Hi all,
I've been reading alot and learning. Trying to plan my home theater build. Want to do my homework before starting.

What I have it a room that is about 18 x 15.

There will be a 20" soffit all the way around at about 7.5 feet high, then the remainder of the ceiling will be 8.5 foot high.

There is currently a wall (load bearing at about 3 feet from front wall. I want to make this the "false wall" and recess the screen in this wall about 18" back, giving me a greater distance from seating to screen.

1. How deep can a shadow box be?

2. Can I get a 106" diaganal 16:9 screen in this room with 2 rows of seats? I have shown in the diagram the seating distances from the proposed screen.

I want to put all my front speakers and sub behind the false wall that will be covered in speaker cloth. The surround speakers will be housed in the columns along the side walls. And rear surrounds in columns on back wall.

Seating I hope can be some theater seats in the front and maybe some more simple seating (smaller) in the back row on a raised platform.

I do not have a projector or screen yet. Will most likely build a screen of some sort.

I have not tackled the sound-proofing yet either.

Please give me your opinions.

There is currently a wall (load bearing at about 3 feet from front wall. I want to make this the "false wall" and recess the screen in this wall about 18" back, giving me a greater distance from seating to screen.

I'm having a hard time envisioning what you mean. There is an existing wall that you want to use as a screen wall, with acoustically transparent screen and fabric panels, right? Is this "screen wall" a load bearing wall? You could certainly hang the screen from the existing wall without difficulty, even if it's load bearing.

However, removing studs to create a shadowbox cavity in a loadbearing wall could be very challenging. Unless you're a very experienced DIY-er, you probably ought to consult professionals.

Have you considered other options? For example, could you flip the room 180 degrees and put the screen opposite from the load bearing wall? Could you live with a shorter room and a single row of seats? Or maybe a row of seats and a bar with stools at the back?

Good ?s.

I have consulted with experienced contractors and I can install a header in the wall to produce the opening (just like if I were putting in a door or cased opening.

I am an experienced DIYer. I have finshed this basement myself. Top to bottom (electrical, plumbing, drywall, etc).
The only thing I did not do was the mudding of the drywall.

I thought with the room oriented like this I could take advantage of the area behind the wall for speakers etc...

I would put in a header to create the shadow box, then cover the remainder of the wall with speaker fabric or GOM.

These being built as individual frames and attached in some manner.

The screen will not be AT (or at least not planned that way right now.). I will install the center channel below the proposed shadow box and and fabric panels.

I have briefly considered the bar/ bar stools option. Could look at that further.

I am most concerned about screen size in this room. I don't want to go too big and cause problems, but I also want to get as big as possible.

Maybe this diagram will help a little.

I am most concerned about screen size in this room.

With the front row of seats 11' from a 106" screen, I wouldn't anticipate a problem with the screen being too big. However, the only way to know for sure what you'll be comfortable with would be to try it out. Do you already have the projector? If so, clear a wall in the living room or someplace and project one of your favorite movies against it. Put your chair at 11' and "test drive" the screen size. If you're comfortable at 106", try a little bigger.

The only potential problem I see with your design is that your very deep shadowbox might cut off the line of sight for anyone seated on the outside of the back row. Your diagram doesn't show any seats in those locations, though, so you should be OK.

Are you thinking about 5.1 or 7.1 sound? Placing the rear speakers in a 7.1 setup could be difficult with the rear row of seating so close to the back wall. 5.1 ought to work fine, though.

Maybe this diagram will help a little.

You know what they say...a picture is worth a thousand words (whereas a diagram is more like fifty :D

CD

Yes, I am planning 7.1 surround sound. The back row will be used very little, but it's nice to have when needed.

What size screen would you recomment? I did check site lines from far sides of room and they appear to be ok. And I can open up the shadow box a bit by making it a little bigger of angling the sides back to the screen.

I've thought of a bar and stools in the back, but don't know how practical that would be.

Have not seen too many photos of that setup.

Why would you NOT do an AT screen with that room configuration? It screams AT. With two rows of seating the sound from the center coming from the bottom of the screen might be blocked to the back row.

What size screen would you recomment?

Screen size is really a matter of personal preference. Some people enjoy sitting close to a really big screen because they feel immersed in the movie, even though it means they have to turn their heads to follow all the action. Some people want to be far enough back that they can see the whole screen without turning their heads.

Having said that, there are a couple of organizations that make recommendations about screen size. For a 106" diagonal 16:9 screen, THX would recommend that the main viewing location be 11.8' from the screen, or about 10 inches farther back than your first row. Keeping your 11' distance, THX would recommend a screen size of about 100" (diagonal, 16:9).

Unless you belong to the "I never want to have to turn my head" crowd, I would guess that your 106" screen would be fine in your room. I don't think I would go any bigger than 106" unless I could "test drive" it first. That's just one opinion -- your mileage may vary.

This may help.

http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb308/mdrueen/allscope.jpg

Maybe I'm confused on the AT screen issue. I thought I had read that with the HD 1080p programming, there were issues with some of the AT screens and the perferations causing image issues.

What options are there for AT screen in this size? What costs?

Thanks for all the inpu.

I am going to set up a test in another room on the screen size. Throw up a 106" image and sit 11' back and watch. Of courst this will just be on a wall, but I think I can get a general idea.

www.smxscreen.com