I built my Stage knowing I wanted to see it with a shorter step up from the first step , I think it looks a little better than evenly spaced, almost like molding has different sizes to its routes .

I can easily raise it in any dimension of 1/4" but Im not sure an even number will look boring. the bottom step is 16' wide and the stage is 14' to match the 2.35:1 screen
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/HT049.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/HT051.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/HT055.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/HT056.jpg

I built it yesterday and today and the only part that stunk was filling it with fiberglass, I used some R-38 12" left over from raising the ceilings to 14' and 16' , trust people when they tell you to use blown in because after cramming in hundreds of dollars of batting that didnt cram in evenly I bought some blow in to top it all off. Other than that is was pretty entertaining and Ill post pictures in a couple days from further back when the entire thing is done, this is only about half of whats going to be the final product



heres a pic from 45' away, I added a fake screen for perception . The screen will be 14 wide 2.35:1 constant heighthttp://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/HT059.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/HT057.jpg

The riser is 12' x 12' x 10" tall to first level ( which is extending out inoto the rear doormers and curving to fit front side stages in doormers) and 22" to second level, they will hold 5 seats each for a total of 15.
On top of the columns is the Balcony and heres a shot from the "couch" from 40' away . the balcony is not finished but will be curved cantilever but out 1' past where the plywood is now
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/HT060.jpg

The Stages were built last weekend, the Riser and start of balcony was built this weekend

New pics with wider lense
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/P1010015.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/P1010020.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/P1010016.jpg

Mark,

Nice stuff! That room is huge! That'll be a great theater when you're done. Do you have more photos?

Bud

I have too many photos, I am getting a real digital camera today so I can get more realistic pics with a wider view. I have been filming the entire process in High Definition as well , Its kind of neat after I edit me out of the filming and show stages and such just flowing together 1 peice at a time

Well, I'm subscribed to your thread and looking forward to your progress and what the final product will look like. Good luck!

Bud

Mark

Awsome space!! Any more details on what Electronics you have chosen?

1 word - Awesome. I'm jealous of that stage - its fantastic!

Mark

Awsome space!! Any more details on what Electronics you have chosen?

As of now
Digital Projections Mercury HD PJ,
IscoIII anamorphic lens,
Lumagen scaler
Denon AVR 5805
Denon DVD
4 (maybe 8) 15" Exodus EX subwoofers in an Infinite baffle design
driven by Adire Audio 1200 watt Plate amps
Exodus Extremis LCR front speakers
6 Exodus Extremis surrounds
All Drivers use Adire Audio XBL2 ™ motor structure.
Exodus 9 channel Digital amp

I have not nailed down the automation as of yet

WOW, I am in love with that Stage, can i have a copy of the Plans, I would love to put that stage in My HT . cant wait to see your finish product.

Yeah ditto that statement for me...that stage is awesome baby!!

Plans? we dont use no stinkin plans. Seriously I can tell you how I did this but there are no plans. a decent plunge router and a couple 1/4"cut x 2-1/2" long (1" cutting ) upspiral bits , 12 sheets of 3/4" T&G OSB or Plywood ( I certainly prefer OSB but its heavy)

8 - 2x12x12'long Standard or Better
6 - 2x6x8'long SorB
1 sheet of 5/8 plywood

A 12" sliding Chop saw made this happen in a day, without it I would say this would take a hard boring weekend using a worm drive or circular 7-1/4 and a framing square.

I dont have time to explain how it was done till later this evening and will change the pics ( I got a new 8 megapixel playtoy today that takes much wide photos but I have dying grass so its back to rainbird maintainance, only 100 zones and 10 of them malfunctioning.

Ok heres how I did the stage/s
I snapped a chalkline for the back of the stage and found center
layed out 2 layers of 3/4" osb T&G staggered directions of seams between layers giving me a 16' wide x 8 ' deep layed out and screwed down "platform"

I made a compass out of a piece of 1x10x10' long pine board by tracing around my router base and routing half the wood out in this area so my router sunk in and was screwed too it then screwed the compass centered at the back middle and positioned the 1/4" bit at the inside of the groove of the T&G and routed through both layers in 3 passes to save on the bit overheating, your outside bottom step is done.

Move the compass back 1', rinse and repeat and your bottom step and stage top is done!!!

repeat the same process with 3/4" t&g plywood except I glued this and whipped out the finish nailer which Ill explain in a minute.

we are making the curved 2x4s now so we measure back 2" off our original 8' ( we want a lip on our stage) route the first route then use finish nailer and 1-1/2 nails or screws to "clamp" the 2 peices of wood together being careful not to go over the 3-1/2" depth( what I did was measure back my 3-1/2" and set the router bit to barely scratch the surface and made a full swoop showing my finished "2x4" ) then I nailed inside the 1st route and the scratch. Now route at the 3-1/2" wide mark and you have a complete 24' long perfect curved 2x4.

It gets slightly tricky here because I am cheap and wanted to conserve wood at $20 a sheet so I routed the first Stage 2x4 next, remember to drop 2" or whatever you want your lip at.

then I went back to the other stair 2x4 ( lets call this the bottom cord of our steps curved front wall, the top is already done ) you will notice you cant get a full sweep with what you have left but lay it out the same way coming up short a couple feet on the ends but dont worry you still have lots of wood left to finish these and if you just look at whats layed out you will see this clearly.

do this until you have 2 each for step and then for stage.

Now I layed the step and stage tops back down ( If I were you I would leave it from the beginning to save about 1/2 hour ) also when I routed I barely scratched the floor so I knew right where it layed back out .

Ready to build the step, lay bottom cord curved 2x4 down and screw it down in a couple places and cut 2x6 s from the front of this to the back of the stage 2x4 mine were 15" long and I think I cut 20 of them ( chop saw with a stop coming into play) then with a table saw or whatever cut 1-3/8" x 3-1/2 deep notches out of the end of the 2x6 ( thhis will flush up to the front of the 2x4 cords and sit on the floor as well as the top of the bottom cord and allow you to place the top cord down flush with the top of the 2x6) looking from the side of the 2x6 it will have like a 3" x 3-1/2" long extended peice right in the middle. I am probably confusing you but just look at the pics and notice the 2x6 joist are notched so they slide into the 2 2x4s but sit on the ground and flush to the top as well.

I layed these out at 16" centers on the front and used a calculator to figure the spacing on the back of these which was something like 13" then I used my Framing nailer with 3-1/2 nails and popped a nail straight through into the botom cord to stablize , layed out my top cord into the notched areas being careful to make sure I followed exactly flush and nailed these with framing nailer , you could use screws I sure, then I took a long board and screwed it about half way across side to side to stablize this monster so as to flip it over and nail the bottom cord on ,
Lay out your step wall on the floor , set your bottom stage cord on the back of the 2x6s nail it all together and fill in the blanks with 2x12 inside the stage area , then remake the 2x6 doohickies ( joists) except using 2x12 and doing the math , the sliding chop again come in real handy since I basically framed a square inside and then measured the top stage joist seperately 2 at a time ( left and right) thes had angles on the back but it was like 8 degrees, 16 degrees, 24 degrees up to like 48 degrees , its simple really if youve ever built anything with angle before and you will see what needs to be done clearly through the building stages

The plywood curved fronts are 5/8 ply ripped on a table saw at 5-3/8" wide
then using the trusty 12" sliding chop ( in my case a RIGID which has a depth of cut stop on it) I measured 1-1/2 " dots as in 1-1/2 markr dot ,3 dot,4-1/2 dot, 6 dot all the way to 96 " then I cut these 2 at a time to save time and marking ( again cant say enough about a 12" sliding chop) and cut about 3/16 deep at every dot across the 5-1/2 width , you may need help holding this because it gets flimsy about halfway , I used the trusty wife. Nail er on with the grooves in against the the wall , fill er up with sand or insulation, and put your top on and get Diana Krall or someone to come perform ! My wife asked where the poles were going when she was away and I almost let it slip and say over here and over......

If you have any questions or are going to build one send me a PM and we can exchange phone #s and I could walk you through it or help you if you get stuck.

Mark,
May I enquire as to room dimensions, distance to front row of seating, etc. My bonus room of 20' X 27' is ready to go as we are in the layout stage your ideas are fantastic. Trying to get a handle on the scale of your room. Your help and input is appreciated.

Thanks, Glenn :)

impressive....

Mark,

how do you plan on mounting your projector with that high of a ceiling while keeping it rigid and free from room vibrations caused by the subwoofer?

Mark,
May I enquire as to room dimensions, distance to front row of seating, etc. My bonus room of 20' X 27' is ready to go as we are in the layout stage your ideas are fantastic. Trying to get a handle on the scale of your room. Your help and input is appreciated.


Thanks, Glenn :) No Problem Glenn! 19' x 40'
14' and 16' ceiling height

Seating positions from head to screen non reclined

18' 24' 30' and 42' in the Balcony which is more of a projector and equiptment holder than people holder for the obvious sound problems of having surrounds below even though the balcony will have its own 5.1 turned WAY down and completely treated to absorb all sound

The risers have a 1' curve across 12' so both the end seats will be about a foot closer

impressive....

Mark,

how do you plan on mounting your projector with that high of a ceiling while keeping it rigid and free from room vibrations caused by the subwoofer?

It mounts in the floor of the balcony with its own return air system venting the projector and equiptment, we came up with the balcony specifically for the projector so think of the Balcony as a larger than usual hushbox

The riser and balcony and basically everything in the room is isolated with pads suggested in another thread. the "shelf" the PJ sits on will be isolated yet again by being suspended in the joist system as you notice the large framing in the pics

Had a friend tackle my sheetrocking because what took him and his crew 1 day would have takin me a week ( maybe more due to sheetrock burnout)

Pros are amazing 8 hours sheetrocked and fire taped.

Makes me feel pretty lame taking a month to raise the ceiling , frame/seal off IB subwoofer ( front 1/3 of room), stages, risers , balcony , and equiptment room, re-frame chandelier hole 6' diameter

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/P8250148.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/P8250149.jpg

Two words: IN-SANE!!!

Mark,

Pretty amazing, great progress. Its really going to be a thing of beauty when its done. Can't wait to see the finished product.

Bud

Home theatre? I think this is the only one I have ever seen with a freekin balcony! Sweeeet.

SRR,
No, not IN-SANE yet , I will save a few " surprises" for later.

It will be real hard to leave some things un photographed till the end.


Bud,
I planned on doing everything but the carpet, seats and drapes but I really dread sheetrock these days. I am so glad I didn't tackle this one and I learned some new tricks as well. Some things you just have to say " I'll pass this time and let the pros handle it".

KWhite,
The balcony is a glorified Hushbox that has evolved into several things like a way to the equipment room ( you can see the door on the back wall and a Plasma TV holder for Karaoke and other "events" .
You are correct though, its more than a HT as we plan several different "activitys" , Lets just say bachelor partys should take on a whole new light

Don't tell me.... a stripper pole rises out of the stage!

Not the main stage, that would be a mic

That is a massive room. So far it looks great.

