Custom Installation - Dream Home Cinema

We treat custom installation as a process. Each project begins with a careful and thorough design interview. We determine your needs first by listening, then later by asking probing questions. We suggest possibilities. We discuss your lifestyle -- daily routine, entertaining needs, special requirements for kids and guests. If needed we'll visit your home or construction site. Attuned to your needs, we then design a system and implementation plan specifically for you. Indeed, we may design several systems, showing you the costs / benefits of different performance levels or system features.

A Taste of What's Possible

To an audiophile with a dedicated room, custom installation might mean a proud display of electronic components on beautiful award-winning "art furniture", highlighted by halogen spotlights. Yet to another audiophile, custom installation might mean carefully concealing all the electronics, cables, subwoofers, and maybe even speakers.

In a multi-room whole-house system, custom installation might mean a music-immersed lifestyle, with hidden in-wall speakers in every room, and higher-performance speakers in the den. It might mean outdoor speakers that look like rocks, or underwater speakers for the in-ground pool. It might mean an easy-to-use, custom programmed portable color touchscreen control system, or it might mean simple keypads in the walls.

In a home theater, custom installation might mean the reproduction of a 1950's era cinema, complete with burgundy curtains. Or it might mean a carefully concealed theater installed in a family or game room, complete with "James Bond" power-activated curtains, blinds, screen, lights, and maybe a projector that descends from the ceiling. We even have power-reclining leather theater chairs.

High Performance: Sounds Great, Looks Great

Our passion is high performance. In designing a custom-installed system, we make dozen of choices in order to deliver the highest performance possible. For example:

We allocate the budget carefully, selecting the highest-performance, most cost-effective products possible. We don't use "cookie-cutter" systems that were designed for some "typical" client.
We choose design topographies that yield higher-performance. For instance, in a multi-room installation we prefer to have a single channel of amplification for each speaker (i.e. many small amplifiers, rather than one big, overloaded one.) Often this costs either no more, or only slightly more.
We carefully choose and route the in-wall cables, thereby minimizing the interference and sonic degradation. For high-end rooms, we install very fine cables in the walls and floors.
We consider room acoustics, furniture locations, and lifestyle issues when we locate speakers.

Many of these choices are hidden. If we had skimped on in-wall cables, you would never see the difference, but you'd hear it. If we had placed the speakers carelessly, you'd never experience the sound that you paid for. If we had picked a cheap amplifier, you'd end up with elevator music. It's ironic; the better we do our job, the less you'll see it. Like the other infrastructure in your home, a well-designed and meticulously-installed system delivers carefree pleasure, even if you never look to see how it works.

Easy-to-Use Control System

A well-designed, well-implemented control system makes even the most sophisticated equipment a pleasure to operate.

But a great control system requires much more than just the automation. A talented system designer carefully considers what functions need automating and how those functions should best be provided.

The design of a true high-end control system requires significant experience in software user interface design and ergonomics. For example, buttons should be grouped logically by function. Similar functions should be provided in a consistent location on each screen. The use of functional modes should usually (but not always) be avoided. Colors should be chosen carefully, with an eye toward the meaning (which varies from culture to culture). Dream Home Cinema has on staff a professional software engineer and designer.

Often a poorly-designed control system frustrates its user because it affords too much control. Like a car stereo with a million tiny buttons, providing control over unused options will hamper daily use. At Dream Home Cinema, we use the "houseguest" criterion. Could guests in your home pick up your remote control and listen to music or watch a movie? Could they do it without any instruction?

Even a simple control system with keypads in the wall can be tricky. Does "Volume Up" raise the volume in just this room, or does it change the whole house? The right answer depends upon your lifestyle and the layout of the rooms in your home. Did pressing "Radio" affect every room? What if mom is snoozing in the Master Bedroom?

Completely reliable,
Automation of all the necessary functions (no more, no less),
Convenient to use,
Carefully designed around your lifestyle,
Logical and easy to understand ("houseguest" criterion), and
Harmoniously designed and pleasing to operate.

