ABSOLUTELY not the only one. Aside from the obvious (cold popcorn, mobile devices, lack of respect for theater etiquette), the experience in front of an HDTV is much better. I literally visited a theater after a couple years and could not believe the lack of contrast and blur to the picture. Also, at home, you get to adjust the sound direction. There is not enough credit given to the HDTV for the decline in ticket sales.

The major difference between a traditional film projection setup and a modern hdtv is resolution.

The standard home display is 1080p max (some are larger and 4k and 8k exist but aren't standard), the advantage film has always had is that it can capture millions more "pixels" than any digital display could produce.

I do agree that 3d in the theater is garbage, but I think 3d in the home is pretty crappy also. It's a gimmick I don't need.

I will concede that a crappy movie theater compared to even a basic home setup is going to be more pleasurable, but if both are at their peak then the theater will win every time.

We used to have a string of family owned theaters near us that actually cared about creating a great experience.

$5 (for students) got admission + Med. Drink + Med. Popcorn (refills cost $0.25 on drinks $1 on popcorn. They upgraded the equpment and kept it in decent repair. Everthing was cleaned regularly the staff was all in black and white (snappy dress only). On opening weekends they decorated the theater and they would come in and preface the movie before it started, something like "This is Pirates of the Carribean 4 it is about 95 minutes long and a parents may want to pull out the smallest of guests at about 50 mins for the love scene". Then when you leave there is an attentant at the door with mints and toothpicks.They also had first come first serve premium seating (leather couches with end tables.

So it can be done. If anything I'd love to see a call to action that could in some way encourage the well maintained mom and pop theaters.

It's not just the screen - it's dealing with people that think crying babies, loud cell phone conversations and multiple trips up and down the aisles is ok-etiquette wise.

@nicodemusbc .. where do you live? in the sticks somewhere? if i was to go to a movie alone.. it would be 11.50 for the movie, plus around 2.50 for a drink, 3.00 for regular popcorn, and various other snacks are around the same price..

it would be very easy for one person to pay 20 dollars to watch a movie one time.. and like others mentioned that does not include the talking people around you.. crowded theaters where the only seats open are the very front where you are nearly laying down just to be able to see.. the the sound at that spot can be deafening. And if they even let people bring their own snacks (within reason) it would help. I saw some guy one time open a bag of M&Ms (they only sell boxes of candy in the theater) and one of the attendants saw it.. and the guy was escorted from the building.. just for m&ms..

a couple years back when prices were a little cheaper.. i went with my daughter 8 yrs old plus my son 14 and ex wife were in another movie.. it cost us over 100 dollars. and the prices have not gotten cheaper.. so..

is it better to watch in the theater or at home?

if you absolutely must have the crowds of people, the screaming babies, ( yes i dont know why anyone brings a baby) the overpriced snacks, and the subpar movies that hollywood is making now.. then by all means go to the theater..

but.. for me.. sitting at home with surround sound, shoes kicked off and feet up.. drinking what i want, snacking on what i want.. and actually watching a movie i have chosen from either netflix or other source.. is much more enjoyable.. for that matter i can even be in my pjs.. and if i get tired and fall asleep.. i dont miss the end of the movie.. i just rewind and watch it again.. and it doesn't cost me an arm and a leg..

haven't been to "the movies" in several years although I watch at least a couple movies a week...why would anyone go if they have a good HDTV and Hudu/amazon.com/netflix? the entire experience is better at home, not to mention cheaper and "pausable"

I too hate the movie theater.

My biggest pet peeves are the eardrum-shattering level of the volume in most theaters, and the fact that despite paying about $10 for a ticket, I am still subjected to commercials before the show starts. That's BS.

WTF am I paying so much for a ticket if I have to watch commercials? I pay more on my cable bill to have DVR so I don't have to watch commercials. I refuse to watch them in a movie theater.

I hate you, Cinemark! I'm never coming back.

There's something to be said for the experience of seeing a quality print of a great film on the big screen. But that's coming from a die-hard cinema fan so take it how you will. :)

We're about two weeks away from installing a 55-inch screen and Bose sound system in our basement, and I predict we'll be visiting movie theaters about four times a year after that. My pet peeve is the bleed-through sound from the theater next door, especially when I'm watching something like "Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" with sound that is not going to annoy the "Avengers" people whose explosions are louder than the theater can contain. I like DVDs at home, though I regret that they are responsible for the death of the art-house movie theater that would show a different double bill each day -- I used to go see "Days of Heaven" every year ...

My home theater projector punches out 2200 lumens on a 106" screen, is 3d capable, is played back on a 5.1 surround sound and provides a better experience than your HDTV.

I have a home theater with a 10 foot diameter screen and a top quality projector and blu-ray player. Our family uses them all the time. They are superior to most movie theaters. The exception is http://www.warrentheatres.com/moore.asp
They have ushers and fresh popcorn with real butter. An adults only lounge in the balcony which allows you to order food. Ticket prices are 10 dollars and drinks and popcorn are not cheap but it is an experience. As for people talking or using electronic devices they just don't put up with it. They escort you out. There's a quite room in the back where you can watch the movie thru a window if you have an unruly kid. We don't go to the movies often but this is a true old time movie experience.

