Lighting Can Do Much More in your Entertainment Room than Simply Fade to Black
Warrenton, VA ‘” September 26, 2007 ‘” Two of the hottest home technologies on the market today, Lighting Control and Home Theater, may not seem to have much in common or perhaps even belong on the same stage. Yet put them together in a home entertainment room and the two become quite a dynamic cast.
According to industry experts, true Home Theater cannot be achieved without Lighting Control in a major supporting role and here are five reasons why:
Anticipation- for many cinema goers, their favorite moment at the movie theater is when the lights slowly fade and the room goes dark, signaling that it’s showtime and the fun is about to begin. With Lighting Control that exact effect can be emulated in your own home.
Practicality- Lighting Control in your home theater allows you to keep the lighting bright until you are ready for action. It’s annoying and sometimes even unsafe to stand-up, turn off your lights and then find your way to your favorite seat in the dark.
Convenience ‘” from a hand-held remote you can control your lighting and virtually everything else in the entertainment room, all from a single remote control. This means you can direct the lights, camera and action, all from your favorite seat.
Setting the mood- overhead fixtures, table lamps and wall sconces can create impressive effects well beyond the traditional fade to black. When combined with lighting control, your room will take on a unique personality and further enhance your home theater experience.
Energy efficiency- dimmed lights save energy as well as set the mood. For example, a light dimmed to 50% will save about 40% of its electricity while extending bulb life too.
Lightolier’s Gary Meshberg, who also chairs the respected industry group, Home Lighting Control Alliance (HLCA), stated, ‘Most new homes today offer a home entertainment area while luxury homes typically have a dedicated room for Home Theater. Lighting Control can add tremendous enjoyment to the Home Theater experience and simulate the excitement that we have all experienced in a commercial theater without ever having to leave the comforts of your home.’
Meshberg went on to add, ‘Many homeowners enjoy the benefits of lighting control in their entertainment space so much that they are often motivated to expand and include Lighting Control throughout their home.’
Dan Fulmer, a Jacksonville, FL based award-winning integrator and nationally known authority on lighting control offered, ‘Lighting Control is now the fastest growing of all home technologies and often the first thing that I recommend to my clients. In rare cases when we start with their home theater design, lighting control becomes such an exciting feature that it then extends into the rest of the house. I tell my clients that they don’t have a complete home theater unless it also incorporates lighting control.’
Fast Facts about Lighting Control in the Home Theaters and Entertainment Rooms
‘¢ Helps bring the experience and excitement of a commercial cinema home
‘¢ Lighting can be controlled along with A/V functions from a single programmable remote control for convenience and simplicity
‘¢ Lighting Control provides added safety and convenience
‘¢ Dimmers save significant amounts of energy while providing ambience and extending bulb life. Dimming 50% saves 40% of energy, dimming 25% saves 20%
About the Home Lighting Control Alliance (HLCA)
The Home Lighting Control Alliance is a self-funded, member-driven consortium of leading lighting control manufacturers, systems integrators and industry support organizations. Its sole purpose is to promote the awareness, value and benefits of lighting control products for residential applications.
Current partners in the Home Lighting Control Alliance include: AHA Design, Automated Outlet, CEA, CentraLite Systems, Control4, Crestron, Echelon, EH Publishing, ETC, Exceptional Innovation, FulTech Solutions, Good News Electric, HAI, Home Logic, Leviton, Lightolier Controls, LiteTouch, Low Voltage Systems, Pass & Seymour, RL Johnson Construction, S&S Electric, Somfy Systems, Square D, SST, Vantage Controls, WattStopper and Worthington Distribution.