Man I love to see my customers rooms come together. Excellent job Mark. I can't wait to see it when the screen goes in.

Man I love to see my customers rooms come together. Excellent job Mark. I can't wait to see it when the screen goes in.

Ask and you shall receive, the Frame has been up all week, Im thinking of putting the screen in and watching some football and movies this weekend.

I just dont know if I want to put it up because it has to come back down, regardless Ill add some pics of atleast the frame tonight because its an impressive beast for sure.

Had a friend come over to help me hang the frame and when we were done he says " and on the 8th day God created Frame, I think I am going to weep its so beautiful"

I think we sat around for a half hour in amazement

can't wait to see the finished product, this will be one impressive theatre

PS love the columns, what are they made of

Wow. Super Impressive Room! Looking great!
Rick

Columns are fiberglass, $150 a piece 13000 lb capacity, weigh about 20lbs

heres a couple pics of screen frame and screen, my son is in the one pic ( he's 5'11" for reference, not great pics but I was trying to hurry since its movie night and I have a football game to watch in 2 hours.

Ill try and post some screen shots tonight

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/P9090340.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/P9090343.jpg

Well, we watched football in the well lit room and I was pretty impressed with the out put of the Mercury HD even though we had 4 doormers with no curtains ( I am talking pretty bright)

Heres some screenshots but they arent very good because my camera was going wacky trying to figure out the light with light around the screen.

HD football on ESPN HD ( LSU vs ASU was amazing) but standard definition was the same ole same ole.................el crapo

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/P9090373.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/P9090386.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/P9090375.jpg

In a word..........WOW! Your room is huge and just when I was starting to be proud of my progress in my room. Yours is the first thread I have subscribed to, I would like to watch this progress. Great job thus far!

Well I guess if I have a subscriber , I'll give ya more goodies.

I got the equiptment room Painted , Laminate floored , Shelf slapped in , Some wiring like speaker jacks in wall and some power and phone and started loading up some fun stuff in preperation for saturday college ball and a test screening of 1 complete movie instead of demos

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/P9100408.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/P9100406.jpg

also notice the folding ladder door in the ceiling, it leads to the super secret space called " the attic" or more affectionatly know by me as the pain in the rear IB subwoofer containment resting place access, among alot of other nasty looking work Im not so proud to take pictures of.

Heres standing in the room looking out. Pocket doors need to be trimmed out

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/P9100409.jpg

Heres a shot of the lil ole PJ in its temperary Football, Movie , XBox, Directv HD Tivo test location on top of the balcony, as soon as the Isco 3 shows up it will be going into its permanent residence in the front uf the unfinished ( sigh) balcony

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/P9100416.jpg

Behind the screen

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/P9100392.jpg

And after months and months of looking for the right chairs we decided on these

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/P9100388.jpg

They are made of the finest vinyl we could find, notice the two in the back even have cup holders.

After the games and movies last night , my son bugged me all day to try out his XBox so heres a couple screens of 9' wide XBoxing

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/P9100426.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/P9100430.jpg

wish he would have picked a more graphic game , maybe next time

The chairs are exaclty what I was looking for!!!! I hope they come with a power recline option! Might be a deal breaker if no power recline ;)

I have 9' ceilings and tried to get a balcony into my plans. Dennis E. showed me the error of my ways, due to space constraints! Your room truely looks fantastic!!! It is even providing a cattle prod effect, getting my rump back in the basement furthering our room.

Looking forward to more pictures...

Ive noticed I am always leaning to the right when I take pictures, I guess I need to use a tripod or stop drinking.

I have 9' ceilings and tried to get a balcony into my plans. Dennis E. showed me the error of my ways, due to space constraints! Your room truely looks fantastic!!! It is even providing a cattle prod effect, getting my rump back in the basement furthering our room.

Looking forward to more pictures...

We ony had 9' ceilings when I started , a roto zip, circular saw, and a structual engineers stamp solved that

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/HT003.jpg

Attic before Made it real easy to raise by adding 2x4 to bottom of 2x8 rafters spliced with 5/8 ply and collar ties

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/HT004.jpg

The chairs are exaclty what I was looking for!!!! I hope they come with a power recline option! Might be a deal breaker if no power recline ;)


This model doesnt have the power recline features but we're hoping the Clark synthesis Tactile tranducers dont leave vinyl splinters in the poop shoot

Sweet mother of all that is holy. I congradulate you sir on your jaw dropping theater. You're building what I can only vaguely tell people I'd *LIKE* to have! And here I was impressed with the 82" screen I'm getting and putting in my 12' x 16' spot (actually a chunk of a 20' x 14' room, but my computer and closet and stuff take up the other half).

Although you make me cry, I cannot wait to see all the speakers, equipment all clean and tidied....everything.... I want to see how tidy you go with your "room behind the projector". If you put a light back there you could store DVD's and stuff in there, and even lock the room for safe keeping. Unless of course you have other plans!

- D

will it be internal stairs?

I have been designing theaters for 10 years and I have not seen anything like this. Can't wait to see the finished product.

will it be internal stairs?Not sure what your asking but if your asking about the Balcony I am going to have a mix between a ladder and steps that will come down with actuators from right behind the projector and in front of the circular couch, This was/is possibly the hardest obstacle I have faced in this room, or any construct I've ever been involved in .
I have spent days staring and planning even to the point of entering from an external doormered stairwell but I think I have a pretty slick idea that I can begin after I get that damned Anamorphic lens

I have been designing theaters for 10 years and I have not seen anything like this. Can't wait to see the finished product.

Thanks ApoDoc and all the others for the kind words and Private messages! Hopefully as it starts coming together quickly when the final piece of the puzzle shows up I can offer up some exciting pics of things to toss around. I am filming some of the major aspects of this project in High Definition and when its done will probably have a sort of cool video of all the fun I've had , probably wouldnt cost much to rip some extra copies if anyones interested. I wont be able to profit from them since I'll have some neat jams and tons of product placement that might get someone P.O.ed

yes, I was asking about the balcony

You mean that room didn't have a vaulted ceiling to begin with? Wow! I love the change.

Hurry up and get it done, I want more pictures! :)

You mean that room didn't have a vaulted ceiling to begin with? Wow! I love the change.

Hurry up and get it done, I want more pictures! :)Do me a favor and get on Isco 's rear end and Ill do just that for you!

Do me a favor and get on Isco 's rear end and Ill do just that for you!

NP! :)

Seriously... keep up the good work. I don't think I've ever seen a HT take such a unique approach.

Well not much done tonight but It seems I better keep the Mountaineers interest up.

I tried to get ready for my audio Guru whos coming down tonight with my subwoofers and measuring and port tuning all my speakers as well as going through my crossovers to get me perfectly flat, in other words fix all my screw ups in speaker design. Gotta love him, the first time I ever talked to him he said " Ya wanna listen to hype........ or music and movies?"

Anyway I finished behind the screen as to get my Bass traps covered and in and didnt want it all messy looking where we where going to be tweaking crossovers. He should be here around midnight ( 5 hour drive) and I still have to watch Hitchhikers Guide to the Universe before he shows up so this will be short.

Paint wasnt exactly dry when I snapped pics but it looks really amazing back there considering no one will ever see it. First part of the room I can consider finished other than my 14' wide speaker cover whhich I wwill do as soon as hes done.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/7130e66d.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/5dcd4cba.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/d6c33818.jpg

You mean that room didn't have a vaulted ceiling to begin with? Wow! I love the change.


yup, you know that the next person that wants to out do Mark needs to buy their neighbours house and turn it into a multiplex :)

"yup, you know that the next person that wants to out do Mark needs to buy their neighbours house and turn it into a multiplex "

Thats funny!

The scary thing is that now that someone has said it, someone on the board is trying to figure out how to do it.
-Scott

very nice work, impressive in fact!

Makes my room look small...

keep up the good work, you are getting results fairly quickly with your room considering the work. Will pay off soon.

Are those speakers gonna be enuff to fill that space? They just look small compared to the room size, what size are those woofers in your front three speakers?

Are those speakers gonna be enuff to fill that space? They just look small compared to the room size, what size are those woofers in your front three speakers?
Actually they are more than sufficient and tomorrow we perfect them. They use XBL2 technology which sort of doubles the size of the drivers as I understand it so we dont need some massive speakers to get massive sound . They are also bigger and heavier than you think. My audio guy showed up tonight and brought his newest sub he designed and I was completely blown away. He powered this room with an 8" subwoofer I crap you not. The room was shaking tremedously and Deep, full, crystal clear and he says it will be 3db better when finalized but he wanted me to hear it in its prototype mode ( us DIY guys are strange like that)

Well not much done tonight but It seems I better keep the Mountaineers interest up.


I love it when people feed my habits. ;)

What are your plans for the exposed joist members?


Thats funny!

The scary thing is that now that someone has said it, someone on the board is trying to figure out how to do it.
-Scott

Yeah, for some reason.... my neighbor didn't appreciate the structual engineer I sent to his house. Something about not wanting to guy his house.... how selfish.

Thats where the projector mounts, inside the balcony, waiting ever so patiently for Isco 3

Mark, I'm sure your sick of hearing "WOW" by now but count me in as another thumbs up!

I've been reading this forum for years and your thread prompted me to join. I'm in the process of the new home now and my theater room is 27' x 21' x 10' and some of your ideas have inspired me.

Anyway if you have the time, and would be so kind. Could you please post a better description of the stage building? Not the whole thing, specifically the "curved 2x4". I tried to email you but see you have chosen not to receive emails. (Don't blame you.) I really like what you did and understand it all except for how you curved the 2x4's. Are the individual pieces of 2x4 roughly 2 feet long that you joined together and just barely routed? My brain just can't seem to grasp the concept so any info would be appreciated. Thank you.

Once again, great job. Keep it up!

I can't be positive, but I think my theater will fit in your balcony. That's just plain SAD!!! Great work just the same.

This is amazing. Please keep those pictures coming!

I'm pretty sure my "Micro HT" would also fit in the balcony space! :(

Mark, I'm sure your sick of hearing "WOW" by now but count me in as another thumbs up!

I've been reading this forum for years and your thread prompted me to join. I'm in the process of the new home now and my theater room is 27' x 21' x 10' and some of your ideas have inspired me.

Anyway if you have the time, and would be so kind. Could you please post a better description of the stage building? Not the whole thing, specifically the "curved 2x4". I tried to email you but see you have chosen not to receive emails. (Don't blame you.) I really like what you did and understand it all except for how you curved the 2x4's. Are the individual pieces of 2x4 roughly 2 feet long that you joined together and just barely routed? My brain just can't seem to grasp the concept so any info would be appreciated. Thank you.

Once again, great job. Keep it up!

Robert
Its not 2x4s at all thats just what they end up like in dimensions .
Its 2 sheets of T & G 3/4 Plywood laminated together, then routed with a large homade " compass" making big curved 2x4s
If this didnt help Private Message me with your Phone # or I can give you mine , I can explain it easier in person!

I can't be positive, but I think my theater will fit in your balcony. That's just plain SAD!!! Great work just the same.

