How to Upgrade Your Home Theater in Time for ‘Wonder Woman 1984’

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If your plans for Christmas Day include settling in on your couch to watch one of 2020’s most anticipated blockbusters, “Wonder Woman 1984,” the day it comes out on HBO Max (and in theaters, though they’re not open in much of the country) then you’re definitely not alone. And while there’s been just a few weeks to prepare to watch the “neon-bright sequel,” as IndieWire’s Kate Erbland described the film in her review, you might not have realized at the time that the announcement would portend what Warner Bros. would do with the rest of its upcoming big-budget slate: release it on HBO Max the same day it comes out in theaters…wherever theaters are able to open.

For much of the country, theaters likely won’t be opening for a while — which means there are a few tweaks you can make to your own home theater setup that will make your HBO Max viewing experience as cinematic as possible. Maybe not quite theatrical enough for Christopher Nolan, but we’re all doing our best here, okay? We’ll go through the options below, with suggestions for full overhauls or small accessories that will really improve your home “theater” (it’s okay if it’s just a section of your one-room apartment. Again, we’re all trying and that’s what matters!)

First you’ll need to make sure you have a subscription to HBO Max. Click here to take advantage of the latest promo, which saves you $20 if you sign up for six months (it’s $70 for six months, rather than $15 per month if you sign up for the monthly plan).

Next, you’ll need to decide which setup is best for you. Do you want to make sure you have the highest of HD capabilities on your television? Then you might want to invest in a 4K ultra-HD TV. Do you have an extra room or area where you can get a little fancier? Then a projector/screen combo might be for you. (“A Ghost Story” director David Lowery opts for that — click here to find out what’s in his home theater setup.)

Read on for the best options for both.

TV

You might’ve taken the opportunity to upgrade your TV during a Black Friday sale, but if not there are still plenty of deals to be found. The below options come in a variety of sizes and price points to fit whatever situation you’re working with.

Insignia NS-43DF710NA21 43-inch Smart 4K UHD – Fire TV Edition

This Insignia comes in 43″, 50″, 55″, 65″, and 70″ sizes. Each option features 4K UHD with a 60 Hz refresh rate, three HDMI ports, built-in Amazon Fire TV, voice remote with Alexa (and optional hands-free control when paired with an Echo device), and DTS Studio sound.

SAMSUNG 50-inch Class Crystal UHD TU-8000 Series – 4K UHD HDR Smart TV with Alexa

Similarly, this Samsung comes in a variety of sizes (43″, 50″, 55″, 65″, 75″, and 85″). It’s got 4K UDH and an ultra-fast processor with automatic 4K AI upscaling (so your resolution is upgraded no matter what you’re watching), built-in Alexa, smart TV apps powered by Tizen, and a crisp, clear, crystal display with HDR.

Sony X900H 55 Inch TV: 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV

Step it up a level with this Sony model, which is powered by the company’s X1 4k HDR processor and includes a triluminos display, full array LED with local dimming, game mode, HDMI 2.1, and built-in Google Assistant as well as Alexa compatibility. It comes in 55″, 65″, 75″, and 85″ models.

Sony A8H 55 Inch TV: BRAVIA OLED 4K Ultra HD Smart TV with HDR and Alexa Compatibility

Wanna splurge? Sony’s best processor (the X1 Ultimate, which also sounds like an energy drink) will help bring out OLED’s intense contrast (as well as upscale everything you’re watching to 4K). It’s also got game mode, a smart TV interface with Google Assistant, plus compatibility with Alexa and Apple Airplay 2. You’ll get 2.1 channel sound from the entire screen for “an immersive multidimensional audio experience,” plus Dolby Vision and IMAX enhanced modes all in a super-slim, attractive design.

PROJECTOR

A true 4K projector is definitely going to set you back, but if you consider the amount of films you and your family will be able to watch in 2020 in their full glory from inside your home, it could potentially be worth it. Here are a couple of options.

