Now You Can Feel Like A Hollywood Studio Executive In Your Private Screening Room: Technology Trends in Home Theaters

Their doorbell rings. The neighbors stand outside the home theater. They are carrying a bottle of wine and a box of biscotti to pair with the cappuccino and lattes lined up at the serving table. 

It’s movie night at the Spencer house. Dave, the master of ceremonies, orders the voice-activated system to drop the hidden 100-inch viewing screen from the ceiling. 

In response, it moves downward in a smooth and silent descent. Then, it disappears again behind a flashy red curtain. Once in place, it rejects ambient light and produces a clear and crisp image in 4K Ultra HD resolution. 

The compact but powerful projector emerges into view behind the audience as Skyler gratefully accepts the baked goods from Dave’s wife, Sarah Henderson. 

She places them on the long table with the stocked coffee bar. First, the machine quietly grinds whole beans into ground coffee. Then, the aromatic launch sequence kicks in, delivering a cup of coffee so flawless it would be the envy of baristas everywhere.  

Dave tells his digital assistant to dim the lights and open the curtains, which part in the middle like in a big commercial theater. The audio signature of the lead production company comes to life, delivering an immersive, professional sound with such fidelity and force that it shakes the theater and elicits a gasp from the audience. 

Motorized blackout shades and custom lighting controls diminish ambient light in the room. In addition, the spatial video audio is so realistic that footsteps get louder as the characters walk closer to the viewer. 

It’s not a stormy night, but a thunderclap in the movie is so vivid that their Golden Retriever barks and bolts toward a door on the other side of the room. 

Before the pandemic, homeowners' viewed home theaters as a trendy and expensive luxury that had fallen out of fashion.  But that changed when millions of people were sequestered in their homes. 

Suddenly, home theaters were all the rage again, breathing new life into the private cinema business with a vengeance. 

“Our clients want a fully immersive cinematic experience in their homes,” said Nigel Dessau, CEO of Bravas, the nation’s leading installer of luxury smart home systems. 

He said the technology is so advanced now that most 4k and 8k televisions are streaming at significantly lower levels of resolution. But at the high end there are workarounds to get the most of your equipment. 

Like in commercial theaters, Kaleidescape delivers an identical copy of the studio master audio in Dolby Atmos or DTS:X. “With an audio bitrate ten times higher than streaming services, it drastically elevates the output of your processor, amplifiers and speakers,” Dessau said. 

Consumer reviews gush about the difference in quality the technology delivers, referring to “ground shaking rumbles” and “the transporting power of each subtle sound.”

From an interior design standpoint, regular contributor Karen Mills told Life In Style that people want their home theaters to reflect their personal style. “One client wanted to recreate the golden age of movies in the twenties in Art Deco, a genre of architecture and design that first appeared in France just before the first World War,” she said. 

“Another client was a trekkie and wanted it to look like the Starship Enterprise. He was Captain Kirk and his wife was Spock.” Use your imagination. The design possibilities are endless. 

A professional popcorn machine from a commercial restaurant supply and dramatically oversized movie posters enhance the moviegoing experience. Maybe it's a stretch to refer to walking down the hallway to your private movie theater as “going” to a movie but it's as close as you can get. 

With all the amenities, from the tricked-out luxury recliners with wine glass caddies, tablet holders, reading lights, built-in adjustable neck pillows, and wireless charging mounts, to the velvet rope and Oscar night style carpet,  it feels real. 

With no ambient light and soundproof walls, doors, and ceilings, it's so close to the big theaters you will be tempted to open up a box office in your kitchen and charge for entry. 

You need black-out shades in moderate home theaters,  but windows are conspicuously absent in the dedicated spaces you will find at the most affluent houses. 

Rich Liston, owner of AVIES Tech, a video, audio, information, and entertainment systems integrator, says soundproofing is key to delivering the authentic theatrical experience. He recently installed a home theater at a mansion and used Rockwool soundproof insulation, double drywall, and an air gap to eliminate distortion.  

“The trend for hiding equipment like amplifiers, equalizers, and processors in a utility closet has been going strong for years. But as people invest in higher-end speakers, they want to see them on display. It gives the theater a sound stage feel.” 

Through the pandemic, spending more time at home encouraged consumers to look for technology that made their lifestyle healthier, eased the burden of repetitive chores, and made downtime more gratifying. 

These home product trends accelerated the adoption of devices running on artificial intelligence, from kitchen appliances, fitness apps, and wearables to speakers, digital security systems, and televisions.

Although he acknowledges that many smart devices make sense for voice activation on Google Home and Amazon Echo, Liston draws a line in the sand at the universal remote. “Talking to the remote control is awkward and clumsy.”

The increased adoption of voice-activated devices, combined with fiber-powered broadband, is the driving force behind home entertainment trends as consumers demand more sophisticated capabilities, enhanced convenience, and richer experiences. 

“But it can also enhance the security in your home, offsetting any increase in homeowner insurance rates by lowering your liability for loss,” said Scott Coffman from AHI Insurance. 

More voice-activated devices are entering the market every day, changing how people control and interact with technology. For example, entertainment-related consumer goods products are now often compatible with voice assistants, enabling users to command multiple connected devices verbally from a single hub. 

And this is no fad. On the contrary, sales of voice-controlled devices saw explosive growth of almost 61% in 2020, making them one of the year's best sellers. With more time at home, people are looking for ways to improve their home and leisure time, often investing in new entertainment products with higher budgets than in previous years. 

Innovation and performance have dominated home entertainment trends in recent years, as consumers favor having fewer, higher-quality entertainment products in their homes. 

Take laser projectors with red, blue, and green lasers that can natively distribute a wide range of more natural, detailed, and brighter colors. Also, unlike the old bulb projectors you used at school, they start up almost immediately, and you rarely need to replace them.

Meanwhile, global sales of high fidelity soundbars with the new Dolby Atmos Surround Sound technology offer a more cinematic experience. As a result, sales doubled to $311 million in the first half of 2021, compared to the same period a year earlier.

"When we place speakers strategically and discreetly, it will blow you away. Music will suddenly surround you and follow you. No volume hotspots. No dead zones. Just total immersion in the soundtrack of your life," said Liston.

Theaters that constantly strive to give their guests the best living room experience with luxury seating, like those found on airplanes in first-class, have nothing on home theater seating.  

Ironically, before the pandemic, theaters tried so hard to make you feel like you were watching a movie in your living room. Three years later, you’re in your living room trying to feel like you’re watching a film in the theater. 

“The consumer can get a billion dollars worth of films for $4.99 a month. Thanks to Warner, they don’t even need to wait three days for Hollywood to release them,” said Eric Keith, a film aficionado and president of SPACEMOB.  HIs independent studio produces original content for Netflix, SamsungTV, and other streamers. 

For less than a cup of coffee at Starbucks, users have access to an extensive library of films that includes new releases, classic titles, and the most popular TV shows. 

While some may lament the imminent demise of the commercial movie theater experience, it is undeniable that home theaters have never been closer to the original. About the only thing that's missing is the $10 candy bars. And those long lines. 

Life in Style, the weekly Publication from Team Real Estate brokered by eXp helps homeowners make more inspired decisions about their homes and lifestyles. It features original news, commentary, tips, and analysis from leading industry experts. To be considered for inclusion in future stories, email [email protected].