Home Theater
Whole House Video

Home Theater

What is it?
A home theater from Coastal Carolina Audio Video that features technologies like high-definition TV and Dolby Digital^® surround sound will provide you with impressive sound and visuals from DVD, high-definition satellite, or cable inputs. Whether your system is in the corner of the family room or in a custom, decked-out theater room, you'll have the best seat in the house to enjoy your favorite movies, sports events, and TV shows.

How does it work?
When we install a home theater system, our goal is provide you with the quality sound and picture you get from your local movie theater in the comfort of your own home.

Sound:
The sound is actually the most important part of the system, because it's what fools your senses into believing you're a part of the action you see on the screen. Dolby Digital® is today's standard for surround sound technology and gives you clear sound over five channels, plus another channel for low frequency effects. This type of system requires a processor, which is part of an A/V receiver or preamplifier, five speakers, a sub-woofer, and amplification for the speakers. The processor decodes the sound from the input in your DVD, HDTV, satellite signal, or cable connection and broadcasts it through the speakers. Speakers placed to the left, center, and right around the screen reproduce the sounds from the action you see: dialog, music, and motion across the screen. Two speakers placed in the rear of the theater provide depth for the sound, creating a 3-D effect. And the subwoofer broadcasts low frequency sounds such as explosions that can make your seat rumble just like you were there in person.

The placement of your speakers, as well as the character of your walls, ceiling, floors, and furniture in the room, all have an effect on your sound quality. We'll take a look at your theater area and make recommendations for the best sound quality, even before you buy anything. We can help you find the best seating arrangements, the best position for your screen and the speakers, and make recommendations on acoustical treatments to make you feel like you are truly part of the experience you are watching.

Screen:
Images like you see in the movie theater can be achieved on screens from 32 inches up to 10 feet or more. They can come from your standard direct-view television (CRT), rear projection TV, flat panel display (LCD and plasma), and video projector, but quality varies greatly between the various models and brands. The best images are created through a combination of high resolution, proper geometry, and the right color, contrast, and brightness settings, although your choice of display should really come down to the size and shape of your theater area, the ambient light conditions, the viewing distance, and your seating arrangement. We can show you how different types of screens are affected by different factors, and, after reviewing the conditions in your room, make a recommendation for the best type of equipment.

Ease of use should also be a factor in setting up your home theater. You don't want to have to worry about several different remotes and power sources, which is why we recommend a programmable remote control to simplify the operation of your system. They come in a variety of styles and sizes, from small hand-held units with simple buttons or touch screens to large, easy-to-read touch screens that give you feedback from the system as you control it. Some even provide video and Internet access.

But the TV isn't the only thing you can control with a remote. Automated lighting and window coverings can complete your theater experience, allowing you to close the blinds, dim the lighting, power your system, and start the movie all at the touch of a button.

back to top

Whole House Video

What is it?
A whole-house video system enables you to watch TV or movies, or monitor closed-circuit cameras such as those in the baby's room or watching the front door from any TV in your house.

How does it work?
In each room where you have a TV or want to locate one, we will run a cable from an outlet to a central panel, which is commonly located in the utility room. Signals from internal sources such as VCRs, DVDs, satellite receivers, or closed-circuit cameras, and outside sources such as cable TV or antennas are sent to the central panel and converted into channels, which enables the signals to be distributed to other rooms throughout the house. This means, among many capabilities, you can play a DVD in one room and watch it in another.