What is the definition of a home cinema ?

[Steve Lee]

I know that this is a strange question to ask, but what is a home cinema ?
I started thinking about this the other day, after being invited to see someone's "home cinema" that turned out to be nothing more than a television.

You can flick through glossy home cinema publications, all of them telling you what overpriced televisions to buy, that gives you the true cinematic experience. But surely this is not a cinema.

If you paid good money to go to a cinema/movie theatre, and walked through the doors to find a television hanging there. You would feel a bit short changed.

So what in this crazy world that we live in now is the definition of a cinema now ?
The answers that you get by googling this are as much use as a fart in a spacesuit, in some cases that you can have a cinema experience on your mobile phone!

My own logical thoughts are that it must be a projected image, be it from a disc or from a physical film source, with a lamp and optical system. Otherwise what are we teaching to next generations.

I would be interested to hear your thoughts on this.
Steve.

[Mike Newell]

To summarise watch Armchair Odeons for answer everyone has different tastes and needs.

Having a home cinema is the natural development of the film collecting hobby. That said it is amazing how many serious big collectors are content with a fridge door or temporary tripod in the living room.

[Osi Osgood]

That is actually a good question. I would think that, technically, a home cinema is a place specifically designated for the presentation of theatrical films. Now that would also, in my opinion, include all of those things that create the "ambiance" of the theatrical experience.

[Graham Sinden]

I totally agree with Osi.

And to me a Home Cinema doesn't have to have a projected image, it can simply be a large TV. As long as it is a dedicated room to watch films with nice seating and blackout windows it can serve as a home cinema.

[Joerg Polzfusz]

Even some real cinemas are now using larger TVs instead of projectors. So it’s basically up to you to decide whether your home cinema needs film projection, video projection or just a TV. Here in Germany, according to the commercials(!), it’s sufficient to have a separate Dolby 5.1 or 7.1 system with some loudspeakers to turn your TV into a „home cinema“… panta rhei…
https://www.chip.de/news/Das-Kino-de...143741151.html

[Graham Ritchie]

To qualify as a "home cinema" you will need one of those....


plus one of these

[Chip Gelmini]

I also agree with Osi.
the best films
the best gear
within your means
and most of all
the absolute pride & dedication of
1000% SHOWMANSHIP

IT IS WHAT YOU MAKE OF IT

I look forward to Paul Adsett's opinion on this subject 😊

[Paul Adsett]

Just my opinion of course, but to qualify for a home cinema you must be equipped for film projection, after all the word cinema is derived from cinematograph.
A home theater however can be just digital, but you must have front projection in a darkened room, a flat panel TV just does not hack it. From there, you need a really large screen with masking provision for all the various film aspect ratios, and of course a good surround sound system. The sky's the limit in terms of room design, decor, and furniture. As for showmanship, well I think Chip is the very definition of that word (see My visit to Chip Gelmini's Home cinema in the Screening Rooms section of this forum_

[Alan Myers]

I think it's what you want to do,
It can be as basic as a cine projector on a table one end, and a tri pod screen and speaker the other, or, if you really want to go for it, i think this guy blows most forum out the water with this one, It's like a model railway, all you need is an oval layout with a siding and a small station, and you have a model railway, not a train set, I've never tried to mimic a cinema but I do have a dedicated room which I am more than happy with.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/250227...toke-on-trent/

[Mike Newell]

It’s nice Alan but I prefer a smaller more homely setting. Imagine sitting there on your own. Especially trying to heat it with heating prices these days.

The Spence boys were the biggest home cinemas over here. Both twins have cinemas.


https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/t...and/index.html

[Steven J. Kirk]

Dedicated room, projected image and full blackout, no TV channels but boxed sets I'll allow, so you could say only playback... I think it is important that you have made a choice to watch a specific thing. No channel-hopping.

