We have such busy lives that we tend to do things on the fly nowadays. I know I use my iPhone more than my personal computer at home, even while I’m at home. While sitting at my desk, I can have  Netflix running on my iPhone watching a new movie while getting work done. This way I’m getting two things done at the same time. However,  all of us that work here at Elite HTS love the home theater experience and we do not compensate with using our smartphones or tablets in its place.

A recent article from Z6 Mag states that home theater will have to play catch up with mobile technology and we can understand their view. We all use mobile technology to communicate with one another and we also use it as a form of entertainment, from music to movies. However the reason home theaters have become popular over the past several years is to replicate the experience of going to a theater to watch a new release. Most people enjoy the big screen, the surround sound, and the concessions. Would this all be replaced by mobile technology? It’s hard to imagine that we will all resort to watching movies on our smartphones and tablets and not in the comfort of our home theaters.

As you’ll see in the clip below, Netflix on an iPhone can be useful for us on the go and for those of us with kids and no entertainment system in the car, having this technology is great to keep the kids entertained. Would you really be able to use this in place of the true home theater experience?

It’s true that smartphones and tablets have increased so much in popularity but I don’t think there is a concern where this will take the place of a true home theater experience. The Z6 Mag article has valid points and it made us think about it. Our conclusion is that it will not replace the home theater and it will enhance the experience. Just like we said in our Home Theater App blog from last week, smartphones and tablets enhance our home theater experience, they don’t take away from it.

We always appreciate your comments and feedback so contact through Facebook, Twitter, email or by phone.

Canadian Head Office
Unit 406, 17665 66A Ave.
Surrey, BC V3S 2A7
Tel. 604-575-8310
Fax. 604-575-8329

U.S. Head Office
1927 Boblett Street
Blaine, WA 98230
Tel. 1-800-490-1595

email: sales@elitehts.com

Most recently, our Dark Knight themed room caused a stir with Batman and movie fans. The positive reviews and comments were truly amazing. With the creative talent of our CEO, Bobby Bala, the Dark Knight themed room was born. The only catch to designing this room was that the customer was then going to purchase his home theater seating from us because at the core of our business we are a home theater seating manufacturer. From the early days of Elite Home Theater Seating to present day, our main focus has been to make the most luxurious home theater seating which we proudly do on a daily basis.

Since the Dark Knight themed room was released, our Twitter and Facebook pages have been inundated with requests for other themed room designs. We’ve been asked to make Finding Nemo, Jaws, Halloween (the Rob Zombie version), & even The Breakfast Club. All of these movies would make great themed home theater rooms. Just like the Dark Knight room, we are happy to fulfill this request as long as the seating is purchased from us as well. That’s a great deal!

Pictured to the left is our F1 (arm profile F with back rest style 1) made of silk leather, hidden cup holders that slide out with custom wood species and stains. The black onyx colour makes this a standout pieces in any room. The configurations on our chairs are endless so you can customize these to what benefits you the most. Build your own seat with our chair customizer right here.

If you have a themed room you would like designed, I’m sure we can accommodate and our customized chairs will make you never want to leave that room.

We always appreciate your comments and feedback so contact through Facebook, Twitter, email or by phone.

Canadian Head Office
Unit 406, 17665 66A Ave.
Surrey, BC V3S 2A7
Tel. 604-575-8310
Fax. 604-575-8329

U.S. Head Office
1927 Boblett Street
Blaine, WA 98230
Tel. 1-800-490-1595

email: sales@elitehts.com

While looking at lists of the best Blu-ray 3D movies available from Squidoo, Popular Mechanics, and About.com, it’s evident their list include amazing movies, (some lists seem identical…) We would like to give you our picks of the top four Blu-ray 3D movies to enjoy in your home theater. With summer now drawing to a close, many of us will be spending more quality time at home. So let’s see which 3D movies can enhance the home viewing experience, (in no particular order):

1) Avatar: On October 16, 2012, the highly anticipated limited edition Blu-ray 3D version of Avatar will be released. When released in theaters, Avatar was originally in 3D, however upon its DVD release in 2010, the version was in 2D. Experiencing Avatar in the original 3D version will be amazing. Information on the contents of this version is currently unknown.

