How often do you watch movies/your HT system?

ctviggen · « **on:** 27 Mar 2011, 11:45 am »

I spent tons of time and money to convert a family room into a family room with projector, multiple lights (controlled by remote control), etc. With a 3.5 year old (yo) and a 5 month old (and a room finished about a week before the birth of the 5mo), I'm currently watching one movie per week on "movie night" with the 3.5 yo (and it's incredibly hard to find movies that don't have scary parts suitable for a 3.5 yo), and at most 2 movies for the adults a month. Last night, we watched the last 15 game minutes of Arizona (former alma mater) versus UConn (current residence), and 45 minutes of Despicable Me. That's the longest stretch in front of the new system yet.

How often do you watch movies/use your HT system?

Nick77 · « **Reply #1 on:** 27 Mar 2011, 12:17 pm »

Mine does double duty and used for music 90% of the time. We usually watch 2-3 movies a month. The movies we allow in our home seem to few and far between these days. The thought of investing big money on a projector and screen concerns me.

HT cOz · « **Reply #2 on:** 27 Mar 2011, 12:36 pm »

We have three children 4,2,-4 mo. We watch non kid movies 4-6 times a month. We always wait to get the kids down and then start up the show. We love it! A Red box is 1.2 miles away and we have Netflix. I like the Redbox for the Bluray movies.

I listen to Music but it is always at night and at the expense of sleep. I built the room and setup mostly for 2ch but have been surprised at how entertaining the Home Theater is. The 4 year old will watch a movie or 2 per month. He gets excited and it is like a treat.

eclein · « **Reply #3 on:** 27 Mar 2011, 01:12 pm »

Kids grow up fast, real fast, pretty soon that HT system will get a big workout, trust me on this, even now when I go visit my kids we usually always watch a movie or movies and of course videogames are a constant during the course of a typical weekend stay.

Now the I'm divorced and live further away I'm not sure what or how often they watch films now but whenever my youngest comes up the first thing he does is look at any new items in my gaming choices and then checks what new movies Dad has... My self I usually watch a film or two everyday when the new releases (good ones) are coming out, always have something playing in the background while listening to tunes etc...

zybar · « **Reply #4 on:** 27 Mar 2011, 01:31 pm »

We aren't watching as many movies as I thought (only a handful a month), but the room is getting used almost daily for Xbox and tv. TV is primarily sporting events or shows that I really like (like Fringe).

My kids are 6 and 9 years old, so there are a lot more opportunities than you have Bob. I think your ROI will improve as the kids get older.

Overall, I am very happy that I have a separate HT.

George

mcgsxr · « **Reply #5 on:** 27 Mar 2011, 03:55 pm »

I don't have a dedicated HT space, I made the family room TV into a simple 3.1 setup - this gets hours of daily use.

For movies specifically, I probably average one per week - but I tend to watch golf or hockey 3-5 times a week.

There is 1 other TV in the house, in the master, where my wife dominates watching her shows.

ctviggen · « **Reply #6 on:** 27 Mar 2011, 04:12 pm »

Thanks for the comments. I think it'll get better as the kids get older. Right now, we have to go to bed at 10pm, because if we don't, the kids will realize we went to bed late and will punish us.

Like last night: baby up from 2am-5am; older child wet the bed (only second time ever) and was up because of that.

I didn't pay much for my projector and screen; I think less than 1,500, and it's got a phenomenal picture (speaking from someone who had a calibrated Pioneer Elite RPTV with blackout cloth on the interior).

My mistake was redoing the room at a cost that I'm hesitant to remember!

I'd really like to have just a few more hours a month to be able to use the room. Then I'd be happy.

satfrat · « **Reply #7 on:** 27 Mar 2011, 04:31 pm »

I watch movies almost daily, either rented DVD's thru my HTPC computer or from DirecTv's premium movie channels. Either way, I'm always watching them in either 5.1 or 6.1 surround so my sound system's always in play and is a main attraction of my movie viewing experience,, as it should be. For DVD viewing and to get DD/DTS processing, I do have to switch my HTPC Sound Device from my Empirical Off Ramp 3 back to my M-Audio Revolution soundcard and using my NVidia, switch from my LCD monitor to my Sony XBR tv. But the DVD picture is killer thru the computer.

Being single, I only have myself to please so I can have my system my way, be it movies or music.

Cheers,
Robin

nwboater · « **Reply #8 on:** 27 Mar 2011, 07:55 pm »

We watch a movie almost every night - that almost sounds like a boring lifestyle! My wife is a real movie buff.

We have a dedicated room. No projector but a nice new 55" Panasonic Plasma. With SageTV and a Windows Home Server system we can record movies and TV anytime. With SageTV we can also view any of our almost 10,000 photos all sorted by tags and albums. For critical music listening (2.1) we use JRiver Media Center software. Have hundreds of ripped CDs on the server as well as lots of downloaded HiRes music. So we really get a lot of use out of the room and system.