Heh,
Its only 19' x 10' only the couch will be usable, sound will be terrible as compared to below so dont get too down on yourself , Its really just a glorified Pain in the pooper Hushbox/ PJ Holder and a way to the equiptment room. Gimicky would be an understatement

Oh yeah it also holds the plasmas for Karokee and will have snack bars and coolers in the unusable outer 5' so its even smaller

Speaking of the Balcony, Sound Guru left a few minutes ago and we spent today messing with speakers ( I got a passing grade , perfect tuning and nice response curves) We put the 4 -EX15 subwoofers using XBL2 technology in the IB and the Balcony swayed to U571, Im going to have too put crossing straps under it to stop this sensation.

You know in the Matrix when Neo squats down and then shoots up into flying, the ground how it has a wave length expanding outward? When you stand between the stage and first riser you get this sensation that the floor is doing this and being a Bonus room abouve the Garage Im not so sure it isnt.

I am nervous

Mark, makes complete sense now. Big Duh on my part. For some reason I just had a complete brain fart and didn't get it. (Building a new home will do that to you.) Much appreciated. Keep up the good work!

Heh,
Its only 19' x 10' only the couch will be usable, sound will be terrible as compared to below so dont get too down on yourself , Its really just a glorified Pain in the pooper Hushbox/ PJ Holder and a way to the equiptment room. Gimicky would be an understatement

Oh yeah it also holds the plasmas for Karokee and will have snack bars and coolers in the unusable outer 5' so its even smaller



Well it's close. My theater is 12' X 25". Showed your theater to the wife and she said "Why torture yourself?" They just don't get it do they?

Heh,
Its only 19' x 10' only the couch will be usable, sound will be terrible as compared to below so dont get too down on yourself , Its really just a glorified Pain in the pooper Hushbox/ PJ Holder and a way to the equiptment room. Gimicky would be an understatement

Oh yeah it also holds the plasmas for Karokee and will have snack bars and coolers in the unusable outer 5' so its even smaller



Well it's close. My theater is 12' X 25". Showed your theater to the wife and she said "Why torture yourself?" They just don't get it do they?
They dont get it until curtain and drape time then its like ....Oooh Ohhh can I play?

Not much progress last several days .
Heres where we measured the speakers
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/P9130442.jpg

Hung the surrounds today and hard wired alot of the equiptment room
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/P9150453.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/P9150448.jpg

I really didnt know how the placement would work but it really sounds great on SACDs and such, a tad high for movies ( put them through the Saving Private Ryan surroundfest) but If you dont know they are up high and angled the brain may adjust, they just didnt fit below very well.

Heres whats up in that box above the screen , four EX 15" Extremis subwoofers ( first ones on the planet to actually move air in a theatre envioronment)

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/P9150443.jpg

I will try and get something done this weekend with the soffits and ductwork

I'm assuming that is an infinite baffel sub. It was my understanding that the speakers in an IB should never directly face each other. I guess you could if they were 180 degrees out of phase. You may want to check that before you finish out the opening.

There are no phase cancellations when they are mounted in a manifold facing each other. In fact, it is a great way to cancel out the mechanical forces being transmitted to the structure.

Yesterday I took the Riser tops off and installed the Clark Synthesis Tactile Transducers Platinums

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/tactile.jpg

These are full range Transducers and they may be the biggest bang for the buck so far. I could not believe something so small does what they do.

I put two in each riser split and hooked up the left to Zone 2- Front Left and the right to Zone 2- Right Front, back riser Zone 3 etc.

I just sat and listened to music all day in awe of what Ive always been missing, I have never heard, or felt anything quite like it except for live. It really involves you.

When we were checking into Transducers we found Buttkickers only kicked in on deep bass almost giving you that " theres something in my seats vibrating on explosions " feeling, granted where we demoed them they probably had them hooked up wrong but the Clark Synthesis are seemless and actually produce full range music.

This is where the trick will come in, setting the delay to match speakers 20' away, I suppose set it the same as surrounds and it should be close

I also wired for the risers rope lighting, what a spider web of romex.

I had twelve seperate runs to different spots, between this and the transducers it took me longer to do this that build the actual risers ( 12 hours)

Built Barrel Diffusors /Chandelier supporting/curtain lighting containing and just all around pain in the ole arse to build doo dads.

I will say theses were by far the strangest things Ive ever built, If you think about that piece of ply thats on the ceiling and how to draw it out. After I had my pattern I figured out the easiest way of all a little too late

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/P9210502.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/P9210498.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/P9210493.jpg

Im experimenting shooting darker rooms, figured Id post results

My god, this is the coolest theater ever. I want your life. :)

amazing.
i would have gone with even larger cinemascope screen and JBL cinema speakers though you would have needed a microperforated screen. is this one mperforated ?

amazing.
i would have gone with even larger cinemascope screen and JBL cinema speakers though you would have needed a microperforated screen. is this one mperforated ? Wanted to go bigger but its almost to big
ig now for the curtains as you can see in the latest pic now that the front is finished minus the curtains. Trust me when I tell you 14' 2.35:1 is pretty big at front row seating at 16'

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/P9260564.jpg

Mr. Mercury now has a home

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/P9250557.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/P9260565.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/P9250536.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/P9250538.jpg

wow. you do everything yourself ?
you will put seats also in the balcony ?
i know, sitting at 1x the width is big and close enough. that's the beauty of several rows: you can choose your viewing angle.

wow. you do everything yourself ?
you will put seats also in the balcony ?
i know, sitting at 1x the width is big and close enough. that's the beauty of several rows: you can choose your viewing angle.

Everything by myself except the wife helped hang the screen and build the beam for the balcony, I work alone best

wow!! I just stumbled onto this thread! Mark I do believe you will have the best home theater in the state of oregon! looks incredible, great work!

Wow, that looks incredible.

Quick question, you put tranducers in the risers, that does the same as bass shakers under each seat? I dont know much about them, but with 8 seats going into mine individual bass shakers were looking a tad expensive. It works up through chairs ok to have those things in the riser?

Wow, that looks incredible.

Quick question, you put tranducers in the risers, that does the same as bass shakers under each seat? I dont know much about them, but with 8 seats going into mine individual bass shakers were looking a tad expensive. It works up through chairs ok to have those things in the riser?
Actually Clark Synthesis wants you to put them in the riser more so then in the seating, make sure your riser is built well & tight and the effect gets cleaner.

Buttkickers are for Bass only from what I understand, these are full range.

I used zone 2 and hooked up left and right to the actual left and right Tactile Transducers and set them to large down to 30Hz off the front mains

I have had some folks ask if I fell off the earth and no its worse, Ive been dealing with automation and building an HTPC/media server.

I hung the blackout shades and got them operating ( slowed down progress considerably when you can make it dark at any time) They cover the entire doormer instead of just the window, very cool! Pics would be boring but I can take some if anyone wants. Out of the 4 ,one is about 2 seconds slower and I have not investigated if this is fixable in control box.

The entire last week and a half I have built and been programing an HTPC/server, If you want to have some fun, stay away from this even though when something is done and works its VERY rewarding

Its the fastest that it needed to be and has 3.2 Terabyte storage, so far I have 30 movies preloaded ( starting with no menues) and 100 albums. I can expand another 1.2 Terabyte without getting more cases. I have found I can get about 120 movies per Terabyte, give or take.

I am using Meedio as a front end and I'm working on a PDA as a voice command remote while I load movies and music at the same time, I can get about 20 movies a day loaded/ tagged and about 30 lossless Albums/tagged.

A member of this forum Heartsurgeon has been instrumental in helping me via PM and I thank him ever so much, I will grab some pics of the mess the Equiptment room has became but when its all working flawlessly I will tidy it up!

Sorry I have not kept up but this stuff is not so picture worthy.

Carpet guy was out for several hours, he does not seem excited.

Drapery lady on the other hand spent 8 hours in the room and is very excited.

Chair lady, also excited, seating is 12 weeks out

Isco 3 anamorphic lens is on its way so that gets thrown into the mix hopefully today or tomorrow!

HTPC's can be fun .. just wait until windows tanks and you have to format and re-install everything!

For a front end I am using Xlobby, have you looked at it? It is completely customizable and has very nice PDA functionality. There is a bit of a learning curve using Girder and such but well worth it.

Love the theater .. keep up the good work!

Wow... this is just unbelievable.
Your stage and risers are just something to behold.
The balcony is just as impressive. In my years with this hobby, I have only seen one other theater with a balcony (audio video interiors magazine) and it was not really a true usable space like yours will be.
I think the only issue that I would be concerned with is the accoustics of the room. Looks like it will be a nightmare to tame.
I have subscribed to this thread and look forward to seeing the final results.

Craig

HTPC's can be fun .. just wait until windows tanks and you have to format and re-install everything!

For a front end I am using Xlobby, have you looked at it? It is completely customizable and has very nice PDA functionality. There is a bit of a learning curve using Girder and such but well worth it.

Love the theater .. keep up the good work!I am checking it out now and cant even figure out where to configure anything, I DLed it but something must be empty or it needs another program to run it. Everything is here just no setup or configuring options that I see

Wow... this is just unbelievable.
Your stage and risers are just something to behold.
The balcony is just as impressive. In my years with this hobby, I have only seen one other theater with a balcony (audio video interiors magazine) and it was not really a true usable space like yours will be.
I think the only issue that I would be concerned with is the accoustics of the room. Looks like it will be a nightmare to tame.
I have subscribed to this thread and look forward to seeing the final results.

Craig

We think the acoustics will be pretty simple really, the problem may be over treated with the Drapes , Curtains , Carpet and such, theres going to be no reflective surfaces to speak of when its complete which may make the room a little dead

Mark,

Does the DP Mercury intake and exhaust to the front and rear? Do you plan on any ventilation to it or do you think the space it is in has adequate air flow?

Hey Mark it needs .NET (http://msdn.microsoft.com/netframework/downloads/framework1_1/)

If you have a newer OS it should already be there.

When you launch Xlobby hit F2 for config and Pause|Break for screen design.

Any questions please ask.. once you get going its becomes easier.

Rob

Very impressive Mark. Your barrel diffusors /chandelier is very creative and appears to make quite an impact.

Best regards
Don

I built my Stage knowing I wanted to see it with a shorter step up from the first step , I think it looks a little better than evenly spaced, almost like molding has different sizes to its routes .

I can easily raise it in any dimension of 1/4" but Im not sure an even number will look boring. the bottom step is 16' wide and the stage is 14' to match the 2.35:1 screen


Hi mark,

I really would like to learn how you created those rounded stage. What tool did you use and can you share how you did it please?

And also on your ceiling, I saw a big perfect round hole/circle in the middle that's been drywalled. What did you do so that when drywall is bent while being installed, it doesn't break? It's totally cool!

Thanks! Awesome theater!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D

Mark,

Does the DP Mercury intake and exhaust to the front and rear? Do you plan on any ventilation to it or do you think the space it is in has adequate air flow? Intakes in rear and exhausts out the side, the one joist is routed out to fit the exhaust and theres a steel frame that holds the entire exhaust side joist together.

theres going to be exhaust in the equiptment room and will have a duct run to the balcony as well, this should provide some air flow.

