Theo Kalomirakis

Ask Theo: Less is More

Theo helps a reader tweak and fix his self-built theater.

By Theo Kalomirakis
Posted July 28, 2008

Before I get to my first critique of reader's home theater, let's make sure we're all on the same page. This column is not going to be about electronics. There's plenty of that going on elsewhere on this site. Here I will be talking about the effort to integrate electronics into the look of a room dedicated to watching DVDs, Blu-ray Discs, or HDTV.

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Ask Theo, Part II (September 2008)

Theo discusses regret, disappointment, and home theater equipment.

By Theo Kalomirakis
Posted August 1, 2008

Hi Theo, There are things I wished I hadn't done with my home theater. For example, I shouldn't have spent so much on my receiver and should have waited for one with HDMI inputs and the new Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio formats. Also, I heard really good things about Sony's 1080p projectors, but was persuaded that a Runco 720p model would look better.

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Ask Theo: Design Discipline (and the lack thereof)

Home theater guru Theo Kalomirakis shows the good and the bad of two home theater designs.

By Theo Kalomirakis
Posted September 15, 2008

Ten years ago, when home theater was just becoming the hot trend in new-home construction, I came up with an inexpensive, ready-to-assemble theater design for a large corporation in the housing-supplies business. Our target was the builder of homes for the average American family.

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Ask Theo: Design Discipline (and the lack thereof)

Home theater guru Theo Kalomirakis shows the good and the bad of two home theater designs.

By Theo Kalomirakis
Posted September 16, 2008

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Ask Theo: Show Some Restraint

Theo Kalomirakis discusses going overboard and how to make sure your home theater isn't too theatrical.

By Theo Kalomirakis
Posted November 4, 2008

With the attitude of someone who thinks he's seen it all, I visited the recent CEDIAExpo in Denver expecting to be neither pleasantly surprised nor particularly disappointed. Let's be real: When Blu-ray Disc delivers film-like picture plus audiophile sound, and a well-engineered home theater puts the local multiplex to shame, what else can impress a rabid movie buff like me?

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My Biggest Home Theater Mistakes

The man who invented home theater comes clean about his biggest design screw ups.

By Theo Kalomirakis
Posted February 13, 2009

My love for old movie theaters is not unconditional. Some landmarks from the 1920s and '30s, mostly located in major metropolitan areas, still inspire awe.

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Ask Theo: Two Jobs Well Done

An amateur and a pro show off their home theater design skills, plus advice for aspiring home theater designers.

By Theo Kalomirakis
Posted March 13, 2009

In terms of means and level of accomplishment, the two theaters featured this month couldn't be more different. One is the work of a professional custom installer for an apparently well-off client, and it actually involved the services of an architect.

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