Creating a true home cinema is not just about buying a TV – it’s about crafting a fully immersive experience. From the size and shape of the room to lighting, and where to position your speakers or soundbars – there are a few things to consider! Whether you’re a die-hard film fan or just love a weekend blockbuster with the family, we’ve got the tips and tech to bring the thrill of the big screen to your very own living room. Ready to get into the details? Cue the action…
Set the scene
First things first – where’s your home cinema going to go? The shape of the room can make a huge difference. Ideally, it’s best to avoid square rooms for two main reasons:
You’ll need enough space to fit your equipment while still sitting at a comfortable distance from the screen.
Square rooms can interfere with sound balance, as the sound from your main speakers (or sound bar) needs room to project out from the TV. If you’re sitting too close to your main speakers, they can overpower your satellite speakers – more on this later!
As a guide, a medium-sized room around 10ft x 12ft would work well. If you have a much bigger space, something close to 16ft x 23ft is ideal for a cinematic setup.
Lights – then camera, action!
Lighting plays a huge role in creating an immersive home cinema experience. We suggest choosing a room with fewer windows, as less light coming in means less annoying glare on the screen! If you’re working with a bright room, thicker curtains or blackout blinds are a must to block out the external light.
Finding the right sound system for the room
Half the magic of a great movie? The sound! If it’s the ultimate at-home cinema experience you’re after, a powerful surround sound setup is a must. As one of the most important investments to consider, it’s useful to understand what the numbers mean when looking for the right surround sound system for you. The most popular layout is ‘5.1’, here’s what the numbers mean:
The first number = number of speakers
The second number = number of subwoofers
For example, a 7.1 setup would have 7 speakers and 1 subwoofer. Each speaker has a different job:
Front speakers (2) – Sit on either side of your TV and are responsible for most of the sound.
Centre speaker (1) – A relatively small speaker that sits in between the two front speakers, its main job is to handle the dialogue.
Satellite speakers (2+) – Placed around the room and responsible for putting the ‘surround’ in surround sound.
Subwoofer (1) – Adds depth and deep bass to booming explosion sounds and dramatic soundtracks that bring a scene to life.
In terms of top brands, Sony, Bose, LG, Sonos, and Samsung all make home cinema systems and soundbars. We suggest testing a few out to see what’s right for you, so why not pop into store and have a chat with one of our expert colleagues for more home cinema ideas! They’ll be able to help you find the right system to fit your space.
Finding the right TV
Now that you’ve got your room, lighting and sound sorted – it’s time to talk TVs. Choosing a new TV can feel overwhelming at first, to make it easier we have complied a handful of things you should look for below.
OLED vs. LED: What’s the difference?
The main difference with an OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) screen is that each pixel generates its own light, unlike standard LED TVs. That means:
True blacks and vivid colours – each tiny pixel is controlled independently so you get vibrant, rich colours and deeper blacks on screen.
Ultra-thin screens – because there’s no need for the screen to be backlit using a separate LED panel, some TVs measure just 4mm thick.
Better viewing angles – because the pixels emit their own light, you also get better viewing angles with minimal distortion.
More energy efficient – Traditional LED TVs need the backlight to be on all the time, OLED screens just send power to the pixels that need it.
Should you choose 4K or 8K?
For most home cinema setups, 4K Ultra HD TVs is ideal. But if you’re aiming for the ultimate viewing experience, 8K TVs are an option seriously worth considering!
4K screens pack in four times as many pixels in than a Full HD 1080p TV, meaning you get sharper lines and crisper images. The difference is particularly noticeable on bigger TVs, and if you’re building your own home cinema setup, then you’ll likely be installing a big screen.
There isn’t much content available in 8K yet, but these TVs use clever upscaling technology which scans the image and adds pixels to reproduce each frame in a much higher resolution. 8K is also worth considering if you’re planning on installing a really big TV (65-inch or above). The bigger the TV, the more tightly packed you want the pixels.
Should I get a TV with HDR?
Short answer, yes. HDR (High Dynamic Range) gives a better picture with deeper blacks, more details and better colour reproduction - the key ingredients for making a good TV picture.
HDR gives you a much wider range of colour and contrast, meaning the TV can get much closer to replicating real-life. On a standard Full-HD screen you might see a dark area in the picture that just looks dark, but HDR picks out lots more detail in the darker areas giving you a better sense of depth.
Colours look a lot more natural too. On a standard TV colours can look washed out, you could turn up the colour settings, but this can make it look over-saturated. HDR expands the range of available colour, making it much better at reproducing the colour you see in the real world.
How to soundproof your home cinema
It’s a good idea to soundproof your cinema room as much as possible – especially if you live in an apartment or beside a neighbour. Adding things like acoustic panels, foam tiles, or even thick curtains can absorb the sound and make a big difference, so you can be fully immersed in the movie and keep your neighbours happy!
Streaming vs. physical media: What's best for home cinema?
Streaming services are convenient and great for ease, but if you’re all about quality, Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD discs are for you. And the best bit about physical media - when you buy it, you own it for good!
How to create a smart home cinema
Want to take your home cinema up another level? Go smart! Consider voice-controlled sound systems so you can adjust volume or switch things up hands-free.
Need more help?
If you need any more help choosing a new TV, our TV buying guide is a great place to start! You can also pop in to store and chat to our TV experts who will help find the right home theatre system for you.