Hey Mark it needs .NET (http://msdn.microsoft.com/netframework/downloads/framework1_1/)

If you have a newer OS it should already be there.

When you launch Xlobby hit F2 for config and Pause|Break for screen design.

Any questions please ask.. once you get going its becomes easier.

Rob I couldnt get it to work at all, I could see all my music and Movies, I DLed all the shareware they needed to run the stuff ( Winamp,Foobar,Zoomplayer,Daeman Tools ) but could never get any of it to work stable. I actually heard music towards the end just one time, when I tried to open another song........nothing. The one song I did hear had about a 6 second delay until it played.

The Daemon tools was some scary stuff and theres no documentation in XLobby as to setting this stuff up, it just kind of jumps around through the forum on a hit and miss basis.

The theme was sort of Hokie looking and I never had much luck finding any themes that looked as professional as the Meedio themes( mainly HDeeMeTv which is a HD Theme) , one menu led to another menu, to another menu, to another with arrows and icons everywhere.

I did like the auto tagging feature, hit and miss but mainly hit! I liked the PDA menu as well but could never get the Bluetooth to talk to XLobby which does not surprise me because nothing ever really worked. In fact my Meedio was stable as can be and is now tweaked up in the movies end of things since I messed with XLobby and it will take me hours to figure out why the movie doesnt play instantly ( or at all)

What surprises me is that this is 2005 (almost 2006) and no one makes a frontend program that works with auto configure ( Meedio is real close minus the DD,DTS setup and tagging issues)as much fun as people make of Windows, It seems to be the only stable software I ever have after all these years, these front ends are a living nightmare and the folks on the forums act like everyone is a programmer, and I am far from it. I am a little dissappointed in the frontend department!

Very impressive Mark. Your barrel diffusors /chandelier is very creative and appears to make quite an impact.

Best regards
DonHave you ever went to the Grand Canyon or some Mountain Range and thought "Wow, I need a picture to show others how this looks" and you get home and look at the pictures and they just dont work in representing the actual source?

I imagine I am one of many on here that are dissapointed in looking at our pics on the internet as compared to standing in the actual rooms. I can say that I have been in this room hundreds of times and it still makes me smile when I walk into it every time, When I look at all the other theatres on this site I now appreciate that the rooms are much more than what these pics can ever show, Its extremely hard to take pictures of these theatres.

I will say watching the Blackouts slowly cover the entire doormers is a very " James Bondish ( maybe more like Get Smartish, a homage) I kind of see myself chuckling years from now when they raise and lower.

Hi mark,

I really would like to learn how you created those rounded stage. What tool did you use and can you share how you did it please?

And also on your ceiling, I saw a big perfect round hole/circle in the middle that's been drywalled. What did you do so that when drywall is bent while being installed, it doesn't break? It's totally cool!

Thanks! Awesome theater!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D
I detailed the stages on the first page I think, Maybe the second?

the " Hole" was coverd in 3/8 plywood first and to sheetrock it you soak the drywall and it becomes more flexable, the plywood makes a ridgid surface to push the wet drywall into. A friend of mine did my sheetrocking for me, this would have takin me weeks, his crew and him were done in a day having it firetaped, they finished it the next day using hot mud

I have a question. Please look at the image below: On the blue arrow, how were you able to make a curve/arc on the wood? What tool did you use? How thick is the wood?

On the red line, am I correct that it is a plywood? How thick is it?

http://restricted.dyndns.org/ht051rev1.jpg

Thanks!

Neil

v1rtu0s1ty: to me it looks like two pieces a flat one on top and an other on the side.

yeah, i know they're separate. But how was the cutting done on the wood pointed by the blue arrow?

sorry, from your question I though you were asking how he curved the wood.

I would guess he just drew the curve on some wood and cut it with something like a jig saw or maybe a reciprocating saw.

As for the red arrows, you might be able to bend 1/2" plywood like that if it's a real easy curve. I used 2 layers of 1/4" plywood.

:D Thanks!

sorry guys I was at a Hometheater get together up here in Portland tonight, very fun

I used 8 sheets of 3/4 plywood layed on top (4 on top of 4) of each other making a 1-1/2" thick piece of plywood 8' wide by 16' long then I made a "compass" I will call it out of a 1 x 6 pine board that my Plunge router fastened to at one end ( using a 1/4" upspiral bit) and put a screw centered into the other end 8' away , this allows me to cut a perfect arc in several passes as to not burn up the bit , then I moved the screw 3-1/2 inches closer to the router but used the same hole and routed again making what appears to be a long curved 2x4

My method is hard to explain but easy to talk through or show, maybe I will see if any of my old picks show what I am talking about

Oh sorry I forgot, the fronts are indeed 1/2" plywood with relief cuts every inch about 1/8" deep using a sliding chop saw with a laser line on the blade this takes little time but 1/4" would surely make the bend .

Hi Mark,

I understand now when you explained how you made the cutting for the arc shape. That's really cool. Hmmm, I've been seeing/hearing the equipment called router. Did a google search and I saw this, http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00005S7TD/002-6577157-6284021?v=glance

I'm interested on how this looks like, 1/4" upspiral bit. Do you have some screenshot? It's because, I would like to know how the staircase nosing is built. This way, I don't have to buy the nosing at Home Depot. And also, once I have the tool, I can create my own nosing most especially for custom shape stage or riser.

heres a pic of it going together , the entire process was filmed in HD but I neglected to take pics of the actual routing http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/HT046.jpg

heres an upspiral bit,

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/webrouterdown.jpg

available at any Lowes or Home Depot

I use 1/4" x 2-1/2 long , took 2 to build this stage but thats alot of routing and yes that router you provided a link to is a plunge router , I prefer Hitachi s because they give you freebie accessories and they route forever with simple quick changing of bits

Since I am carpeting over the edges of the stages I just used a 1" roundover bit on the top and bottom edge of the "platform"

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/B0000DCZ3R.jpg

Thanks Mark! :D That really helped me a lot!!!!

sorry guys I was at a Hometheater get together up here in Portland tonight, very fun

I used 8 sheets of 3/4 plywood layed on top (4 on top of 4) of each other making a 1-1/2" thick piece of plywood 8' wide by 16' long then I made a "compass" I will call it out of a 1 x 6 pine board that my Plunge router fastened to at one end ( using a 1/4" upspiral bit) and put a screw centered into the other end 8' away , this allows me to cut a perfect arc in several passes as to not burn up the bit , then I moved the screw 3-1/2 inches closer to the router but used the same hole and routed again making what appears to be a long curved 2x4

My method is hard to explain but easy to talk through or show, maybe I will see if any of my old picks show what I am talking about

Mark, I think your work on the stage is very nice but I really think you could have done it much easier. Just build the frame without the sandwiched plywood pieces and without the cutouts in the 2x6s. You can use 2x6s between the curve supports for added strength. Add the plywood for the face of the stage and then add the curved top for the stage. Should be much easier than engineering your own curves 2x4s out of sandwiched plywood and it'd be just as strong.

you know I thought of that but I have rope lighting running top/bottom around each curve and the only way I could get rid of it ( hide it ) was to route channels for it into the 2 x 4s I made, its hard to explain I could probably take a picture

Isco 3 anamorphic lens showed up and this baby is a brute, weighing in a 10 lbs. Packaged very nice and is amazing . Took all of about 1/2 hour to be up and running thanks to Alan.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/PA170662.jpg

For those that have seen the Mercury HD and know how big it is , this lens just sorta fits right in. ( may have to beef up the balcony)

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/PA170663.jpg

Putting it through the test in about 15 minutes with Batman Begins

Drooool!

Can't wait to see more!

Yeah! It's been a couple of weeks since last report. Guess the test of Batman Begins was successful and all is happening now is a whole lot of movie watching :D

Dave

I have been thinking about this thread in the last week or so, wondering how it was going. I had forgotten the name of the thread title. So I am mostly posting to remind me to check this thread more often.

Also, to add kudos on the theater. Thanks for showing off the lens too - its pretty mean looking.

Sorry guys,
No goodies, since the HTPC got sidetracked all the stuff that had been neglected getting ready for winter.

Once we found out the chairs were going to take 3 months , everything turned to movie watching mode and dealing with automation and loading up the media server .

If the weather turns foul I will work on the balcony .

Several mistakes made in this build

1. Hang screen
2. position projector
3. receive anamorphic lens
4. Install Blackouts

You have to be flipping kidding me? That place is nuts!

I offically have lense envy!!!

I'm working on a PDA as a voice command remote
that's really a neat idea.....

your "wow" factor is going to be over the top....even more.....

Ba Ba Bad to the Bone...

Please stop posting picture of you theater. My heart really can't take it! :D

I am in process of planning my new theater. My first theater was a definite budget job, but I loved it! I now am trolling the forums for design ideas for my new one which (hopefully) won't be such a budget theater. Now I come across yours and I can't think stop trying to fit in a balcony in my 9' tall basement! :eek:

To restate: ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!

-Keith

Love it.

Words can't really describe what you have going on there.

MarkP: you available for hire, if and when I win the super lotto? :)

*sigh* I wish I had that space!

Awesome how you guys went into the attic though.. Very novel idea. Our new place has room for me to put in a 10x14' HT, so am planning it now. I don't think the wife would approve if I went up into the kitchen with a balcony seating plan. =>

MarkP: you available for hire, if and when I win the super lotto? :)
Are you kidding me, I hope I never see a HT again, and i wouldnt wanna steal all your fun

*sigh* I wish I had that space!

Awesome how you guys went into the attic though.. Very novel idea. Our new place has room for me to put in a 10x14' HT, so am planning it now. I don't think the wife would approve if I went up into the kitchen with a balcony seating plan. =>

Ask her if she'd rather cook or watch movies, she might suprise you with her answer

Unfort my wife normally falls asleep during movies... and thank goodness she doesn't have Narcoleptic tendancies when utilizing the gas range!

A bump to the best HT I've ever seen... Can't wait to see the balcony finished! Any more pictures?

agree, it has been a long time since there was an update to he thread

Rule number one of theater building - don't buy the projector BEFORE you finish the theater.....

Moremoremoremoremoremoremore....Please? :)

How did I miss this thread ? :o Wow ,what gorgeous work! Gotta love the screen size. Very much unlike anything around here. Please keep us posted with as many pics as possible. :)

Art

Rule number one of theater building - don't buy the projector BEFORE you finish the theater.....
PJ wasnt as bad as the Blackouts, that made it fully functional.

The HTPC burned me out a little bit since I went Meedio and all that that goes with setting that up and got tired of messing with it and completely switched to Windows Media Center, all that fooling around and switching midstream as well as loading 400 albums and 300 movies pretty much did me in for awhile. Then we scored a couple XBox 360s for Christmas and that really put some hours on the bulb and kept sawdust making to zero.

