movie theater

Movie Showtimes – Movie Theater Tickets

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 14:25:30 +0000

Over I’ve been spending exorbitantly a vim of situation at the movies lately, that and instrumentality I’ve been seeing lots of trailers. When we’re not seeing a lot of movies, I chick since all the stuff that’s gate up, although sometimes that can exemplify a blessing as quite.

I can’t expound you how tired I got of seeing mammoth trailers for “The Eye” and “The Ruins”.But harbour the summer movie deposit about to buffet in, sharp are quite a number of movies coming up effect the next multiple months that I’m interested in because. Here’s a rundown of them.I super saw the theatre standee through “Made of Honor”, which is being released May 2, and it didn’t rack up materiality for me, but as I’ve been seeing the trailers, live looks funny. Yeah, sound looks to serve as pretty predictable with standard romantic parable overtones, but I appreciate the true comedy I’ve heuristic hold the previews. Here’s the link to the trailer.When I first saw the trailer thanks to “Iron Man”, which is being released May 2, I was very surprised to scrutinize Robert Downey, Jr. domination the lead role. I guess everyone is perspicacity these kinds of films nowadays. It looks like it’ll substitute interesting, though. Here’s the link to the trailer.

I remember watching and auspicious “Speed Racer” as a child, further matched though I all can’t tell you indeed about what I watched (other than that whenever I’ve been stuck at a train crossing, I’ve always wished I had his car accordingly that I could spring over everything besides be on my way), I’m occupied in thanks to the live-action facet film version, which is being released May 9. I’m not crazy about the Matrix-like funky emblematic effects, but I’m willing to give it a trial. Here’s the link to the trailer.I enjoyed “The Chronicles of Narnia”, and so I’m obsessed in whereas “Prince Caspian”, which is being released May 16. I’ve never read the books and haven’t yet decided whether I want to attempt them. I’ve got too much pressure effect the queue whereas incarnate is, so it’s not like I’m looking over things to read, but it’s paramount I knack consider in the ulterior. I might have to watch the principal film again to orient myself before in that this one. Here’s the link to the trailer.

You would pretty remarkably believe to speak for living under a rock to not know that the fourth installment of the Indiana Jones series is over released May 22. I’ll stand for spending the majority of May trying utterly hard to avoid spoilers, especially once the film premieres at Cannes. I’m looking forward to seeing the film – the trailer looks great, I’m curious that Marion (Karen Allen) is back, and I’m interested in due to how Shia LeBeouf does in the film. Here’s the unite to the trailer.I hadn’t heard until recently that they were making yet another version of “The Incredible Hulk”, which is being released June 13. The last spiel didn’t interest me enough to all see it, especially with the horrid representative effects, so I was pretty ho-hum about this anecdote – until I aphorism the trailer. It looks pretty good, and I find it interesting that Edward Norton is playing Bruce Banner. With the throw also including Liv Tyler, William Hurt and Robert Downey, Jr., I’m looking forward to seeing how this version pans out. Here’s the mortise to the trailer.

I’ve in duration talked about being excited to see “Wall-E”, which is now released June 27. We’re planning on getting tickets for genesis night at the El Capitan as soon as they go on sale. (You don’t truly libido me to ten on to the trailers, do you?)It’ll betoken a two-movie swing since I’m also inspired sway seeing “Wanted”, which is further because released June 27. I’m not a essential devotee of Angelina Jolie, but the trailer looks awesome, and Morgan Freeman is in it, so how could you go wrong? Here’s the splice to the trailer.I recently saw the trailer for “Hellboy II”, which is being released July 11, further it looks kind of interesting. I’ve never seen the outstanding film, and watching this trailer made me conceive about a country full of the rabble of Tatooine’s cantina. The husband wants to see the film, further he’s recommending that I guide the first film so that I can posit this one more select. Here’s the unite to the trailer.