There's something to the experience of seeing a great film in a movie theater, and I find that I have a harder time concentration on just the movie when at home (so many other things to do at the same time!) However, when I saw Prometheus last weekend there was a family in front of me who insisted on talking and giggling loudly throughout the film and had brought their four-year-old child to watch the R-rated movie!

So yeah. I vastly prefer watching at home...............or going only on Sunday morning matinees, which are half-off, the staff are less harried, and there are notably a lot less obnoxious people/children.

I've been to an IMAX theater just once. I found the picture quality too grainy, the sound entirely too loud, and the entire experience an assault on the senses. I was tired of looking up the nostrils of actors in close-up, too. I prefer my own screen, with volume control, a pause button (and rewind for bits I need to see or hear again), a comfy sofa where I can tuck my feet up, fresh air (depends on what the dogs have been eating), my own bathroom, refreshments from my own kitchen. Movie theaters pale in comparison.

If it's IMAX or XD, then it should be better than any home theater under 10K.
(I DO mean purpose-built IMAX and XD, not exiting theaters that just bought the projectors after-the-fact)

But why not have the best of both worlds. Projector at home. It's cheaper than you think for a 120" image.

If I didn't live somewhere with easy access to an Alamo Drafthouse, then I'd probably agree with you. But, as it is, they care about quality projection, do their best to make sure there's no really bad seat in the house, and, aside from the occasional waiter picking up an order or bringing me food or beer, it's probably the most interruption-free way to see movies for me (because when I'm home, for some reason I can't stay off my phone or computer or stop myself from striking up a conversation with my BF or doing something else distracting while watching something from Netflix).

I'm sure this technology is in other theaters, but in the Cineplex theaters in Canada, there's a technology called Ultra AVX (I believe). It's digital as opposed to the traditional film reel. Very nice picture!

Seconding the Cineplex quality. Just saw a movie there in digital 3D and the image was excellent.

Also, pardon my being pedantic but "nonetheless" doesn't make sense in this article. It should be "no less".

I like going to the movies for the social aspect of it....dinner out with friends then off to the movie theater. It is pretty fun to go opening night, too (nothing like seeing someone dressed as a tree at a Lord of the Rings premier). I'm not going to get that at home.

So I only go to the movies for action/sci-fi movies (the Avengers was pretty awesome in the theater). I won't go for drama/romantic movies. I like to curl on my couch and cry with my blankie with those movies.

And to really compete with the movies, the home set up really needs to be complete (both quality TV/projector AND sound system). I think folks just get the biggest TV they can afford, but they're really only getting half the experience.

I like the experience of going to the movies, though.

(Admittedly, I have a totally crappy tv setup.)

Technology is not the issue for me. Fellow movie-goers are! I'll take a decent big screen at home with family or friends or alone, over people sitting behind or in front of me talking and/or rustling candy bags for two hours.

Admittedly, I am sensitive, but the people around me, and their noise, can easily ruin a movie for me. And doesn't it seem like that kind of thing has gotten worse?

@Bee for Brian -
If it's not too late, scrap the Bose and get a better sound system. There are many, many options that won't break the bank yet provide superior results. Bose is the product of excellent marketing, but those who knows avoid the Bose.

@Bee for Brian - I strongly agree with Tinyhands: there are so many better options than Bose. For the same money, though admittedly with less color-coded set-up, you can get so much better sound. Check out your options on any AV website, such as AVSforum or hometheaterforum, and I think you'll find that you'd be much happier with another brand of speakers. Just an opinion, but one shared by many who care about audio.

I can't beat the scree of the theater.....but the quality of the picture is just as good at home. Plus my couch is much comfier than any theater seat I've sat in and I can set up my choice of snacks on the coffee table - for a 10th of the price of concessions at the theater. Another pro is no children running around screaming, teenagers (and adults any more) talking or messing around with their mobile phones, etc.

I forgot to tack on price. I pay $15-ish for Netflix (the one movie through the mail at a time plus unlimited streaming) and I average getting, watching, and sending back a movie once a week through the mail - so not counting streaming, this equals up to just over $4.50 a movie. I can provide enough snacks for about $5-7 for enough snacks to fill two people silly during the movie. So for under $15 I can enjoy the movie at home - this is the same price I'd pay for just admission tickets for two at the local theater.....not counting easily $20 in concessions once you get popcorn, drinks, and a small box of candy. So I'd pay three times as much to go to the theater to not enjoy myself since over half of people who go to the theater have absolutely no manners.

Why, yes, it is. Because I don't have to share the space with inconsiderate strangers.

I like watching movies at the theater, but the extreme cost of a night out at the movies kind of ruins it for me. Added to all of the costs others have mentioned, it's $30 for a babysitter (more if we also go out to dinner). Ugh. One night can cost the same as a year's worth of Netflix.