Aesthetic Integration with Architecture and Interior Design

Most of our clients relish wonderful architecture. They appreciate outstanding interior design. They admire craftsmanship. And, of course, they love music and movies. So do we.

As audio / video professionals, we form a team with your architect, your interior designer, and your craftsmen. Each discipline brings its expertise and experience to bear on the common goal: create the best space possible for you and your needs. Together the team members propose ideas, improve them, and incorporate them into an overall design.

Sometimes there are tradeoffs. The best-sounding speaker might be too visually prominent. Or the room dimensions might be acoustically unfortunate. Or wallpaper in the home theater might tint the video green. In these tradeoff situations, we don't advocate; we educate. Once we've informed you of the multi-disciplinary consideration, you can then make your best decisions.

Involve us early

We can achieve the best results and the highest performance when we have the fewest constraints. Often in a project, early arbitrary choices -- where a pipe goes, where a door is, the exact room dimensions -- close off audio / video design options. We can achieve very high-performance cost-effective results when the project is still in the design phase. Once construction begins, the cost of high-performance rises.

Phone: Carlsbad:(760) 415-8742 Encinitas:(760) 415-5996 Fax: (760) 635-3854		Dream Home Cinema
Home		*Custom Installation*
Custom Installation Service	Custom Installation Custom Installation n: a harmoniously-integrated music, video, and/or control system created specifically to meet the client's performance and visual aesthetic requirements, achieved through careful product selection, clever installation design, and meticulous implementation. We treat custom installation as a process. Each project begins with a careful and thorough design interview. We determine your needs first by listening, then later by asking probing questions. We suggest possibilities. We discuss your lifestyle -- daily routine, entertaining needs, special requirements for kids and guests. If needed we'll visit your home or construction site. Attuned to your needs, we then design a system and implementation plan specifically for you. Indeed, we may design several systems, showing you the costs / benefits of different performance levels or system features. A Taste of What's Possible To an audiophile with a dedicated room, custom installation might mean a proud display of electronic components on beautiful award-winning "art furniture", highlighted by halogen spotlights. Yet to another audiophile, custom installation might mean carefully concealing all the electronics, cables, subwoofers, and maybe even speakers. In a multi-room whole-house system, custom installation might mean a music-immersed lifestyle, with hidden in-wall speakers in every room, and higher-performance speakers in the den. It might mean outdoor speakers that look like rocks, or underwater speakers for the in-ground pool. It might mean an easy-to-use, custom programmed portable color touchscreen control system, or it might mean simple keypads in the walls. In a home theater, custom installation might mean the reproduction of a 1950's era cinema, complete with burgundy curtains. Or it might mean a carefully concealed theater installed in a family or game room, complete with "James Bond" power-activated curtains, blinds, screen, lights, and maybe a projector that descends from the ceiling. We even have power-reclining leather theater chairs. High Performance: Sounds Great, Looks Great Our passion is high performance. In designing a custom-installed system, we make dozen of choices in order to deliver the highest performance possible. For example: We allocate the budget carefully, selecting the highest-performance, most cost-effective products possible. We don't use "cookie-cutter" systems that were designed for some "typical" client. We choose design topographies that yield higher-performance. For instance, in a multi-room installation we prefer to have a single channel of amplification for each speaker (i.e. many small amplifiers, rather than one big, overloaded one.) Often this costs either no more, or only slightly more. We carefully choose and route the in-wall cables, thereby minimizing the interference and sonic degradation. For high-end rooms, we install very fine cables in the walls and floors. We consider room acoustics, furniture locations, and lifestyle issues when we locate speakers. Many of these choices are hidden. If we had skimped on in-wall cables, you would never see the difference, but you'd hear it. If we had placed the speakers carelessly, you'd never experience the sound that you paid for. If we had picked a cheap amplifier, you'd end up with elevator music. It's ironic; the better we do our job, the less you'll see it. Like the other infrastructure in your home, a well-designed and meticulously-installed