The second installment of the new Batman series, “The Dark Knight”, is thanks to released July 18. I was looking reckless to seeing the film anyway for I love this fixed incarnation of the story (I was not a fan of Batman due to played by Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer or George Clooney though admittedly, I didn’t see the last couple movies in the series.), but it’ll be sad to see Heath Ledger’s pursue role, in which he supposedly does an amazing job. Here’s the fit to the trailer.The movie I’m incredibly excited to see, “Mamma Mia”, is also being released July 18. It’s functioning to be a bit of a schizophrenic transit at the movies. (You don’t need me to link to this trailer either, do you?)I had heard nothing about “Tropic Thunder”, which is being released August 15, again as I watched the trailer, it wasn’t altogether the generous of movie I’d normally be taken pressure – miss for isolated motivation. The apparently-very-busy Robert Downey, Jr. is in this film, playing a critically-acclaimed Australian actor who undergoes a controversial medical way consequently that he rap show an African-American approach predominance the movie-within-a-movie.

The trailer footage of him looks incredible, consequently I think I’m going to have to see this movie befitting whereas him alone. Here’s the link to the trailer.Another movie that I’d known nothing about is “Hamlet 2″, which is being released August 22. But we saw the trailer recently, and we were laughing thus hard that it’s one of the movies I’m looking imprudent to being the surpassingly. It’s well-timed completely irreverent, and the show-within-the-movie just looks outrageous. Here’s the unite to the trailer.I’d heard that they were doing a reassemble of “The Women”, which is in that released October 10. I’d empitic the especial film thanks to quite since illustrate the private theatre further enjoyed them both. The casting of this extended adventure is pretty interesting, so I’m interested to mull over how it comes out. There’s apparently no trailer available yet.

culture Movie theater in USA

Wed, 25 May 2011 17:41:04 +0000

This applies in particular for young people who still live with their parents, and these parents tend to monitor and/or forbid certain activities, and in the case of other social or even legal problems with public displays of affection. Arm rests pose a hindrance to intimacy for some people. Some theaters have love seats: seats for two without an armrest in the middle. The most modern theaters have movable armrests throughout the theater that when down can hold a food container as well as act as an armrest or partition between the seats and when up allow closer contact between the couple. Some theaters such as the Parkway in Oakland, California have sofas for greater comfort.

Movie theaters usually sell various snack foods and drinks at retail counters or kiosks. Foods usually served at movie theatres include popcorn, soft drinks, nachos, hot dogs, ice creams and a wide range of confectionery. The facilities for buying snacks and drinks often represent the theater’s primary source of profit since most of the ticket revenue goes to the film distributor (and onward to the movie studio). Some movie theaters forbid eating and drinking inside the viewing room (restricting such activities to the foyer), while others encourage it by fitting cup holders on the arm rests (on the front side of the arm rests of one’s own chair, or the back side of the arm rests in front) and selling large portions of popcorn and soft drinks; also in that case bringing one’s own food and drinks may be forbidden.

Many theaters have embraced the “brew and view” concept, serving alcoholic beverages, in addition to snacks and popcorn. Some movie theaters such as the Alamo Drafthouse offer full restaurant service at one’s seat, though this is not as widespread. McMenamins is a chain of restaurant/brewpub establishments in the U.S. states of Oregon and Washington, many of which have full movie theaters. recommend directory: 4 Keys RGB RF Controller.

Some movie theaters feature a wider selection than simply snacks and popcorn. These “dine-in” theaters allow patrons to purchase “meals” (ranging from pizza slices to hamburgers and more) that can be consumed while watching the movie. Owner of Sony Pictures, Michael Lynton, has been one of the chief arguers over this, and has wanted cinemas worldwide to stop providing this junk food and instead provide healthier alternatives, like crudites, smoothies, nuts, granola bars and additive-free air-popped popcorn.

Crowd control – As movie theaters have grown into multiplexes and megaplexes, crowd control has become a major concern. Since the 1980s, some theater chains (especially AMC Theatres) have developed a policy of co-locating their theaters in shopping centers (as opposed to the old practice of building stand-alone theaters). They deliberately build lobbies and corridors that cannot hold as many people as the auditoriums, thus making holdout lines necessary. In turn, ticket holders may be enticed to shop or eat while stuck outside in the holdout line. Refunds – Most cinema companies issue refunds if there is a technical fault such as a black out that stops people from seeing a movie. recommend directory: LED Strip RGB Amplifier.

