Welcome! What's On Your Mind?

We have completed hundreds of custom home theater systems and screening rooms over our history often to demanding Hollywood professionals from Malibu to Montecito. Along the way we have worked with dozens of great general contractors from very large firms to single owner-operators. Since GC's may go a year or two without doing a build for a top home theater, they always need a little hand-holding in order to deliver a great product to their clients.

I thought I would assemble a list that addresses the top items that every general contractor should know about a home theater build.

1. Quietrock is not enough! I often hear a super say, "we will soundproof with some Quietrock". Quietrock can help sound transmission, but is not enough to do serious home theater sound control. Too many clients have basement theaters that can be heard on the top level. To get proper sound isolation you need to mechanically decouple the room surfaces from the main house structure. Otherwise, sound will just travel throughout the home like crazy. Think of sound like water. You need to plug the leaks. This can be done using room within a room construction, resilient (or hat) channel, isolation clips, etc. There are a lot of techniques that require a lot more time to explain. Feel free to reach out to my email below for additional info.

2. Don't build a riser until you know the exact screen size! Too many GC's are anxious to keep the project moving and start framing out risers based on the architectural drawings. Sightlines are critical and the homeowners typically expect to see the whole screen without obstructions. It is imperative that the screen size and height off the floor is locked down before you start riser construction.

3. Projector location - Today's screening room projector's have the ability to be put very far back from the screen. There is no reason to hang an unsightly projector in the middle of the room. A small projector that does not give off much heat (typically used with smaller screens) can be installed in a soffit. You can even install larger projectors in the soffit but it takes some very careful planning to make sure noise is abated and cooling is addressed. The best place for a projector is in a room or area behind the room shooting through an opening (preferably with port glass). This gets the heat and fan noise out of the room and takes care of having an unattractive unit in the room. My strong suggestion is to find a way to shoot the image through the back wall of the theater.

Streaming services have revolutionized the way we consume media. Viewers can sit back, scroll through countless titles, and find a movie worth watching or a TV show worth binging. It is pure simplicity and convenience, right?

Everything you want to watch is right there, whenever you want it.

Until, of course, it isn’t.

Despite the number of videos available on a variety of streaming services (and the number of services is growing every day), the truth is that most movies are not available most of the time.

The simple truth is that no one has unlimited space to continue hosting movies and shows that a comparatively few people will watch. And, on top of that, there are often strange and complex licensing agreements that could run out or be cancelled at any time.

Transform Your Theater with 4K Video, Immersive Surround Sound, and Your Own Movie Jukebox

Who doesn’t love movies? And here in Beverly Hills and Hollywood, the heart of the film industry, chances are you know someone – or maybe you are someone - who works in the business. We have a special affinity for movies.

Since this is Beverly Hills, we have our fair share of home theater systems in the many beautiful homes around us. Even though we have unique theaters like the historic TCL Chinese Theater and Quentin Tarantino’s New Beverly Cinema, what can be better than to screen epics in your own home theater with a small group of friends? No crowds, no worrying about where you sit; every seat is the best seat in the house.

Maybe you already have a home theater, or perhaps you are looking building a new one. In any case, we want to tell you about three things you absolutely must have in your next theater. Ready to see how to bring the magic of the movies home? Just keep reading.

SEE ALSO: Streaming Versus Owning Movies: Why Archiving Makes Sense

We’ve designed and installed home cinemas for film industry professionals for more than 20 years

For a truly pristine, superior movie-watching experience, there’s no beating the comfort, convenience and quality of a custom home theater. Building a dedicated just for watching movies or TV in your home gives you total control over the experience, from your display and speakers to your aesthetics and seating. In the Malibu area and nearby parts of California, discerning movie fans and industry professionals come to DSI Luxury Technology when they want to install a dedicated home cinema. Today, we’d like to show you what makes our home theater systems special and why we have garnered so much attention.

