Im going to be building a HT in an existing room in my basement. The room dimensions are 16'-9" wide 18'-3 " long and 8'-0" high. There is a closet door on the right side of the back wall and an entry door on left side of the back wall. I have full walk around access to the front and side walls.
I would like to build my equipment around the projector using a budget of no more than$4500.00 for the projector. I belong to a buying club and am limited to the following manufacturers.
Dalite sceen, Hitachi, Infinity Harmon, UBL, Mitsubishi, Opima, Panasonic, Phillops, Yamaha/PML, Sony, Boston Accoustics, Denon,Jamo,Onkyo and PSB

I do not have a lot of knowledge regarding anything A/V and im not all that interested in it. But my family enjoys watching movies and would really like a home theater.

I would like help with the
Receiver 7.1
speakers inwall
Sub
Fixed Screen
power APC
projector ceiling mount
DVD Changer
Remote

Thank You

If you want equipment advice go to the various forums for each piece of equipment, speakers, projectors AVR's etc. Better yet start doing a lot of reading on here on the various aspects of your project. I would also wait to get most of your equipment until after your theater is completely designed.
There is a great deal that I doubt you have have thought of at all yet that you need to learn and decide on before you get to buying equipment, and some of those decisions will influence what equipment you should ultimately choose. for instance are you going with a 16:9 aspect screen or are you going to try to do CIH = constant image height with a 2.35:1 or 2.37 screen? Are you building riser[s]? what is your lighting going to be, Soundproofing? acousttics which are two different things. Do you want to use Butt Kickers? or just rely on the sub for all your punch in the gutt experience?
Where do you want to locate your equipment, have you thought about the HVAC situation for the room? What will all the functions of the room be?
You can spend some time learning these things and make informed decisions or you can just go out and buy a Home theater in a box set up and call it a day. the choice is yours.
But if you want someone to tell you what to buy you will get as many different answers as there are posters on here. and who's to say you will like what they like?

Hello McCall
I have spent about 40 hours over the last 3 weeks. I new nothing before I started on this forum and now Ive learned that I no less. To gain the knowledge that I would need to pick the right equipment for my room. At 10 hours a week would probably take about 3 years. That's why I was asking for assistance I was thinking that if I went to the local audio video store they would just stear me the wrong way. I can answer all your questions if that would help.
Yes rear seats will be on a riser about 10 inches.
There will be some accoustical panels on the walls.
You can reccomend the type of screen aspect ratio or size.
I won't be able to tell if it sounds good or not I just like it loud.
I have a bose system in another tv room with a 50 inch plasma and sounds great to me.

Thanks Again
Bob

I think you'll find that as McCall suggests, this is pretty much a do-it-yourself internet site. I know you are asking for help, but to be honest with you why should I spend hours of my time do the research for you so to give your answer? If you don't have the time to the the work yourself, perhaps hire a consultant to do it for you - someone who isn't in the business of selling equipment.

Put it another way, I spent a year reading before I even started swinging a hammer. It's been another year and I'm only now feeling comfortable to select some of the equipment pieces that i know will work for me in my room and fit my budget. It will be another year still before I'm done. All that time I've been average 10 hours per week reading, planning and learning.

Anyway, good luck with your theater.

It would make it much easier to help you if you listed a budget you plan on spending for the various equipment. Then we would be able to throw out some suggestions and why you may like them.

This road we go DIY is long and can be very hard. There are no easy fix, the rooms are custom built and the work we do is to allow for all the extras.
McCall opinion was fair and honest, you need to build your interested in A/V equipment. Go to different sites in the forums and check them out read about equipment you wont be sorry in the end, you will get the best for your dollar. Good luck and don't feel like you were being push aside. I spent allot of time here and how I was starting in the beginning was northing like how it finish. Later

I would like help with the
Receiver 7.1
speakers inwall
Sub
Fixed Screen
power APC
projector ceiling mount
DVD Changer
Remote

Thank You

Here's the problem when you come to a hobbyist's website and say the following:


I do not have a lot of knowledge regarding anything A/V and im not all that interested in it.


Not to pick on you, but what I really (and detect others have too) see in that statement is "I have not desire to learn your hobby, but would like you to take the time to tell me what to buy...I'd like free consulting services" Becuase you don't want to become a hobbyist and grow with the hobby, AVS becomes basically a booty call. ;)

Let me suggest another option of learning about what you are buying..