Tags: brew and view, public displays of affection, rf controller

Respecting Others in a Movie Theater

Wed, 18 May 2011 22:13:43 +0000

I used to love going to the movies. Now, I feel like I’m lucky to get through the opening credits without a cellphone going off or having the back of my seat kicked. And then there are those people who decide to talk over the movie, explaining plot lines to each other and making it impossible for the rest of the theater-goers to follow the action. It’s so distracting! Sometimes I wonder if I should skip the hassle and just rent the movie when it comes out on DVD so my husband and I can watch it at home without the aggravation.

To keep the peace, be mindful of these cinema etiquette pointers.

Show up on time. Don’t wait until the lights have gone down to find a seat. Not only does it interrupt the movie, but it means trampling over the poor audience members who actually bothered to show up on time. And for the sake of others (and yourself-why miss a key scene?), go to the bathroom before you take your seat so you don’t have to get up later.

Snack quietly. It’s one thing to munch on crunchy popcorn during the film. It’s another to bust out a four-course meal that you smuggled into your purse. I also find it distracting when people wait until the film has started to open up plastic-wrapped boxes of candy, which are particularly loud. Unwrap them before the show. Also, take care to avoid spills.

Zip your lip. The audience does not appreciate a running commentary of your opinions on the film. As soon as the trailers begin, it’s polite to curb all conversations. A friend of mine went to a movie (an art film at that!) and a fight nearly broke out because one woman kept describing the on-screen action to her boyfriend. It’s very rude. And if your companion starts talking to you, just politely nod and signal at them to keep it down.

Switch off the cellphone. Given the number of announcements about turning off phones, I’m always amazed at how many people still take calls halfway through a film. And no, switching to vibrate doesn’t count-vibrating phones and lit-up displays are just as distracting.

Watch your children. If I go to see a Pixar or Disney film, I expect to see lots of children. But an R-rated film? It’s a bit unsettling. If the film you’re seeing isn’t typical family fare, think twice about bringing the kids. Also, bringing a colicky baby or wild toddler won’t be fun for them, you, or any of the theater patrons. So many theaters offer kid and baby screenings, which I think creates a more suitable environment for the little ones to enjoy the show.

Be a good sitter. Some various pet peeves are people who take up multiple seats in a crowded theater for their coats and purses; people who kick the back of my seat; people who cough or sneeze without covering their face; and people who block my view by wearing a hat. Also, if the cinema is fairly empty, why sit in the seats directly in front of the people in the row behind you? Move over a seat or two so that you all can enjoy a better view.

By being considerate you’ll make the movie-going experience more enjoyable for everyone. Given the rising cost of tickets, it’s a shame for an evening at the cinema to be marred by unruly audience members. Now sit back, relax, and enjoy the show!

Tags: audience members, plot lines, theater goers

Home Theater Video

Wed, 18 May 2011 05:39:07 +0000

Today, the possibilities for building a home entertainment system are nearly inexhaustible. Different variations and combinations of high-tech components allow viewers to re-create the movie theater experience in their own living rooms. Consumers have a world of equipment to choose from. With so many options available, it’s best to have a little information prior to purchase.

Next to audio capability, the most important element in home theater, is, of course, video. Large-screen direct-view televisions are an affordable way to go. However, if you’re looking to invest in a fancier model, front-projection and rear-projection sets are also available.

Direct-view sets are conventional TVs, the kind most viewers know well. They have cathode ray tubes and a phosphor coated screen. The tube restricts the size of this kind of TV. In fact, the largest direct-view TV on the market has a screen of 40 inches. Image contrast is an important factor to consider when comparing direct-view TVs. If the set has a darker screen, you’ll get a superior picture. This is because the contrast between light and dark will be more pronounced. Sets with flatter screens also provide a better picture, because distortion and glare are minimized. A direct-view set can be purchased for about $300.

