Home Theaters - Pasé? in Classic Horror on DVD, Blu-Ray and Streaming Forum

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Home Theaters - Pasé?

Author	Comment
Eric Huffstutler	Home Theaters - Pasé?	Lead	[-]
Jul 25 12 12:24 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	OK, this may be a little out of place but I am sure I will get more answers here than anywhere else. Set the clock back 5 years or so and Home Theaters were all the rage. Display rooms in electronic stores, catalogs full of items to purchase to outfit one, Projectors and Screens, etc... Today, you rarely hear anyone speak about a Home Theater setup but rather simply a large screen on the wall in the Great Room. Formal theaters seem to now be taboo. Was this a fad geared towards a certain age group that has now lost interest? Eric
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Jameson281		#1	[-]
Jul 25 12 12:28 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I think that as large flat screen TVs came down in price and became more common, fewer people felt a need to build a whole room around them.
Gojira		#2	[-]
Jul 25 12 12:29 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Probably because a lot of interested folk have one, and don't need to upgrade? Probably because of the massive recession. Probably because a lot of people are likely downsizing. Last Edited By: Gojira Jul 25 12 12:31 PM. Edited 1 times.
Eric Huffstutler		#3	[-]
Jul 25 12 12:33 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Jameson281 wrote: I think that as large flat screen TVs came down in price and became more common, fewer people felt a need to build a whole room around them. As you know it is more than a "room" but an experience. Recession aside, if prices have gone down (can find suround sound systems really cheap), TV's and so on, why don't more people try to make them a project in progress as before? And why are people downsizing?
pulp novelties		#4	[-]
Jul 25 12 12:53 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I think the economy has made many make due, big flat-screen TVs got more affordable, and I just presume if you wanted one, you now have it. For some reason people are intimidated by projectors. It's sad because projectors are awesome! Nice ones can be had for the same price as a TV, but the experience of viewing a film over one in a darkened room is so much more rewarding than staring at a box 1/3 the size. They don't even require much space anymore.
SAM33		#5	[-]
Jul 25 12 3:49 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Not passe to me! I'm still in to mine, and it is indeed my passion and about more than just a flat screen in a room or a projector I get out and shoot on a wall, or even the films themselves. It's about recreating the experiences I had (but really can't have anymore) in movie theatres from my youth. It's about having a special place to go (mostly on weekends) where there is no phone, extraneous light, or distractions save those I choose to put there. It's about having the immersive feel of a really big picture and surround sound (although more often it's a 1970's and before title in my cinema) whenever I want in the privacy of my own home without noisy strangers ruining the setting. I actually don't think they've become "less" popular, rather i believe they've always been a niche market thing, due to space and cost considerations sure, but also to the "commitment of time" factor. They're more at the extreme end of the hobby. I know a lot of film buffs personally, and only 3 of them besides myself actually have a dedicated, decorated theatre room that can't be used for something else. (One of them shows 16mm by the way). It's really not even about the cost so much now, because the basic equipment has become pretty affordable, as much as it is the available space (mine's almost my entire basement) and the desire and effort it takes to design and install one. I've built two and they both took over a year to complete. So unless you're REALLY well off and can just hire it all done, it's a fairly sizable project that most won't want to get involved with. There's over a thousand pretty motivated film-buff members here on the CHFB I think, and I'll bet only 25 or so actually have a dedicated theatre room? Most are just happy having good copies of the movies they want and being able to see them when they want. I get it. That's all most people SHOULD want probably. Kind of like the difference between buying a sports car 'cause you're pretty into it and building one yourself because you're REALLY into it (and home theatre's still WAY cheaper than that or having a big boat). I know some of my wife's friends think mine is a pretty extreme "man-cave", but they don't get it and that's OK, my wife does bless her and that's all that matters. There are still magazines and web forums dedicated to the hobby, and new higher-end stuff coming out all the time, so it's not dead by a long shot, just out of the mainstream. And I'm OK with that. SAM33 Last Edited By: SAM33 Jul 25 12 3:55 PM. Edited 1 times.
pulp novelties		#6	[-]
Jul 25 12 4:08 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Sam you have a beautiful set-up, especially now with 3-D thrown in. It makes my mouth water That said , a front projector, pull-down screen or white wall, and inexpensive set of computer speakers and, voila! Movie theater! I'm told as little as $700 will get you're there if your on a budget. If that sounds like a lot of money, try adding up the cost of your disks sometime. It's my one extravagance. I don't smoke any more, or cocktail, have central air, and my "fine-food" experiences come pretty-much from my own kitchen or not at all, but I get great satisfaction from my projecting my disks.
