Several years ago, having a dedicated home theater was a hallmark of a luxury home. Many homeowners want to enjoy the cinematic viewing experience from the comfort of their own sofas, and today’s home theaters provide homeowners with immersive experiences and personalized controls. The future is bright for home theater technology, and Origin HiFi is here to help you explore the top home theater tech trends.
Soundbars & Subwoofers
Typical TV speakers aren’t powerful enough to handle the high and low-frequency ranges that create the genuine cinematic experience. If your home theater doesn’t have a surround-sound system, purchasing a soundbar and subwoofer setup should do the trick. Smaller soundbars, like the JBL Bar Studio, can increase the quality of the dialogue and sound effects. If you’re looking for theatric immersion, the Sonos Beam will transport you into the movie scene. Adding a subwoofer will fill the low-frequency gaps to ensure you get the total experience.
Wireless Connectivity
Gone are the days of cluttered spaces due to tangled cords and cables. We’re living in the golden age of wireless technology thanks to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Now, it’s easier than ever to directly stream anything you’d like from your phone or computer to your home theater system. However, some homeowners still prefer to use cables for more reliable connections, and our team at Origin HiFi can organize your cables into an orderly setup that’s out of the way. We anticipate that cords will soon become a thing of the past, and wireless technology that’s more efficient and user-friendly will take over.
Ambient Lighting
Ambient lighting can alter the mood of your home theater to feel like you’re at the cinema. LED lights and other technologies can create an effect that matches the tone of what you’re watching. Create low, warm lighting for a romantic comedy, or immerse your room in complete darkness for a suspense film. We know ambient lighting solutions will grow in sophistication, perhaps with sensors that automatically brighten or dim your lighting based on the movie scene. Film producers could even begin to release customized lighting settings or programs that correlate with movies for a new level of immersion.
Virtual Reality
Virtual Reality (VR) has transformed the media experience by directly immersing people in the action of a virtual world. VR has been popular with games, but it’s possible to revolutionize the home theater experience with VR. Instead of simply watching a Marvel movie, you will be in a battle alongside your favorite superheroes. This technology could make movies even more engaging by allowing you to view them from a different perspective and spot things you hadn’t noticed in previous watches. VR is still in the early stages, but as it becomes more available, we anticipate home theater enthusiasts will be eager to take on this technology.
8K Resolution
8K screens and projectors have newly entered the home theater scene but are quickly becoming the standard. The resolution grants four times the number of pixels compared to 4K resolution and sixteen times as many as Full HD resolution. This results in an incredibly sharp image that makes even the tiniest details visible on large screens, with vivid color accuracy and contrast that immerses you in the action. Although 8K content is limited, it will become more available in upcoming years with more media companies ready to release content in 8K resolution.
Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is growing in popularity throughout the home automation industry, and we anticipate it will make its mark in home cinema before long. Voice command assistants like Amazon Alexa and Google Home allow users to operate the audio, screen, and lighting with a simple voice command. AI could help analyze viewing habits to more accurately suggest ideal movies and TV shows based on your preferences. Based on your genre of choice, AI could also automatically adjust your audio levels for stronger bass in sci-fi or a more toned-down volume for horror films.
Smart Home Integration
Smart home integration allows users to operate multiple aspects of their home theaters and other home features from a centralized station, which may take the form of a paired application or a voice assistant like Amazon Alexa. We believe an integrated and automated home is one of the best ways to have a seamless experience. For example, you can set your system to automatically dim the lights when you begin a movie or lower the temperature when everyone leaves for school or work for the day.
These are just a few trends and predictions for technology in home theaters. Luckily, it’s possible to invest in these solutions today. With an installation from a professional company like Origin HiFi, you’ll be able to enjoy a home theater experience like never before. Our team makes it easy by handling the design and development plans, equipment acquisition, furnishing and trim, construction management, and the programming and calibration of your home theater; all you have to do is sit back and relax. Contact us today to begin!