There is nothing like popping some popcorn, cuddling up on the couch with the family, and enjoying a fun movie. It might be time to amplify your movie night experience to give you that true home theater feel. It’s not as expensive as it used to be to create a theater in your home.
Project That Screen
Big TVs are getting less expensive by the day, but if you want a true theater-sized screen, you need to use a projector. You can create a 120-inch image on a white wall or screen in 4K resolution without breaking the bank. My favorite is the BenQ TK800M 4K projector. Find it online for about $1,300 and it puts out a crystal clear, bright picture. Even with some light coming in from the windows, the picture still looked good connected to a smart TV box playing a 4K movie. It has a speaker built-in, which was usable but not amazing.
Turn Up the Volume
I have yet to find a projector or TV that has great sound built in. They all try but often miss, and if you want that fun at-home theater experience you’ll need to add speakers. Digital soundbars are amazing these days, and you can get awesome sound for under $500. I recommend the Samsung HW-Q60R soundbar, which also includes a subwoofer. It’s about $400 and sounds amazing for the price. The newest soundbars use directional technology that simulates full surround sound without actually placing speakers around your room. It’s a great theater experience without the hassle or cost of a full surround system.
4K Set-Top Box
A 4K digital projector doesn’t make much sense unless you have a 4K smart TV box to power it. If you’re an Apple user, you can’t go wrong with the Apple TV 4K for $180. The App Store has all the apps you’d expect and can play any shows or movies you’ve already purchased on your iPhone or iPad. Otherwise, my favorite smart TV box is the Nvidia Shield TV for $150. It runs Android and supports 4K on most streaming services. You can find most apps you’d expect inside the Google Play Store. It also has enough power to play games in 4K on that 120-inch screen.
If you have a spare room in your house, this tech can help you build an experience your kids will love.
