Recently Filed in Home Theater Accessories

You’ve probably seen them twinkling away on the ceilings of restaurants and amusement parks attractions, but fiber-optic starfields are gaining popularity as a decorative element in homes, too. “We seem them being used in nurseries, living rooms and dining rooms, but primarily in home theaters,” says Cyr Ryan, owner and president of Fiber Optic Systems Inc. (FOSI) Star Ceilings. Star ceilings can be installed onto almost any type of ceiling, but are usually more economical to install if there is open attic space above them.… View this story
Home Theater Accessories • Home Theater • Enhancements • Product News

When you think about it, there’s a ton of technology that can go onto the ceiling. Recessed lights, built-in speakers, video projectors and wiring are often mounted overhead. All of this can make your ceiling look like a block of Swiss cheese. And, depending on the room design—like if there’s no attic space above, or the ceiling height is lower than 8 feet—the ceiling may not even be able to accommodate some of the products. Here’s where a soffit can really help, and possibly even… View this story
Furniture • Home Theater Accessories • Home Theater • Enhancements • Info and Answers

It happens to many enthusiasts: You need a place to store the audio and video gear or other cool systems, and the best way to do it may be with some woodworking—custom woodworking. Which leads many to go Gulp, Gulp, Ka-ching! And naturally so. Custom woodworking costs money. And really good custom woodworking costs lots of money. The thing is, you don’t have to do custom woodworking throughout a whole room like this one. You can have one home entertainment cabinet built for a few… View this story
Cabinets • Home Theater Accessories • Home Theater • Enhancements • Cool Homes

Spending more than $500 for a place to put your A/V receiver, Blu-ray player, amplifiers and processors seems way over the top. I know I’d have a hard time dishing out the cash for that. But by the time I finished speaking with Rich Conklin, a custom electronics (CE) professional at Grand Home Automation in Grand Rapids, Mich., I was sold. It’s not like I’ll rush out today to buy a specialty rack today, but if I do ever expand my entertainment system, I’ll be… View this story
Furniture • Equipment Racks • Home Theater Accessories • Product News

Who needs a Man Cave when you can have a “Man Wall”? It’s the brainchild of Bradenton, Fla., company HybridSpace Furniture and if you want all things manly in your own private living room paradise, the Man Wall has it all. The 2 x 8 x 8-foot piece is a fully integrated solution that combines cabinet, A/V and much more that you may not have considered (or considered and couldn’t fit) for your man cave. For starters, this ultimate sports fan’s fantasy features a 52-inch… View this story
Furniture • Cabinets • Home Theater Accessories • Sports • Product News

Q. We recently installed a 32” Sony LCD on a wall near our kitchen. Now, of course, after the purchase and installation, I think the TV “sticks out” too far on the wall. I have seen framed TVs in a number of high profile restaurants and hotels. Do you know where I can find someone who makes and ships a frame that could be snapped on? Or do you have another suggestion? - Bill, San Diego A. Steve O. of Stealth Acoustics gives us this… View this story
Displays • Home Theater Accessories • Ask a Pro

Planning on going the do-it-yourself route with your media room or dedicated theater setup? You can try to optimize the room’s audio setup by heading over to Amazon these days. That’s where acoustical treatment provider Auralex Acoustics has decided to stock up on its direct-to-consumer retail biz. A quick “Auralex” search will bring you options like Wedgie foam diffusers, SubDude subwoofer isolation risers, MOPAD sound isolation pads, SheetBlok roll of mass-loaded vinyl, Studiofoam pyramid panels, bass traps, liquid foam adhesive and other sonic helpers for… View this story
Furniture • Acoustics • Home Theater Accessories • Audio • Product News

Projection systems can turn a media room into a true home theater room, but the two variables often get in the way of our screen dreams—enough space on the wall for a screen, and accommodations for the projector. Premier Mounts is hoping to cut down on dilemmas with the latter of those, with its recently introduced Universal Short-Throw Projector Arm (UNI-STB) providing more flexibility to mounting short-throw projectors. The arm is able to adjust from 7 to 27 inches from the wall with support for… View this story
Furniture • Home Theater Accessories • Front Projection • Product News

Home theaters require sonics and visuals to go hand-in-hand for powerful performance. So why not the same for some of the extras that go into your theater, like acoustical treatment? Exactly, says sound control solution provider Auralex Acoustics. So the company teamed with iSky to deliver acoustic panels that are enjoyable to gaze at in your theater, and in this case, star gaze. Auralex’s SonoLux Elite fiber-optic acoustical panels combine the company’s Pro Panels and iSky’s fiber-optic star-field lighting for a unique acoustical treatment. Your… View this story
Furniture • Acoustics • Home Theater Accessories • Product News

Take a seat: It’s going to be a bumpy ride. The makers of BodySound Technology don’t want you to just hear a movie soundtrack—they want you to feel the surround sound. The Minnesota-based company has developed an “experiential seating” theater recliner that features built-in speakers and amplification. The BodySound chairs include a pair of speakers positioned by your ears, two vertically aligned speakers behind your spine, and a larger seat-cushion speaker that forms a sound cocoon. Audio from a BodyLink receiver can be sent to… View this story
Furniture • Home Theater Accessories • Seating • Product News

Big screens are great—there’s no doubt about that. However, for a room that doubles as a family room, a 100-inch display can throw a real monkey wrench into the functionality and aesthetics of the space. Having something this large staring at you while you’re entertaining or simply relaxing just feels wrong. That’s why motorized lifts have become such a popular home entertainment accessory. By attaching the 100-inch screen to a motorized roller, it can lift up into the ceiling when you’re using the room for… View this story
Furniture • Home Theater Accessories • TV Mounts • Lighting Control • Home Theater • Info and Answers • Slideshows

Whether you’re settling down for the evening news or three-hour epic, it’s important that you have a comfy couch or seat to sit in. Specialty home theater seats are made with the right amount of cushion and support. Just as you would a new mattress for the bedroom, test out a few seats before picking a model for your home theater. Pay particular attention to the headrest. If it covers your ears you might not be able to hear the nuances of your surround-sound system.… View this story
Furniture • Home Theater Accessories • Seating • Enhancements • Info and Answers