2) Transformers: Dark of the Moon: Released in January 2012, Transformers: Dark of the Moon captures the feel of the theatrical release very well. According to Bluray.com, the 3D effects are evident and will leave the viewers satisfied and impressed. This 4 disc edition has the Blu-ray 3D version on disc 1, the standard Blu-ray version on disc 2, disc 3 has all the special features and disc 4 has the standard DVD version. The clip below is in 3D as well. 

3) Despicable Me: Released in December 2010, Despicable Me on Blu-ray 3D is a movie made for kids but is geared towards adults as well. The 3D effects are well done and similar to the theatrical release. There are scenes that really work well in 3D so ensure you watch this movie.

4) Resident Evil – Afterlife: Reviews of this Blu-ray 3D have been very positive. Even if you are not a fan of the video game, the 3D effects in this movie are very well done. You will enjoy watching Resident Evil – Afterlife. The opening credits sequence is said to be picture perfect 3D. 

We always appreciate your comments and feedback so contact through Facebook, Twitter, email or by phone.

Canadian Head Office
Unit 406, 17665 66A Ave.
Surrey, BC V3S 2A7
Tel. 604-575-8310
Fax. 604-575-8329

U.S. Head Office
1927 Boblett Street
Blaine, WA 98230
Tel. 1-800-490-1595

email: sales@elitehts.com

The Titanic Blu-ray 3D DVD will be released on September 10, 2012. Fifteen years after its release, Titanic has been upgraded to meet our current needs of home theater technology. Directed by James Cameron, this blockbuster movie has made approximately $2.2 billion worldwide. In the spring of 2012, Titanic 3D was released in theaters. You can now view the biggest grossing movie of all time in 3D in the comfort of your own home and home theater.

Three versions will be released on September 10th. A 2 disc DVD, a 4 disc Blu-ray DVD Combo Pack, and the 4 disc Blu-ray, 3D Blu-ray DVD Combo Pack. Titanic will also be available on demand and digital download. According to Blu-ray.com, the 3D upgrade “earns a stunning 3D conversion”. The initial release of Titanic was visually stunning and the 3D conversion has enhanced the quality perfectly.

The Blu-ray is filled with bonus content, over two and a half hours of never before seen footage. There is the standard audio commentary as well as two documentaries, “Reflections on Titanic” which clocks in just a few seconds under one hour and four minutes and “Titanic: The Final Word with James Cameron“, at one hour and thirty-six minute in length . If you like deleted scenes, there are over fifty three minutes for you to enjoy. The extras don’t end there either. Various segments that include the construction timelapse, deep down dive footage, videomatics, visual effects, TV spots, trailers, still galleries, Titanic parodies, and the music video for Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On“.

Over the past two months, we’ve done blogs on home theater 3D technology and equipment. This past Wednesday’s blog, (Septenber 5),  “The New Sony 4K TV” featured the new XBR-84X900 4K TV from Sony and from July 9th, we discussed The New Sony 3D VPL-VW1000ES Projector. We all know 3D technology has been a welcomed addition to home theaters while the content available hasn’t been as exciting as the technology itself. With Titanic and its 3D upgrade, we have a movie perfectly made for this emerging new home theater technology.

You can pre-order the Blu-ray 3D DVD Combo Pack of  Titanic from Amazon, (just click here).

We always appreciate your comments and feedback so contact us at any of the methods below.

Canadian Head Office
Unit 406, 17665 66A Ave.
Surrey, BC V3S 2A7
Tel.  604-575-8310
Fax. 604-575-8329

U.S. Head Office
1927 Boblett Street
Blaine, WA 98230
Tel. 1-800-490-1595

email: sales@elitehts.com

The Discovery Channel is celebrating the 25 years of Shark Week from August 13 till August 19. The programs are amazing & this year, Shark Week has become interactive.  Click here to download the Shark Week Plus App & Shark Week Bingo App from the App Store. You can enter the “Chompdown” Competition and play Shark Games which includes Shark Munch, Great White Shark Puzzle, & Shark Week Picture Pieces.