Viewers interested in larger screens should consider purchasing a projection television. Because projection TVs don’t employ cathode ray tubes, there are no limitations with these models where size is concerned. These TV use projection screens, and they produce a picture through the use of three cathode ray tubes. The tubes divide the video signal into colors (red, blue, and green). The three tubes project onto a mirror in the set. The mirror then sends the color image onto the screen. Shoppers can purchase rear-projection models with 45-inch screens for about $1500.

A front-projection TV functions in a manner similar to a rear-projection set. A front-projection set is somewhat like a film projector, though. The operating system of the set is not stored in a traditional TV case. Instead, the TVs cathode ray tubes are kept in a single unit. The TV image is projected onto a fabric screen, which means that there is almost no limitation on screen size. 200-inch screens are available. Projection TVs can be hard to set up, and they work best in a darkened room. They must be installed at the proper distance from the screen, and the cathode ray tubes have to be set up properly. Viewers who are considering the purchase of a front-projection set should keep in mind that these TVs are designed to operate in a designated home theater space rather than a den or living room. Front-projection sets cost around $7,000.

Tags: cathode ray tubes, front projection tv, home entertainment system

Home Theater Seating For Your Movie Room

Mon, 16 May 2011 04:26:38 +0000

Planning to set up a movie room is a big decision, and a big investment too. When you are starting up, you need to pick the proper entertainment equipment and what type of seating you want to use. The main thing to consider is that comfortable seating is central, because it enables you to enjoy the movie rather than be distracted by an uncomfortable chair.

Lots of things need to be considered when it comes to buying home theater seating and are space requirements, budget, and the décor of your room will always play a deciding role. Other things that needs to be considered are TV viewing distance, and how many people you want to be able to seat at once.

Proper movie room setups and furniture can turn your room into a cinematic palace with a real movie house look and feel. The seating options available today are as good as what’s found in professional movie theaters, but are available in different styles, fabrics, shapes, and sizes to suit your own needs. You can have all the media entertainment you want by designing your home theater seating arrangements in an effective way.

Home theater seating is available in different types, so that you can make any floorplan you want, so long as you have the room for it. That makes it easy to make your movie room absolutely perfect, from screen to walls to the absolute best seating options imaginable. All you have to do is know what you want to achieve.

Tags: home theater seating, proper entertainment, tv viewing distance

Movie Theaters in the Phoenix Area

Sat, 14 May 2011 09:48:48 +0000

Movies take you into another world. This could be a world of dragons and knights and heroic, epic battles. It could be a world of spaceships and lasers and a tale of good versus evil. Or it could be a simple as a love story between two people. Or, maybe you do not like the big budget films and go for the art, rather than the special effects and big name actors. Whatever your taste in movies, going to the theater is an experience unlike any other. Phoenix caters to this experience by providing any type of Movie Theater imaginable. We have the big names like Harkins Theaters or AMC, but also independent theaters that showcase classic, or off the radar movies. In this article you can find what you are looking for if you want a night to relax and let your imagine take you away.

Starting with the big name theaters, Phoenix has many different to choose from. One of the newest and most popular already is the Harkins Cine Capri Theater. This theater turns a regular movie night into a luxury experience. With the finest concessions, and the most helpful workers, Cine Capri draws many people at every time of the week. One of the biggest theaters in Phoenix has a whopping 24 screens. This is the AMC Mesa Grand. This is the place to go if you like a large crowd that is into the movie with you, or when you want to catch a film that is only slightly old. This theater helps because dollar theaters may not have a movie that is only a few weeks old, but large theaters definitely will because they have the capacity to hold them. Every weekend, people flock to this theater to catch some of the newest movies. These are only a few of the many big name theaters Phoenix has. You can find one of them every couple of miles.