SAM33		#7	[-]
Jul 25 12 4:25 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Oh, I don't ever want to come off like a big snob! I've said here many times that I think everyone who's a pretty serious movie fan should look into a PJ. I agree you can have a great experience just as you say, and now very affordable at that. That's exactly how I showed films for YEARS, a pull down DaLite in the living room and getting out the old Kodak Pageant and then later the SharpVision. Even after I was able to buy a house, I was in my 40's before I could manage to build a dedicated theatre. I'm just that rare oddball kid who ALWAYS wanted to be able to own movies. Had a super 8 camera and projector as an adolescent, then started collecting 16mm just out of college, and have been at it ever since. SO it's a lifelong hobby/obsession for me that I've been fortunate to be able to follow through on as an older man. Not for most folks. SAM33
Joe Karlosi		#8	[-]
Jul 25 12 5:18 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I've recently upgraded to a 55" flatscreen. "Guy named Squeamy got thrown from the fifth floor. He's deader'n a mackerel."
Rakshasa		#9	[-]
Jul 25 12 5:50 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I recently visited a friend who just built a "screening room" in the basement of his home out in the country near Saratoga, NY. He had a Blu-ray projector and an entire wall was his "screen" (he told me the wall was painted in a special reflective white paint which turns that wall into a screen). He also had a surround sound system built into the walls. We watched an entire RUSH concert on Blu-ray (The Time Machine Tour) and man, I was blown away. It was not only like being in a movie theater, it was like being at the concert. Unreal. All that said, I still have my 32" Sony Bravia in my apartment here in Brooklyn where I can barely rev my 5.1 surround system without annoying a neighbor. Sigh Links To All The Classic Monster Stills I've Posted: http://monsterkidclassichorrorforum.yuku.com/topic/30758 Last Edited By: Rakshasa Jul 25 12 6:10 PM. Edited 1 times.
SAM33		#10	[-]
Jul 25 12 6:05 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Yes, I still just use a wall in my theatre, because it's cheaper, won't wrinkle at large sizes, and you can even use off the shelf paint (a site recommended a Sherwin-Williams semi-gloss for a slight "gain" and I got a good effect) rather than the expensive specialty stuff. I feel I get a great picture and sound and honestly it IS better than some lower end theatres. My wife and I just saw MOONRISE KINGDOM in a small venue and I know it will look better in mine, brighter and sharper. And no family with 3 kids and one baby in a carrier sitting in front of us (no exaggeration). I'll say it again: NOW is the "good old days" of Home Theatre. SAM33
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pulp novelties		#11	[-]
Jul 25 12 6:23 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	SAM33 wrote: I'm just that rare oddball kid who ALWAYS wanted to be able to own movies. Had a super 8 camera and projector as an adolescent, then started collecting 16mm just out of college, and have been at it ever since. SO it's a lifelong hobby/obsession SAM33 Ditto, I've been try to buy films in one format or another since the 4th grade. Having a projector and blu-ray player is a perpetual dream fulfilled. I think it helped to start with 8 minute, silent, 8mm abridgments then absurdly expensive 8mm features to truly appreciate the marvel of picking up a feature that once would have cost a couple hundred bucks, and seeing what feels like a great 35mm print in my living-room, whenever.
dracsback		#12	[-]
Jul 25 12 7:18 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Hey I have my man-cave with my 64" Sammy Plasma. I am very happy with the blackout shades and lighting and nice big ol' sectional in the center of the room. I do my sleepin' and my watchin' right there under the fan. That is my home theater. I think with prices coming down on larger displays that have a a home theater room today is more attainable for many. But, define HT. It might not mean the way we used to think of it as a formal theater room etc. "I saw what I saw when I saw it!"
pulp novelties		#13	[-]
Jul 25 12 8:46 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	dracsback wrote: But, define HT. It might not mean the way we used to think of it as a formal theater room etc. As long as HT is not defined as an I-pad on the bus.
Crespi		#14	[-]
Jul 26 12 3:27 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I would love an extra room for a HT, but live in a flat and do not have a cellar, I could turn into one. I have been using a projector in my living room for years now, always loved being able to throw a large picture on the wall (simply using the normal white wall), the one I am using now is my 3rd projector - so I have been doing this for quite a while... Especially with old fims that I have never seen at a cinema, it gives me the feeling of actually really seeing a film - completely different experience to watching it on a tv. But, I must admit since I got the bigger 55inch tv, I have been using it less. But that might have to do with my appartement being at the top floor, which gets very bright in summer, because of that my movie nights have to start later and later. But not complaining, love that summer has finally arrived (atleast for a couple of days).