“Air Jaws Apocolypse”, “Sharkzilla” (a look at the Megalodon), “How Jaws Changed The World”, “Great White Highway”, & “Shark Week’s 25 Best Bites” are just some of the fascinating programs this year. What makes Shark Week special is their ability to educate the viewer on the behaviour of sharks. Sharks often stereotyped as vicious creatures out to kill humans at any possible chance. These programs show that this is not the case at all. Sharks are intelligent creatures and the fact they have been around before the dinosaurs roamed the earth does state the survival instincts they have. With the recent media coverage of “shark finning” (the removal and retention of shark fins and the discard at sea of the carcass, most often still alive when it is tossed back into the water. Unable to swim, the shark slowly sinks toward the bottom where it is eaten alive by other fish), the public needs to be aware of the importance of sharks. The Discovery Channel helps bring awareness to the beauty of these creatures.

Coincidentally, this week also brought the release of a must have Blu-Ray DVD’s. The 1975 blockbuster that scared a nation, Jaws, has been released as part of Universal Studios 100th Anniversary Edition. Jaws terrified a nation, scaring people away from the ocean. As a child, I saw this movie and was too scared to go into the shower! The two disc set comes with bonus content, “The Shark Is Still Working:The Impact & Legacy of Jaws”, “The Making of Jaws”, “Jaws:The Restoration”, deleted scenes, a digital, and an ultraviolet copy. You can purchase a copy from Amazon.

For those of you with 3D home theaters, the IMAX: Sharks 3D Blu-ray DVD will keep you entertained. Presented by Jean-Michel Couteau, IMAX: Sharks 3D gives you an up close look at Great White, Hammerhead, Whale, and various other species of sharks. This documentary shows you that sharks are not malicious man-eating machines. You can also purchase this from Amazon.

A few shark facts:

1) Where did the term “Jumping The Shark” come from?:

We’ve all heard the term, “jumping the shark” but few actually know where this originated from.  In 1977, Happy Days was a popular TV show and in its fifth season premier, main character, Fonzie can be seen jumping a shark. The scene is so terrible that it depicted the decline in ideas the writers had for the show. Soon after, numerous cast changes, odd story lines, and a decline in the shows popularity created the term, “jumping the shark”, originally penned by Jon Hein. Jumping the shark can be defined as an act that is so bad, it is the decline of ones popularity.

courtesy of sharkfacts.org:
2) There are more than 350 different kinds of sharks
3) You are 1,000 times more likely to drown in the sea than you are to be bitten by a shark
4) Most sharks as we know them today developed about 64 million years ago during the age of the dinosaurs
5) A shark can hear a fish in the water from more than a mile away
6) About 100 people in the world are bitten by sharks each year. Of these, five to ten die
7) The chance of being killed by a shark is one in 300 million. The chance of being killed by airplane parts falling from the sky is one in 10 million

Sharks are fascinating creatures and Shark Week on the Discovery Channel is entertaining and educational. For a full schedule of all shark documentaries this weekend, please click here.

Give us your feedback on this or any other home theater related experience. We would love to hear it.

Canadian Head Office
Unit 406, 17665 66A Ave.
Surrey, BC V3S 2A7
Tel.  604-575-8310
Fax. 604-575-8329

U.S. Head Office
1927 Boblett Street
Blaine, WA 98230
Tel. 1-800-490-1595

email: sales@elitehts.com

The Friday the 13th movies love to scare the viewer especially the original.  When this movie was released in 1980, critics hated it yet the public loved it.  The movie cost $500,000 to make and grossed $60 million worldwide. What most people forget about the original movie is that Jason Voorhees was not the killer.  The killer was his mother, Pamela Voorhees.  She goes on a killing spree because her son, Jason, drowned in Crystal Lake due to negligent camp counselors. The ending sequence of the movie has ranked as number 31 on Bravo’s 100 Scariest Movie Moments. If you haven’t seen it, we won’t ruin the surprise but be warned, regardless of what age you are, it will frighten you.

