02.09.10

Four Images On One Screen! - Make Your Home Theater More Versatile

Audio/Video - Audio/Video Topics

Since a home theater system can have such a great picture and sound system, it makes sense to use it for more than watching movies. Using a smart video processor (such as Crestron's DVPHD video processor), you can watch up to four images at once...on the same TV or video projector!

This solution is perfect for more casual uses of a home theater, such as watching sports and playing video games. The video below shows this in action...you can see how this particular home cinema we installed changes both the amount of video sources on the screen & the shape of the screen itself (you don't need a auto-resizing screen for the multiple pictures, but it sure is nice to have...click this link for a video highlighting the screen technology).

So, how do you select which video image you want to listen to? Good question...and another Crestron solution. The photo at at the right shows a Crestron TPS-15 (15" diagonal touchpanel) that is custom-programmed to operate the theater (the touchpanel motorizes out of a compartment between two of the Fortress theater seats). In the lower left of the touchscreen, you will see a gray box with four sections...the upper left box is blue in color, which means that particular video image has the sound coming through the surround sound system. By pressing any of the other three squares, the sound will "follow" that choice. You may also notice that the upper middle portion of the touchscreen has four images in it...this is a live 'preview' of what is on the large projection screen.

This solution is perfect for monitoring multiple sports games at once. This particular custom home theater (located in Los Angeles, CA) will not let you miss out on any sports action, and here is how: the theater has four DirecTV DVR's, and the DVR's are continually "caching" live TV. If you are watching/listening to what is happening on one game and you see a play happening in an adjacent picture, simply select that image on the touchscreen, "rewind" the game to the beginning of the play, select the matching audio button on the touchpanel, and voilà! Yes, with a game room this cool, have your friends supply the drinks!

Another use for simultaneous multiple images is video gaming...this home theater is equipped with two Xbox 360's, a Playstation 3, and a Nintendo Wii. With the Xbox 360's, you can play against your opponent on two side-by-side (large)screen images.

Any video source you want can be watched. This theater also includes the ability to watch Blu-ray and DVD movies through a Kaleidescape movie/music server and the ability to monitor the home's surveillance cameras.

Other features of this high-end home theater include a hidden JBL Synthesis THX certified surround sound system, PMI 2.0 4-way masking screen & acoustic design by Anthony Grimani of PMI Ltd., D-Box motion simulators under the theater seats, Digital Projection Inc. Titan 500 projector, Lutron lighting, and another Crestron touchpanel for control from any of the multiple seats (this time a 6" diagonal TPS-6X).

If you live in Southern California, please be sure to contact DSI at 866-692-8489 for a free consultation to design your dream home theater or game room. You can download our "Top 6 Home Theater Tips" whitepaper by clicking this link. 

NTD Source: The DSI Blog

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