Optimal lighting for dedicated HT rooms?

[ThA tRiXtA]

I have 6 wall sconces in my dedicated home theater room controlled by dimmer switches. What would be the ideal light bulb / color temperature of the light?

Just looking for ideas... Around my house I have various bulbs ranging from cool white to a warm, almost yellow glow and I can't decide which I should use.

Just wondering if there is an official stance out there.

 

[j_garcia]

What color are the walls? Try a variety of them in difference sconses at the same time and see which ones look better to you.

 

[jamie2112]

I like the warm look on a dimmer.....

 

[Halon451]

I think that's probably a matter of personal preference, as most people I believe will turn all lighting off altogether during HT usage. Warmer colors tend to look a little more visually appealing to me when in a dedicated HT setting, but that's just my personal preference.

 

[ThA tRiXtA]

Thanks for the replies guys.

I guess I sould have been a little more descriptive, I meant to say what bulbs or light make your display look best... as in enhancing the color, not washing them out etc...

I'm leaning towards a warmer light color, but on the other hand I sometimes find a bulb that has a lot of yellow in it can make the room look dingy or dirty... if you know what I mean. Maybe I'm crazy!

 

[jcPanny]

Light control

Your display will look best with the lights off.
Any ambient light will wash out the front projection screen or can create reflections on a plasma.

 

[jostenmeat]

Thanks for the replies guys.

I guess I sould have been a little more descriptive, I meant to say what bulbs or light make your display look best... as in enhancing the color, not washing them out etc...

I'm leaning towards a warmer light color, but on the other hand I sometimes find a bulb that has a lot of yellow in it can make the room look dingy or dirty... if you know what I mean. Maybe I'm crazy!

Light = BAD for PJ video enjoyment.

Just select lighting that looks most pleasing, without ANY concern for video.

When movie starts, turn off all lighting, and you will see that the screen + PJ themselves should light up the room enough for people to still get around quite easily.

I even tried a small nite-light plugged in the back. Significantly ruined image, even more so, subjectively, than afternoon viewing with some, but minimal, light leakage.


Edit:
DOH!!! Not a PJ, LOL. Still, lights better when off. I see your other thread now. Go BIG! And especially if you're going to use lighting, for then you much less enjoy the deeper blacks of a Kuro anyways...

 

[PSWii60]

I use 50w softwhite floods in the middle and at the back and 30w closer to the screen, but I have recessed lights so your wattage may vary. I like to have a little bit of a glow when I watch movies. If your looking to do the same, just go with a higher wattage at the rear and lower at the front toward your screen. But definitely go soft white for the warm color temp.

 

[BMXTRIX]

I like halogen bulbs, but the reality tends to be that you should actually be using lamps that are designed to operate at the 6500K color temperature. Since most video is shot to 6500K standards, and most displays are designed (in theory) around the 6500K color standard, then any color lamp that is off of 6500K will color the image that way and could make the image look overly warm or cool.

Yet, despite that 'technical' side of things, the reality remains that it is far, FAR more personal preference than it is something which is set in stone.

As I said, I like halogens because when you dim them they don't buzz and when you crank them up they truly get solidly bright.

 

[10010011]

Anyone ever thought of using red lighting like the used to do in theaters for lighting during the movie?