Pamela Voorhees was decapitated in the original movie by a camp counselor. Jason Voorhees takes the leading role in the second, third, and fourth sequels. His motivation to kill is based on the death of his mother.  He is out for revenge on any camp counselor he sees. The iconic hockey mask made its appearance in the third sequel which by the way, was in 3D.  While killing a camp counselor, Jason finds the mask and decides to wear it to hide his deformed face. Jason goes on a killing spree in part 2, 3, & 4 and yes he is “killed” in each one yet comes back time and time again until part 4.  He does end up dying and we do not see Jason in part 5, “The New Beginning”.  A paramedic decides to take Jason’s place after he witnesses his sons dead body.

1986 ushered Part 6, “Jason Lives” is where the franchise takes a dramatic turn.  Jason is brought back to life and possessed by something evil which enables him to have super-human strength and immortality. We see Jason back to his regular activities through part 6 and 7. While part 8, “Jason Takes Manhattan”, is considered one of the weakest of the series amongst movie fans, this movie has it’s die-hard cult like following.  It is weird to see Jason on a boat and roaming the streets of Manhattan. An interesting side note about part 8, the budget to film in Manhattan increased during filming so in order to keep costs low, scenes were changed throughout the movie.  This explains why most of the killings were done on a boat and Jason does not actually arrive in Manhattan till very late in the movie.  BTW, Manhattan is actually Vancouver, (another way to cut production costs).  There are a few scenes in Times Square but besides that, not much is filmed there.

In 1993, Part 9 was to be the “Final Friday”, and end to the franchise. New Line Cinemas took over at the helm of Paramount Pictures. “Jason Goes To Hell:The Final Friday” sounds like a phenomenal movie but really falls short of greatness. Jason is seen in the opening sequence where he is killed once again. This time, his body is so badly damaged, that his demonic soul starts possessing other bodies.  Throughout the movie, Jason’s soul possess various people and we see them killing instead of our hockey mask, machete wielding leading star. He does return right near the end where he is sent to hell.  The best part of the movie is the final sequence.  The camera focuses on the hockey mask on the ground and out of nowhere, the famous glove of Freddy Krueger from the “A Nightmare on Elm St.” franchise drags the mask underground, aka “to hell”. Freddy was sent to hell just a few years before in that franchise. This scene caused numerous conversations for years to come. Horror fans wanted a Freddy vs. Jason type movie. What we did get was the resurrection of Jason but not with Freddy.  It was Jason….in space.

2002 introduced “Jason X” (aka Friday the 13th, part 10). The film did not have the continuity of the series. Jason is seen alive, chained up on display.  He is not in hell and looks much better than he did before he died in part 9.  Once he is free he accidentally damages a cryonic pod which leaks cryonic fluid and freezes himself as well as the person he was trying to kill.  Fast-forward to the year 2455 and a group of students from “Earth 2″ visit our Earth to find these two frozen bodies.  In “Jason X”, Earth becomes so polluted that the inhabitants are all but dead which is why Earth 2 has become home for humans. Jason wakes up on a spaceship and starts his shenanigans once again.  Once alive, he is ambushed and falls against a damaged medical station which can reanimate non-living beings.  Jason gets transformed into a cyborg and has an updated look for the new millennium, (as seen in the picture to the left). Everyone thought that Jason will have a series of movies with this upgraded model, we were wrong.

2003, one short year after Jason X was released, the wait was over for horror movie fans. Freddy vs. Jason hit the box office with success as the opening weekend grossed over $36 million. Overall, the movie grossed $82.5 million making this showdown a great success. Freddy Krueger battles Jason Voorhees and kill innocent people along the way.  For Jason fans, this movie was a bit more on the Nightmare side than it was the Friday side.  This is an entertaining movie and it was great to see Jason back on the big screen. Who actually wins this battle is unsure.  The final sequence shows an all out battle to the death. We see Jason rise out of Crystal Lake holding Freddy’s head and Freddy is also alive.  With an ending like this, part 2 was on fans minds. Once again, what was delivered next was not what was expected.

In 2009, Friday the 13th had a reboot. A remake of the classic original movie was released to theaters.  Since Jason was not featured in the original movie, skeptics were not happy about this reboot.  Thankfully, the movie was made with elements of the first three. We see Pamela being killed, Jason with the original burlap sack he wore to hide his face and then we see him discovering the mask.  The only element that was hard to get used to was that he is back to being human and not possessed by the devil.  If we ignore the series from part 6-10, this movie can be enjoyed. I think it was well done and glad it was remade.  With the success of the new The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Rob Zombie’s brilliant Halloween, it was inevitable that Jason would also be remade.

