Technical Requirements (Audio Non Interference)
Given the heavy dependence on accent lighting in home theater environments,
low voltage lighting is an obvious choice. When choosing a low voltage system, ensure
that you are buying a quality system that has RF noise suppression built in.
Electronic and magnetic transformers run at different frequencies and some
inexpensive varieties will produce high or low level line noise. These transformers
may also produce a physical hum if the wrong dimmer control type is used.
Installation Considerations (Dealing with Common Home Theater Obstructions)
Home theater lighting is often an afterthought. As such, many home theater owners find
themselves trying to install lighting at the 11th hour without disrupting acoustic
damper screens along the ceiling or without obstructing the image light from a
ceiling-mounted single gun projector.
There are two contemporary lighting solutions that are so effective in mitigating
these problems today that they warrant specific mention.
Cable lighting systems
require minimal ceiling support hardware and may be powered from a single point in
either the front or back of the theater room. Each transformer will typically power
from 6 to 15 accent fixtures (depending on the selected lamp wattage) along a cable
run. Cable lighting systemfixtures
use low-voltage MR16 or AR111 lamps. Both of these lamp
types allow precision beam control and produce crisp, pure-white light. These
systems are very thin…they won’t obstruct sound information produced by speakers
mounted higher up on walls etc. Cable systems are typically installed to run front
to back in a theater room. This eliminates projected image obstruction concerns
while allowing ideal lighting down each side of the home theater room.
Another popular home theater lighting solution is
low voltage monorail lighting.
These systems may be mounted close to the ceiling or suspended at almost any height
below it using simple wire supports. Monorail systems offer many of the same
lighting benefits as cable, but may be shaped into gentle design elements such
as ‘S’ curves or longer arcs and may easily be powered from an existing ceiling
junction box.
The lighting in your home theater may never be as important as your choice of
speakers, but proper lighting will help to ensure your home theater is enjoyable,
attractive and easy to use.
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