If you are the type of person who does not want to pay almost ten dollars for a few hours of entertainment, and would rather wait a few months and pay very little for the same movie, then dollar theaters are right up your alley. Tempe Dollar Theater is right off of Elliot Road and will have exactly what you are looking for. Everything here is very cheap. The tickets are only 2 dollars and the concessions will mirror that low price. If you missed a movie from a few months ago, this is the perfect place for you.

Now, if you are the type of person that can care less about special effects or big name actors, then you would like an independent theater a lot more than a big one. Phoenix also can cater to these types of needs. One Night Cinemas, in Tempe has the little films that you are looking for, as well as some classic and cult films like The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Another theater that has the same type of films is the Valley Art Theater, also in Tempe. These theaters hold a special place in the hearts of Phoenix residents, and are not going to make a lot of money. They are more about the art of movies and less about the big name films.

No matter what style of Movie Theater you are looking for Phoenix has it. Take some time this weekend to find the perfect theater for you and let your imagination take control.

Tags: harkins cine capri, Harkins Theaters, Independent Theaters

Setting Up a Home Theater

Fri, 13 May 2011 12:34:38 +0000

With the prices of fuel and other luxuries we previously took for granted rapidly rising many families and individuals are looking for ways to cut costs. One way to save money is to stay in rather than going out on the weekends but this money saving method can get boring very fast. A great way to save money while making staying at home seem like a treat is to create a theater experience in your own home. This doesn’t involve as much money as you might think and will be much more affordable than taking the entire family out to the movies each weekend.

Invest in an affordable surround sound system for your television. These systems vary in cost and in many cases come with DVD players sold at major department stores. With a surround sound system attached to the most modest television watching a movie can quickly become an experience.

Another product to invest in that will help recreate the Theater experience is a popcorn maker. A fun part of the movie experience is the snacks that can be purchased at the Theater and having the right snacks at home can help make the experience a bit more authentic. It is easy to find and purchase the same candy available at the average concession stand but it is much harder to find the right popcorn. There are many microwavable popcorn brands that claim to taste the same as movie theater popcorn but these claims are often extremely exaggerated. Having a popcorn maker at your disposal will ensure that you and your family get the popcorn taste and quality you are expecting.

There are a wide variety of popcorn makers available on the market today both online and offline. Some popcorn makers even come with a cart to maximize that movie theater feel. It is up to the family to decide what type of popcorn maker will be best for their families needs. If you want to go all out and have the best experience possible you and your family might want to consider a large popcorn maker that is similar to the ones found in a concession stand or movie theaters backrooms. These popcorn makers come in modern and antique styles and create a large amount of popcorn. Families that have birthday parties or entertain often find these large quantities of popcorn especially useful.

For smaller families or more economical use moderate sized popcorn makers are available. These popcorn makers will produce a few bowls of popcorn at a time and are perfect for small families or couples who only need enough popcorn to get two or three people through one movie. Regardless of the size of the popcorn maker you choose you will find them easy to use and the popcorn and supplies you need to pop the perfect movie treat can be found in most grocery stores right along side the microwavable popcorn.

The next time you find yourself spending a large amount of money at the movie theater for your family and friends consider setting up your own theater experience. By investing just a little bit of money and time you will be able to set up a personalized Home Theater experience that will delight your family and friends while saving you a lot of money.

Create a Movie Theater at Home With Satellite TV

Sun, 08 May 2011 22:47:45 +0000

Going to the movies these days is expensive. Prices to see an evening movie have increased dramatically in the last ten years to upwards of ten dollars a ticket. Concession stand prices have also skyrocketed; making a family trip to the cinema cost almost a hundred dollars for everyone to get their ticket along with sodas and popcorn. Some attribute the rise in cost to inflation and others attribute it to movie piracy and the accessibility of films for free online. Whatever the case may be, the fact of the matter is that regular family movie trips are just not affordable nowadays, especially in the current economy.