Here we are now, Friday July 13, 2012 and the Friday the 13th franchise comes full circle. From the original with Pamela Voorhees, Jason going to hell than space, battling Freddy, and now the series has a reboot for new and old fans to enjoy. Tonight would be a great reason to have a Friday the 13th movie marathon and enjoy all twelve, however if you cannot sit through approximately eighteen hours of Jason, you could pick from some of the best in this franchise.  The original movie is a must see; you will not be disappointing.  Part 3, 6, 10, Freddy vs. Jason, and the 2009 reboot will give you hours of entertainment today. A home theater setting with the Friday the 13th movies is the kind of evening I love to have. Enjoy these great movies tonight. Some might scare you and some might make you laugh. We do know it will enhance your home theater experience.

The 4K resolution means that the projector is more than four times the resolution of the current highest quality projector which is 1980 x 1080 pixels. The VPL-VW1000ES is 4096 x 2160, vastly superior than any projector currently on the market. The VPL-VW1000ES has excellent 3D and has support of the DCI color space, which is the standard used in the movie theaters. These two features create an impressive image.

Weighing in at 44 lbs, this projector can be mounted on the ceiling like standard projectors. There are also small screw-on feet to level the projector on the ground.  The set-up menus are very easy to use, even though there are plenty of setting to get used to, the system is very user friendly.  Considering how many picture options are available, it may be time consuming at first. Sony  states the viewer can sit closer to the screen as there is no “screen door effect”.  Last but not least, the projector has a whisper quiet fan so you will not be distracted by a loud fan while you use this projector.

ProjectorReviews.com reviews approximately 25 home theater projectors per year and in 2012, Sony was awarded  the Outstanding Product of the Year Award.  This may take a few years to catch on as it seems Sony has gone above and beyond that of their competition.  Blu-Ray players cannot support such high resolution so trying to watch anything of such high quality isn’t available just yet. Other forms of technology that coincide with this projector will be able to accommodate such high resolution in the near future.  The competition will have to catch up.

Engadget.com has pictures of the VPL-VW1000ES, to view please click here.

Home theater seating brings the experience of a movie theater right in to your home. A difference in movie theater seating compared to home theater seating is comfort.  Most modern movie theaters have wider isles yet the comfort factor has not changed. Next time you are watching a movie in a theater, try to take a quick look to see how many people re-adjust their seating positions during the movie. For those people who are tall, sitting in a theater for too long can result in mass discomfort.  It is the exact same situation when you fly coach on a plane.  These seats are not made for comfort at all.

For home theater seating, comfort plays a large role.  Sitting for a long duration of time should be comfortable and the need to re-adjust your sitting position is not needed when you have the right seating.  One goal to aim for would be the “sleep factor”. If you’re like me and end up falling asleep on your couch more than your own bed than the “sleep factor” is vital.  A good chair would be the one where you can fall asleep and be comfortable after you wake up.  We spend our days working hard and we deserve a relaxing chair to relax in when we’re at home.  

A chair that is durable and easy to clean plays an important part in the decision making process during purchase. With young children in your family, you want to be able to clean up after them with relative ease.  We have three distinctive fabric styles to keep your theater looking brand new and prestine:

1) Silk Leather: This is exclusive to Elite HTS.  A luxurious leather that is as soft as silk and at the same time as durable as leather. 
2) Valentino Leather: Another Italian leather that is durable and soft while remaining luxurious
3) CineSuede: This is a high end, spill resistant fabric that is also very soft while creating a warm and cozy theater environment

More than likely, we all eat and drink while watching tv and in a home theater setting, a table is not within reach. To eliminate any issues, cup holders in your seat are essential.  This allows you to have a beverage close by without having to get up out of your seat and you won’t miss any scenes, plays, goals, or whatever else it is your watching.  You can also get accessories like a swivel tray and storage components. Another feature of home theater seating are reclining chairs.  The comfort of a reclining chair gives you the added bonus to watch your tv screen from a different distance based on what position you recline in. Once that footrest is up and you’re all cozy, you may just lose all track of time. 

