Don't forget another audio system
I have another 5.1 system; its display does not work all the time, but it still works. I will use the old one for the upstairs tv.
Opportunity to design a home theater
- Thread starter rockymtnhigh
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I have another 5.1 system; its display does not work all the time, but it still works. I will use the old one for the upstairs tv.
Thanks John.
I appreciate it. Once I get some feedback from the developer, I will be in touch.
I had not thought of the second-hand market, but should and will. The good thing about this is while I need to make design decisions soon, I do not have to make projector decisions for awhile, except so far as I am thinking of screen size; but the screen can be one of the last things to go in.
I appreciate it. Once I get some feedback from the developer, I will be in touch.
I had not thought of the second-hand market, but should and will. The good thing about this is while I need to make design decisions soon, I do not have to make projector decisions for awhile, except so far as I am thinking of screen size; but the screen can be one of the last things to go in.
Hi Mike,
I've got a 720P DLP data projector that I am not currently using. Low hours. I'd be happy to lend it to you for a month or so, to let you experiment with setups and determining if you can live with 720P.
You would just have to drive the 2 hours up here to pick it up and return it, since my current situation doesn't allow me to travel very far.
Keep it in mind, as it's still months away.
I've got a 720P DLP data projector that I am not currently using. Low hours. I'd be happy to lend it to you for a month or so, to let you experiment with setups and determining if you can live with 720P.
You would just have to drive the 2 hours up here to pick it up and return it, since my current situation doesn't allow me to travel very far.
Keep it in mind, as it's still months away.
Thanks for that. I appreciate that, and may very well take you up on that.
Driving there is not a big deal at all.
In other news, I heard from the builder, and he likes the design I sent him for the theater room next to the mechanical room. He is having his design team draw up a formal blueprint, and will have it for me on Tuesday.
One more question....
My "day-to-day TV (a 40" LCD) will be on the main floor of the house, in the living room. While I know there is coax in the room, I also know it does not have wiring for the surrounds.
How hard is it (before the basement is finished) for the builder to run two surround wires) from in the wall, down to the floor, and then across to where the tv will be? )
i.e., go down the inside of the wall, pull that wire from down in the basement, then run it across the beasement ceiling (before the ceiling is in) and then out near the tv?
My "day-to-day TV (a 40" LCD) will be on the main floor of the house, in the living room. While I know there is coax in the room, I also know it does not have wiring for the surrounds.
How hard is it (before the basement is finished) for the builder to run two surround wires) from in the wall, down to the floor, and then across to where the tv will be? )
i.e., go down the inside of the wall, pull that wire from down in the basement, then run it across the beasement ceiling (before the ceiling is in) and then out near the tv?
To do it 'right', you need to rip out a section of wallboard, nail in a new box, drill a hole in the floor, wire it and then re-drywall, spackle and paint.
However, they do make a junction box that is designed to go into existing drywall. You cut a rectangular hole, drill the hole in the floor, string the wire, and then place the junction box in from the front. The two mounting screws let wings expand and tighten down the box from behind. Here is a picture. Note the wing and the screw in the upper right. http://images.lowes.com/product/034481/034481124030.jpg
Going across the basement is going to depend on the direction and type of joists you have down there. If it is 2x6 or 2x8 construction, and running cross to the direction you need to run the wires, it can be a real bear. My last house had the composite beams and those had pre-punched holes to run wires through. You don't want to just staple to the bottom of the beams because that will cause problems laying down the ceiling.
Naturally, it will be a lot tougher once the ceiling is installed in the basement, so get it done now.
At the same time: Do you have phone and lan everywhere you need it (i.e. near the 622?)
Thanks, I had a feeling it would really depend on the joists. And I know he won't be tearing out the walls upstairs.
I have asked the builder about location of ethernet/coax on the main floor.
I am having him put in ethernet and coax in the basement as well, in a few places.
There are some wiring solutions that can replace baseboards too. This makes your "tear up" minimal to non-existent.I think it's called wire track or something like that...
time passes during a web search
Here we go, I was close... Wire Tracks.
Cheers,
time passes during a web search
Here we go, I was close... Wire Tracks.
Cheers,
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I never cease to be amazed by the source of information and knowledge that is SatelliteGuys.
THANKS John.
Rocky:
There are some construction techniques that will be invaluable during the whole process; and they aren't immediately obvious...
1) Use double layer drywall, with a product called Green Glue in between. 1/2" over 5/8" is what you need. Ceiling dual layer 5/8" if you can. You can buy Green Glue from Acoustical Solutions. I bought mine direct but they might not be selling directly any more. If you can float the ceiling with RSIC clips and hat channel do it. The clips are pricey, but the improvement is worth it.
2) Put down a lining of felt all around the stud frame for the room. This gives you a kickass seal. I have used ASC's perimeter gasket for this. It's $17 for 25 linear feet. You would need the amount equivalent to the perimeter of each wall that you are constructing so a 25x13x8 room would need:
66x2 (long walls) + 42x2 (short walls) + 76 (ceiling) for a total of 282 feet. That's 12 packs of 25 feet or $204 + S/H.
3) Don't use metal ducting for the HVAC for the room. Use duct board (I think that's what it is called)
4) If you're doing in-wall speakers, the quality ones come with a rough in box that can be installed to the stud frame. You do that in advance of the drywall.
5) You are going to buy a ton of insulation to put in the walls and ceilings.