SEE ALSO: Bruckheimer Bel Air Circuit Theater by DSI Featured in Electronic House

EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE

At DSI Luxury Technology, we’ve spent more than 20 years designing and installing high-end home theaters, home audio systems, home automation, and other technology solutions for residential and commercial clients in Southern California. The reasons people keep trusting with their home technology and entertainment needs are simple: We know these systems inside and out, we’re committed to quality customer service, and we have a track record of excellence. It’s this level of expertise and our consistent track record of quality that qualified us to be part of the Bel Air Circuit, an exclusive group of technology professionals who design and install theaters that meet the requirements and standards of Hollywood insiders.

Our project gallery gives you some idea of why we have the reputation we do. Our home theaters are aesthetically pleasing and reflect your personal style while also delivering top-notch audio and visuals. Perhaps even more importantly, our systems are intuitive and easy to use. After all, no matter how impressive the home theater, if you can’t get it to do what you want, it’s of little use to you. We work with only the best brands in home audio, home video and home control systems.

Wouldn't it be nice to watch the latest Hollywood blockbuster at home with friends instead of behind texting tweens? In the new post-COVID world, our desire to see the latest movies in our home is growing by leaps and bounds. Have you some serious cash into the best home theater system equipment like JBL Synthesis, Steinway Lyngdorf, Meyer Sound, or Wisdom Speakers? Well here is the low-down on how to avoid the theaters altogether but still be able to watch movies in your Los Angeles home the night they come out in theaters.

THE BEL AIR CIRCUIT

I build many theaters for a lot of Hollywood heavyweights who have the extreme luxury of getting brand new films delivered to their home on the day of the theatrical release. Want to watch the next Batman movie in your jammies instead of fighting the lines at Christmas? Well, my entertainment pro clients can do just that by becoming a member of the Bel Air Circuit. The Bel Air Circuit isn't an official organization but really a phrase for those that have studio connections and professional cinema gear in their home. The typical requirements of entry are that you register your theater as a professional cinema with the film labs / distributors like Technicolor or Deluxe, and that you are in the entertainment industry with enough clout to get studio heads to approve adding your name to the list. Not all members get all films... or all studios. Sometimes DC or Marvel titles are limited. Sometimes certain directors make their titles less available to the circuit. Those with juice get all the studios and all the titles.

The equipment you need is not made by Samsung, LG, Vizio, or any of the video brands you may already know. Companies like Christie, Barco, Dolby, and NEC specialize in the D-Cinema equipment you will need to be a part of the Bel Air Circuit. These are the same projectors that you would find at the Arclight or AMC. The picture and sound with this pro equipment can be extraordinary.

RED CARPET CINEMA

So what if you aren't a Hollywood hotshot? Well, the next best thing to the Bel Air Circuit is Red Carpet Home Cinema. This is a device that gives you access to new theater releases but in a very consumer friendly way. Think Apple TV on steroids. The uncompressed picture and sound blow away any content on any streaming service, bar none. New releases and phenomenal quality come at a price though. The hardware sells for $15,000 and the movies run $1,500+ per title. This may seem like a big price tag but our clients consider it the equivalent to a nice dinner and bottle of wine. It actually also might pencil out if you are taking a birthday party of 8 year olds to Despicable Me 5.

BeL AiR CineMA

Bel Air Cinema is a company that gives you the Bel Air Circuit experience without having to be a Hollywood hotshot. To get movies the day they are released in theaters, you simply need to join the club. The fees range for this service, but this is the most expensive option out there. The benefits to using this service is that Bel Air Cinema delivers content in the same way that studios deliver to the theaters. This means that you get the very best quality image and sound available. Note that you must have DCI-compliant hardware just like if you were in the Bel Air circuit (pro projector and sound equipment). This means a hardware investment somewhere around 100k+. So for those of you without Hollywood connections and a desire to have the best, Bel Air Cinema may be the best fit.