I Need a Movie Theatre in My Home

[Spork]

We microwave regular popcorn kernels in paper bags

I feel stupid for not knowing this was possible. No more pre-bagged popcorn for me!

Then you miss out on the delicious diacetyl and perfluorooctanoic acid. 

Seriously: Store bought microwave popcorn is just nasty.  It doesn't even particularly taste good.  The only redeeming quality about it is that it smells like popcorn.   If I'm going to eat popcorn, I'm popping it in oil on the stove and putting real butter on it.

[blackjack]

The other reason I decided to splurge is because hi end audio (speakers, receivers) have a decent resale value.. Most stuff i sold before i recouped (60-70% of my money) which is decent for that kind of stuff.

[cavewoman]

At my library you could rent a movie for free, but you're not going to get anything recent -- at best, it might be Harry Potter 1 . . . or it might be on VHS.  Regardless, you'd get tired of their small selection in a hurry.  I'd suggest that a better option for comparison might be renting a Redbox movie for $1.25, which is still a pretty good deal. 

Anyway, it's not quite fair comparing the most expensive option in one category to the least expensive option in another category.

That must really suck!!!  We have a great library system, so great that if my Dad decided to stop paying for Netflix and letting me use his login, I'm not sure I'd pay for it myself.  They buy all the latest DVD releases.  Granted, you might have to wait for it, but I would just open up the website that lists upcoming DVD releases in one window, and my library request page in another, and start adding.  It is like a surprise when something is ready to pick up!

(I wasn't here when it passed, but I think I have "measure B" to thank for this.  Very glad people decided to vote to support the library)

[TVRodriguez]

We microwave regular popcorn kernels in paper bags

I feel stupid for not knowing this was possible. No more pre-bagged popcorn for me!

You're welcome!

[MgoSam]

An uncle remodeled his house and threw a big party to show it off. The house did look good, but it just seemed like overkill.

[DesireeD]

    We have an awesome home theater with leather reclining seats with cup holders, overkill sound system, and netflix. Seats from Craigslist for a song, sound system from a Sunday afternoon yard sale, 2$ Yard sale  airpopper makes great popcorn, and we don't have to go out to get the theater experience makes our theater great. Friends love coming over for movie marathons.
     Cooking dinner and making popcorn at home with friends makes our theater super frugal. BTW we save 70+% of our pay! Home theaters done on the cheap can be wealth keeping tools.

[Wiggle]

I've got a decent home theater in my place.  Spent a bit of money but also was able to save some money and develop some skills by building my own speakers.

Rather than going for a new high-end receiver I instead decided to grab a Pioneer Elite unit from a few years ago.  Performs great, plays all the formats I needed and is alot more amp than I could afford brand new.

I built a full 5.1 speaker setup.  Stereo fronts, center channel and two bookshelf style surrounds.  Also a 12" sealed subwoofer.  Sound is excellent and I get alot of compliments on them.









Bonus Construction photos :)

[dragoncar]

I've got a decent home theater in my place.  Spent a bit of money but also was able to save some money and develop some skills by building my own speakers.

Rather than going for a new high-end receiver I instead decided to grab a Pioneer Elite unit from a few years ago.  Performs great, plays all the formats I needed and is alot more amp than I could afford brand new.

I built a full 5.1 speaker setup.  Stereo fronts, center channel and two bookshelf style surrounds.  Also a 12" sealed subwoofer.  Sound is excellent and I get alot of compliments on them.

That's badass.

[Papa Mustache]

Back in my bachelor days I bought the big stereo. When we had kids I stored it in the spare bedroom b/c I still like it and it works flawlessly. Our kids were young enough that the stereo was in the way and vulnerable to horseplay.

I seldom get to lose myself in TV until after their bedtimes anyhow so these days I enjoy a movie via a DVD player or Roku streamed to a 40" TV and I use my $35 bluetooth headphones.

Being able to hear the movie clearly has been as big a deal as seeing it. TV speakers just aren't up to the task for anything but sitcoms and the news.

Maybe I have some hearing loss? (doubt it) It doesn't have to be loud - just clear - and have reasonable sound reproduction low to high.

[GuitarStv]

Modern TVs are designed with terrible speakers for the most part.  They're a vestigial appendage, small, piss poor response curves, and aimed totally wrong.

[Wiggle]

Yeah most TV speakers are not up to the task for anything beyond shows that are entirely dialog driven (which to be fair is a good amount of them).  But for anything demanding any attention to the actual soundtrack they just don't get it done in my experience.

[Wiggle]

That's badass.

Thanks :)  I am glad I was able to make them presentable looking but at the same time people can tell they are different than store bought so I always get lots of interest on them.  Additionally they sound just great.  I built the whole set for about $1000 CAD and they sound on par with sets costing two or three times as much.