Home cinema lighting

[ADringer]

Before I begin I know this might need to go in the electrics section but this isn't about how to wire lights up, it's about ideas for lighting.

I want to put in some dimmable led downlights so as to create a 'home cinema'. The area that this is going in is 3.5x2.6m (see image).

Has anyone got any recommendations on how many lights I should have i.e. rows and columns? These lights are purely for watching movies, I don't need to worry about using the lights for other tasks.

Also, I guess I don't want a light directly over the TV as it would cause glare, is there a distance I should have a light from the TV? Does the same go for the seating?

Thanks
Alex

Untitled

• ADringer
• 8 Nov 2013
• 1

 

[OwainDIYer]

For a cinema you don't want ceiling downlights of any nature.

Low level wall lights illuminating the floor perimeter and stop you falling over the furniture.

 

[Lucid]

The room isn't huge, so there's no need to go overkill with the number of lights. Six lights arranged in two banks down the long sides of the room would be sufficient. The positioning would avoid reflections problems as far as is possible.

But, exactly because the room is small, care does need to be taken with the way the lights are controlled.

If I was spec'ing the same for a client, I'd advise light control in two circuits. The front two lights are most likely to affect screen performance. So I'd recommend controlling those on an individual light circuit. The four remaining lights are controlled on another circuit.

I have just completed two jobs that included light control. The results are very different. One client spent about £40 per light on decent easily-dimmable LED downlights. They have 5400K colour temp lamps too so produce a nice looking warm light for a media room. The other client went cheaper; approx £20/light from a wholesaler. The drivers in those lights just don't work as well. The range from off to 100% is really small so the effect is Nothing > ON > 50% > 100%. Also the light is what I call blue-grey. It's not bright enough for that crisp blue-white that looks good in kitchens. The result isn't nice but changing it now would be cost prohibitive.

Here's how I'd lay it out



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[ADringer]

Thanks Lucid, that is exactly the sort of information I was looking for!

So with the two circuits, is it a case of the front two lights would be at a lower level then the remaining lights i.e. they would be dimmer?

Also in your diagram is the layout accurate? Would it be ok to have the front lights almost over the tv?

Thanks

 

[Lucid]

You'd have full independent control over each circuit. Quite what that means in terms of lighting levels depends very much on the controller.

For something basic, the Varilight wall dimmers provide 1-2-3 or 4 channel (circuits) control with basic on/off dim up/down per circuit. They don't have full scene setting abilities. But they will remember the last mode. So if you set the front lights at say 20-ish percent and rear rear ones at 60%, then next time you switch on then that's the level they'll go back to. They respond to individual IR signals per channel. There's also a Master button on Varlight's 8 button remote that works all the lights simultaneously. The dimmer unit responds to touch in two different ways. Single touch toggles On/Off. Press + hold invokes the dimming cycle. This is simply a sine wave where the lights cycle between min and max and min and max levels in a smooth and continuous transition. This is also echoed when using the remote control. Varlight control for 2 channels of LED and including IR remote control will cost less than £50.

There are other dual channel dimmer products available. Beware though, if using LED lights you need to make sure that the lights and dimmers are compatible, and also that the dimmer's Wattage load range goes low enough for the LEDs.

The other types of lighting controller I use in client installs is Rako, Philips and Lutron. The latter two are more suited to whole house installations. They aren't cost effective for a single room unless there's absolutely loads of channels to be controlled.

Rako is modular and scaleable. It suits small and large scale installs equally well. It's not cheap but they do have solutions for every conceivable combination of domestic lighting type and for the various ways you might want to control it.

As for lighting positions; no, the drawing isn't to scale. I don't know if your drawing is to scale so it's only a rough layout. How far do you want to go with lighting, both in terms of effort and cost? Is this a man cave or are you looking to push the boat out and produce a mini cinema?

OwainDIYer suggestion of floor and wall lights is ultimately the most effective. In that type of implementation though all the lighting is recessed and indirect. You also then need some central lighting and if you're going to those lengths some bias lighting behind the TV screen makes a lot of sense too.

 

[ADringer]

You'd have full independent control over each circuit. Quite what that means in terms of lighting levels depends very much on the controller.

