I just started with my theater and have almost finished the studs in the basement. Next is wiring. I already have a projector. It's old but will do for a while. (Panasonic PT-L711XU) When the bulb goes, I will probably upgrade to an HD projector. Since I am in the building stages, what cables should I run to the projector area for a future projector. Currently I just run s-video to it. Thanks...I'll start posting some pictures soon. This is going to be so much better than watching movies in an unfinished basement on futons with an old slideshow projector screen.

Run conduit (3") from the equipment location to the PJ. This will future-proof your build.

At least one HDMI (see monoprice) for the newer HD projectors.

Layout.

Basically, the front is 10' wide, and then goes back 26'. About 6' from the front, the room opens up another 3 feet in width. I get blocked out by ducting and the furnace. This gives me a 3' aisle. I plan to put my AV cabinet there too. I would have room to service from the back and have access to the back of the screen. I plan to do the "in fashion" 2 rows with a third as a bar. The very back will be where the small wet bar will be located. May wire for 7.1, I have a 5.1 set up using athena speakers and a mirage sub, then the wife decided she didn't like my baby advents so I may incorporated them into the mix.
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l129/vaccinator/TheaterLititz/basementtheater3.jpg
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l129/vaccinator/TheaterLititz/IMG_1531.jpg
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l129/vaccinator/TheaterLititz/IMG_1532.jpg

I got the picture thing to work...just took everyone's advice and got a photodump account.

I was wondering how many people have sold a house with a HT in it and what the response was. Did it help? Significant increase in selling price? Did you leave all your components when you moved?

In my neighborhood. Three homes were for sale last year.

First a brand new builders spec house. Basement was partially unfinished with an unfinished windowless room of perfect size for a theater. Sat on the market for a year and finally sold for 33% off of original asking price.

Next, a vacant bankruptcy/foreclosure fixer upper. poorly maintained. Needs extensive work. A few Basement walls are damp to the touch and show mold. A perfect windowless room for a theater. It has mold. On the market at 300K less then county tax assessment. Vacant since Oct last year. Bank finally got around to putting it on the market last month. No takers yet.

Then the purpose of this post. A well maintained home nicely decorated and staged with a finished HT room in the basement went up for sale a couple of weeks ago. The theater had two rows of seating, riser and a ceiling mounted CRT projector. It was priced at the upper range of the prevailing market for my neighborhood. It sold the first weekend on the market.

Started on my soffit today. Doing "L" shape with a cove to run rope light. The soffit drops the ceiling height to about 7'2" under the duct, then the ceiling will rise up to 8' in the middle.

I was trying to plan out where and how to mount my rear speakers. I was thinking to putting them in my soffit, but I am concerned about the speakers rattling up there. Another option would be to mount them on columns at the rear of the room. So speakers in soffit or columns?

Also, by running the soffit/cove around the room, I lose some ceiling height in the front of the room (screen). So the front goes from 8'4" to 7'2". I think I want to keep the screen as high as possible? Yes/No? or at least the original plan had the top at 7'.

I sold my last house with a finished theater in the basement. The buyers wanted the entire setup, but weren't willing to pay for all of the equipment. I did however leave the seating and in-wall surrounds and subwoofer. To me, when selling a house, a theater is like a swimming pool. People are either going to love it or hate it. I do think it's catching on more and more though. There are several new builders in our area and almost all of them offer some kind of media room option if you opt to finish the basement with the building. I'm also noticing home theater seating popping up everywhere, whereas a few years ago you could barely find it anywhere but online.

I have progressed a bit since my last post. Finishing the What a big job! Carpet was installed yesterday. Still need to select tiles for my drop ceiling.

Started here with a sketch up design

http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l129/vaccinator/TheaterLititz/basementtheater3.jpg

Framed out theater side

http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l129/vaccinator/TheaterLititz/IMG_1532.jpg

http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l129/vaccinator/TheaterLititz/IMG_1536.jpg

http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l129/vaccinator/TheaterLititz/Nov2008102.jpg

with carpet and riser
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l129/vaccinator/TheaterLititz/3-18theater-carpet.jpg

I have others...may post later.

What would you do with this big hole in the back? I was thinking of doors or hanging a acoustic panel over it.

http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l129/vaccinator/TheaterLititz/3-18risertoback.jpg


It is the entrance to a crawl space and it goes back about 30 feet from there.