American AV has had the pleasure of working with hundreds of homeowners and builders across the United States to design and build custom screening rooms on all scales. We have THX and ISF-certified technicians on staff to create visually stunning spaces for our clients to enjoy. A small sampling of our work is showcased below to give you an idea of some of the possibilities we can design and build for you.
We can design every aspect of your theater from theme to finish, or if you have a theme in mind you can work with one of our interior designers to realize that theme. We will engineer the Audio Visual electronic elements to create a realistic environment. All our theaters are designed with control systems from RTI which give you total control and ease of usability.
THEMES
The best way to start your new theater is with a theme. A theme can be anything, a childhood memory, a favorite movie, a favorite genre, or even a favorite moment in history, such as the Roman Empire or Victorian era. Picking a theme gives us a starting point for the layout, materials, and furnishings that will give your theater that feeling you desire. With the theme in mind, we can create every detail of your imagination, like limestone columns ( actually made from foam, or real granite if you like), fishtanks in the wall for the undersea feel, or Michelangelo-like paintings on the ceiling like the Sistine Chapel.
AUDIO IMPACTS
Audio components are typically completely invisible yet completely immersive. The whiz of The Matrix car chases flying by, Die Hard explosions shaking your seats, or the crisp clear vocals of Julie Andrews in the Sound of Music will make you feel like you are on the grassy hilltop with her. THX-certified theater components are a must with the latest in DOLBY Digital and other sound processing installed in every theater. In times past we once would install 18″ square boxes to achieve those low-frequency effects, but thanks to modern technology, subwoofers can be concealed in walls, achieving that same dramatic effect without the unsightly equipment.
VIDEO DISPLAY
With the increase in size and reduced cost of LED displays, many people are making the switch from traditional projectors to brighter 4K LED panels. Another alternative is the new Ultra Short Throw Laser technology. These projectors typically sit within 7-10 from the wall and can either be projected directly onto a flat wall or can be projected onto a screen from the backside. These projectors can carry the same brightness with real 4K resolution, and when installed to project, onto a screen from a rear projection location, we can provide a 147″ image!
Of course, nothing can replace that classic feel of the front projector, onto a crystal clear Steward star glass screen. The front projector can fit into any theater design and can be used to project on to 30′ screen from as far back as 80-100′ (for those folks who want a really big theater).
ACOUSTICS
Acoustic clarity in a theater environment is fundamental. Most rooms start with 4 square walls and a flat ceiling which is the best possible scenario for an echo chamber, but not for your ideal theater. We take this into consideration when implementing your themes, speaker layout, and furnishings. We use a number of designs and materials to soften those echoes and cancel out any reverberation.
As mentioned before, we may make a Roman era limestone column out of foam to break up flat wall surfaces, or step layer a soffit to break up a flat ceiling. Carpet, acoustic panels, or dramatic curtains will also be used to pad those large expanses of a flat wall.
LIGHTING
Lighting not only adds light to the room but also accentuates the theme and mood of the theater. Iron and bronze and glass wall sconces give theaters that classic look, while some bright blue LED in the soffit will give the theater a bit more of a futuristic look. Or LED under steps and along the edge of the room give the theater the classic lighting look of classic theaters, leading the way to the snack bar. UP lighting or down lighting can accentuate a column or lighting in the fish tank walls make you feel like NEMO.
CONTROL SYSTEM
The control system is an integral part of any theater system. Theater components (unless integrated as part of the theme) are typically located in a remote room somewhere and are not convenient to manipulate from the main theater area. RTI control systems are Ipad bring the control to you in your seat. Every mechanized aspect of your theater can be controlled from here your lights, blinds, climate, audio levels, image controls, and even stream a movie or youtube video directly from the Ipad. We always provide an inductive and protective sleeve and docking station so you never have to worry about plugging in your Ipad again.