Home Theater & AV — Frequently Asked Questions

Home theater costs vary based on scope. A mid-tier dedicated theater room typically runs $15,000-$40,000 installed. High-end theaters with laser projectors, Dolby Atmos, and motorized seating run $40,000-$80,000+. A media room conversion can be done for $5,000-$12,000. We give you a detailed quote after seeing the space.

We handle the full project: pre-wire, equipment selection, finish installation, calibration, and the homeowner walkthrough. We work with your builder during new construction or handle the retrofit ourselves in existing homes.

We install Epson, Sony, BenQ, and JVC 4K projectors depending on room size, ambient light, and budget. For high-end dedicated theaters, Sony laser projectors deliver exceptional image quality. We match the projector to your room.

Yes. Retrofit installs in finished rooms require fishing wire through walls and ceilings. We have done hundreds of these. Drywall impact is minimal. We will assess the specific room and tell you exactly what is involved before we start.

Dolby Atmos adds overhead sound channels so audio moves three-dimensionally around the room. For a dedicated room we typically recommend it. For a living room media setup, a standard 5.1 or 7.1 system often makes more practical sense. We give you an honest recommendation based on your space.

A full dedicated theater room typically takes two to four days after rough-in. A media room conversion is usually one to two days. We give you a timeline before we start and stick to it.

A media room is a multipurpose space — a bonus room or living room set up for better TV and audio, used for gaming, sports, and casual watching. A dedicated home theater is a purpose-built room designed around projection, surround sound, acoustic treatment, and controlled lighting. Dedicated theaters start around $15,000. Media room upgrades can be done for $3,000–$10,000. Which one makes sense depends on your space, how you use it, and your budget — we figure that out together in the free consultation.

For a dedicated theater room, a projector almost always wins — you get a 100–150 inch image that no TV can match at any price. For a living room where you can't fully control ambient light, a large-format TV (85–98 inch) is often more practical. The decision comes down to room size, how much you can darken the space, and viewing distance. We install Epson, Sony, JVC, and BenQ projectors plus Samsung, LG, and Sony TVs including the Samsung Frame. We'll tell you which is right for your specific room.

5.1 means five speakers plus a subwoofer. 7.1 adds two more surround channels for a wider soundstage. Dolby Atmos builds on either by adding height channels — speakers in the ceiling or angled upward — so sound moves vertically as well as horizontally. For a dedicated theater room, Dolby Atmos is worth the investment. For a living room with furniture constraints, a well-calibrated 5.1 often sounds better than a poorly placed 7.1. We recommend what actually works in your room.

For a dedicated theater room, yes — it makes a real difference. Hard surfaces create echo that muddies dialogue and degrades the surround experience. At minimum: carpet, upholstered seating, and fabric panels on the side walls. Full acoustic treatment isn't always necessary — proper speaker placement and calibration compensates for a lot. We assess the room during the consultation and tell you exactly what will move the needle.

Yes — and we do a lot of them. The Frame TV is designed to look like art when not in use, which means the wiring has to be completely invisible or the effect is ruined. We fish power and HDMI through the wall, route the One Connect box into a nearby cabinet, and leave zero visible cables. On stone or brick fireplace walls — common in Hill Country homes — we route wiring through the structure. We've mounted Frame TVs on drywall, marble, limestone, and brick.

A whole house audio system lets you play music in multiple rooms — independently or all at once — controlled from your phone, a wall keypad, or a voice assistant. You might have Sonos in the kitchen and living room, in-ceiling speakers on the patio, and a dedicated amp for the master bedroom. Each zone can play something different, or you can group them together.

We install Sonos, Denon HEOS, Klipsch, Polk Audio, Niles, and Dayton in-ceiling and in-wall speakers depending on what the room calls for. We do not push one brand. We match the equipment to the use case — whether that is a simple Sonos system in an existing home or a whole-house wired multi-zone setup in new construction.

