How to do a cheap DIY Home Theater Setup

Wiztoonz Amd
Projection Technique, Luminance, Acoustics, Connectivity, Streaming…and more — Home Theater Systems scared away a lot of basic viewers, from getting one for their own, with jargons and exorbitant off-the-shelf prices (starting at and going beyond Lakhs). Home Theater are not just for the elites. We can set one up by ourselves, decent enough for an enjoyable theatrical experience and without much damage to our wallet.

Connectivity

You need to have a good internet service with WiFi connectivity for this setup to work optimal.

Video

To initiate, we will have to get a projector. There are a couple of things that you need to keep in mind while buying a projector — especially an entry level one. Connectivity and Luminance. Connectivity is the available ways to transfer and stream data to your projector (For eg: USB, HDMI, SD, MicroSD, Wifi etc). We won’t be needing most of these options but its good to know the compatibility of your projector with you existing devices. Luminance is the brightness or the lamp intensity of the projector — this is important when you want to want to project in a room where you cannot do a total blackout.
Would recommend a Portable Pocket Projector for this setup.

Portronics Pocket LED projector POR-318 (17,500INR)


You can get one from Amazon. This is a decent option for beginners. Its cheap with good connectivity and visual quality. Now, the luminance is not great here but for this price its totally worth it. You just have to make sure that you are covering up your windows and making the room as dark as possible.

Stream

Now you need a media device for your projector. Dedicated players are becoming things of the past and we need something that gives us more leverage in dealing with cloud based streaming services and offline media content with no extra effort.
We would recommend Chromecast for this. But you can opt for even cheaper options.

ChromeCast Streaming Device (3500 INR)


Chromecast can connect to the HDMI Port of your portable projector. You can control the Chromecast device with the Google Home app on your phone. You can stream content from services like Youtube, Netflix, Amazon etc and see offline content from your Phone or your laptop.

Sound

The projector will have a 3.5MM audio out. The best and ideal audio setup for it is a 2.1 speaker system.

Creative SBS A255 2.1 Speaker System (2300 INR)


Great clarity for voice and a very good bass, this is the perfect audio solution for a cheap home theatre.

Screen (Optional)

The portable projector will project the image perfectly well on a white wall, but if you need a little more of the bump-free theatre experience,
We would recommend buying an additional screen. You can find a lot of options on this in Amazon.(Starting at 600 INR)

Content

Now a little about what to play! We would recommend a subscription to Netflix, if you are a fan of Hollywood Films and Tv. It will cost you 650INR a month but its totally worth it. If you prefer a lot of Indian movie content, Amazon Prime is a cheaper and good option (500 INR a year).
We would recommend the LocalCast free App for your phone to stream offline videos to your Chromecast. There are a lot of free plugins available for your desktop browser to stream local media from your laptop to the Chromecast.

Read an article on streaming video content here

That’s it. Get a bean bag, a bag of popcorn and enjoy your movie in all it’s big screen glory!