As you can see, it is very important to choose the seat of your choice carefully.  Comfort is such an important aspect and cannot be overlooked or taken for granted.  Regardless of the size of your home theater, you can find what best suits your needs without compromising any of the above mentioned.

The first Back To The Future movie was an instant hit when it was released in 1985. The setting depicts how it was for a teenager in that decade without the campy mocking that movies make nowadays. Marty lives at home, uses a skateboard to go to school with his back pack slung over one shoulder (this is still the way to do it, regardless if the remake of 21 Jumpstreet tells you otherwise). One of his closest friends is Emmett Brown, aka The Doc who invents a time machine out of a Delorean, (which is powered by plutonium that he stole from Libian terrorists).  Marty and Doc are found by these terrorists and while they shoot the Doc, Marty flees away in the Delorean and ends up in 1955.  While in 1955, Marty accidentally bumps into his father, who at that time was just a teenager.  Marty mistakenly interfers with how his mother and father would meet and ends up trying to fix it all before it’s too late.  Marty finds the Doc and explains everything which enables Doc to help Marty get back home.  Of course without plutonium, Marty won’t be able to get back unless a huge power surge is generated, luckily the lightening that hits the clock tower can send him back.  After getting his parents together, singing and playing a mean guitar to the Chuck Berry classic, Johnny B. Goode, Marty gets back in time to get back to the future of 1985.  

The first sequel takes Marty and Doc into the future of 2010 to help save Marty’s kids.  What turns out is not what was expected as Marty buys a sports almanac and it falls into the hands of Biff, the same menace from the original movie.  Marty and Doc then go back to 1985 to see everything has changed, they realize that Biff used the time machine and went to 1955 to give his younger self the almanac.  With all the money he made from betting on sports, Biff changed Hill Valley and Marty needed to go back to 1955 to retreive the almanac and restore a sense of normalancy to Hill Valley.  How the plot intertwines with the original movie is fantasic with scenes recreated to be from the first installment of the trilogy.  In the end , Marty gets the almanac and saves Hill Valley. For the third movie which is mostly a western, Marty travels to 1885 to save Doc from “Mad Dog” Tannen.  While there, Doc falls in love with Clara Clayton.  The movie has it’s great moments where Marty gets into trouble in a saloon, meets Billy the Kid, and in the end, is able to get back to 1985.  

The trilogy Blu Ray comes with some great features to be shared in your home theater.  This comes in widescreen (1.85:1) and is in DTS-HD 5.1 surround sound which sounds amazing.  The original movie has eight deleted scenes as well as director commentary.  There are documentaries, “In The Beginning, “Time To Go”, and “Keeping Time”.  There are lots of behind the scenes footage and a ten minute Q&A with Michael J. Fox.  Let’s not forget the theme song for this movie was “Power of Love” by Huey Lewis and The News and that is also on here and you can watch the music video right here.

Part two also has deleted scenes (seven).  There are more documentaries, “Tales of the Future” and “Time Flies”.  Thee is also “The Physics of Back To The Future with Dr. Michico Kaku”, a scientist that explains time travel. There are more behind the scenes footaage as well as theatrical trailers, photo galleries, making of the Delorean, and other special bonus footage.  Part 3 also comes with delete scenes, documentaries “Tales from the Future”, “Third Time’s the Charm”, and “Test of Time”.  Behind the scenes footage, outtakes, theatrical trailers,  and photo galleries are also included.

These movies are  one of the most enjoyable experiences anyone can have while watching a movie in their own home theater and they are great for any age as well.  If you have children or if you don’t, it will delight anybody in your family.   Being 23-27 years old,  they still stand strong against any movie that has been released over the years.  We highly recommend the Back To The Future trilogy to everyone.  If you haven’t seen it, you will be pleasantly surprised by how great these movies are.  Below, we have links to all three movie trailers and we hope you decide to watch these in your own home theater soon.

Enjoy the show!

Part 1 (original theatrical trailer)
Part 2 (original theatrical trailer)
Part 3 (original theatrical trailer)
Back To The Future (trailer for part 1 rereleased in theatres 2010)