Is 2021 Your Time to Upgrade Your Entertainment?

Most people agree: 2020 was a pretty tough year. So, as we approach 2021 with optimism for new experiences, we’re looking at the AV industry to see what exciting changes homeowners can expect.

Whether you’re interested in a new high-end sound system, home theater, or updating your living room display, let these recent trends inspire your audio-video installation. As a high-end AV installer based in Fort Lauderdale, FL, and serving clients worldwide, we’re tracking the pulse of what’s best in today’s AV. 

 

SEE ALSO: The Benefits Multiroom Audio Brings to Your Home

 

Invisible Audio & Video

Imagine high-fidelity sound flowing through your house without bookshelf or floor-standing loudspeakers in sight. Architectural audio by brands like Sonance and James Loudspeaker is installed within your walls or ceiling, almost like recessed lights. Invisible audio takes minimalism even further by installing speakers and subwoofers within the walls and covering them over. You’ll still hear clear and high-quality audio in each room, choosing songs and adjusting the volume quickly from your smartphone.

TVs and projectors can also be ‘invisible’ in 2021 using custom mounts and disappearing panels. When art TVs like Samsung’s The Frame are turned off, they look just like a real masterpiece on the wall. Similarly, mirror TVs look like a fully functional glass mirror when powered off. In-ceiling lifts can lower your projector or screen in one tap of a button, or you can use an in-floor swiveling lift to raise a flatscreen from below-ground, adjusting the viewing angle to your convenience.  TV’s can also be installed under the floor and rise to appear at the push of a button.  

Micro-LEDs & 8K Definition

Anyone looking to upgrade their television in 2021 has exciting new options to choose from, like micro-LEDs and 8K screens. Micro-LED panels, like OLED TVs, don’t use an LED backlight to illuminate images. Instead, each singular pixel emits light independently, which means black levels and color contrast are much more accurate. Micro-LEDs are brighter than OLED and do not have luminance decay issues. The most common micro-LED display is a “video wall” with modular displays mounted together to form a massive screen. But in 2021, we’re starting to see micro-LEDs in traditional TV formats.

8K screens offer the highest pixel resolution on the market, which we expect to expand in the coming years. It’s something you’ll have to see for yourself—33 million pixels, significantly clearer than standard HD’s 2 million pixels (1080p). There’s still a lack of 8K content available; however, some models provide strong conversions for 4K and 1080p videos which means that you’ll see the difference viewing real-world content.  

Multi-Purpose Home Theaters

Home theaters are typically designed to replicate a commercial movie theater. But we’re increasingly seeing multi-purpose rooms that let homeowners play video games, listen to music over surround sound, follow home workout videos, or even do yoga. Golf simulators are becoming increasingly popular.

We can design a seating arrangement that’s perfect for movie showings but allows for space and storage when using the room for other activities. Perhaps the projector screen can ascend into the ceiling when it’s music or workout time. A smart system makes it convenient to switch modes, requiring just one tap of a button or voice command.

Innovative Lighting Solutions

Not too dark, not too bright. You can enjoy the best of both worlds in your theater or media room with smart lighting. Synched to the same system as speakers and displays, users can tune smart bulbs to a dim glow that allows you to navigate the room—perhaps to the cocktail bar or popcorn machine—without distracting from the movie. You’ll lower motorized shades in seconds to block out any ambient light and set rear lights to an atmospheric purple tone. Want to use the room to entertain friends? Tap a preset setting for the perfect ambiance.

 

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