It’s hard to top watching a great film at the cinema – with 4K-quality video projected on to a vast screen and huge, immersive sound with no neighbours to worry about.
The thing is, you can now recreate that experience at home, without the sticky floors and long queues of your local multiplex. Home cinema technology is no longer the reserve of the super-rich, with complete audio systems and projectors available for much less cash than you’d think.
Better yet, HDMI and wireless connectivity means you can hook up games consoles or stream music, plus watch all your favourite boxsets and sports events in ultra-high definition too.
Here are our favourite products to give you the best home cinema systems:
Best home cinema projectors
If you want to get the full cinema experience at home then you need to ditch your TV and invest in a proper projector, and beam the image straight on to a wall or screen. This 3000 lumen, ultra-high definition 4K model from BenQ promises intense colour and contrast even in less-than-dark environments, plus a dedicated sports mode if you'd rather swap the silver screen for the stadium.
With a lightweight projector and this inflatable movie screen the dream of moving your home theatre to the open air is now a reality - weather depending. Despite measuring 14ft across, this portable cinema set up takes just two minutes to inflate using the included pump. It comes complete with tie down ropes and stakes to stop it blowing away in the wind, plus the screen itself is detachable for cleaning.
For an all-in-one upgrade to your home cinema set-up this Atmos AV receiver and 5.1 speaker package is hard to beat – with immersive sound rendered in three dimensions by the amplifier's inbuilt DTS logic. HDMI connectivity and 4K upscaling means the highest picture quality is attainable, while the Wharfedale speakers are a perfect mix of compact size and powerful performance.
If you've already got home cinema speakers and want to benefit from the latest in amplifier technology, then a separate AV receiver like this Yamaha unit could be for you. With 70-watts over its 5.1 channels you won't be short on power, while HDMI connectivity and 4K upscaling means ordinary high-definition television and Bluray will look even more impressive.
Home cinema systems can take up an enormous amount of space, so if you want to upgrade your watching and listening experience without planning an extension, a compact soundbar like this Sonos BEAM is a great solution. As well as improving the tinny sound of your LCD television, you can also listen to your favourite albums via the Sonos music streaming system.