUYA community. Hardware modders can even open up the OUYA console itself and tinker with the insides. This behavior is not only tolerated but encouraged by the developers.

If you want to get in on the next chapter of gaming for your home theater, you can pre-order your console now from the OUYA website or mainstream outlets like Amazon.

How to Get to Super Bowl XLVII on a Budget

How do you get to the Super Bowl™, or if you prefer The Big Game™? (Yup, both of those phrases are trademarked). One way is through hard work, a dedication to your sport and determination to take your team all the way. The other way is money, lots of it. Right now, a quick check on StubHub shows ticket prices ranging from $1,625 for a ticket in the nosebleeds to $323,538 for a luxury suite. Want to get as close to the action as you can? That will set you back $5 – 6,000 per ticket*. Oddly enough, many of these prices are down $100 from Saturday, according to SB Nation. So, what are some other ways an enterprising and thrifty football fan gets one of these Golden Tickets?

CraigsList – If you’re willing to take a risk, sellers on CraigsList in New Orleans are selling Super Bowl tickets at prices from $1,000 on up. Of course, it’s important to check further into these deals before you start giving out your credit card or Paypal info, or agree to meet a stranger in a dark alley with a wad of cash in your pocket.

Know Somebody – The NFL distributes a large percentage of Super Bowl tickets to the competing teams. These are used for employees, family members, corporate sponsors, charities and other fans affiliated with the teams. According to Ryan Guiana in CashMoneyLife.com, this percentage is about 75% total. If you happen to know someone who works for one of the competing teams (or any NFL team, they all get some of the tickets) – and this person owes you a HUGE favor – It might just be your ticket in. Of course, odds of that happening are like winning the lottery. Speaking of lottery…

NFL Ticket Lottery – Every year, the NFL holds a lottery of Super Bowl tickets that are given out to fans. It’s too late to get in on the action for this Super Bowl, but you can throw your hat in the ring for Super Bowl 2014. More details can be found on this About.com article.

Get a Job at the Stadium – The Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, LA is currently looking for part time Field Crew members. You can send in an application, and hope that you can get hired, trained and on the field in the next couple of days. All of the stadium job details are found here.

*Of course, for the same amount of money you can put together a nice home theater system that puts you right in the thick of the action. Add some high quality home theater seats and you have the location for an awesome Super Bowl party! The best part? You can enjoy your home theater year round!