If you are in the planning stages of finishing your basement with the ultimate goal of a home theater room, there are two very important things to consider: lighting and acoustics. In fact, the lighting and acoustics in a room are the most crucial components of a home theater. Fortunately, since you are in the planning stages of laying out your finished basement, you'll be able to ensure that the lighting and acoustics are optimal for your viewing and listening pleasure. Here's what you need to know.

Lighting

The first type of lighting to consider is natural lighting. One of the best areas for home theaters is in a basement that doesn't have any windows. However, according to your local building codes, you may be required to install an egress window or a small window. If you haven't already done so, be sure to consult with your local building code authority to know what is required and what needs to be avoided regarding finishing your basement. In most municipalities, a building permit is required when finishing a basement and creating additional living areas.

Of course, when immersed in your home theater room, the last thing you'll want is a glare on the screen or light causing you to be unable to see the movie or television show clearly. A home theater room must be dark for the best effect, which can still be achieved even if you are required to have a window due to building codes. Simply cover the window with a room-darkening material or apply a dark window film static cling, either of which can be purchased from any home improvement store.

Another thing to consider when you are in the planning stages of your basement remodeling is the electrical lighting. Install a lighting system that is fully automated. Consult with your home theater system crew if you'd like to customize the basement lighting with an automated system that will be connected directly to the home theater system. That way, when you start a movie, the window shades will automatically close and the room lighting will automatically darken.

Acoustics

You may need to think back to your younger days and try to recall the lessons your learned in school about how sound travels and how it is affected by reverberation and absorption. Sound travels in waves and bounces off of hard surfaces or gets absorbed by soft surfaces, or any combination thereof. This is why you see heavy drapes along the walls and thick carpeting on the floors of movie theaters. It's all about controlling the sound after it leaves the speakers so the sound can reach your ears and be clear.

The size of the room affects the acoustics of the room. While there are ways to deal with the reflection, absorption, and diffusion of sounds after a room is built, the optimal way to get the right acoustics for a home theater is by designing a room that is the correct size for the type of sounds that are typical for a home theater and the sound quality that your home theater system will produce. There are actually mathematical equations for calculating the reverberation of sounds in various room sizes.

Therefore, consult with your home theater system installation service before determining the room size for your home theater based on the acoustics the room will produce, regardless of the quality of the speakers, subwoofers, and other equipment in the sound system. Essentially, the backbone of all sound systems is the acoustical ability of the room. The acoustics is necessary to take into consideration, and that largely depends on the room size and the location of the seating.

Contact an installation team like A Tech Security to learn more about creating your own home theater.