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Tuesday, May 15, 2012

What Makes Lane Recliners Special


Lane is the largest manufacturer of reclining furniture in the world.  Their presence in home theater - essentially a reclining chair with cup holders - has never been bigger.  The options available now from this prestigious brand abound and the seats are feature rich and built for comfort.

What does this really mean?  Well, its easier for me to show you via a Lane video.  This clip goes into details on how the seating is constructed and how Lane innovates when it comes to a dedicated focus on comfort and quality.

Their recliners are not just any recliners.  Pocket coil seating, superior high density foam and solid frame construction or some of the many qualities that exist in reclining furniture from Lane.

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Installing a Home Theater Electronics System


Getting your perfect home theater room to kick-off can be a daunting task.  There is equipment to buy, furniture to measure for, handyman skill sets to sharpen up on - and that's not even the half of it.

One area that seems to always be met with confusion is the wiring and equipment side of the project.  It requires attention to detail and expertise or the end result could be dangerous and hazardous to say the least.  Careful consideration needs to be given to the power outlets, light sources, wire organization and electronic documentation.

Our team here wanted to help shed some light on the areas to focus on in preparation of this aspect of the project and as a result produced a document that is well worth reading before you get started.  Installing a Home Theater System will provide insight and open up ideas for planning and achieving a successful outcome.  This is not an exhaustive resource but will keep the ball rolling in the thought and theater room planning process.

Saturday, May 12, 2012

DIY Lane Home Theater Video


Lane home theater seating products are amongst ours and our customer's personal favorites.  The line of seating options available from Lane has expanded significantly since the demise of Berkline to fill the gap that existed with their departure.

Top sellers include the Lane 103 and 175 models which are feature rich and meet excellent price points.  The 103 Matinee includes deep in arm storage and a tray table in a footprint that is large and supportive.  This contrasts somewhat with the 175 seat which has a space savings design but also a high seat back for excellent upper body and neck support.  Both models are available in power and manual recline under a TheaterSeatStore quick ship program.  Lane's legendary brand warrants the products against defect to allow for complete peace of mind and enjoyment.

Here is a great DIY video that the Lane team have developed that educates home theater enthusiasts on how to develop a dedicated home theater oasis.  While the process can be challenging, this video should motivate anyone who is good when it comes to the DIY space and minor renovations and build outs.

Another great resource for a DIY home theater project is this article our team created recently on DIY Home Theater Design.  It provides some great resources on planning and getting ready for the project so that the end result matches your expectations.

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Tablets vs. Theaters


The year 2011 saw the lowest movie theater attendance in the past twenty years, according to TechCrunch.com. People are watching more streaming content through their computers and tablets than ever before, even during prime time viewing hours at home.

Tablets cannot offer the in-person communal experience of a movie theater, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t social. Many TV shows offer specialized apps to access exclusive, behind-the-scenes footage and a chance to communicate with other fans, staff and even stars.

Drive-In movies have gone the way of the dinosaurs, but with good wireless reception and a convertible you can relive those days without the distraction of latecomers or those who need to get back before curfew even if the movie’s still playing.

The interactive nature of any Internet device also allows advertisers to tailor their content to individuals, but this is not necessarily a good thing. A world where all commercials are aimed specifically at you based on past purchases and your current demographics means less chance of discovering something you didn’t know you needed until you saw it advertised.

Still, as ticket prices rise and Hollywood’s creativity seems limited to sequels and remakes, it will get harder for theaters to compete with the privacy, portability and exclusive content offered by tablets.
As if all of that wasn’t enough, a free app offered by Apple lets you use your iPad as a universal remote, ensuring that you never again have to hunt through sofa cushions to change the channel.

Friday, May 4, 2012

Theater Room Packages


Home theater rooms have become very popular over the course of the last few years as the technology that provides the experience has improved.  More and more people favor the comfort and benefits of watching a great movie at home with friends (and pets) over dealing with crowds, expensive condiments and parking hassles.  It just makes sense.

The average home theater today is a media room in a home that has been accessorized with rows of seating, a big screen and projector and the occasional popcorn machine.  The concept can be taken much further with a true theater experience including curtains, risers (leveled platforms) and theater lighting.  This is more often done in more affluent homes because the cost of custom making the molding, risers, columns and banisters etc can run into the six figures and some even much higher.  This leaves people like myself standing in the cold wanting to get inside.

Fortunately, there is now an excellent solution.  The 'Theater in a Box' concept.  This is a package with all the necessary components that will allow any room to be magically converted into a true home theater with bells and whistles.  These packages (excluding seating and carpeting) run from around $3k to $7k.  They can all be installed in one full day from start to end.  Here are some of these packages recently added to our site Theater In A Box Packages

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

The Changing Face of Home Theater Equipment



Home theaters used to mean tons of components, a central receiver and a virtual army of remotes, but times – as they do – have changed. The economic crunch coupled with consumers getting tired of having to change to a new format every few years – remember VHS tapes and laser discs? – have changed the home theater landscape forever, offering the home theater buff more choices than ever before.

Multi-Use Platforms
Thanks to multi-purpose gaming consoles, it’s no longer necessary to have a different machine for each activity. Sony’s PlayStation3 and the Microsoft Xbox 360 play blu-ray and DVDs, while they – along with Nintendo’s Wii – also allow users to watch streaming videos. Having one console to play games, watch movies and TV shows, listen to music and play games is a boon to people with smaller homes and shrinking paychecks.

Streaming Videos
According to an article in the Los Angeles Times, increasing numbers of people are using the Internet capabilities of their gaming platforms to stream TV shows and movies via ESPN,  Hulu Plus, Major League Baseball Network, Netflix and YouTube on their TVs, rather than on their much-smaller computer monitors. Paying by subscription rather than purchasing physical copies means access to a much larger film library than ever before.
A wider array of choices with fewer components means that a custom home theater is within reach of almost every budget.