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How can a digital dimmer improve a Home Cinema setup? Dimming
room lights increases image contrast, improving detail, clarity
and colour. However, viewing can be stressful rather than relaxing
if the home cinema room is too dark. Movie theatres create the
ideal film-watching environment by adjusting and dimming lights.
In recreating this atmosphere for the home you must get to grips
with the lighting.
Hitherto the size and price of lighting
controls have deterred most consumers. However, a modern digital
dimmer now shouldn't cost more than a length of high-end speaker
cable. High-profile players in digital lighting since 1989,
Futronix were the first company to introduce 'scene dimmers' to the Home Cinema market
back in 1993. Different circuits of lighting in a room can be
adjusted in brightness independently, then set as a 'scene' for
recall via remote control or switch panel. With 20 scenes available,
one can be set for every occasion - watching a movie, entertaining
guests, or creating that certain romantic ambience.
Ideal for such an application are the
stand-alone Futronix P400/P800 units, which control 4 and 8
circuits of lighting respectively to programme your 'scenes', including 'fading' from one scene
to the next to add to the whole cinematic experience. These dimmers
are ideal for Home Cinema lighting - the slimmest available to
minimize installation holes. What you do see is undeniably elegant - the
switch plates. Minimalist design, striking yet unobtrusive, and
available in finishes of brushed or polished stainless steel,
brass and white metal. No unsightly plastic plates here!
Futronix also manufactures two compatible systems ideally suited
for home cinema or whole house light-dimming control. The popular,
compact and affordable Futronix Enviroscene multi-room system
links to a modular system of dimmers and switch panels. Futronix'
Home-Icon system not only links dimmers together, it can also
control curtains, blinds, motorised projection screen, AV equipment,
PCs, security alarms, A/C, heating and phones to provide total
home cinema (or whole-house) master control. And at the top end,
even IMAX have selected Futronix' PFX System's incredibly sophisticated
lighting control for their high-end specialty cinemas.
For the more modest user, though, the domestic/home cinema Futronix
systems are surprisingly reasonable in price. Bearing in mind the
visual impact that a digital dimming unit can have on a home, along
with the practical, time-saving, and security benefits that come
with it, a few hundred pounds for a P400 is pretty good value.
Popcorn not included.
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