Cheers,
Rod

satfrat · « **Reply #9 on:** 27 Mar 2011, 08:06 pm »

Quote from: nwboater on 27 Mar 2011, 07:55 pm

We watch a movie almost every night - that almost sounds like a boring lifestyle! My wife is a real movie buff.

We have a dedicated room. No projector but a nice new 55" Panasonic Plasma. With SageTV and a Windows Home Server system we can record movies and TV anytime. With SageTV we can also view any of our almost 10,000 photos all sorted by tags and albums. For critical music listening (2.1) we use JRiver Media Center software. Have hundreds of ripped CDs on the server as well as lots of downloaded HiRes music. So we really get a lot of use out of the room and system.

Cheers,
Rod

I use J. River Media Center also,, good stuff.

ajzepp · « **Reply #10 on:** 27 Mar 2011, 09:53 pm »

Quote from: nwboater on 27 Mar 2011, 07:55 pm

We watch a movie almost every night - that almost sounds like a boring lifestyle! My wife is a real movie buff.

That would have been a boring life back when I was in my 20s and early 30s, but I'll be 39 in May and that sounds like a GREAT lifestyle to me!

I would love to meet a woman with that much interest in movies

Oh, and I'll chime in about my HT usage...I have a hybrid 2-channel/HT system, and I typically spend about 15-20 hr a month with it. With netflix streaming so accessible via my xbox and Roku box now, I sometimes will watch in the bedroom instead of the HT. But I couldn't imagine not having a projector set-up in my house. I love it for movies and big event sports.

mcgsxr · « **Reply #11 on:** 27 Mar 2011, 10:39 pm »

My girls are 5 and 7 now, when they were young like you are describing, it was a hectic madhouse of just keeping up with the parenting learning curve, work, and house maintenance.

It gets better!

Freo-1 · « **Reply #12 on:** 27 Mar 2011, 11:22 pm »

Quote from: Nick77 on 27 Mar 2011, 12:17 pm

Mine does double duty and used for music 90% of the time. We usually watch 2-3 movies a month. The movies we allow in our home seem to few and far between these days. The thought of investing big money on a projector and screen concerns me.

Mine does also. We watch perhaps one to two movies a week. When I listen to two channel music, I switch in a Threshold FET-10 in place of the Classe SSP300 for critical listing. For non critical listening, the SSP300 works quite well with music, and is one of only a handful of processors that can do both movies and music well.

Ronm1 · « **Reply #13 on:** 28 Mar 2011, 12:00 am »

As others we have an integrated HT/2ch setup. 3/4 movies a week. Music gets a lot of play, of course.

cujobob · « **Reply #14 on:** 28 Mar 2011, 12:50 am »

I had an unfinished basement that I converted into a home theater with additional insulation added to prevent sound leakage. My system is also double duty and for a while was used every day (no kids). I'm now fulltime school and work so with such little free time, I find myself in the family room with lights on more often (while studying or whatnot).

Most of the time, my high-end/HT/2-Channel system is used just for 2-channel while surfing the net when I have an occasional free day.

jermmd · « **Reply #15 on:** 28 Mar 2011, 11:55 am »

Since I moved two years ago, my home theater has been somewhat half-assed but we still watch movies and TV 2 or 3 times per week. The experience is so much nicer than watching on a regular TV. Unfortunately, I don't listen to music nearly as much as I used to when I had a more dedicated setup.

Joe

JohnR · « **Reply #16 on:** 28 Mar 2011, 12:30 pm »

No poll? For me it used to be 3-4 times a week, at present less than once. Oh well.

GHM · « **Reply #17 on:** 28 Mar 2011, 02:49 pm »

I use my HT nearly everyday. The family loves watching movies and TV on the big screen. Just recently upgraded projectors. I also use an HTPC in my little setup.
When Tron legacy is released in the States..you guys with projectors have gotta check it out! Here's a shot on the 120" screen

roymail · « **Reply #18 on:** 28 Mar 2011, 03:30 pm »

When the kids were home growing up, we all watched lots of movies, rentals then Netflix. I use a Yamaha DD/DTS receiver, Klipsch, Velodyne sub, big screen, etc.

Since the kids grew up and married, the wife and I watch an occasional movie but not nearly as much as before.

I'm the 2 channel music buff and that trumps TV/movies for me. The wife watches lots of Lifetime TV movies and such. That's about it around our house.

rklein · « **Reply #19 on:** 30 Mar 2011, 08:02 pm »

I am in the "thinking" mode right now concerning a HT setup. My two channel resides in a dedicated room in the basement. I am thinking about buying an Epson 8350 which can be had for @ $1,100, DIY'ing a 120" screen($200), buying a refurbed Marantz SR5005 receiver($499), a BlueRay player for around $350 or less. I would use speakers/sub not in use for now with the idea of building some later. Not alot of $$ for hopefully some great entertainment. I could see myself watching at least one movie per week and later on putting a Dish receiver down in the basement for sporting events as well.

I am not adding in the cost of redoing the basement as my wife wants me to finish this part of the basement anyway. We compromised and I get my toys as long as it is not a dedicated HT room.

Randy