Lifehacker have a great post today on cheap and free home theater hacks that includes some mention of Windows Media Center. I really like the hack number 6. Calibrate your HDTV for free, some really good information in the links in that section!
So it’s kind of got me to thinking, what’s your favourite home cinema hack? Here’s mine.
I really like to have a backlight behind my TV, it makes it more watchable and much better looking in the home. Philips have a beautiful, but expensive, range of TVs with light that surrounds them. Very lucky if you have one! This is how I have mine setup:
Two low voltage (and low heat) spotlights from Ikea mounted on the wall face forward.
The TV enclosure has enough space around it for the heat to get out and is painted white to reflect the light well.
The lights turn on and off with the TV automatically thanks to a clever, power saving socket adapter. When the adapter detects that the TV has come out of standby the spot lights turn on. When it goes into stanby they go off!
All very simple, but effective. The total cost was under £20 (the clever power saving switch was free from the electric company!). Here are a couple more pictures of the lights and the adapter. To take this up a notch later in the year I’ll grab some of these so I can change to a nice blue hue.
So what’s your favourite cheap or free hack? Let us know in the comments!
Posted by Simon May, follow me on Twitter or if you like email me
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Lifehacker have a great post today on cheap and free home theater hacks that includes some mention of Windows Media Center. I really like the hack number 6. Calibrate your HDTV for free, some really good information in the links in that section!
That is a great idea!
Who is the manufacture for the power saving switch. I probably can’t get one from my power company but I would still like to buy one.
Dan,
Couldn’t find this when I posted on Sunday, but these guys make the plugs:
http://www.oneclickpower.com/store/
Si