Another "small" problem was that when I increased the size of the room by double and being a bonus room it wont heat good enough as discovered about a month ago as the temperature dropped so I have to add something along the lines of a mobile home heater up in the attic or let the pros handle beefing up the heatpumps but I called them 3 weeks ago and they said they would look at it when they had time and have not seen or heard from them since. They know the system since they installed it and I figure thats why they are being " shy".

Seats are still a ways off which makes it easy to get into the laid back mode.
I went full bore this summer and it really gave me some burnouts so the nice break from it should get me re-motivated for some more progress starting in about a week, finishing up on some honey do type things and I am back on it. Pushing for King Kong as first movie in finished product

Mark,

You get the award for the "Most deceiving" thread title ever!

That is one beautiful theater!

Victor

Mark,

I've been watching your thread since the beginning myself. Very impressive. Please don't "rest" too long as we all want to see the final product and a job well done!

I just found this thread today. When I saw that high ceiling my jaw just dropped. UNREAL!!!! This is going to be amazing!

This is not a home theater...it is a real theater....OMG...the detail...the visuals...when complete this is worthing of any Home Magazine doing a full 3/5 page article. Heck the electronics alone would take up 3/5 pages.....props my man....it leaves us others only dreaming of such things. Great vision.

1 question...did you decide to do all that after seeing the screen size on the wall and knowing you needed more height?

1 question...did you decide to do all that after seeing the screen size on the wall and knowing you needed more height?

It sort of came from being a contractor for many years and knowing the bonus room ceiling was never right for the size of the room. I had built a house for a friend just the year before where we used the same ceiling system for the entire upstairs bedroom and the architect had a much weaker system than what I was able to put into this room with very little work, I basically built the rafters standing in the attic and tore everything apart as i moved through the room. When all said and done the only waste was the sheetrock that had been there. Well..... the structual engineer stamp cost $600 which was funny because I drew the prints and he just stamped them, I guess he did model all the stresses on a computer which probably took him 30 minutes

And yes the screen size and curtains posed a problem from the beginning and is still a tight fit so the more room I made the better. Glad you all like it because it really has been a blast making it up as I go.

Alright, enough resting, back to work....we need an update.

that theater is ridiculous. I don't think i'd do anything else but watch movies if i knew that THAT was a part of my house..in fact, that theater is probably bigger than my house. if only space was that plentiful in san francisco.

[QUOTE=Mark P]... I basically built the rafters standing in the attic and tore everything apart as i moved through the room. When all said and done the only waste was the sheetrock that had been there. Well..... the structual engineer stamp cost $600 which was funny because I drew the prints and he just stamped them, I guess he did model all the stresses on a computer which probably took him 30 minutes....[QUOTE]


I'm a little surprised as the structure seems more complicated than simply adding collar ties and cutting the existing joists. Can you explain the ceiling construction a little more for those of us contemplating similar modifications?

[QUOTE=Mark P]... I basically built the rafters standing in the attic and tore everything apart as i moved through the room. When all said and done the only waste was the sheetrock that had been there. Well..... the structual engineer stamp cost $600 which was funny because I drew the prints and he just stamped them, I guess he did model all the stresses on a computer which probably took him 30 minutes....[QUOTE]


I'm a little surprised as the structure seems more complicated than simply adding collar ties and cutting the existing joists. Can you explain the ceiling construction a little more for those of us contemplating similar modifications?

What I did consisted of not wanting to waste an inch of materials if necessary so heres how I did it step by step.

I had exsisting 2x8 rafters and 2x10 joists which supported the original sheetrock ceiling , there was 5/8 plywood on top of the joists making a floor in the attic.

first thing I did was roto-zip all the sheetrock around the outside of the room then I pulled all the plywood up leaving several peices up there as a working platform that I could easily slide around.

Then I kicked down the sheetrock from above and it would come down in huge peices so this went fast ( as in less than an hour and it was out the windows in a dump trailer with the help of the wife.

I also threw down all the plywood but 4 peices as working platform

I counted my rafters which was 26 so I bought fifty two 16' 2x4s ( these turn the 2x8 rafters into 2x12 rafters when added to the bottom of rafter and nailing the plywood to the side splicing them together

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/rafter.jpg

( I used the plywood I removed from the flooring and cut it 12"s wide but since it was only 8' long I had to have a splice half way up the rafter, when this happens you must add a 4' long piece to the other side of the splice centered on where the plywood meets for reinforcement)

The top of the 2x4 is cut on a 45 degree angle and fits tight against the ridge and the bottom of the 2x4 is cut with what I call a " birds-mouth" which fits neatly on the top of the "wall"

When nailing I used a nail gun and 8d nails and loaded the plywood with nails on 6" centers being careful on the 2x4s as to not split them since they as so skinny.

My collar ties were the Old joists I would remove after every 3 rafters I built , I initially bought two 12' long 2x10s to get started, knowing where to cut joist was achieved by measuring out 18" from the wall at the front and back of room and snapping a chalk line, this works good with locating collar tie placement as well

Considering the amount of roof systems I have built I knew this would be a stout remodel of the roof, I still needed a structual engineers stamped approval after he was done doing all the wind/snow load modeling just to be all legal and so on.

Im sure I probably forgot something, just ask if I did!

I almost forgot, dont forget the Hurricane straps , Simpson Strong-Ties cant recall actual model number but they are long rectangular steel that tie the rafter to the top of the wall , you may want to buy or rent a palm nailer when puting these on since these alot of nails

Mark,

I need a fix. Please work hard this 3 day weekend (MLK day Monday) and post pics Tuesday!

Thanks Mark, very interesting approach. I would have thought to just sister new 2x12's against the 2x8 rafters, but your method is more economical. On the other hand, it may be possible to only have to do every other rafter with the 2x12's. I'll have to ask my engineer friend about the spacing (well, at least he's my friend as long as my checks are still good!).

Mark,

I need a fix. Please work hard this 3 day weekend (MLK day Monday) and post pics Tuesday!
I'll see what I can do for ya Bucsroom! part of the problem is that I have a nagging project going on down in the Horse Stables and ALL my tools are dedicated to this project that I should have finished a month ago but.......alas I am working on it and have been the last couple days infact Im checking emails on a lunch break from it . Should have er wrapped up today or tomorrow, then a little breather for a day or two and I promise i will get some pics out later next week.

If I could find someone to host a High Defintion Video I would shoot some video for you guys to see the theater in action ( my HD camcorder actually reproduces whats on the screen rather well!) but as soon as I turn it into an MPeg2 it loses all its punch but the file size drops DRAMAtically.

Theres one picture or video I would love to get up here and its even more amazing than being in the room, its from out in the driveway at night with the projector running, this is where the scale of the screen shining through the 6' doormers looks pretty amazing and if I shot a video you could plainly hear how horrible it would be for a neighbor if we had one.

It also would demonstrate horrible sound proofing mixed with an IB Subwoofer expelling its back waves out vent holes

Mark P

Why don't you host a XBOX360 gaming meet this month - then vince2 can come down and see the build for himself!

Thanks Mark, very interesting approach. I would have thought to just sister new 2x12's against the 2x8 rafters, but your method is more economical. On the other hand, it may be possible to only have to do every other rafter with the 2x12's. I'll have to ask my engineer friend about the spacing (well, at least he's my friend as long as my checks are still good!).

Not only cheaper but much stronger this way because your actually making a rafter out of 1/3 plywood and if you take the time ( and $$$) to glue it all then you have a really strong product. I had the plywood to work with so it was alot cheaper, lighter, faster than sistering a heavy arse 2x12x16'. The 2x4 was a piece-o-cake to cut and place and the only time consuming thing is loading the rafters with almost a box of nails.

Now if you had to purchase the plywood then sistering in 2x12s would be alot cheaper but............I really dont know how you would fight them in place without a good helper and remember you only have 2' of side to side wiggle room

Mark P

Why don't you host a XBOX360 gaming meet this month - then vince2 can come down and see the build for himself! Vince is more than welcome to drive down and take a look. Im not sure everyone could handle the cold , the room is pretty chilly right now since the heaters cant handle the heating of such a large room and the tinners still have not returned my call. I think I might just throw a coleman mobile home furnace up in the adjacent attic space for heat and figure out the cooling some other way but I would like to get the opinion of the pros.

Gaming in the cold is a strange thing but it gives you an excuse to stink and blame it on the cold, Im up there at night trying to make a demo of assorted clips the last couple nights and its been pretty "cool" great for working, bad for HT geaking but this weekendseems open as of now if anyones bored and wants to get out. Kevin mighteven be able to explain why my center channel seems to be getting weaker these days. Watching the Transporter2 the other night and I was having a hard time understanding some of the dialog , maybe my tweeter and midranges are frozen.

Thanks Mark. I'm pretty clear on how you accomplished this great transformation. Hope to see some updated pictures soon, though I know from personal experience how other projects keep getting in the way. Something about fighting alligators and draining a swamp....

I just noticed on Ebay there are some rows of theater seats for cheap. Re-upolstered, they may suit a large room:

http://search.*********/_W0QQsassZoregonsurplus2000QQhtZ-1

maybe someone local could use them. (if link above doesn't work, search for seller " Oregonsurplus2000 "on Ebay)

All I can say is WOW... WOW... WOW...

Absolutely floored.. If I might ask ballpark figure for remodel/theatre build?? Under or over $30 K?

Again. Wow. wow. wow... The finished theatre REALLY needs to be shown in a Home Theatre mag or similar publication...

Absolutly Stunning!

I am inspired!

Now I just wish I could trade rooms. Gonna make my 21x13ft theater look like a toy.

Keep the pics coming.

Any updates to the awesome theatre?

OK....OK....OK.... I got off my rear today and really needed a break from playing with the dreaded HTPC and my FRACKING coming out of standby with the mouse and remote locked up issues.

I decided to work on the balcony since its the only thing really left as far as construction

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/P1230690.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/P1230687.jpg

I wish I could take a straight picture, I will try and get some more done tomorrow or the next day after I run to get 2 - 20' 2x6's and some 6" sauna tube for the soffits ( dont ask)

If I might ask ballpark figure for remodel/theatre build?? Under or over $30 K?

The equiptment (PJ, Screen, soundsystem including speakers, recievers, amps, IB subwoofer, HTPC, Plasmas, remotes) is slightly over 30K thanks to a refund from Digital Projections

Blackouts with controllers were 2k

sheetrocker was 2k

Materials ( lumber, nails, special tool purchases) 3 K

Fabric for curtains around screen and down side walls 30K

Fabric for ceiling and other 5 k

Seats 12 K

Chandeliers - being negotiated

Automation ?

Heating and cooling ?

Wrought Iron - free ( buddy is a wrought Iron gate builder )

Carpet - still waiting

other lights ( can with fixtures $26 x 35 )

sitting up till 2:00 am trying to get Media Center to come out of Standby properly = priceless

Im sure theres possibly a hundred more things Im forgeting but its late.

MarkP - Whats the rear plasmas for?

