Digital home - installers lend a hand

The lights fade on the auditorium, a 60in screen unfurls itself, as the high-definition projector motors silently into position from its hiding hole in the ceiling.

The audience gasps as the movie’s beginning envelops the room in 7.1 surround sound from unseen speakers. And all at the press of a button. Well, it beats switching on the telly and then tripping over the dog.

Home cinema can be as simple as plugging a set of 2.1 speakers into the hi-fi and closing the curtains, but the best systems can transform a living room into a mini-theatre without making it look like the shop floor of a high-street electronics dealer.

High-definition (HD) projectors can be concealed in the ceiling, LCD and plasma televisions can be wall-mounted or hidden away in custom-built furniture, and wires, speakers and lights can all be tucked away out of view.

If you’re not a fan of DIY, this can seem like an unreachable dream. But dreams can come true, for the right price.

Specialists can be hired who will help you to gain maximum benefit from home cinema and hi-fi equipment, advising on the best combinations of products for your budget and planning and setting up the equipment at your home.

With high-definition movies about to hit the street, interest in home cinema is higher than ever, and expert installation services are not as expensive as you might think.

That’s not to say they’re cheap, but if you’re thinking about buying good-quality audio-visual (AV) equipment, skimping on proper setup can be a false economy. So let’s look at the options and the points to consider.

Most specialist AV retailers offer a custom installation service, or can recommend one. The options look set to increase, with PC World now offering demonstrations and advice in-store, although only seven stores in the whole of the UK will offer this service by Christmas.

Wherever you go, you need to set a budget. This will need to include the equipment and installation, so the first step is to visit the store (some ask that callers interested in installation make an appointment) and sketch out the basics – what type of display, DVD players or projectors and sound equipment is within your price range and how they can be integrated into your front room. Step two is a home visit by the expert for a survey upon which the quote will be based.

Experienced installers will show you photos of jobs they have finished, and may offer testimonials or references for bigger jobs. Don’t be afraid to ask for these, as reputable installers will be happy to supply evidence of their skills.

Another point to look out for is whether the company or contractor is a member of Cedia (the Custom Electronic Design and Installation Association), which offers members training and asks them to sign up to an ethical charter. Crucially, Cedia members must be insured to carry out the work they do.