So... my wife asked myself this question. I get like this when I throw myself into a project (cars, building/restoring arcade games, work, etc).

Now that you're done, can you sit down and watch a movie and enjoy your theater. Or... do find yourself looking around the room for things that "aren't quite right" or you just noticed that the color is off for one movie/sound doesn't sound right/etc.

I'm sure that a lot of the guys here will tell you that you never are really done. But you never let that get in the way of enjoying a good movie. Just finished Gran Torino.

I have an unfinished basement, but I have my equipment set up and I enjoy movies, sports and gaming immensely right now. Now if I could just find the vision to get going on the build, lol

I'm not quite done...but I can tell you I think I'll be finished with the thing. I'm sick to death of the "process" at this point of making the theater and just want to kick back and watch flicks.

I sure that a lot of the guys here will tell you that you never are really done. But you never let that get in the way of enjoying a good movie. Just finished Gran Torino.

I agree 100% and I also just finished Gran Torino... With my lovely wife

I can enjoy a movie and do a couple of times a week. Cant really nit pick the room once the movie starts because it is pretty much pitch black down there and you cant see anything really except for the screen.

But I will say that I do miss building it, I loved the process and watching everything come together bit by bit. I liked ripping things back down and doing them over until I was satisfied. I might even go as far to say I enjoyed seeing the project come together as much as I enjoy owning it...

LA, how does your wife know me so well? :D This is one of my fears, if my past projects/passions/obsessions are any indicator; I'm such a perfectionist that sometimes I focus on what's wrong, what I wish could have been better (I know, I'm working on it), rather than what's right...what's perfectly OK.

I think I'll have a little of that going on, especially since I am doing my room in "phases"; phase I is to get the thing to where I can watch an actual movie, and phase II is aesthetics and treatments, etc. So I'm sure initially I'll be like "man, there'll be less reflection off the screen once I get those GOM frames up" and "some treatments would really deaden this room some"...and of course there are always the thoughts that creep in from upgrade-itis, like "man, I really need to go 1080p". :D OTOH, I agree with an earlier poster; I am so sick of the "process", I hope once I plop down in my recliner all I can think about is what movie I can't wait to see next.

CD

I haven't been done for long time now, I think I just missed another deadline:p. Even so I very much get to sit down and Enjoy the Show (hey that rings a bell):D
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff231/oman321/Intro20.jpg
Once we got the seats and carpeting in it's been functional and we pretty much get to enjoy at least one movie weekly, not to mention kids playing video games or having friends come over. My daughter's slumber party is slated for this weekend. Just finished cleaning out the rest of the basement of tools and all my other junk. In the end it's about the time you get to enjoy with family and friends.:)

LA, how does your wife know me so well? :D This is one of my fears, if my past projects/passions/obsessions are any indicator; I'm such a perfectionist that sometimes I focus on what's wrong, what I wish could have been better (I know, I'm working on it), rather than what's right...what's perfectly OK.

I think I'll have a little of that going on, especially since I am doing my room in "phases"; phase I is to get the thing to where I can watch an actual movie, and phase II is aesthetics and treatments, etc. So I'm sure initially I'll be like "man, there'll be less reflection off the screen once I get those GOM frames up" and "some treatments would really deaden this room some"...and of course there are always the thoughts that creep in from upgrade-itis, like "man, I really need to go 1080p". :D OTOH, I agree with an earlier poster; I am so sick of the "process", I hope once I plop down in my recliner all I can think about is what movie I can't wait to see next.

CD


That's definitely my attitude. Back when I was working for an engineer I would walk around buildings (wal-mart, sam's club, home depot) looking more at the ceiling than the products saying... why'd they do that that way. I'm finding myself in a movie theater now looking more around the theater than watching the movie... checking out the projection booth (looking for those massive dolby amps), looking at the 2.35 screen, noticing the audio setup, etc so I know once it's "done" (quotes because like bigmouthindc said, it'll never be done) my mind will probably race with things I could do or need to do. The tweeks I guess.

I notice my mother does it too. She owns a hair salon and you almost have to slap her at the dinner table to keep from staring at everyone's hair. :D

I used to “tinker” with my livingroom setup (plasma run off of a HTPC) a lot. New programs, re-programing the remote to try different setups, home automation, etc. But after having a kid, time and priorities shift. Now, after getting new on wall speakers and hanging them on each side of the plasma (the floorstanders are going down in the basement) I haven’t even bothered to re-calibrate them now that they are broken in as the acoustics of the livingroom suck anyway.

Right now I am putting a lot of effort into getting the basement done as soon as possible and when it is, I doubt I will tinker much after the initial setup gets it to where it is running well.

I like A/V, I like enjoying a good setup in my home, and I like designing/building it myself; but as far as everyday hobbies that I spend most of my time on, there are too many others that are more enjoyable to spend all my free time fixating on this or that little minutia of a room.

-Suntan

Enjoy it immensely, even 2-1/2 years later.