Fabric for curtains around screen and down side walls 30K

Are these made from spider silk or something?!? I could never imagine paying the same amount on fabric as for equipment. Did I read that right? :confused:

I think he mentioned a while back that karaoke would be a major use of the room. I'm guessing that thay are for it.

MarkP - Whats the rear plasmas for?

We have alot of talented singers around here ( everybody but me ) and alot of them dont know the words or have their own bands. Also real bands need something to keep them entertained. **EDIT** Chiabob was paying attention, for that you win a ticket to the sweet spot on the first local AVS HT meet.

But the most important reason, Deathmatch gaming. Like the son who doesnt mind splitscreening said " You could have an 8 man clan in "Counterstrike " in one room putting 6 on the front screen." I know I cant splitscreen. All the kids nowadays like Halo, not really sure why.

Might have a Party when there happens to be a big sporting event on, dont want to miss any action.

When spending endless hours on the computer trying to figure stuff out, dont want to waste a $900 bulb on the PJ and dont want to climb into the balcony and into equip. room. This is another reason we opted out of Berkliners and Irwin stadium seating.

Theres also security cameras at the gate so while workng on Media Center and the gate calls you can tell if its Jehovas Witness and turn down the sound system so they actually leave instead of trying to figure out how to talk too you.

Im sure others will come up with even more reasons

Are these made from spider silk or something?!? I could never imagine paying the same amount on fabric as for equipment. Did I read that right? :confused:

14' x 20' pleated fronts with some other valance type action up front, these wont be the standard curtains in the front, very tall ceiling. Add another 100' for the walls and add pleats make that around...........almost 300' at 9' high and 75' x 14' and a valance and that adds up to way too much curtain. When the sun comes up I'll take some pictures of the material. and post it here. Material aint cheap anymore, go to any place that sells curtains and buy some for a normal sized bay window and they will be $200-$500, maybe $150 at Wal-Mart.

Out of all the friends I have in the different trades and such, why I never got in good with a seamstress is now beyond me.

Wow. Thats a heck of a remodel. Fabulous work though.

Shareware: If that price is right, it probably due to the sheer size of the room.

For the life of me though, I don't understand why people simply don't paint the rooms using only GOM fabric on the front aspect where you are trying to hide speakers etc.... I guess its the desire to recreate the 'theatre' effect where the walls have fabric/carpet on part of them.

Out of all the friends I have in the different trades and such, why I never got in good with a seamstress is now beyond me.

Probably because they all look like Nanny McPhee! http://au.i1.yimg.com/movies.aunz.yimg.com/xp/hww/20051115/01/4255975964.jpg

Small fortune!

Bud

Probably because they all look like Nanny McPhee! http://au.i1.yimg.com/movies.aunz.yimg.com/xp/hww/20051115/01/4255975964.jpg

Small fortune!

BudWhere did you get a picture of the lady doing all the curtains? I notice she doesnt have her glasses on though.

For the life of me though, I don't understand why people simply don't paint the rooms using only GOM fabric on the front aspect where you are trying to hide speakers etc.... I guess its the desire to recreate the 'theatre' effect where the walls have fabric/carpet on part of them. Its real hard to paint over acoustic treatments and I think alot of people have quite a few treatments. One bright spot about the curtains is that we save on treatments.

We will have to do some reflective surfaces somewhere or the room will be dead but that will be at the very end when we find this out

o..... she is HOT ;)

Mark P,

Ok, let me refine that quote: " why people don't paint, and then use GOM over the areas where acoustical treatment is required." I only say this as there must be a more economical way of doing rooms... A good paint/GOM match + acoutiscal treatments has to be more cost efficient I would imagine...

/spoken from a guy with no dedicated HT... ;)

Uhm, what would you rather do?:
* mudding, sanding, priming, gluing, felting, priming, painting, painting & painting the wall.
* stapling fabric to the wall.


If you have a lot of treatments (2/3 of the walls covered in fiberglass batts) then it might look sort of strange to have the last 1/3 as plain walls, so it might look better with just the fabric.

For a $20 K difference I'd rather doing the long way (painting). Although if you have that much acoustical treatment, then I guess it does make sense to do the fabric.

i am dry walling the whole room, also the columns. i'll add ascoustical treatments if I do not like how the sound comes out i am more of a video guy.

Where is the stripper pole and hot tub? You have everything else. Sweet.

Hot tubs outside, steam might fog lens.

As far as the poles go, well...............well, you just have to wait and see.

14' is pretty large, really gets you into a Movie, sporting event or video game

In between getting frustrated on the soffits I decided to play with making lens surround number #1.

Its covered in black velvet and was harder to make than I expected, I had to blow some MDF dust on it so the camera would pick up the lines because the flash wasnt picking them up.

When clean it picks up directional light pretty well. there will probably be several attempts at differant styles but I wont be covering them with velvet unless Im positive its the final.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/P1270727.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/P1270731.jpg

I admire your attention to detail in your work ( amoung other things :) ) That looks great !


Art

I admire your attention to detail in your work ( amoung other things :) ) That looks great !


ArtIf this project even comes within a mile of yours when its done, it will be an accomplishment. Your theater was pulled up many times in discussions of where we wanted this thing to go.

Balcony couch framing is about all the major work left, heres sort of a blurry view from there with soffits finished but not foam & fabric done. This would be the view for a very short person or totally reclined

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/P1300746.jpg

Heres inside the soffits before insulation and plywood, notice the little duct boxes I had to make to offset the registers. It was fairly simple and the exposed duct above the soffit is 6" round fiberglass super duct cut in half with flat board on the bottom which you see the offset boxes are fastened to.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/P1290733.jpg

This is the top of the soffit , its 7" up to a 7" quarter radius , 7" over to the ductwork which is 7" radius as well. this will be foam and fabric. It had to be a little beefy since its actually part of the outside eves. Thats why it was built out of 2 X 8 front facia instead of 1 x

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/P1300751.jpg

And here the mess that has become of the equip. room, the HTPC and server are kind of just laying there , the cheesy old monitor and keyboard are for the server when loading movies. two movies at a time on both the server and HTPC = about 10 movies an hour. So far 200 movies and 200 albums is about all I have interest in loading as of now. I use the plasmas or PJ for the HTPC monitor depending on what Im doing for now until I instal a small monitor in the equiptment room. It needs to be pretty nice for all the hours I am going to spend trying to get automation and Media Center to come out of standby properly.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/P1300740.jpg

Looks absolutely fantastic. Wish I had a big space like that to use. Even a spare space ontop of garage.... The view from the balconey is absolutely incredible. I take it you will be putting it to good use during the superbowl?

I'm just wondering... How many other people have looked at this post, cried, and thought "What do you post in reponse to something like this?!?"

You sir, have amazed me with each new post.

Matt

(When I win the Texas Lotto this week, how much to just consult??? ;) )

The view from the balconey is absolutely incredible. I take it you will be putting it to good use during the superbowl?
The view is the best in the room but at 40' from the screen it just looks like a very large bigscreen in a standard sized room. The balconey was never intended to be a functioning seating area but more like a place to hang the plasmas and projector without major keystone adjustments and a way to the equiptment room.

And yes Superbowl Party is on but I dont get ABC HD on DirecTv so I guess its time to see if an antenna in the attic works until the new HD receivers with MPEG 4 and HD locals shows up.

(When I win the Texas Lotto this week, how much to just consult??? ;) )

You dont have to pay anyone for consulting, there is everything you need right here.
I spent alot of time browsing here and had several people early in development PMed me to call them and discuss things like projectors and screens ( the Audio end was established years ago in the DIY community)

After consulting with some of the folks around here that had experience with actually seeing and owning many different PJs and screens we just put our final trust in Alan Gouger since he never had a problem with my constant bothering him about things like " I heard the Qualia does this, the NEC does that, the Runco has this , and the Panny has that, but the SIM will do this" There was a time 8 months ago where I am sure Alan was sick of my calls every other day about 1080P , CR and lumens vs. the different competitors and in the end steered me in the right direction and we had several other folks chime in on the final decision. Alan even followed up on a hefty refund check 6 months later. Nobody but Nobody else would have even bothered doing this without the refund ending up in their own pocket. He certainly could have gone about doing all this refund business and kept the check without ever telling me about it but I guess he's just too honest. Most folks would have just sold the PJ ( at a much higher cost, we checked around) and that would have been that, but Alan worked in the background to give us the best possible service and the suprise of paying even less that expected for a product that still blows us away every time we fire it up.

I didnt do much except raise the ceiling and build the stages, risers and such . Most of the things that matter when the lights go off and the movie starts were done by all the folks on this forum. Art Sonneborns theater pics takin professionally were used as an example of what we wanted as a finished product if it was a Movie Theater only ( his theater is truly amazing!) but we added a couple more things to the mix because the use of this room is probably 50% movies and 50% other things.

Hi Mark,

My "You'll put it to good use for the Superbowl" was meant to mean the entire room, not just the balcony. That area is reserved for the people who don't behave. ;)

I am just floored looking at the size of the place. Do have a before/after shot, and then a pic of the outside of the house where the theatre is (I am visualizing a 'barn-like' appearance for that area.)

Hi Mark,

My "You'll put it to good use for the Superbowl" was meant to mean the entire room, not just the balcony. That area is reserved for the people who don't behave. ;)

I am just floored looking at the size of the place. Do have a before/after shot, and then a pic of the outside of the house where the theatre is (I am visualizing a 'barn-like' appearance for that area.)

Heres the room before

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/HT003.jpg

and heres the barn, if you crawl up the extension ladder and go forward you are standing behind the screen wall.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/P2010760.jpg

That is a beaut of a house. I think my wife would let me build a theater like yours if she got the rest.

I agree a beautiful structure. :) Best of luck with your theater !

Art

Thanks for the pics Mark. It is a truly insppiring remodel. That 'attic space' is perfect. (If I only had that kind of space...)

C`mon Mark, don`t be shy with those pictures. Please show us some more !!!

Mark,

I'm lost for words.

I remember seeing your thread a while back and it was about Stages and Risers and I thought that was pretty much it. Well today I was looking back and found your thread again. I didn't realize that this was your offficial construction thread. You really need to link it in your signature.

Anyway, WTF!!!! Your building a freekin opera house here. This is going to be the biggest build on AVS. Your attention to detail is remarkable and your quality of design is outstanding.

Your house is Big and beautiful as well. The drywall work is amazing. The balconies and everything else you got going on is absolutely incredible. You are building a true masterpiece.

When your spending $30k on Drapes and all your equipment cost the same, Something tells me you half stepped somewhere. I figured with a theater like that and $30k Drapes you would at least have a $250k digital Projector and a backup 35mm PJ on the side of it :) Also, Those speakers seem rather small looking for the room, but I'm pretty sure they must perform well. You are prob gonna need a truckload of treatments for that room, right?

What part of your house are you building this in? I read barn or something in here.

Keep the pictures coming!!!

Simply Amazed,
Ruben

Mark,

Anyway, WTF!!!! Your building a freekin opera house here. This is going to be the biggest build on AVS. Your attention to detail is remarkable and your quality of design is outstanding.

