[jarcher]

So I went to see "Skyfall" last night at a newer multicinema chain (Bowtie).  Despite the $12 ticket, sometimes I'll go to a commercial movie theater as a touchstone / reference to see how I'm doing with my home theater.  Perhaps this will not come as a great surprise to some, but I was shocked how much worse the image & sound quality was vs what I'm using at home.  Prior to the feature, there was the logo's flashing for "Christie" digital projection, and of course Dolby surround.  It was a mid-sized hall & the theater is not more than 15 years old, and the equipment I'm thinking is a lot newer.

The image lacked any decent saturation, wasn't particularly sharp, poor contrast ratio. There also seemed to be a lot of back splash of light against the screen though I couldn't make out where it was coming from - whether the "exit" signs or from somewhere else.  And the sound was atrocious - like low rez mp3 - played way too loud such that all you could hear was the sound from the front & nothing much from the side channels.  Shrill, hard, almost distorted.  Like a bad PA system.  Lastly, very little bass either on the LFE's. 

I honestly don't remember things being this bad at commercial movie theaters.  Is this a function of the digital projection - the source material - or something else I'm missing? Or maybe just a bad movie theater?

Guess I'm gonna be doing even more viewing at home. And I thought I needed to improve things more at home.  Guess I should be happy w/ what I've got.

Anyone else experienced anything similar?

[Early B.]

Movie theaters are a great place to watch a movie, but not to hear one.

 

[John Casler]

Luckily,  I live in LA, and the BEST Movie Houses in Hollywood and Westwood are SPECTACULAR.

If you go to the smaller Houses and Smaller Screens of the "multiplexes", quality suffers.  I wouldn't go to those if it was free.

[Rclark]

I had some female acquaintances over last night for a movie (30 Days of Night, I wanted to show them the antithesis of Twilight, and it delivered). Without a doubt even at this stage I have it all over the best commercial movie theater, even without surround.

[jcotner]

Well I worked on the prototype DLP theatre projector and it should be better than what you are describing.
That being said I've been out of the loop for 14 years now, but it should be better not worse.
Sounds like maybe this projector needs some TLC. The light leakage is probably an imager that isn't
as black as it used to be. Keep in mind that DLP is a whole bunch of little mirrors that flip in out of the
light beam. When a pixel is off the black side of the mirror is taking all the light and not reflecting any.
So I think maybe the imager is near needing a replacement, my guess.

Sharpness could be the same thing, but also an issue with optics.

With regards to sound, I think without a doubt a good home system can smoke all but the very best
theatre. I also think too that theatre sound has been moving towards viewer impact. The emphasis
on quality is not there anymore. Also too, cinema owners are probably not updating or keeping up
the best maintenance on their sound components. The margins are just not that great and the
perception is that the picture matters most, sound is second.
After I set up my home theatre I don't think I've been to a regular cinema since.
My picture is smaller, but at 65 inches I don't really mind.
Besides my snacks are cheaper! 

[Phil A]

Many movie theaters don't keep up with what they should.  Jon, the new Cobb theaters in the edge of Leesburg are nice and they even have a bar.  I don't end up going to the movies often.  With the current level of available HT equipment and the comfort of sitting in a nice chair and having quiet and be able to pause when I wish, I do not feel deprived watching at home.

[SoCalWJS]

Gave up on the theater experience long ago. Between the various factors (better sound and picture only being two of them), I see moviies in the theater about once every couple of years or so, primarily with the wife or her family because they want to.

The biggest advantage of Home Theater? The pause button

[drummermitchell]

we use to go the city for blockbuster movies and of course first time seeing the movie can be all what you expected and more.
going to Silvercity with the monster screen, runway lights down the stairs,layered rows of seating so anyone taller than you was in front of you it didn't matter.All in all a stress free Lets go to the theatre.
Last yr I got my first projector JVC HD-250,I was dumbstruck almost at how good the pict was and the screen was 16X9 106" dalite.
should add I have revel speakers,Arcam AV-8,and all Bryston power up the  28Bsst's so sound was superb.
So after a few months we went to see another movie,I couldn't believe it same theatre ect,the pict was that screen door effect tiny black specs or lines,the sound was mediocre.
I was like WTF was that I thought after.the next day I fired my system up watch certain chapters on bluray.
Like others what we have at home is way better audio and video than the big theatres we have in the city,but before I got a  taste of home projection I would never had known what we were missing.
since then I upgraded my screen to a Cinemascope 235.1(128X50)and a jvc X9 projector,no place like home Dorothy.
I don't miss the theatres no more and the prices are stupid for a blockbuster if your paying for 2-3 people,course I didn't mind paying before,now well definitely a different story.

