For all the many wonderful moments the summer Olympics have provided us over the years, they also serve as a quadrennial reminder to take stock of our home entertainment systems. There’s nothing quite like watching Usain Bolt win a record third 100m gold medal in stunning Ultra HD.
If water polo didn’t "pop" as much as you hoped, perhaps it’s time for an upgrade. We’ve rounded up best home entertainment systems that will transform even the most mundane of movies into must-see viewing experiences.
The Finest of Flat Screens
Think all flat screens are created equal? Allow the LG Signature OLED65G6P to disabuse you of that notion. The impossibly thin television has something to offer for every type of viewer.
Film junkies will luxuriate in the display’s 4K Ultra HD picture quality as well as the cinema-quality shading provided by Signature’s high-performance OLED (organic light-emitting diode) HDR, which supports the top-of-the-line color of Dolby Vision content. Cord cutters will revel in the variety of smart features afforded by the Signature, including built-in wi-fi connectivity, a full web browser and screen and content sharing. And the techno-illiterate will appreciate the Signature’s voice control capabilities, making multiple remotes obsolete.
Smart Home:How to Automate Your House
The flat screen, which is also a 3D display, features a built-in sound bar with sound design by harman/kardon and is 64.5-inch diagonal, with a 77-inch model coming soon.
Cost: $7,999.99
The Movie Theater Experience
For those for whom nothing less than the movie theater experience will do, we present Sony’s 4K SXRD Home Cinema Projector (Model VW5000ES). Offering 8.8 million pixels via full HD native 4K, the VW500ES will transform any media room into a screening room.
Boasting Sony’s "most advanced projection technology," the VW500ES promises blur-free images and the remarkable brightness that only 5000 lumens can provide. But perhaps the most intriguing feature of the VW5000ES is its built-in 3D transmitter, which allows users to "upscale" 2D movies to 3D movies—meaning you can watch "Fletch" the way it was meant to be seen.
The Home Cinema Projector offers nine picture calibration modes, allowing users to optimize their favorite viewing experience, be it "Frozen," their most beloved TV show or the latest "Call of Duty" game.
Cost: $60,000
The Envy of Everyone You Know
For those who are really, really serious about movies, there is but one option: The IMAX Private Theatre.
Offering dual 4K 2D/3D projectors, a floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall screen and the proprietary IMAX sound system, the world’s finest film-going experience is now available for cinema-obsessed homeowners to bring into their own residences.
Users are not limited to IMAX content, however. The theater is capable of screening Blu-Ray, DVD and television, as well as serving as a display for gaming or a private karaoke room. Users in the Middle East and China can purchase IMAX Home Premier, a set-top box that will stream new releases as they open in theaters. Premier costs $10,000, plus additional fees per film.
More:How to Build a Brighter Home
Owning your own IMAX theater may seem daunting from a troubleshooting perspective, but IMAX has buyers covered there as well, with daily picture and sound calibration for optimal settings and 24/7 remote monitoring support.
Cost: $400,000 to $1 million (depending on theater size)
Honorable Mention
For some buyers, location is the most important factor in choosing a television. For those individuals, we suggest the Seura family of products.
All the pixels in the world may pale in comparison to the opportunity to watch television from the bathtub. And here, Segura has you covered.
If there is anything cooler than the Vanishing Vanity Tv Mirror, we’ve yet to find it.
Cost: $2,499 to $4,199+ (depending on TV size)