system delivers carefree pleasure, even if you never look to see how it works. Easy-to-Use Control System A well-designed, well-implemented control system makes even the most sophisticated equipment a pleasure to operate. Imagine pressing "Play DVD Movie". Watch the equipment turn on. Notice that the VCR, which you're not using, stayed off. Lights flicker on the equipment as the control system selects the right inputs and sets the right modes. Hear the volume adjust to your preferred listening level. The curtains dramatically open, revealing your screen. The light-tight blinds descend over the windows as the room lights slowly dim. The movie begins. But a great control system requires much more than just the automation. A talented system designer carefully considers what functions need automating and how those functions should best be provided. The design of a true high-end control system requires significant experience in software user interface design and ergonomics. For example, buttons should be grouped logically by function. Similar functions should be provided in a consistent location on each screen. The use of functional modes should usually (but not always) be avoided. Colors should be chosen carefully, with an eye toward the meaning (which varies from culture to culture). Dream Home Cinema has on staff a professional software engineer and designer. Often a poorly-designed control system frustrates its user because it affords too much control. Like a car stereo with a million tiny buttons, providing control over unused options will hamper daily use. At Dream Home Cinema, we use the "houseguest" criterion. Could guests in your home pick up your remote control and listen to music or watch a movie? Could they do it without any instruction? Even a simple control system with keypads in the wall can be tricky. Does "Volume Up" raise the volume in just this room, or does it change the whole house? The right answer depends upon your lifestyle and the layout of the rooms in your home. Did pressing "Radio" affect every room? What if mom is snoozing in the Master Bedroom? We strive to design control systems that are: Completely reliable, Automation of all the necessary functions (no more, no less), Convenient to use, Carefully designed around your lifestyle, Logical and easy to understand ("houseguest" criterion), and Harmoniously designed and pleasing to operate. Aesthetic Integration with Architecture and Interior Design Most of our clients relish wonderful architecture. They appreciate outstanding interior design. They admire craftsmanship. And, of course, they love music and movies. So do we. As audio / video professionals, we form a team with your architect, your interior designer, and your craftsmen. Each discipline brings its expertise and experience to bear on the common goal: create the best space possible for you and your needs. Together the team members propose ideas, improve them, and incorporate them into an overall design. Sometimes there are tradeoffs. The best-sounding speaker might be too visually prominent. Or the room dimensions might be acoustically unfortunate. Or wallpaper in the home theater might tint the video green. In these tradeoff situations, we don't advocate; we educate. Once we've informed you of the multi-disciplinary consideration, you can then make your best decisions. A few words about aesthetics. We want your room to "feel" right. As you enter a room, you immediately see it -- the architecture, the interior design, the construction details, the lighting. Next, you hear it -- the sense of acoustic space, the reverberations, the music playing. You may also smell it -- fresh-baked cookies or new leather chairs. You may perceive its textures -- wall surfaces, fabrics, flooring. Often, the non-visual design considerations are overlooked. We help our clients create a complete environment, one that pleases all the senses. Involve us early We can achieve the best results and the highest performance when we have the fewest constraints. Often in a project, early arbitrary choices -- where a pipe goes, where a door is, the exact room dimensions -- close off audio / video design options. We can achieve very high-performance cost-effective results when the project is still in the design phase. Once construction begins, the cost of high-performance rises. Tip: If possible, involve us before your architect or builder draws up detailed plans.

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Not Responsible for Typographical Errors -(I.E. Pictures, Specs, Features, Color.) Prices subject to change without notice.
Per our agreement with our suppliers, Dream Home Cinema does NOT sell products over the Internet, over the phone, by mail, or telemarketing. These pages are intended as a courtesy to our customers, to provide them with all possible information regarding the products we install for them. The products featured on our web-site are for Face to Face sales only and cannot be purchased independent of the installation.