[Mag]

Went to Expendables II a few months back at state of the art movie theater. The sound was incredible and the big screen overwhelming. In fact I found the screen too big as the theater was jam packed and I had no choice but to sit near the front, but I was seated smack dab in the middle. I would have preferred to be seated near the back.

Now this movie theater has 12 cinemas and I had never been in this particular one. I could not localize the speakers behind the screen as I was able to in a previous movie at this location, believe it was James Bond.

Also the crowd added an almost comic atmosphere to the movie with reaction to scenes in movie.

So Yes, this is a state of the art movie theater and it's pretty darn good.

Home theater done well can IMO be just as good or better. Has the advantage of intimacy, being on a smaller scale. But you lose the crowd reactions which can be a positive influence on a movies appeal.

[jarcher]

Have a had a few great movie crowd interaction moments - e.g. watching Aliens in a crowded NYC theater - but they seem so rare vs the "bad" interactions.  Does seem that maybe this particular theater's projector needed some TLC.  Will someday try out the Cobb theater - and the bigger AMC's at Tyson's + Alexandria have been pretty decent.

But just enjoying so much the quality of my own gear - and yes as you get older and the ol bladder weaker, the 'ol pause button is greatly appreciated!

[Elizabeth]

There is nothing which could drag me to a commercial theater.
Free tickets, free candy, soda and popcorn? nope.
Not if i have to wear professional earplugs everytime.

Used to be one could complain when the sound was deafening and they would actually turn it down..
Now it is at deafening levels and seems everyone is satified (except myself)
So I would never ever go.
No matter what is playing, eventually I can watch it at home, with all the quality I want, and a sound level which will allow me to keep my hearing intact.

The one disappointing (insane actually) picture to view at home was the final Harry Potter pair. For that, I had to have total blackness in room, to be able to even start to watch the picture. I have no idea what the producers were thinking with that ridiculous dark brown film.

[mjosef]

I favor IMAX cinemas when I do venture out to the movies, however the newer (and smaller) IMAX screens with a meager 20,000 watts often does not cut it, I often hear the audio running out of power and compressing.
Give me 5 stories high screens with 50,000 watts of audio power and I'm a happy camper. Might as well splurge @ $18-$20.


You need an IMAX monitor to just see their logo 

[Rclark]

We have the same in Seattle, 5 story IMAX 3d.. It's the only way to fly when watching a first rate, visually intense release like, say, Avatar.

[Rclark]

Buuut then again we have a theater here in Redmond with with paired powered recliners and a button that calls a server from whom you can order a martini or some sushi.. Now that's a good time too.

[PMAT]

My local theater sounds fantastic. Part of the great sound experience is due to the size of the theater so the low end can be huge without being out of balance. The three D sound effect is wonderful.
PM

[SteveFord]

We went to a small-ish Regal Cinema last night and it did sound better than my living room does.
I'm afraid the sound levels would have made my MMGs go up like marshmallows that were held too close to the campfire.

[Rclark]

Modded, and on hotrod amps it's a whole different story  . Plus you have your stockers about a foot away from the wall and up on those hinges with a massive entertainment center between them. Kind of a unique setup there. I wouldn't expect that to sound the best it could. Highly dependent on placement.

[Don_S]

I have not been to a commercial theater in years.  But the last time I was at one they still did not have volume control or "potty-pause". 

[PDR]

yep.....I have a 15 yr old daughter and I make a point to take her to see a flick
once a month. We go to different venues and its hit or miss for sound and picture
quality. At my age the pause and pee feature is the biggest reason to enjoy movies at home.

[mjosef]

..they still did not have volume control or "potty-pause"....
At my age the pause and pee feature is the biggest reason to enjoy movies at home.

Ummm, that's why they invented 'depends',  for those who cannot hold it in, or chose not to visit the facilities before the main feature rolls.