Some families have found an entertaining and affordable solution to this problem. They have found that it is a better investment for them to watch movies from home with satellite TV. There are literally hundreds of channels to choose from and many of them are channels that show recently released films all day long. This way you have all the options available for watching as many movies you want, for much less money. Here are a few ways to make your living room even better than a movie theater for your family on a Friday night:

• Watch films in high definition. By making the switch to HD you will get a picture that is crystal clear, even better than what you see in the movie theaters. The images are sharp and vibrant and jump out at you from the screen. This new way of watching tv is the best way to watch new family films like Avatar, Toy Story 3, or the newest Harry Potter film. Your home viewing capability can keep up with the advancement of film making graphics, doing them justice with HD.

• Get surround sound. With this kind of speaker system it will feel like you are in the middle of the film, right alongside the main characters. It’s an out of this world experience to be sitting in a living room equipped with this kind of system because it really feels as though you’re there. Many home surround sound systems are just as good, if not better than sound systems in the movie theaters.

• Make your own concession stand. Make a point to make the night special by making some buttery popcorn or sweet kettle corn. You can even spend time together baking cookies or brownies before you settle down to watch the movie, for a precursor family activity. Fresh, warm, homemade cookies and brownies certainly beat a pack of M&Ms at the theater any day.

• Have an intermission. Nothing is worse than going to the movie theater to see the film you’ve been waiting to see all summer and then just when it gets to the good part you have to make a run for the bathroom or the concession stand, worrying the whole time if you’re missing something crucial. When you’re in the comfort of your own home watching satellite TV you have the power to take a break on your own terms, pausing the film.

With all these tips you can make a night in with a movie even better than going to the movie theater. Your time together will be quality, comfortable, affordable and entertaining.

Tags: concession stand prices, harry potter film, toy story 3

Excellent Home Theater System Ideas

Sun, 08 May 2011 21:33:12 +0000

Are you someone who loves surprises? I bet you are! There is nothing like being surprised with something that you love. Well if you love surprises, I have one for you. Close your eyes and walk with me as I take you into a fabulous showroom. Don’t open your eyes yet! Now, remember how much you like surprises then open your eyes. It’s more beautiful than you could have ever imagined, right? You’re looking at the brand new home theater system of your dreams! Okay, now wake up because you ARE dreaming. You’re really at home sitting in front of a round-screen TV hooked up to your boom box that you’ve hung from the wall. But don’t feel discouraged; your dream doesn’t have to remain that if you don’t want it to. There are tons of great home theater systems available if you know where to look. And I’ve rounded up few ideas to help you begin your journey.

What are Home Theater Systems?

For those who are unaware of what home theater systems are, let me be the first to enlighten you. In the day and age of advanced technology, television has not failed to keep up. Where once upon a time you could only enjoy a great movie from the un-comfort of a movie theater, now you have the opportunity to bring the full theatrical experience to your home with these new systems that come complete with a screen, projector and surround sound speakers.

But what exactly are home theater systems? Unlike the movie theater, a home theater system can work within the parameters that you set for it, giving you a more flexible price range to work with when choosing components to create your custom theater. The biggest aspect of your home theater to take into consideration is your surround sound experience. This is because the point of creating a home theater is to get as close to the “real thing” as you can. Movies are produced to give a real feeling of being there, and the sound of cars crashing around you and people screaming from all directions is more realistic than them all coming from in front of you. Home surround sound speakers were created to reflect this sentiment and are a vital part of your home theater experience.

After the surround sound speakers comes the experience of a large picture, which is guaranteed through a projection image that is able to handle large displays without appearing pixilated. Once these components are brought together, your home theater experience can begin.

Finding Home Theater Systems that Work for You

Some people who are rather electronic-savvy like to piece together their own home theater systems based on the knowledge they have of high-quality separate components. However, if you’re a novice in the world of electronics then you might want to consider purchasing a home theater system that has already been pieced together for you. Once upon a time you would have had to visit the most expensive electronics stores in your area to find a quality home theater system, but now you can find them at some of the more basic and affordable electronic and appliance stores.

