8 years ago when we moved into this home, I knew it did not have a good setup in the family room for a theater. I also knew that the room in the basement would convert into a decent theater.

A few years back I started on it. 3 walls were already framed, I added the 4th. I bought the doors I needed. For various reasons, I stopped working on it.

Fast forward to this year. After seeing Transformers on the big screen, watching it on my 53" RPTV really made me realize that I need to go bigger.

So I stated reading again here on AVS, and started re-planning my build.

So here is my current plan.

http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s154/killerbee2001/basement.gif

On the bottom right I have a 4 foot opening with leaded glass pocket doors leading into the room. Outside the room is the landing at the base of the stairs, and another door leading into a storage room/utility room.

The bottom walls ajoins that storage room. The other 3 walls are concrete foundation. All walls are framed out.

The left wall, where I want to put the screen, has a 4x4 egress window in the middle of it.

I had originally planned on the screen being on the rightmost wall, but that left the narrowest part of the room where the exercise stuff would go. Flipping in around left the screen in the narrow side, which utilizes my space the best.

My current equipment is:
Onkyo 605 AV receiver
HD-Tivo
Boston Acoustics VR3's for the LR
Boston Acoustics VRC Center
Boston Acoustics P430's for rear surrounds.

Need to get:
Boston P430/442 for side surrounds
Blu-Ray player
Projector
Screen

Projector wise, I will wait and get it last. I can't see letting the warranty run out while I am constructing. The models I like, (Panny, epson, mits) all will throw the image I want at a 14' distance. Ceiling mounted.

Screen wise, I am torn between a DIY wilsonart, or going with an AT Seymour. With the windows behind the screen, I like the idea of doing a motorized drop down.

Lighting will be via 8 recessed cans. External light is easily controlled. Only the one window to contend with. Front and rear lights will be on separate controls, possible the grafik eye route. I'll have some nice sconces flanking the pocket doors.

Equipment will be in a recessed rack in the bottom right corner of the room in the drawing ( to the the left of the screen and seating area)

Seating will temporarily be an extra loveseat we have, which will make its way to the back row seating once we get some comfy recliners.

Screen size: I need to get the projector and shoot an image. I am hedging towards a 110-120" diagonal 2.40 screen. Viewing distance is 10' at the first row. I like the CH route.

Flooring: I am torn between doing carpet or going with engineered wood. Acoustically the carpet would be better, but with throw rugs the wood would be nice too.

I do plan on doing acoustic treatments, reflection points and bass traps for starters.

The ceiling will eventually house a star field, probably 6-8 feet wide and 15 feet long.

The front wall be fully covered in rigid fiberglass, sans the window. I may do a slide in panel for it. Front corners will have floor to ceiling bass traps.

Since 3 walls are concrete, and the 4th is a storage room, I am not overly worried about sound isolation. Above this room is the kitchen. It's just me and the wife living here. I do plan on doing a double layer with GG for the ceiling only. All walls and ceiling will have fiberglass batting. I have 2 hvac dumps in the room, and 1 return. I need to work on some isolation with those.

Ceiling will be black , or very dark at least. Ditto front wall.

The projector will be wired to a switched outlet and be on a UPS. I plan on running 2 HDMi's, component and CAT6 to it.

I may do an HTPC as well.

Questions I have.
When wall mounting the surrounds, are people just running the wires out a hole, or putting up speaker outlets.

I am not planning on doing a stage, what is the real point of one?

Floor, carpet or wood.

How to isolate the ceiling mount? (footsteps in the kitchen above might shake it)

Today I work on electrical. Oh boy.

progress?

pics nao

progress is slow! I keep changing my mind on things. Plus I've been busy and have not been down there working in a few weeks. I have some of the electrical done.

Lighting will be via 8 recessed cans...
Equipment will be in a recessed rack in the bottom right corner of the room in the drawing ( to the the left of the screen and seating area)...
Flooring: I am torn between doing carpet or going with engineered wood. Acoustically the carpet would be better, but with throw rugs the wood would be nice too...
The projector will be wired to a switched outlet and be on a UPS. I plan on running 2 HDMi's, component and CAT6 to it...
When wall mounting the surrounds, are people just running the wires out a hole, or putting up speaker outlets.
I am not planning on doing a stage, what is the real point of one?
Floor, carpet or wood.
How to isolate the ceiling mount? (footsteps in the kitchen above might shake it)....

Hi. I'll touch on some things. I'm in a similar boat: basement currently unfinished (well, I started some already), it is to become a combined HT, kids' area. I've put up all steel studs, run speaker wiring (for 7.1; only have a 5.1 rec'r now), electrical. Put some ceiling drywall up.
- Some comments: some people have regretted putting their AV rack too near the screen (LED issues).
- Floor: similar issue with me. Carpet sounds best, feels nice, but can get dirty. But engineered (IKEA et al) flooring, which looks great, has that awful clackity clack hollow sound.
- Why 2 HDMI's (not one) and CAT6 to the PJ?
- for speaker wires, i actually just attached regular electrical 'device boxes' (like for room switches) to the studs, crammed a loop of 1 m of extra wire in the box, and will cover each possibly w/ a flat plate w/ hole in it, or one w/ binding posts if I feel rich.
- I think the stage is for kids. We'll make one.
- Hmm, isolated PJ mount... foot steps. Never thought of that! That could be an issue. Guess I'm gonna do some searches here for solutions.

Matty

OH yeah, GU10s et al are so cheap. I think you should put more than 8 in total. It'll never be too bright, cuz you'll always have your dimmer.

Matty,
Actually the room is going to be reversed from that drawing now. My eqpt rack will be behind the seating area, so no distractions. I'll have to run an IR repeater setup though.

I will be running conduit to the projector location, so I may run only run one HDMI initially. 2 would be in case my AVR screws with the signal or something. Cat6 as a just in case.

The lighting will be around the edge as I will have a star ceiling in the middle. So I don't want to cram too many lights up there.

A few thoughts:

1. I'd pick carpet for acoustical reasons. I plan on having engineered wood in the rest of the basement but full carpet in HT.

2. Stage is purely for aesthetics so it depends on what look you want. But if you do go floor and area rugs stage will be more challenging. Should plan on a riser if doing two rows.

3. Regarding the cans, make sure you don't use the standard sized ones but smaller ones instead since the sound will leak through them and minimize your GG efforts. I'd almost be inclined to do the whole room GG since you can't go back. One day down the road you might have kids and then the sound will be an issue.

4. I just have my wires hanging out for the surrounds but they will be hidden in columns.

5. For the projector mount just made sure there was solid blocking put up so plate will hold securely. I'm sure others can chime in on what they did to address the issue.