Occasionally my wife will say "I love it down here" as well... music to my ears.

Of course, that doesn't prevent me from perfroming the occasional upgreade/tweak.

I'm sure that a lot of the guys here will tell you that you never are really done. But you never let that get in the way of enjoying a good movie. Just finished Gran Torino.

If the movie can keep my mind off what I need to tweak or critiqueing the picture or sound quality - it is a good movie. Usually it is only a problem if I am watching a movie by myself. With family and friends I am more into watching them enjoy the big screen.

I think men need new challenges all of the time.

I finished my theater a couple of years ago and have enjoyed it.

I decided to build an aroebic room out in the barn next to the gym. The farther along it got the more I got to thinking how the space would make a nicer theater than the one we now enjoy.

My wife left me alone out in the barn for a few weeks, wondering why we needed an areobic room when the gym was just fine.

When she came out and saw the makings of a theater she just froze and I could see the blood boiling in her veins.

Well, the barn theater will get finished, eventually. I have to gut and remodel two of my mother-in-law's houses before I can work on the theater again. That is if I want to stay married.



And I do.


So, can I enjoy it?

Yes.

Not as much as I'm going to enjoy the next one though.

It took me a few weeks of once-per-week viewing before I stopped looking around at the room and finally watched the movie.

When I finished HT 1.0, I made a list of things that I wish I could have done differently if not limited by time/space/resources, etc.

When working on HT 2.0, I also made a likewise list.

With HT 3.0, so far I'm not having to compromise.....ask me the question again when I'm closer to being done. :D

While I have a list of things I would have done differently or would still like to do...

I still enjoy the room very much and have not been motivated enough by any of the potential future projects to actually start anymore. It's been about 9 months since the theater was completed.

It seems most people on here suffer from mild to not so mild insanity. I came to this conclusion recently reading the "I think I hate my man cave" thread in the projector sections of these forums.

Of all the things I hate about myself, I am relieved that I can truly be happy with planned implementations long term.

It seems most people on here suffer from mild to not so mild insanity. I came to this conclusion recently reading the "I think I hate my man cave" thread in the projector sections of these forums.



+1

I do think it's some sort of therapy when people publicly air their dirty laundry.
For us HT'ers who have gotten totally engrossed into the planning/design/build phase it's hard to accept it's over.
The "what I'd do different" threads are one way for that outlet.

Possibly avs can pony up for a 1-800-HT_DONE helpline for those truly in need.
Under 250 posts no free calls,
250-500 posts 2 free calls,
500-1000 posts 3 free calls,
1000-2500 posts 5 free calls,
over 2500 posts forget it you hopeless addicted to HT and no therapy will cure your disease.
:rolleyes:

So... my wife asked myself this question. I get like this when I throw myself into a project (cars, building/restoring arcade games, work, etc).

Now that you're done, can you sit down and watch a movie and enjoy your theater. Or... do find yourself looking around the room for things that "aren't quite right" or you just noticed that the color is off for one movie/sound doesn't sound right/etc.

I do exactly both, I do watch at least a couple of movies or games a week, But I am always looking to tweak, update, enhance in any way I can. This my second ht i built, I thought i did it more comprehensively this time but I always need to change/ improve any way.

It's not popular with the construction crowd, but my room has been operational and enjoyed from before there was even walls in place. Two years later, we have averaged about 2 movies a week, thoroughly enjoy the room, and am about a third of the way through construction! I can live with it. :)

I think we all have these rooms for different reasons. Some folks are all about the equipment. Some people have ten times the money in electronics and watch a fraction of what we watch. On the other hand, I have never watched a movie without my wife, and the majority of the time the kids are in the theater with us. So for us, it's a family event. Neither right or wrong, just different angles.

The purpose for some is the process.

M room is pretty much used nightly, especially now that summer is here. Between XBOX, UFC fights, hockey games and the weekly movie or 2 it gets a LOT of use. I just watched Phantom of the Opera 2 days ago and loved it down there. Did not even look around to notice things. Although I will say I need to finish the ceiling panels. Bare wood does not look as good as black would.

I had my wife's relatives over last week and in 4 days they watched 4 movies, maybe 5. That is all the enjoyment I'll ever need from it when I see others love to use it.

John

I'm a get there fast then take it slow kind of guy. I've enjoyed my theater without changes for two years.

My son had his birthday party a few weeks ago and fifteen were there for Dark Knight, my inlaws were here for four days (left yesterday) and we watched over twenty hours of movies.

I still look at the next thing but I'm very much able to let go and enjoy also.

Art

It seems most people on here suffer from mild to not so mild insanity. I came to this conclusion recently reading the "I think I hate my man cave" thread in the projector sections of these forums.

Of all the things I hate about myself, I am relieved that I can truly be happy with planned implementations long term.

Ha - I have been reading that buyer's (builder's) remorse thread also. Its an interesting read. I really like the planning part of a build, but I can't wait until I can get my next build operational, or started for that matter. Family needs come first at this point.