Please recommend a Home Cinema Installation expert in Kent

[sidicks]

As above!

When we moved into our house 15 years ago we had a local firm, no longer in existence, to install various home cinema equipment etc.

Time has moved on and I’d like someone to review the existing set-up and recommend some improvements - internal cabling for HD video is an obvious area for improvement.

Can anyone recommend a local installer with a good reputation who would be able to help? (Ideally near to Tunbridge Wells).


Sidicks

[VEX]

I am a little far away, but chasingracecars is local to you being Bristol/Bath based.

V

[sidicks]

VEX said:

I am a little far away, but chasingracecars is local to you being Bristol/Bath based.
V

Err, thanks.

When did Bristol / Bath move near to Tunbridge Wells / Kent?!

[E31Shrew]

Guess the reference to Wells in Somerset may have thrown him!

[VEX]

Oops, crap geography! It’s been a long week!

I have outdone feelers out for you on a dealer network I am part of, will let you know.

V.

[chasingracecars]

Thanks VEX but yes a little further away!! Can help if you are stuck though. Been working in Edinburgh these past two weeks.

[sidicks]

VEX said:

Oops, crap geography! It’s been a long week!

I have outdone feelers out for you on a dealer network I am part of, will let you know.

V.

Well, it turns out that the firm that did the original install is still going, and they were available to arrange a site visit at short notice, so we'll wait to here what they propose!

Thanks

Sidicks

[VEX]

I have one local to you to, if you want a second opinion.

Iain Martin @ icubed home cinema.

Tell him Chris White sent you.

[ChrisNic]

http://www.progressive-ht.com

[sidicks]

Thanks

[gizlaroc]

Kent Home Cinema would be a good start! Haha

http://kenthomecinema.co.uk

They have been supporters on avaforums for years, they will do deals and know their stuff.

I have bought loads from them over the years and I live in Norfolk.

[JimexPL]

We cover your area if the original supplier doesn't work out, or you want a second opinion.

james @ mosaic-av.com

[sidicks]

gizlaroc said:

Kent Home Cinema would be a good start! Haha

http://kenthomecinema.co.uk

They have been supporters on avaforums for years, they will do deals and know their stuff.

I have bought loads from them over the years and I live in Norfolk.

Yes, they are the ones I used last time and who I’ve now spoken to for my latest requirements. (No idea why I previously thought they weren’t operating anymore!).

[NorthDave]

gizlaroc said:

Kent Home Cinema would be a good start! Haha

http://kenthomecinema.co.uk

They have been supporters on avaforums for years, they will do deals and know their stuff.

I have bought loads from them over the years and I live in Norfolk.

Main problem with AVforums is only the sponsors can really post. Say you started a thread asking a system we install, I can't answer you. If I do answer you then my reply gets deleted. Even if it is just advice. If a sponsor replies with you dont want that, you want this - which they handly can supply then it is fine. Even if the products are comparable in any way.

It's a complete waste of space - assuming you actually want unbiased advise and not a sales pitch. This place is far better (most of the time).

I should point out I don't know the company mentioned at all - my post isn't about them.

[chasingracecars]

Agree, I was on there. A chap had Control4 and was having so many problems that he wanted to rip it all out. I offered help and was shot down by the admin. I even offered free time! Yes ok over time I would like to get some business from forums but not the main reason I am on here or there. £200 a month to be a AV company on AvForum is far too much.

Come here for free advice and good small companies for all sorts of work.

[anonymous-user]

sidicks said:

As above!

When we moved into our house 15 years ago we had a local firm, no longer in existence, to install various home cinema equipment etc.

Time has moved on and I’d like someone to review the existing set-up and recommend some improvements - internal cabling for HD video is an obvious area for improvement.

Can anyone recommend a local installer with a good reputation who would be able to help? (Ideally near to Tunbridge Wells).


Sidicks

The solution we use is: (1) all our dvds and bds were ripped to a NAS (using makemkv); (2) Ethernet cabling through the house; (3) apple tv4 (the one before the most recent one, so not 4K) connected to every tv; (4) £5 on an app called Infuse Pro.

The app allows you to stream from your NAS to ATV. It will also stream to an iPad or iPhone over WiFi and let your download content to your Idevices. Makemkv rips losslessly (30GB+ for a BD; so far I’ve used about 14TB of disc space).

All the discs now live in the loft or have been sold. There are four of us and we’ve occasionally all been watching different things via infuse on different devices at the same time without a hiccup.

Infuse is working on a 4K version of its app for ATV4K, but I have no 4K displays and no 4K content. I’ve got >500 films mostly at HD res and I’m not about to re-purchase and re-rip them in UHD, so what we have is good enough for now. To be frank I’m more concerned about getting good sound that in seeing better than HD res, and Infuse is pretty good in that dept.

[OldSkoolRS]

NorthDave said:

Main problem with AVforums is only the sponsors can really post. Say you started a thread asking a system we install, I can't answer you. If I do answer you then my reply gets deleted. Even if it is just advice. If a sponsor replies with you dont want that, you want this - which they handly can supply then it is fine. Even if the products are comparable in any way.

It's a complete waste of space - assuming you actually want unbiased advise and not a sales pitch. This place is far better (most of the time).

I should point out I don't know the company mentioned at all - my post isn't about them.

There's nothing stopping a 'normal' member posting about good service he has received even if it isn't a forum sponsor; I know as I've done it before about my dealer (who actually is a sponsor now, but wasn't back then).

I kind of understand the forum's point though as sponsors pay considerable amounts per month and if non sponsors can post and elicit business from it for free, then it undermines their sponsors and the charges to them.

Having said that, IMHO there some sponsors who don't deserve any business IMHO: I've seen highly unprofessional argumentative or even downright threatening posts by some of them. Or misleading posts such as a recent claim that they weren't expecting any new JVC projectors to be launched this year (all the while advertising their old demo units to get rid before the prices dropped).

I think you can take some feedback from owners as useful though: Of course I tend to enthuse about a product I'm happy with and can come across as a fan boy, but I do try to temper it with other things I'm less pleased about. I've been known to suggest not to buy something (even after an AA has posted with a list of things to buy that they happen to sell ) because I don't think (for example) that a huge subwoofer is a great idea in a 3x3 metre living room in a block of flats. Or I've suggested to make improvements to the room first before spending big money on projector upgrades that will be largely lost due to less than ideal conditions.

I've just tried to search for Kent Home Cinema on AVF as like the OP I was pretty sure they didn't exist anymore.Considering the amount of AV stuff I read online, then they must have a pretty poor advertising budget for me to have not come across them recently. Maybe they have enough business already...

EDIT: It seem that KHC aren't assured advertisers as they don't appear on this list:
https://www.avforums.com/pages/advertisers/

Edited by OldSkoolRS on Saturday 14th October 18:07