6) Consider smurf tube to every speaker location and between the equipment room and the projector mount location. You can share smurf tube for the front channels.
7) Doing it right will be a tad expensive. Remediating it will be extremely expensive.
8) All of this is for soundproofing, we haven't gotten to the interior acoustics yet. That's a whole 'nother story.
The end result if you do it right is that the HT will be practically noiseless to whatever is above it. In our case, it's the MBR and kitchen. You can barely hear a little bit of transmission through the duct to the MBR. Other than that, it has sufficient isolation to be unheard.
I'll be happy to demo if you have time to stop by on a trip.
Cheers,
There are some construction techniques that will be invaluable during the whole process; and they aren't immediately obvious...
1) Use double layer drywall, with a product called Green Glue in between. 1/2" over 5/8" is what you need. Ceiling dual layer 5/8" if you can. You can buy Green Glue from Acoustical Solutions. I bought mine direct but they might not be selling directly any more. If you can float the ceiling with RSIC clips and hat channel do it. The clips are pricey, but the improvement is worth it.
2) Put down a lining of felt all around the stud frame for the room. This gives you a kickass seal. I have used ASC's perimeter gasket for this. It's $17 for 25 linear feet. You would need the amount equivalent to the perimeter of each wall that you are constructing so a 25x13x8 room would need:
66x2 (long walls) + 42x2 (short walls) + 76 (ceiling) for a total of 282 feet. That's 12 packs of 25 feet or $204 + S/H.
3) Don't use metal ducting for the HVAC for the room. Use duct board (I think that's what it is called)
4) If you're doing in-wall speakers, the quality ones come with a rough in box that can be installed to the stud frame. You do that in advance of the drywall.
5) You are going to buy a ton of insulation to put in the walls and ceilings.
6) Consider smurf tube to every speaker location and between the equipment room and the projector mount location. You can share smurf tube for the front channels.
7) Doing it right will be a tad expensive. Remediating it will be extremely expensive.
8) All of this is for soundproofing, we haven't gotten to the interior acoustics yet. That's a whole 'nother story.
The end result if you do it right is that the HT will be practically noiseless to whatever is above it. In our case, it's the MBR and kitchen. You can barely hear a little bit of transmission through the duct to the MBR. Other than that, it has sufficient isolation to be unheard.
I'll be happy to demo if you have time to stop by on a trip.
Cheers,
The first picture in post #28 shows the floor joists. The bad news is that they go the wrong way. The good news is that they are the composite beams. I believe the trade name is silent floor. These are the same ones I had. They have pre punched reliefs for passing cables through. All you need to do is hit each one once with a hammer to punch out the hole. They can make that run in an hour.
Ok, got the blueprint back based on my design.
What do you think? Do-able for the HT Room?
Do you guys think the bath/exercise room could be a bit bigger - maybe push it a foot closer to the stairs, or would that make it too small in terms of the area from the stairs?
What do you think? Do-able for the HT Room?
Do you guys think the bath/exercise room could be a bit bigger - maybe push it a foot closer to the stairs, or would that make it too small in terms of the area from the stairs?
Here is my thought on how to extend the size of the exercise room/bathroom by 1'
leaving a minimum space from the corner of the stairs to the wall at 4'11" at its closest point. This creates a exercise room with a large walk-in closet with a room dimension of 9'9 1/2" x 9'6", a decent sized room.
Does this make too small of a space at the landing of the stairs?
My only other concern is whether that would cause a POST to have to be wrapped just a foot away from the wall. No way to really tell, but looking at the photo I posted earlier, there is a chance that it would be close.
leaving a minimum space from the corner of the stairs to the wall at 4'11" at its closest point. This creates a exercise room with a large walk-in closet with a room dimension of 9'9 1/2" x 9'6", a decent sized room.
Does this make too small of a space at the landing of the stairs?
My only other concern is whether that would cause a POST to have to be wrapped just a foot away from the wall. No way to really tell, but looking at the photo I posted earlier, there is a chance that it would be close.
That's what I am concerned about. 4'11" at the narrowest. Although in my current house I have less then than from the landing of the stairs to the front door, about 4'5"
Still I would love the exercise room to be almost 10x10; that provides a good size "5th bedroom" for purposes of selling the house someday. But even still, its not a terrible space.
And I can definitely work with a HTroom that is 17'4"x15'9"
Yeah 17 x 13ish, I misread. Is it big enough?
Where would you put the door? There are not a lot of options, given the location of 1) the mechanical room; 2) the window on the other side of the basement wipes out that wall as a possible room for the HT room.
Wouldn't I still have 15' as the back of the seating area with the screen on the side wall?
Would it work to have the projector in the middle, close to the mechanical room wall, shooting towards the BACK wall, giving a wider area for seats, but only a 10-11' throw? I thought I read that you could do 10' throw for a 100" screen, but am not sure it is ideal in anyway.
Where would you put the door? There are not a lot of options, given the location of 1) the mechanical room; 2) the window on the other side of the basement wipes out that wall as a possible room for the HT room.
Wouldn't I still have 15' as the back of the seating area with the screen on the side wall?
Would it work to have the projector in the middle, close to the mechanical room wall, shooting towards the BACK wall, giving a wider area for seats, but only a 10-11' throw? I thought I read that you could do 10' throw for a 100" screen, but am not sure it is ideal in anyway.
