Is Going Out to the Movies Becoming a Drag?
Avoid Common Movie-Watching Issues with a Home Theater Installation
It’s no secret that commercial theaters have lost their luster. Ticket sales were already declining from 2000 to 2019, from 5 visits per person per year in 2000 to about 3.7 in 2019. There was an obvious plummet in sales over the next two years, but even by 2023, that number only went back to 2.47. The verdict is in: people prefer watching content at home.
A recent poll found that only 32% of people prefer to watch movies in theaters. Of the respondents, 45% preferred streaming, and another 21% opted for cable TV. Why is that shift happening? It’s likely a combination of two things. The viewing experience at home is improving while the cinema experience is becoming worse and more expensive.
We wanted to dig deeper into what is driving people away and show you how to get a better experience in your Charlotte, NC, home with a professional home theater installation.
SEE MORE: Is Your Home Theater System Up to Par for Your Entertainment?
Complaint #1: The Inconvenience
The number one reason people don’t want to go to the movies is that it’s no longer a fun experience. You have to deal with blocked views, noisy patrons, long trailers and commercials, uncomfortable temperatures, unclean theaters, and inconvenient play times.
You don’t have to worry about any of those things (except maybe the noisy kids) at home. As part of your home theater installation, we’ll incorporate intuitive controls. Watch when you want with a “Movie” scene that dims the lights, adjusts the thermostat, powers up the projector, and pulls up your go-to streaming service. Plus, you get to pause for bathroom breaks at your leisure!
Complaint #2: Bad Audio and Video Quality
In the past, many home theater companies boasted they could recreate the cinema experience at home. Now, a professional installation should be expected to exceed that, not just match it. As AV technology improves in home theaters, commercial ones often rely on outdated equipment, resulting in common audio and video issues.
The audio has one-dimensional, flat sound and inconsistent volume levels (especially in pre-movie commercials or action scenes). Many theaters have poor acoustics that cause uneven sound and sound leaking in from surrounding rooms. Video screens are often dim (if not torn), severely affecting image quality.
We take steps to address these issues directly. High-performance speakers are strategically placed to deliver even coverage, and you have the power to adjust the volume to your liking. We’ll even create different audio modes for different types of content (optimize bass for action movies and dialogue for period pieces). For video, we calibrate your projector and use ambient light-rejecting screens to avoid washed-out images.
Complaint #3: Lack of Options
Have you noticed there are few good movies for you to watch in theaters? You’re not the only one. Due to economic factors and the preference for streaming, studios are more selective about which movies get a theatrical release and which go straight to streaming. They’ll prioritize big-budget blockbusters over smaller projects.
You have a better chance of finding a great movie to watch at home. As part of our theater installation, we’ll connect various sources so it’s easy to find what you want. From the same device you use to control lighting and the thermostat, you can pull up Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, Disney Plus, or your Blu-ray player.
Make movie night extraordinary! Call us today or fill out our contact form to transform your viewing experience and enjoy movies like never before—right at home.