Paul Denham		#15	[-]
Jul 26 12 4:38 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	pulp novelties wrote: SAM33 wrote: I'm just that rare oddball kid who ALWAYS wanted to be able to own movies. Had a super 8 camera and projector as an adolescent, then started collecting 16mm just out of college, and have been at it ever since. SO it's a lifelong hobby/obsession SAM33 Ditto, I've been try to buy films in one format or another since the 4th grade. Having a projector and blu-ray player is a perpetual dream fulfilled. I think it helped to start with 8 minute, silent, 8mm abridgments then absurdly expensive 8mm features to truly appreciate the marvel of picking up a feature that once would have cost a couple hundred bucks, and seeing what feels like a great 35mm print in my living-room, whenever. Same here. And 4th grade was also when I started playing projectionist for neighborhood friends. I had an 8 minute, silent, B&W copy of Star Wars that went over pretty well from what I remember. I never graduated to 16mm or beyond- but I did flirt again with longer (2 x 400' reels) color and sound abridgments a few years later in the early 80's. From '85 on it was all various home video tech after that. In answer to the original post I would guess several factors coming into play at the same time- -recession and associated housing bust -a generations saddled with school and personal debt and not a lot of employment opportunities -the loss of influence of retailers like Best Buy (which will soon go the way of Circuit City and Borders) I also think there is a shift in how people are using their spare time. Social networking media is entertainment for a lot of people. The monsterkid generation has vastly different entertainment priorities than the younger people that I work around, that's for sure. I love to retire to a quiet room and spin a few movies to relax. That's one foot in the grave behavior to some of my younger co-workers/friends. C'est la vie. Kind of funny this would come up now, as this year my HT viewing has declined sharply. I still buy movies (though in the recent sales I've probably bought about 30-40% less stuff than I normally would have) and I still love watching them-but I've gotten back into comic book/graphic novel/strip collections which was always my other great love. Many nights I would actually prefer to just curl up with a volume of Prince Valiant or any number of other great collections of superior work I've never read before than fire up the projector for four hours. My movie buying has gone down, but my comic related purchases have gone way, way up. So in a way, at least temporarily, HT is a bit passe for me - at the moment.
todmichel		#16	[-]
Jul 26 12 6:13 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Most of people having a HT just forget one thing - they also have a house, not an apartment (or, if so, they have a large one). In most apartments, walls are not empty, you can have hundreds of books for instance - and where do you want project anything? furthermore, you also have neighbors, generally, as mentioned in one of the posts above. In brief, a HT is just an impossible dream for most of people who live in an apartment. And this is not a matter of price - or rather, it is, but the price of a private house!
meessiep		#17	[-]
Jul 26 12 12:22 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Joe Karlosi wrote: I've recently upgraded to a 55" flatscreen. I went from a 50" to a 60" not too long ago. And am considering upgrading to an 80"! Just can't help myself...
Eric Huffstutler		#18	[-]
Jul 26 12 1:07 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Now see, that is part of the big picture (no pun intended). I feel like these are signs of the times and not just economic but demographic. The current age groups who are now away from home have less interest in things like this. They live on a micro world of iPads and iPhones along with streaming. They also want things "new" and hassle-free low maintenance. Where for me as a late Baby Boomer, still strive for either a dedicated external building just for the theater or basement which means a HOUSE and not an apartment. And that too is another angle, housing sales are down while apartment living is up - again part of the age demographics. I am also wondering if sales of Classic films on DVDs were thrown off because this younger generation has zero interest in them? They live for the now moment with all things new - including movies?
pulp novelties		#19	[-]
Jul 26 12 2:09 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Eric Huffstutler wrote: Now see, that is part of the big picture (no pun intended). I feel like these are signs of the times and not just economic but demographic. The current age groups who are now away from home have less interest in things like this. They live on a micro world of iPads and iPhones along with streaming. They also want things "new" and hassle-free low maintenance. Where for me as a late Baby Boomer, still strive for either a dedicated external building just for the theater or basement which means a HOUSE and not an apartment. And that too is another angle, housing sales are down while apartment living is up - again part of the age demographics. I am also wondering if sales of Classic films on DVDs were thrown off because this younger generation has zero interest in them? They live for the now moment with all things new - including movies? It's the age old question, but here are some things to consider. If by classic, you mean 30's, 40's, & 50's; we were exposed to those films when they were only 20-40 years old. 20-40 years old films today are from the 70's, 80's, and 90's. So, it's only natural that ALIEN would be the new generations BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN. The other thing is we grew up with a half-dozen channels, and when the airing of B/W films was common, and the people in them weren't long dead. You can't develop a taste for something that's never shown or with no point of reference. The funny thing is that many big-budget films geared to the youth market run over two hours now, while most of them ran ninety-minutes or less in my childhood. So even though heavily distracted, their movies seem to run 25-30% longer.
Crespi		#20	[-]
Jul 27 12 4:18 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Most kids in their twenties these days think of stuff that came out in the late 80s as old and maybe classic. It does not go further back than that. I was once really shocked when I talked to some of my students about old recordings etc. I think of this stuff as modern. Somehow we had a much longer span going back even to silent movies. But when I was a kid, there were loads of (really) old movies shown on tv and there were only few stations. These days on the millions of channels they show the same new crap over and over again. I think it is a bit sad, since the interest in what came before what they listen to, watch or read is so limited. Obviously there are exceptions. So it could well be that we monsterkids are a dying breed and there will not be too many new ones coming along. As for dedicated HT, yes it is also demographic. It is difficult having a dedicated room for HT when living in big cities, I live in Berlin and it is mostly appartments here, rents are high, so using a room to just view movies would be an utter luxury.
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