While winter weather can make going outside less than inviting, you can entertain your family indoors with your favourite movies and shows in a home theatre. With a little help, your theatre setup might make the cold a little more bearable. Here are six must-haves for your home theatre.

1. Theatre Seating

Comfortable leather recliners with cushy armrests are a staple of any home theatre. The amount of seats is reliant on the size of your space; viewers shouldn’t feel too cramped. Also, the distance you place them from your screen depends on the screen’s size. An easy way to determine seat distance is to take the horizontal length of your screen and multiply it by two to get the minimum distance. Multiply it by five to get the maximum distance. For example: A 60-inch screen would have a minimum distance of 120 inches, or ten feet and a maximum distance of 300 inches, or 25 feet.

2. Video Projector

Installing a quality video projector can ensure that you and your viewers enjoy the best picture possible. Pay attention to the projector’s throw distance, or the distance at which it should be placed away from your screen. Also, consider how far down you should hang your projector and at what angle to tilt it. Most projectors have vertical lens shift, which allows you to adjust the projection regardless of how you mount your projector. For those who don’t, hang your projector with an extension pipe so that you can adjust the hanging distance to perfect the projected image.

3. Projector Screen and Lighting

For screen placement, pick a wall where light does not fall on it directly. You can even paint your walls a dark colour to avoid glare. Mount the screen on your wall so the bottom is between two or three feet off the ground. This helps every seat in your theatre achieve the perfect view. Try adding dimmable overhead lights to add an authentic cinema feeling.

4. Surround Sound

The most common speaker system for home theatres is 5.1 surround sound. This six-speaker system is compromised of five full-range speakers and one low-range speaker known as the woofer. The ideal setup for 5.1 surround sound is three speakers and the woofer toward the front of the room, with the remaining two on either side of the back end of the room. Place each speaker at least 20 inches from the wall. If six speakers seem excessive, try a simple three speaker setup with a speaker in front of your screen and two others to the left and right.

5. Sound Paneling and Acoustics

Rectangular windowless rooms generally have better acoustics than square ones, but you might not be able to remodel just for your home theatre. Sound absorption panels to prevent echoes, although standard dry wall paneling is usually adequate acoustic material for home theatres. Installing carpeting may also improve the acoustics of your in-home theatre and ad a level of comfort for viewers.

6. Mini Fridge

Keep a small refrigerator in your home theatre and stock it with refreshments that are easily accessible. After all, you won’t have to stand in line and worry about missing your movie when you’re home. You may also want to stock old movie favourites like popcorn and candy in a non-refrigerated unit in the theatre. Just don’t eat too loudly during the movie.

With these home theatre features, being snowed in this winter might not seem so bad!