For something basic, the Varilight wall dimmers provide 1-2-3 or 4 channel (circuits) control with basic on/off dim up/down per circuit. They don't have full scene setting abilities. But they will remember the last mode. So if you set the front lights at say 20-ish percent and rear rear ones at 60%, then next time you switch on then that's the level they'll go back to. They respond to individual IR signals per channel. There's also a Master button on Varlight's 8 button remote that works all the lights simultaneously. The dimmer unit responds to touch in two different ways. Single touch toggles On/Off. Press + hold invokes the dimming cycle. This is simply a sine wave where the lights cycle between min and max and min and max levels in a smooth and continuous transition. This is also echoed when using the remote control. Varlight control for 2 channels of LED and including IR remote control will cost less than £50.

There are other dual channel dimmer products available. Beware though, if using LED lights you need to make sure that the lights and dimmers are compatible, and also that the dimmer's Wattage load range goes low enough for the LEDs.

The other types of lighting controller I use in client installs is Rako, Philips and Lutron. The latter two are more suited to whole house installations. They aren't cost effective for a single room unless there's absolutely loads of channels to be controlled.

Rako is modular and scaleable. It suits small and large scale installs equally well. It's not cheap but they do have solutions for every conceivable combination of domestic lighting type and for the various ways you might want to control it.

As for lighting positions; no, the drawing isn't to scale. I don't know if your drawing is to scale so it's only a rough layout. How far do you want to go with lighting, both in terms of effort and cost? Is this a man cave or are you looking to push the boat out and produce a mini cinema?

OwainDIYer suggestion of floor and wall lights is ultimately the most effective. In that type of implementation though all the lighting is recessed and indirect. You also then need some central lighting and if you're going to those lengths some bias lighting behind the TV screen makes a lot of sense too.

This is the only place where I will be using multiple circuits so sounds like Varilight is my best bet.

It is effectively a man cave, I think going any further then that would be a pointless for my setup. Having said that I do want to make sure the lights are in the best position in regards to above the tv and sofa.

Recessed lighting is unfortunately not possible.

Also, are you able to provide some links to a) the Varlight 2 channel circuit and b) the £40 downlights your client used previously?

Thanks again!

 

[Lucid]

Just Google the for Varilight website. Their lighting products are explained on there.

The light units were a Scolmore product.

 

[ADringer]

Just Google the for Varilight website. Their lighting products are explained on there.

The light units were a Scolmore product.

I've had a look at the Scolmore products and have a couple of questions.

For it to be dimmable is it the bulb or the actual light that I need to look at? I'm looking at the Eyeball Downlight http://www.click4electrics.co.uk/click-ovia-gz520wh4swl-led-white-cast-eyeball-downlight-p-1504.html and it says 'non-dimmable'. Is it a case of getting a new 5400K LED bulb that can be dimmed to go with that light?

Also, I'm having an issue finding sites that sell these. Can you recommend any places?

Thanks

 

[Lucid]

If you want lights that can be tilted, on the same site as your link, look at "Click Inceptor Dimmable Micro LED 7W Cool White with S/Chr Trim"

 

[ADringer]

If you want lights that can be tilted, on the same site as your link, look at "Click Inceptor Dimmable Micro LED 7W Cool White with S/Chr Trim"

I was thinking if they are tilted they can be pointed towards the wall rather than straight down, so kind of indirect lighting - is this a good idea?

 

[Lucid]

Yep. that's fine.

 

[ADringer]

Yep. that's fine.

Sorry, got another question!

I have now received the lights and was planning on connecting them up to the existing circuit via a junction box and daisy chaining them together.

However, now that I've got them I realise they've already got a connector, including one for the loop, thus not requiring the junction box. Is that correct so far?

Could I also daisy chain them from this, connecting the live and neutral from where the circuit goes in? My only concern is (I haven't tried yet) that with the daisy chain I will have 4 wires (2 loop, switch, daisy chain) going into this connection and don't think there is enough space for all of them.

Thanks

 

[Lucid]

That wiring plan doesn't sound right to me.... and all for the sake of saving a couple of quid on the cost of a JB? Not good planning there, I think.

Lighting circuit > JB > L.N.& E. branch, perm live to switch, then switch live +N.E. to first light and daisychain from there.

I think you should also check electrical regs as to whether this classes as modifications to existing lighting without exceeding existing load, or whether it classes as a new circuit. It affects the legality of who can do the work; you or a Part P certified electrician.