ViewSonic True 4K Projector with 3500 Lumens HDR Support and Dual HDMI

The high brightness of this projector makes it ideal for a space that you can’t completely black out. You’ll get an immersive 4K UHD experience in 3500 lumens, which you can experience on a screen up to 300 inches. The high brightness is counteracted by a SuperEco mode that will shine for up to 15,000 hours, plus a three-year limited warranty (and one-year lamp warranty) means you will have a responsive customer service team at your disposal. It supports most media players, smartphones, tablets, and more with its HDMI and USB inputs. It comes with the projector, power cable, VGA cable, and remote control.

Optoma UHD65 True 4K UHD Cinema Projector for Home Theater Enthusiasts

Okay, yes, this is definitely a splurge. But this top-of-the-line projector will give you true 4K Ultra HD with its six-segment color wheel, providing accurate cinematic color. PureMotion technology gives blur-free visuals, and it’s HDR-compatible with a high contrast ratio. More than 2000 lumens of brightness makes it ideal for any size home theater space, and a 15 percent vertical lens shift and 1.6x optical zoom make it easy to place anywhere in the room. A variety of inputs means it’s compatible with streaming devices, smartphones, computers, tablets, gaming consoles, and more.

SCREEN

If you’re investing in a projector, you’ll probably want something a little better than “bedsheet tacked to the wall” for your screen. Here are a couple of solid, high-quality options for you.

Delux Screens 110 inch 4K/8K Ultra HDR UHD Projector Screen

This fixed projector screen measures 110 inches diagonally (54” x 96″) with a 160-degree viewing angle and a 1.1 gain, plus a 2.7-inch black velvet border that absorbs projection overshoot for better viewing. The PVC WhiteOut surface is Active 3D ready and 4K friendly, and it’s easy to install with included sliding wall brackets, drywall anchors, and screws. You’ll get a three-year warranty with your purchase, too.

STR-169120 Silver Ticket 120″ Diagonal 16:9 4K Ultra HD Ready

This, too, has a 160-degree viewing angle and a 1.1 gain, plus a 2 3/8-inch beveled aluminum frame wrapped in black velvet material to make your image really pop. It’s easily assembled with a tension rod system, plus secure mounting brackets that allow for horizontal adjustment.

SOUND BAR AND SPEAKERS

No matter which screen system you choose, you’ll want to make sure you have high-quality audio to match. This can be achieved with a sound bar attached to your nice, new, 4K TV, or with a set of speakers connected to your projector.

Klipsch Cinema 400 Sound Bar + 8″ Wireless Subwoofer with HDMI-ARC

This combo will give you a 40-inch 2.1 sounder with eight-inch wireless subwoofer, 400W peak power, and a single-cable, single remote control system for both. It has 5.1 decoding for virtualized surround sound.

Klipsch RP-250S Reference Premiere Surround Speakers

Lowery purchased a set of Dolby Atmos-ready Klipsch surround speakers to replicate the surround aural experience of a theater, plus a subwoofer that he routes through a Denon receiver.

STREAMING DEVICE/BLU-RAY UPGRADES

Now that you have the rest of your tech set up, you’ll need a way to watch everything. If you’re not using a smart TV that comes with built-in apps, you’ll want a streaming device to do so. And you’ll also want to make sure you have a Blu-ray player that can handle 4K.

Fire TV Stick 4K

Save $10 on Amazon’s newest addition to the Fire TV family, which gives you everything the Fire TV interface does — easy access to apps, Alexa voice remote, and easily play 4K UHD, Dolby Vision, HDR, and HDR10+ content.

Sony UBP-X700 Streaming 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Player

This 4K Blu-ray player also has streaming capability, dual HDMI outputs, an intuitive menu and interface, hi-res audio, wifi, and Bluetooth capabilities. It comes with a remote control and 4K HDMI cable so you don’t need to make any additional purchases to set it up.