[Lee Mannering]

Entertaining people and also yourself. Oh, plus 1 Eumig, 1 Elmo GS1200 and a 4K projector for good measure.
Only problem is, once you get into 4k projection you will probably spend a small fortune on extra sound gear and a top end laptop to manage the video files for ads etc. Good fun tho.

[Chip Gelmini]

WHAT DEFINES SHOWMANSHIP?

Let’s begin by going to the movies at your nearby theater. It’s automated, so everything should naturally occur. If the staff is paying attention they can solve issues if there are any.

Houselights will be full bright before the show begins. After which, they go down half way. People who have come early have something to watch. And those arriving late can see to find seating. At the end of trailers, the lights go down to a warm glow and remain there for the course of the show. As credits start at the end they are up half way. Those who wish to leave can see to exit – and those who wish to remain and read credits or listen to the musical score can do so. At the end of the credits the lights return to full bright as the machinery shuts down and the cycle begins again for the next show.

Attention to detail regarding everything else defines showmanship. Inspect your prints. Make sure your splicers are in good shape. And be certain to clean a splicer once in a while as well. A modified paper clip will be enough to poke through the perforation holes of the Ciro Guillotine splicer to clean out those pesky punch outs from the perforations. A clogged matrix results in a sticky gummed up splice and that can lead to loop loss and film skip.

Splices should be made good and strong. A splice that curves or bends at the point where the two frames meet is good. A splice that folds is not. It’s that simple.

Thread properly. If doing changeovers # 8 should be positioned directly outside of the insert roller before the top sprocket. At 24fps gives 6 seconds to picture past the sound head stabilization roller. Everything is up to speed and smooth. Assuming your machines are serviced with good strong belts.

Learn the difference between volume of sound and quality of sound. Volume is basically just that. Quality is feeling the T-Rex attack in your chest from the original Jurassic Park as it roars or stomps it’s giant feet. Quality of sound means proper speakers to handle the demand – and Dolby channel hiss tests done several times per year to make sure all channels are at the same level to achieve proper sound. Quality of sound is making sure your sub-woofer isn’t cranked to high but rather just enough to give minimum low frequency rumble whereas your left and right woofers from main channels will add to that. The correct mix of low and higher bass can be amazing!

I worked in theaters for 35+ years and these are some of the things I learned. Back then it was mostly automated and I was there to correct issues. But here at home it is only manual and I am like a machine standing behind my equipment running my shows. It is these steps which results in the presentation that Paul and his Grandson received when they visited my house in late December.

Learn what you can and do what you can and achieve better standards. That’s all I do here. And that, among other things, defines showmanship………

[Ken Finch]

I think what Osi said is the correct answer. A dedicated dark room is necessary to provide the correct atmosphere for what films were designed for. It is actually an example how words seem to change their meanings in the passage of time. Cinemas were originally called cinema theatres and films were designed to be shown in that setting. Likewise we still watch “films” on Dvds etc but most of them these days did not originate on film! Even as a teenager, I displayed the 9.5 films via my Pathe ACE on a screen fitted inside a proscenium with curtains. It stood on the living room sideboard, even had coloured lights! I had very supportive parents. Today, my home cinema is built in a large cedar wood chalet and is as far as possible a mini replica of an ABC Cinema Theatre. It also has some tip up seats. At the very least a dedicated darkened room is “the bare necessities” Ken Finch😉

[Osi Osgood]

... and Chip's statement comes from Chip, a longtime, professional projectionist! Now, don't get me wrong, 4K does look great, but it's just cold, but it's a "chill" that only hits me because, a. I have already been exposed to the reel thing, Cine. b. 4K or video projection only comes into play because, quite frankly, I am personally being downright lazy. Cine is the activity of those that could have it easy, but enjoy all the extra effort. In the TV show, "Father Ted", the housemaid, Mrs. Doyle, is being told about the benefits of an automatic tea Brewer. The salesman states, " It takes all the misery out of making the tea.". Mrs. Doyle states him in the face and says ... "Maybe I like the misery!"