When your spending $30k on Drapes and all your equipment cost the same, Something tells me you half stepped somewhere. I figured with a theater like that and $30k Drapes you would at least have a $250k digital Projector and a backup 35mm PJ on the side of it :) Also, Those speakers seem rather small looking for the room, but I'm pretty sure they must perform well. You are prob gonna need a truckload of treatments for that room, right?

Opera house is sort of the look it may have, and its farrrrrr from the biggest build on AVS , check Out Mr. Poindexters thread , I almost wept when reading how magnificient that Bad Boy will be. Theres dozens of Theaters on this forum including yours that will have as much or more to offer in the coolness/ quality factor. I am just kinda making crap up as I go.

The 30K is for the Drapes but the Drapes completely wrap around the room and on the Barrel Diffusors and the rest of the room will have bits and pieces of the same material as well like the speaker cabinets. No 250K PJ in this room, the Mercury HD does a fantastic job and was 1/2 the drape material cost allowing for the rather stiff material cost.

The speakers are small ( they arent that small and they weigh a ton) but they are designed with XBL squared technology which in a way triples there size in output.

Not many Treatments since the entire room will have drapes and some glass underneath in the reflective points, if anything it will be sort of dead but the speakers are intentionally bright as of now to compensate, with external crossovers we may need to adjust for perfection when all is said and done
.

Ok Guys heres some silly crap I whipped up for you.

Weve been filming the entire build in HD when we remember to do so, I have about 2 hours of tape but mainly pretty boring stuff. I put together several clips and they are major compressed into WMV files to keep the size down so when you click on the link it might take between 10-30 minutes to buffer the video, one is 35MB and the other is 80 some. Do Not attempt this with Dial-up, it will take a month.

Video #1 called Theater is just some stuff that I included that I have recieved alot of PMs on what / how/ or why and some things Ill point out are

1. notice the excursion of the drivers on the speakers, this is how such "small speakers" power a large room.

2. when I am throwing the lumber out of the roof notice the camera shake, it is 20' from the work area and those are only whimpy little 2 x 4 s hitting the ground and shaking the tripoded camera that much. When I tell people that the entire room flexes in a major way under the force of our IB subwoofers they respond with a kind of puzzled reaction. Bonus rooms are sort of weak in a structual way because they are usually smaller than the Garage below and are supported by several beams. In this case a 19' x 40' room sits on a 30' x 60' garage supported by three beams. I would not call this optimum theater room if you want to load it with weight including Sand filled stages and risers, seats and people.

3 the wife said if I included her in the video she gets to pick the music in the video as a way of deterring me from including her, well........since she does most of the work while I stand around and act like I am thinking, just mute the audio if needed.

The second video is just some screen shots and again remember this is about 10 GIG of video compressed and sized to smaller sizes ( 640 x 360 ) had I left it at 720 it was 200 mb and still compressed massively from HD stock footage so it looks a little fuzzy and the whites are extremelly white, if you think taking pictures of a theater are hard, try filming them. The camera had a slightly hard time focusing when zooming in and out but it will give you an Idea of what a 14' screen looks like.

Both videos should be rezized in media player , while you wait for buffering just resize the window about half and it will look better and not so pixelated.

Mark,

Actually the first video was pretty cool. Thanks for doing it. The second isn't up yet, I'll check it out later. Love the blinds that automatically go down. I guess there were a little more expensive than the route I took ... drywalling over the bad boys!

Bud

If it seems you guys arent buffering fast, just wait til the other guy dling is/are done or try the other one

Its not that great, trust me

Mark,

Actually the first video was pretty cool. Thanks for doing it. The second isn't up yet, I'll check it out later. Love the blinds that automatically go down. I guess there were a little more expensive than the route I took ... drywalling over the bad boys!

Bud
I wish I could film all 4 at the same time, I am getting a new camera soon maybe it will

well I have crappy satellite Hi speed and theres several DL-ing right now and the 85 mb'er only took me 15 minutes so maybe it doesnt lag that bad, must have been the uploading at the same time that was jamming things up

So, apparently, everyone else watching this thread was asleep when I downloaded both video's. The first one only took 1.5 minutes via a cable modem across the street at my neighbors house that I am connected to via 802.11g. Second one took less than 4 minutes.

Very cool Mark. Hey, those round protrusions that come out from the angled ceiling/wall don't interfere with the screen from the balcony seating area? Seems like it's pretty close.

So, maybe I missed it since I got into this thread a little late, where is your IB sub? I dind't know you were doing one. Unfortunatly for me, I can't do one, I have neighbors too close to me (tract home),

Thanks for the vids Mark

First one took only 52 secs, 2nd 2mins and thats from d/l here in Australia.

Awesome Footage Mark! It is absolutely fantastic to be able to document your build on HD. I was gonna film mine but it would of been a PIA to set up lighting and the works to get a decent picture. However when it is complete, I will Shoot some video to keep.

Did you shoot this with the Sony HDR-FX1?

Ruben

The videos were fantastic Mark. That was great of you to take the time to edit and post those here for us to see. The room is looking phenomenal thus far and I can't wait to see it finished.

Rob

I agree... very cool videos.. Great idea to document in that way.

Wow! Really nice looking. I'd love to be able and come by and see it some time when it is done.

Again, Very Nice!

Wow, those were great!

So, apparently, everyone else watching this thread was asleep when I downloaded both video's. The first one only took 1.5 minutes via a cable modem across the street at my neighbors house that I am connected to via 802.11g. Second one took less than 4 minutes.

Very cool Mark. Hey, those round protrusions that come out from the angled ceiling/wall don't interfere with the screen from the balcony seating area? Seems like it's pretty close.

So, maybe I missed it since I got into this thread a little late, where is your IB sub? I dind't know you were doing one. Unfortunatly for me, I can't do one, I have neighbors too close to me (tract home), Scott,
the protrusions are out of the way by a mile ( well maybe 6") from the furthest left and right seating in the balcony.

In the video on the front wall when you see a wall being framed, then sheated, thats the front 1/3 of the IB subwoofer containment. The baffle where it fires into the room is that 2' x 2' square you see in the ceiling right in front of the plywood

Awesome Footage Mark! It is absolutely fantastic to be able to document your build on HD. I was gonna film mine but it would of been a PIA to set up lighting and the works to get a decent picture. However when it is complete, I will Shoot some video to keep.

Did you shoot this with the Sony HDR-FX1?

RubenActually Ruben the little 200/500 watt Home depot/Lowes/Walmart halogens ( I am pretty sure you're using one or 2 in your build) are more than enough light.

Most of this footage was shot with a JVC JY HD10u that I had 6 months before the FX1 came out. Both of these cameras have their problems and If your looking into getting one I would pass on both of these.

If you want to go on the cheap consider the new Sanyo HD1 ( Phenominal $700 picture, resolution, and color)

Otherwise the JVC HD100 and Sony Z1 are mid range prosumer cameras with a blistering good picture. JVC is 720P 30 fps, Sony is 1080i 60 fps. JVC has interchangeable lens option which nudges it into the Pro category and I have been eyeballing it pretty hard, it also will do 24 fps for filmwork. Theres a Canon but its 8 large, Great lens though, and stay away from the Phenominal Panasonic that captures 16 minutes of footage on $1K memory sticks

Wow! Really nice looking. I'd love to be able and come by and see it some time when it is done.

Again, Very Nice!Not a problem G,
Theres a local meet up in Portland next weekend, are you aware of this thread? http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=7071889#post7071889

Hope to see you at tibias next weekend!

If you guys are DLing these that fast I may pump up the volume and and not compress them so bad so they arent so crappy looking.

If anyone has any request on what they would like to see on film, let me know

nice videos

I figured with all the HTholics around here someone would notice something and point it out about the "screenshots" video, I guess we will just have to wait and see if someone catches it with the major clue I just gave

Come on Tukkis, your disappointing me . I figured you would catch it for sure being a 2.35:1 guru

Some folks were curious about the HTPC and wanted some pics, Its jammed in an not pretty, I apologize but no one but you guys will ever see it.

http://streamload.com/gobigred/P2110761.JPG

Also Ive had some questions concerning the Denon receiver so heres some pics of that

http://streamload.com/gobigred/P2110764.JPG

http://streamload.com/gobigred/P2110765.JPG

And the Camera shooting the video, I will put another quicky video together for you all with some more questions answered maybe.

http://streamload.com/gobigred/P2110769.JPG

Certainly bring the vids to the meet so we can see them in hi-def glory!

I figured with all the HTholics around here someone would notice something and point it out about the "screenshots" video, I guess we will just have to wait and see if someone catches it with the major clue I just gave

Come on Tukkis, your disappointing me . I figured you would catch it for sure being a 2.35:1 guru

Well Mark, I noticed two things in the video's. First was that you have a pixel stuck on your camera! Little green blob. Second, I noticed that while you were showing 16x9 HDTV footage that was cropped to 2.35:1 ratio, the image didn't quite fill the screen. It may have also needed some keystone adjustment. Is that it?

http://streamload.com/gobigred/P2110765.JPG


Crazy. If I had that in my theater, I still would only have two DVD players and an HD receiver feeding into it!

Really nice job on the videos. People are really innovating here. Great to see. Thanks.

Well Mark, I noticed two things in the video's. First was that you have a pixel stuck on your camera! Little green blob. Second, I noticed that while you were showing 16x9 HDTV footage that was cropped to 2.35:1 ratio, the image didn't quite fill the screen. It may have also needed some keystone adjustment. Is that it?
You my friend, win da cookie, Ill fedex it!

You are right on all accounts, dead pixel on camera, the 16 x 9 was not cropped but scaled and more of a 2:1 than 2.35:1, I have showed HD like this with no one ever noticing except you. I have another video ready for the upload later after my son is done with his XBoxlive-a-thon. Also correct on Keystone but its Cornerstone more so on this particular event.

Uumm... I was too busy studying the images on the screen to notice anything else.

Awsome video's. Thats really cool.

Oh ya, the chicks were not bad either. :D

Ronnie

There were better shots of the young ladies but I tried keeping with the "good for all ages" deal going.

Heres another little meaningless video but since you guys are enjoying these I figured I catch some of my sons favorite HT activities and show some old grainy movie and flick through some of the different settings like Movie, RGB, presentation, bla bla.

This was during the day and the blackouts dont have valances and stop 2" off the ground for now so alot of light gets in. This means the pictures arent very good and the blacks will be more grayish ( alot of light in the room).

The Chroma noise in the reds and blues you will see on the screen is the HD cameras fault as well as having trouble focusing on light to dark and fast action. It will give you an idea of watching a 14' 2.35:1 screen even if this isnt the best I can probably do. I gotta save something for later

And Sandman, now your theater progress is on film

Well guys, looks like this thread can head to the archives.

Got the final news today that I am heading to Fiji to build a private resort, not until May but the preparation to do this will certainly take alot of time and the curtain, fabric lady can not get everything in order before I leave. ( I may sneak in some finishing in the balcony if possible but nothing worthy of pictures like fabric hanging)

I will be there for 3 month bursts over the next several years I am sure.