As others have suggested the best way to research is the appropriate individual forums, instead of using the construction forum for a catch all. One can assume you are going to be spending a LOT of YOUR hard earned dollars...I don't think it's everwise to take faceless peoples random opinions on what to buy unless I HAVE A BACKGROUND myself inwhich or the basics if you will. The other way is to hire someone that can provide the background knowledge to give you the appropriate suggestions (assuming they take the time to really understand your needs and goals).

Otherwise we have the following forums specific to your needs

Receiver/amp
subwoofer/bass
speaker
screen both commercial and diy
projector forums broken down by MSRP (mounts will be discussed too)
SD Dvd player
remote

The only item that doens't have a dedicated forum is power/apc. It's been discussed in accessories and projector forums

For searching use advance search, limit search words to one or two. Under the search word window is a drop down box for "title search only" that's the best filter. Also, make sure to highlight the appropriate forum from the list to the right before each search.

Good Luck
Ron

Bob, the other posters are right; to really make the right decisions, you've got to research and try to identify what works best for you and your situation. However, if you're just looking to throw darts at a board, I can offer the following advice (based on the brands available through your buying club):

*7.1 Receiver - get an Onkyo; best bang for the buck, as best you can afford, probably an 806 or 876

*In-wall speakers - PSB is a nice brand; as far as floorstanding, I would say they are far and away the best of the lot (again, within your club brands), but I am not as familiar with their in-wall offerings

*Fixed screen - you'll be just fine with the Da-Lite

*DVD changer - don't get one; get a blu-ray player, a Sony BDP-S350 (or S550 if you can wait). If you're dead set on the DVD changer, get a Yamaha or Denon

*Projector - if you've got $4500, get the Sony VPL-VW60

Good luck,

CD

My wife read my response and let me say two things

Most/many people walk into best buy everyday with no knowledge and desire to know about what they are buying and spend thousands. So your approach is pretty common and fairly normal. Second is you are being upfront and honest in what you are hear for. Many times people sign up and start a post just like yours asking for the same info. members take a fair amount of time and effort to answer their questions...that person isn't as upfront as you (meaning honest).

To further my answer above. Come back with a short list of possible models etc in the different categories of what you have decided to buy (after you had a chance to research) and I'm sure folks with have some feedback for you.

Thank you for your answers and I do understand your passion for Home Theater. I have the same passion as you guys and girls on some boating forums.
And you are correct I am trying to be honest. I won't go to audio stores and ask advise only to buy from the internet or a buying club that's not being honest.
I was thinking of myself of someone that has a friend or a neighbor that has a hobby and a lot of knowledge and years of experience in home theater to help me along this path.
I will put a list together of equipment together for viewing and try that approach.
The room is complete and ready for stage and riser. I believe i need to start installing speakers next. I will modify the room over the next couple of months to complete the home theater.
I am a commercial general contractor. My specialty is commercial interiors and ground up buildings. This project will not exactly be a do it yourself. I have electricians carpenters and cabinetry shop to use. I do not have an audio subcontractor that I feel comfortable with. I will be hiring someone to hookup and wire the room and equipment.

Thank You
Bob

It's too bad your room is near completion. If I were you and had equipment, men and building knowledge....spending a couple of grand to have someone design a room for you would have been the way to go. They would have been able to tell you about acoustics etc and probably put together an equipment list.

I still think you are better off hiring someone to help with this process. Though I'm sure the end result will be very nice. The investment of a consultant can make the place outstanding in performance and ease of use. Unlike you I am not handy and know it. So I invest in folks that are and stick to my strengths and interests.

It's funny that you bring up a consultant. That's what brought me to this site. I wanted to hire a Architect/Consultant to create a plan with some details for where lights should go how the seating should be arranged etc. Being in that field that estimates and builds from a plan I agree that is the way to do it. The Company's that said they could do that basically just wanted to sell me equipment. I live in long island New York, I met with 4. I have quotes from all of them. If you can recommend someone I will definitely call them. That only solves the problem of room design and arrangement which I feel I a have a good handle on because of the hours on this site. The people that were recommended to me were all legitimate company's with a lot of knowledge of selling and installing equipment. But not room design. The company's that I spoke to are as follows Audio Den, Symbrant Technologies and Home technology Consultants. I will probably hire one of these company to wire and install my equipment.

Thanks again
Bobs