For example, you can purchase a reasonably-priced home theater system for less than $350 if you know where to look. The Sony – Bravia Home Theater System is one that is reasonably priced but guarantees to give you a full theater experience. It comes complete with a 5-disc DVD/CD/MP3 player, AM/FM tuner, 4 surround sound speakers, a center-channel speaker and a subwoofer. In addition to the typical DVD components of today, you will also find that this system has wireless-ready rear speakers to avoid tangling cables, a portable audio enhancer for superior sound quality, and a music/movie mode that adjusts the sound characteristics – not bad for $300. But this home theater system comes minus the projector and screen. If these are not things you’re looking for then you’re fine, but if you prefer more than you might want to look at a more expensive component that will incorporate the entire package. If you do choose to find the “whole enchilada,” however, you’ll want to make sure that you have the space in your home to accommodate all of these components – especially the huge projection screen and the distance ratio appropriate for a quality projection. If you have these details all straightened out, then you’ll be good to go!

While you can find what you want in a complete package for your home theater system, if you have a creative mind, you can actually create your own, especially if you think you already have one or more of the components and just need one or two more. To create your own basic, yet full, home theater system, it is suggested that you obtain the following: a large television that is at least 27 inches across, at least four quality speakers, a receiver that is able to divide the separate sounds into the four separate speakers, and the assurance that either your TV or receiver has surround sound capabilities. If you have these items, you don’t necessarily need the pull-down screen and projector to create your home theater experience; just a little imagination and a lot of wiring patience will suffice.

Finding excellent home theater systems used to be a bit of an arduous task, but with all of the wonderful options available, even an electronics novice can piece together a quality system that will make his home theater experience profound. If you are on the prowl for a system that will make your next viewing of Transformers (which is great in surround sound, by the way), or any other theatrical blockbuster, feel like you’re right there with them, then you might not have to spend thousands to make it happen. Just search your local electronics store for some of their mid-range home theater systems – and if you can, have them demo the system for you. You might find that they have just what you’ve been looking for.

Tags: home theater system, home theater systems, screen projector

TV Viewing Distance and Screen Placement in the Home Theater

Wed, 04 May 2011 14:03:02 +0000

The optimum TV screen size is directly related to the available viewing distance – but there are other factors as well that need to be taken into consideration.

Viewing Distance: Is it just a matter of personal preference?

Sit too close to your big screen TV and you will be able to see the image build-up structure – scanning lines or pixels forming the image – thus distracting your attention and spoiling your home theater experience. Yet, sit too far away, and the impact will be lost.

There are differing opinions on the best way to determine the optimum TV viewing distance for a specific screen size. Just go to the movie theater and you will soon realize that it is all a question of personal preference – some would sit at the very back. Others would go straight to the front row, as they prefer the bigger picture and a wider angle of view, while some would simply choose their seat randomly somewhere in between these two extremes.

The truth is that there are no scientific rules her. This does not mean that there aren’t any guidelines that you should follow when planning a big screen purchase or a would-be home theater room.

SMPTE Recommendations and the THX Certification standards:

The Society of Motion Pictures and Television Engineers (SMPTE) recommends that the screen size for home theater use should occupy a 30 degrees field of view – in the horizontal plan – for the audience. Alternatively, the ideal TV viewing distance should be such that the screen width occupies an angle of 30 degrees from the viewing position.

This 30-degrees viewing angle seems to have been accepted by many as the standard in home theater and motion picture viewing.

This SMPTE guideline is also in line with the THX certification standards in that these recommend that the back row of seats should have at least a 26 degrees viewing angle and while recommending an optimum viewing angle of 36 degrees.

It is believed that within these viewing angle limits, the viewer will get better immersed into the action movie itself.

Vision System limitations:

There is also the issue of TV viewing distance based on visual acuity. This does not represent the optimum viewing distance – rather, this relates to the maximum viewing distance beyond which some picture detail will be lost.

Technically speaking, visual acuity is a measure of the eye spatial resolving power and indicates the angular size of the smallest detail that a person visual system can resolve. A person with 20/20 (or 6/6 when expressed in meters) normal vision can resolve a spatial pattern separated by a visual angle of one minute of arc angle i.e. 1/60th of a degree, at the eye when viewed at 20 feet away. Expressed differently, a person with normal 20/20 vision is capable of identifying an object with a height of 1.76mm at 20 feet way.