Often yes. Sonos and similar wireless systems can be added to an existing home with minimal disruption. In-ceiling speakers in finished spaces sometimes require fishing wire through walls — we are experienced with that and minimize any drywall impact. We will assess what is realistic in your home and tell you upfront.

Most residential installs run two to six zones — kitchen, living room, master bedroom, patio, pool area, garage. We design around how you actually move through your home and where music makes your life better. There is no up-sell to zones you will never use.

Yes. Modern whole house audio systems — particularly Sonos — are built around phone control. You can play, pause, switch sources, adjust volume by room, and group zones together from your iOS or Android device. We also install wall keypads if you want dedicated controls in specific rooms.

A basic system — two to three zones with Sonos and in-ceiling speakers — typically runs $2,500–$6,000 installed. A mid-range system with four to six zones and a dedicated amplifier runs $6,000–$15,000. Full custom multi-zone systems in new construction with keypads, outdoor zones, and whole-home integration can run $15,000–$30,000+. The largest variable is number of zones and whether it's new construction (pre-wire is inexpensive) or existing home (retrofit costs more). We quote by zone after seeing the home.

We install weatherproof speaker systems, outdoor TVs, and outdoor projector setups for covered patios, pool decks, outdoor kitchens, and backyards. We design around how the space is used — a patio that is primarily for music needs a different solution than a covered outdoor theater. We will tell you what holds up in the Texas heat and humidity.

The right ones do. We install speakers rated for outdoor use — weather-sealed enclosures, UV-resistant drivers, stainless hardware. The Texas heat and humidity is real, and we spec equipment that is designed for it. We have had outdoor installs running reliably for years in this climate.

Yes. We install weatherproof and partial-sun rated outdoor TVs and mount them clean with no visible wiring. We assess the sun exposure, ambient light, and mounting surface and recommend the right display for the location. Not every TV marketed as outdoor is built for direct Texas sun — we know the difference.

A covered patio or outdoor theater setup is one of our favorite installs. We ceiling-mount the projector under the cover, run the wire clean through the structure, and pair it with a motorized or fixed-frame screen and outdoor speakers. The result is a proper movie experience outside.

Absolutely — and that is usually the best approach. Your patio and backyard become one or more zones in your whole-house system, controlled the same way as every other room. If you already have a Sonos system inside, we add to it. If you are starting fresh, we design it all together.

Yes. We offer free in-home consultations across San Antonio and the Hill Country. We come to you, assess the space, and put together a system designed for that specific room. No pressure, no obligation.

We serve San Antonio and the surrounding Texas Hill Country — including Boerne, Canyon Lake, Helotes, Bulverde, Stone Oak, and New Braunfels. We have been working with homeowners and custom builders in this region since 1997.

Both. We work with custom home builders during new construction — handling pre-wire, rough-in, trim-out, programming, and the homeowner walkthrough. For existing homes we do full retrofit installs. We have nine active builder relationships, the longest running since 2009.

We source everything as part of the project — you don't need to buy anything before we start. Equipment compatibility is complicated: wrong projector for the throw distance, wrong amplifier for the speaker impedance, wrong receiver for the HDMI version — these are real problems we see when clients pre-buy. If you already own equipment you want to incorporate, we work with it. But you don't need to show up with anything in hand.

We answer the phone. If a system we installed has an issue, we come back and fix it. Equipment manufacturer defects go through the warranty process; wiring, programming, and installation issues are on us. We have clients who've been with us for nearly a decade — that only works if we're there when something goes wrong. We also repair AV systems we didn't install. Call us at (210) 981-4098.

Three things that are unusual in this market. First, 25+ years of experience — Kelly started in audio in 1997 and has been in home AV since 2001. Second, no subcontractors — Kelly, Billy, and Julian do every install personally. Third, no upselling — our longest client relationship is nearly a decade because we recommend what works for your room and budget, not what makes us the most money. Our 5.0 Google rating and nine active builder partnerships back that up.