It has never been easier to get cinema-quality sound and visuals in the comfort of your home. There is an abundance of technology out there, able to make even the scariest horror films just that little bit more gloriously petrifying.
Getting a good setup can amplify your experience, setting you centre stage in everything from Oscar-worthy movies to the latest video gamesor live sports.
From miniature smart projectors to blisteringly high-quality soundbars, these are our picks for the best products to bring the cinema to your home.
Anker NEBULA Mini Projector
Anker’s miniature projector uses powerful lasers, which they claim produce brighter images for high-quality viewing. It’s equipped with a 360-degree speaker, able to pump sound around from numerous angles for a cinematic viewing experience. It can reach up to 100 inches, likely to cover just about every wall in your home.
It runs on Android 7.1, which allows you to run streams from media apps such as Netflix or YouTube directly played through the device with up to 4 hours of runtime on the go. The miniature design makes it convenient for transporting, carrying about the same size as a soft drink can, meaning it won’t take up much space at all.
2-way HDMI Selector
A crucial tool for film watchers, this HDMI splitter allows you to plug a console, monitor, projector or DVD player into a HDMI-compatible TV.
It’s designed to allow two devices to be plugged in at the same time, with the relevant HMDI output selected by simply pushing the button on the device, which automatically switches between the wires.
It's able to transmit high-definition 1080p quality and could help to streamline your cable management and save you from fiddling around with HDMI ports.
Alphason Carbon 1200mm TV Stand
This Scandinavian-inspired stand is a stylish but practical system for any home entertainment hub. It features a minimalist design with black steel legs, able to support a TV up to 55”.
Alphanson include an enclosed TV cabinet for storage with passive ventilation to keep air flowing around your equipment. There is also an open top section for sound bars, plus a cable management system to keep all your equipment neatly out of view.
Sonos Beam
The Sonos Beam soundbar uses Dolby Atmos to map sounds for a 3D effect, ensuring a fully immersive surround sound experience, with sound coming from every angle. Sonos place emphasis on dialogue, including an optional speech enhancement setting to allow you to hear every word.
Sonos state their advanced audio processing ensures a balanced sound from wall to wall, for all volume levels. There is also a fitted night sound feature, which can reduce the intensity of loud effects and enhance quieter ones. An especially high-tech feature: it can sense the acoustics of the room based on the surrounding area and adapt to keep a consistent sound.
Hisense 50A63HTUK 50-Inch Smart TV
If you’re not ready to jump on the projector bandwagon just yet, this smart TV from Hisense might just be what you’re looking for. It features a full HD-ready 4K display, featuring HDR to balance out and enhance contrast.
There’s also an audio system designed to separate out dialogue from background noise for a multi-dimensional audio experience. The smart TV features mean you can switch between built-in apps like Netflix, Prime Video and YouTube.
Sony HT-A9 Home Theatre Speaker System
If you want surround sound, this system from Sony is designed to provide just that. It uses four physical speakers that use spatial mapping technology to create 12 ‘phantom’ speakers around a room. The aim is to completely envelop you in sound as if you’ve been transported directly into the scene of what you’re watching.
The phantom speakers are stated to cover a much wider space than traditional, physical speakers, able to encompass sound coming from above or below. The four physical speakers connect wirelessly to a control box that plugs into your TV, meaning there’s no need to worry about wires.
The speakers are also compatible with voice assistants like Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, so you won’t even need to bother picking up the remote.