Having viewed a movie (alas, it was "Twister" when it was new ) at Skywalker Ranch's Stag Theater (the home and reference of THX) I can say truthfully that home HDTV beats theaters in some ways. Theaters are expensive (they need to be: they take up lots of space, have huge A/C bills and maintenance costs), You have inconsiderate viewers everywhere. Your seats may not be optimal. And you have to drive there!

On the other hand, home theater is cheap, noisy kids can be banished, you have your choice of seats and you live there. But then there are the details...

Most home theater systems are not calibrated, for video or audio. That takes time, equipment and money. Calibrated systems look and sound great. Most HT setups look and sound "okay". And underpowered. Tiny speakers in most rooms equals tinny sound
(that includes most home theater in a box systems and Bose micro sats). Bigger speakers do sound fuller and more realistic. Heavy amps sound powerful without sounding louder. As to seats, you got many two seats in the prime spot: everyone else is scattered around the room in non-optimal positions (the one closest to the kitchen never sees the whole movie).

Finally, with HT at home, you get a video to play it (dvd, cable/sat or best, Blu-Ray). You can stop it anytime for any reason (bathroom breaks everyone!), but you break up the entertainment.

But in a theater, you Go to the Movies. It's an event, it's special, it's with a community. You hear whole crowds cheer, gasp, turn their heads and cringe and applaud. The Movie is Big in a Big Hall. Yeah, it's expensive. If money is tight, save it for the good movies. But see the good stuff in the theater, then buy it and watch it at home.

If I could, I would build a TV room, with a 42", night curtains and Bang & Olufsen surround sound system. My recent movie experiences were spoilt by poor theatre etiquette than anything else. While watching Harry Potter 7.2, one of the scenes in the beginning had poor sound quality for FIVE minutes. Sadly, we couldn't get a refund or a voucher.

If you buy bose you will have bad sound.

I have been to many multi plexes where there is visible keystoning and trapezoid distortion from an improperly installed projector. One 2 ocassions at least one speker was blown.

My system produces a quality image and better sound than the theater 90% of the time.

Going the movies will always be where it's at for me, but there are some really great movie theaters here in Austin TX. The Alamo Drafthouse has great projection and a serious quiet zone policy. I'd probably feel differently if I was stuck at an AMC or something. Comedies are always more fun at the theater, probably cause everyone else is laughing and I'm drinking beer. At home there is too much distraction with crazy dogs and no one telling me to put my phone away.

I know I'm probably late to this party but I wanted to chip in my 2¢. There are pluses and minuses to watching movies either at the theater or at home. Here's some things I've noticed and some of my opinions in general.

A) My local multiplex has rooms a lot smaller than traditional theaters we had in the past. In fact it almost seems like some of the rooms there are about three rows in the front and three rows in the back. Seriously, it seems they have been making smaller theater rooms in order to pack more screens into a multiplex.

B) Most people watch movies from the back half of the theater and especially when you are in the back row the screen doesn't seem much bigger than screens one may have at home especially if you are sitting closer to them. I watched prometheus at the theater in 2D sitting in the back half of the room and when I came home it didn't make my own system feel like crap the same way watching Terminator 2 at the theater in '91 did to my then small TV with mono sound. That was in a brand new at the time theater and it was the first time I was aware of surround sound... that being the major new feature of that theater.

C) Most movie theater rooms are acoustically treated and most homes are not. Also, some movie theaters have mediocre sound but others have sound that has more dynamic range than the average home theater sound system. This dynamic range makes a world of difference when watching movies at a well maintained movie theater. That being said I've been working on acoustically treating my personal screening room and spending a lot of time calibrating my sound system and right now my local multiplex doesn't sound bigger although their acoustical treatment does give an edge to their bass performance.

E) Many people don't know HD when they see it and don't have their displays calibrated properly nor do they even watch actual HD movies instead they watch DVDs upscaled or SD or lower videos in general with bad contrast and blurry colors.

Personally I'm sort of resentful towards 3D because it's one of those carrot in front of the horse type things. I've been upgrading my household to HD but then suddenly they decided to bring 3D back and suddenly HD is not good enough. I've had a sibling downplay our upgrade saying.. "It's not like it's 3D or anything".

I have a 2k resolution display that I watch movies on and even though I don't have any movies that match that resolution it has me spoiled against most TVs that you find in the store. I was checking out some 3D TVs and they hardly even look HD to me.

I tend to limit my theatre visits to 3 or 4 times a year due to ticket and concession prices, and also because the best sounding theatre i have found locally, is about an hours drive from my home.

Most of my life though, i've for sure been a fan of the "theatre experience", starting with the Star Wars, and Star Trek movies. When i do go though, i go during the day to mostly eliminate the possibility of the crying babies, cell phone offenders, etc.

However, having purchased a plasma tv, a high end blu-ray player, and building my own concoction of a sound system, i will always choose home viewing when it comes to video quality.

For me ultimately, its the sound quality that matters most, and if the theatre has a top notch sound system with emphasis on dialog clarity, i will excuse a slight graininess with the video, and just get my popcorn without whatever they are calling butter now a days.