AHC takes the guess-work out of having a home theater of your very own. We do this by providing turn-key home cinema packages, which eliminates the need for you to invest the time, energy & research into the various components, their integration, the layout, the wiring, set-up, controls, lighting and acoustic treatments.

The difference between a turn-key package from AHC and a "home theater in a box" from a local retail or wholesale store is that we're able to take into consideration a variety of factors that are unique to your environment, budget and personal preferences to produce a custom package that has been designed from top to bottom with you in mind.

Typically, when called upon to consult with a home owner, AHC does a thorough analysis, which includes, in part:

The Vision: often our client has something specific in mind; other times, they have a general concept of what's important to them and are looking for examples and guidance on options that are available for their consideration. We work diligently to understand or help create an ideal vision for our clients, based upon their personal preferences & life style.

Budget: AHC recognizes the importance of delivering on time & on budget, so we start our design process with the budget in mind, explaining pros & cons upfront, so that - along the way- our clients may take into consideration the trade-offs associated with the various directions the project can take.

Analysis of Environment: Depending upon whether the project is a new-build and the timing is such that we're working directly with the architect in the early design phase OR if we're called in later in the process, our approach will vary. There are times when we're working with a remodel or a client's desire to only slightly modify an existing space or structure. In those instances, we must ascertain the room dimensions, lighting conditions (more on that later) and any acoustic-related issues that come into play. The location of the home cinema in relation to the rest of the home also factors into the equation.

Technical Components: Determining which key components will be used is a carefully undertaken process. Special consideration is given to performance within each unique environment, all the while, keeping in mind the client's desired level of investment. AHC integrates the use of high quality cabling and proper ventilation into our turn-key solutions & consider them critical components. If you are competitively shopping and find that someone is cutting corners to lower your over-all price by excluding these two elements, your long term satisfaction will undoubtedly be compromised.

Non-technical Elements: Other issues, such as cabinetry (custom or ready-made), furnishings and staging are taken into consideration & built into the plans. Where appropriate, they are all addressed in the early stages to ensure that there are no surprises 'after the fact'.

Lighting, Display & Acoustics: External light sources as well as internally engineered lighting play critical roles in the development & use of a new home cinema environment; this factors into the decision to use LCD, Plasma, projector (ranging from DLP, LCOS to LCD) for the output devices. Additionally, to ensure maximum audio fidelity, plans are drawn up related to the use of acoustic treatments, where applicable.

Integration: A detailed integration plan is designed to ensure efficient wiring, use of and accessibility to the various components. The installation team carefully executes the plan, which is then reviewed by the senior designer prior to the final stages, which involve testing, burn-in (if HD panels are used) and calibration.

Calibration: Both the audio & video aspects of the newly installed home theater are professionally calibrated by a certified technical expert, utilizing premium equipment produced by the leading test equipment manufacturers in their respective fields.

Now that you have a better understanding of the thorough design & implementation process we use when creating your custom turn-key environment, let us put it to work for you! Call AHC now to uncover how you, too, can integrate a cinema-level experience in your very own home!