In terms of TV viewing distances, these represent the point beyond which some of the picture detail will no longer be resolved by the viewer vision system.

So How Does All This Translate In Practical Terms?

A few rules-of-thumb can help put in practice the guidelines detailed above. These rules for viewing distance refer to the screen width rather than the screen diagonal and therefore apply to both 4:3 and 16:9 display formats.

A general rule for the TV viewing distance based on the SMPTE and visual acuity guidelines, is that the nearest TV viewing distance between you and your big screen TV should be limited to approximately twice the screen width (more precise 1.87 x screen width for a subtended angle of 30 degrees), while the furthest distance being no more than five times the width of your screen.

This rule of thumb should give you a fairly good approximation for your TV viewing distance. It does not necessarily represent the ideal home theater viewing distance but rather the limits within which your TV viewing distance should theoretically be out of the trouble zone.

In other words, move closer than twice the screen width size, and the picture scanning lines, pixels and any other video artifacts will become too visibly intrusive – leading to distractions that will spoil your movie watching experience. Move further away than 5 times the screen width and your vision system will no longer be able to resolve all the picture detail.

But…

It is also important to realize that these maximum and minimum viewing distances should be seen in the light of the video signal definition.

A fully resolved high definition TV (1080i, 1920×1080) supports a closer viewing distance than standard analog TV. Thus while twice the screen width would be the ideal TV viewing distance for a HDTV display, it would be a bit too close for standard TV; in the later case, a three times the screen width would be a better option.

Similarly, the five times the screen width as the maximum view distance, while more than adequate for a standard analog TV picture, is a bit too far away for a person to see the fine detail supported by a HDTV picture – a three to four times the screen width represents a more practical limit for the maximum viewing distance in the case of HDTV.

These rules-of-thumb work best with big screen TV sizes in the range 42-inches and over.

When it comes to the use of regular-size standard definition analog TVs in the home theater, i.e. up to 36″ / 40″ diagonal, the optimum viewing distance range is between 8 feet and 12 feet. TV sets smaller than 36-inches aren’t big enough to qualify for Home Theater use; their smaller screen size will not provide the desired impact on the viewer.

Vertical Angle of View & Screen Height:

For optimum viewing, the eyes of the viewer should be level with the center of the screen.

Maximum vertical angle of view: In those home theater set-ups where this is not possible, the SMPTE guidelines suggest that the maximum vertical angle measured at the seated eye height from the front row center seat to the top most part of the projected image should not exceed 35 degrees.

This does not represent the optimum viewing angle but rather the limit beyond which the viewer will be subject to an increased neck strain.

This maximum vertical angle limit is always measured from the front row as this represent the extreme angle of view.

Minimum angle of vision: While there do not appear to be any specific SMPTE or THX guidelines in this respect, yet studies have shown that if the screen size occupies less than 15 degrees of the viewer’s vertical field of view, than that image appears small.

Practical Considerations:

In a typical home theater set-up, you do not need to really worry about neither the maximum vertical angle of view, nor about the minimum vertical angle of vision for an effective movie theater experience.

If one were to adhere to the recommended TV viewing distance of twice the screen width (as further detailed above based on the SMPTE guideline of 30 degrees horizontal field of vision), you would automatically be complying with the minimum angle of vision. The reason being that there is a fixed relation between screen height and width in accordance to your home theater screen aspect ratio of either 16:9 or 4:3.

Further more, in a typical home theater setup, it would be very difficult to exceed the maximum vertical angle of view beyond which you will be subject to an increased neck strain.

Taking into account that most home theater rooms are approximately 10 feet (3m) high, the resultant vertical viewing angle is normal well within the maximum of 35 degrees detailed in the SMPTE guidelines – all you have to do is just remain within the twice the screen width guideline for your viewing distance.

Tags: home theater experience, horizontal plan, tv viewing distance

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