In the 1950s, internal movies became faddy in the United States and elsewhere as Kodak 8 mm film (Pathé 9.5 mm in France) and camera and projector equipment became affordable. Projected with a small, portable movie projector onto a portable screen, often without sound, this system became the first practical down home theater. They were generally used to show apartment movies of descendants travels and celebrations but also doubled as a means of showing private stag films. Dedicated address cinemas were called screening rooms at the continuance and were outfitted with 16 mm or even 35 mm projectors for showing profitable films. These were found almost exclusively in the homes of the model wealthy, especially those in the movie industry.

Over the course of three days, retailers, manufacturers, and members of the consumer electronics press were exposed to the first "home like" caution of combining a lanky http://www.premierehts.com/ quality video source with multi-channel circle sound. That peculiar demonstration is credited with being the impetus for developing what is now a multi-billion dollar business.