It took almost all day to line up a well drilling rig to be exported in time to drill through lava rock and coral. Fiji has basically nothing and all their lumber has to be re-processed if you are to build things fairly straight. Everything has to be gathered here and container shipped.

There's a pretty complex boat dock that needs to be built soon so containers and such can be off loaded , Theres some pretty amazing things like Bird Aviaries and the lodging is pretty complex. Even though they look like Fijian Bures on the outside they will have Marble floors, Hardwood, simulated Thatch roofing components, full wrap around wrought iron windows with all the emenities and you don't just pour foundations on Fiji, you post and beam just about everything. theres no calling the local concrete trucks and run them across on a boat and pour. The natives aren't so good with english and still use rocks to hammer nails ( I am not joking) , anyway looks like I may pretty darn busy for awhile, it was fun while it lasted!

Good luck and god bless, we look forward to seeing you back !!

Have fun in Fiji it sounds like its gonna be a blast.

Thank you Mastiff,
this project wasnt supposed to start until late summer but we are going over and try to beat the heat so to speak with some of the heavy work. May-July supposedly cools down for the most part

Mark,

You're kidding! Wow, amazing. Sounds like a hell of an adventure and at the same time some pretty unique construction. Man, I'm envious! Beats sitting on your butt all day managing software projects!

Best of luck and post some goodies now and again!

Bud

Yeah Bud I will be checking in on you guys and making sure you all behave, alot of you have become like family!

It will be an adventure certainly and is part of the reason the theater has been put on hold here and there.

I am sure building Bures and boat docks doesnt fit in a Dedicated Theater construction forum but there has been talk of a theater.

Need any help in Fiji???? :D

Major bummer about the theater, I was really looking forward to seeing it finished some time in the next few months :(

Need any help in Fiji???? :D

Major bummer about the theater, I was really looking forward to seeing it finished some time in the next few months :(

Are you a builder? I might!

If the natives dont work out I will certainly need some competence on this scale of project. There is no word for NO in the Fijian language so you can just imagine.

We may have to have a quicky HT meet before I go sweat off 50lbs in paradise

I am sure building Bures and boat docks doesnt fit in a Dedicated Theater construction forum but there has been talk of a theater.

Mark,

Just call it the "Fijian Bures Theater construction thread", we won't tell anyone... hell of a themed theater ... oh and be sure to include some pictures of the pretty natives.! :p

Bud

Best of luck. Send us some pics when you have a chance.. and hey, why not try and sneak a theatre in there if you have the chance :D.

Maybe some of us can visit you there if we make it to that part of the world.... ;-)

PS. Hit up your local hardware store for a discount buy of all their hammers!!

Mark,

Just call it the "Fijian Bures Theater construction thread", we won't tell anyone... hell of a themed theater ... oh and be sure to include some pictures of the pretty natives.! :p

Bud There probably will be a screen and PJ implemented in the guest Bures, I'll see what I can do! So far the natives I seen your second request may take a little research

Best of luck. Send us some pics when you have a chance.. and hey, why not try and sneak a theatre in there if you have the chance :D.

Maybe some of us can visit you there if we make it to that part of the world.... ;-)

PS. Hit up your local hardware store for a discount buy of all their hammers!! Anyone visiting there PM me for certain! Hammers? I am arming the natives with nail guns and shooting video of it from behind a bunker

Are you a builder? I might!

I can sure try to be if it means I get to go to Fiji.

Well Mark, I know two people who are getting married in the next year who are thinking about French Polenesian islands for honeymoons. Unfortunatly, my wife and I already went on our honeymoon and have not talked of going down there yet.

I do have a buddy who is a certified dive instructor as well as a general contractor. He is finishing work on his first house (basically all on his own) which he will sell when done. This is his what, maybe 4th career even though he isn't all that old. He would probably love to go work over there, but I don't know what his wife would say about it. Heck, she may love to bring their son down there for a while to visit dad.

Best of luck and go ahead and revive this thread once you get back and start working on the theater again! Lucky bastard! :)

TAnd Sandman, now your theater progress is on film

www.streamload.com/gobigred/X360andstuff.wmv

Awesome Work Mark! Man off To Fuji? Damn, I know I'm gonna miss you here.
Well at least make sure you bring me back some corals for my 1,000 gallon Reef tank I'm building next. :D

Ruben

So, I looked at our globe after submitting my post above and realize that Fiji is not in the French Polenesian Island chain, but you all get my point. The friends I have going over to that area are looking at Bora Bora and Tahiti and such.

It's still a long way from Oregon and Mark's incomplete theater.

Are you a builder? I might!

If the natives dont work out I will certainly need some competence on this scale of project. There is no word for NO in the Fijian language so you can just imagine.

We may have to have a quicky HT meet before I go sweat off 50lbs in paradise

I'm not a builder but have been known to pick up a hammer now and then... I don't have the experience of building a theatre (yet), but I did build a deck last summer http://www.flickr.com/photos/79212698@N00/32919657/

A deck is just a dock with an E right?? :p

Mark, I am sorry you can't go.

What the hell am I going to read when I should be working? Sorry to hear the project is on hold. If you want me to come out to Oregon, I would be happy to keep the theater warm for you till you get back.

Good luck in Fiji

So, I looked at our globe after submitting my post above and realize that Fiji is not in the French Polenesian Island chain, but you all get my point. The friends I have going over to that area are looking at Bora Bora and Tahiti and such.

It's still a long way from Oregon and Mark's incomplete theater.

Fiji has areas where you are totally isolated from anyone else, It's like being on Gilligans Island to a point. Theres a place a ways off this island I am going to that at low tide an area about 1/2 a football field comes out of the ocean for about 4 hours. nothing but sand for volleyball or sipping a Corona in a lawn chair, very weird. doubtful many people have ever stood here

Awesome Work Mark! Man off To Fuji? Damn, I know I'm gonna miss you here.
Well at least make sure you bring me back some corals for my 1,000 gallon Reef tank I'm building next. :D

Ruben I have about 400lbs of coral and live rock from when I had my 250 gallon salt tank and remember that it became illegal to buy, sell, export or import like 12 years ago. has that changed? I noticed on a trip to the coast that one of the tourist traps were selling live rock and the red corals in abdunance. Heck I though I had some stuff that was pretty rare to have.

1000 gallon, Holy Manolly thats huge, did you make it yourself? I made mine and back in those days you could buy big Uss Constitution models in plastic, I built it and dremeled it in half to look like a shipwreck after it covered in that cool pink and purple coral, it did and the fish loved it

I'm not a builder but have been known to pick up a hammer now and then... I don't have the experience of building a theatre (yet), but I did build a deck last summer http://www.flickr.com/photos/79212698@N00/32919657/

A deck is just a dock with an E right?? :p Looks like you're a builder to me! that Dock looks a little to high up though. I noticed you did the hand rails properly, out here no one builds proper handrails. The only decks with drink rails I have seen out here are ones I have built. heres my last

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/briansdeck020.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/briansdeck014.jpg

and nobody around here does routed stair treads either, nor do they treat with 4 coats of Penofin and wonder why they are moldy

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/briansdeck018.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/briansdeck027.jpg

we tried to follow the interior handrails outside for consistency but instead used conduit that we hammercoated

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/briansdeck008.jpg

Yeah, the thing is only 9ft up though. It happens that i have a ravine just below the house. So its an optical illusion that I am 20ft up. Deck has been nicknamed "The Tree house" by friends and family cause its like sitting in a tree house.

Conduit for rails... very good idea. I may have to use that when I finally get around to building the deck.

Toxarch, If it freezes where you are make sure condensation can escape, we shot expanding foam in these, if not after a year or two the conduit will fill with water and split in a hard freeze.

But yes its a super cheap way to get that wrought iron look for pennys on the dollar as Ruben would say

Only problem with conduit (in my case, I thought about it), is that its easy for small children to get heads stuck between them. I chose the safer option.. Plus I like the wood look. I have a 2.5 year old and another on the way.

For the wood we went with the green treated (not the lethal stuff) and cedar. No staining required.

These were on 3" centers, that would be a small head, go ahead and give your kid pressure treated splinters then. Just kidding

I did conduit on my old deck 3 years ago. Works awesome. It is cheap and looks good. And Mark never had that problem and I left them empty.

Wow! just found this thread today. I've been missing out!! Just wanted to say thanks to Mark for documenting this journey for us. I sure will be using a lot of the info you've provided when I start building my home later on ( I gotta have a balcony now :D).

Don't work too hard over there. Can't wait to see footage of the natives with nail guns! :D

Thanks again for all the effort and have a safe trip.

Regards

Don't work too hard over there. Can't wait to see footage of the natives with nail guns! :D

Thanks again for all the effort and have a safe trip.

Regards Im glad you cant wait , it scares the heck out of me. they are some of the kindest folks on the planet though.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/P2160776.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/P2150772.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/P2170793.jpg

Son standing in front of speaker, hes 5'10", helping me run Ruben's (SandmanX) Screen material through the wringer

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/P2170789.jpg


http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/GoBigRed/P2170792.jpg

Mark, glad to see you didn't give up already. At least you got some painting done, it already looks lots better! Amazing what a few cans of paint can do for a room!

Yes, it really does look incredible. That room is going to be something else once it's finished.

Awesome Work Mark.

Ruben

I still can't believe the spacial difference between looking at the inside and the outside of your house.. it seems like it should be smaller inside. I guess that just means your house is even bigger than it looks.. :)

Looks awesome w/the paint by the way.

New to the thread and avs forum too. MarkP ultra poshe theater. I can only dream no my dreams don't even go that far. Nice man, Nice. Well my question for you is you said your friend came over with that 8" sub. You said it shook the whole room. What type of setup is this? As I am very much a DIY self type person too. Any info would be appreciated. Keep up the great work as the rest of us sit here watching with a sponge and a mop cleaning up our drool. :D

I see you upgraded your seats, too.

MarkP -- What was the paint color you used on your walls? It looks similar to the colors I'm thinking for my HT room... and as you know, blatant copying is the sincerely form of flattery!

SY

New to the thread and avs forum too. MarkP ultra poshe theater. I can only dream no my dreams don't even go that far. Nice man, Nice. Well my question for you is you said your friend came over with that 8" sub. You said it shook the whole room. What type of setup is this? As I am very much a DIY self type person too. Any info would be appreciated. Keep up the great work as the rest of us sit here watching with a sponge and a mop cleaning up our drool. :D

The little 8" er was his design and its actually going to be sold with an entire system shortly. He wont give up the goods on it because I already tried. He said I could buy one for $300 after they go to production and tear it apart but told me good luck finding the drivers, what are friends for!

The subs we are using are 4- 15" subs that have not hit the market yet either. You could say we have been lab rats.

I see you upgraded your seats, too.For the Superbowl we even drug a love seat and the original ultra Vinyl lawn chairs back in. Its was pure Sanford & Sons

MarkP -- What was the paint color you used on your walls? It looks similar to the colors I'm thinking for my HT room... and as you know, blatant copying is the sincerely form of flattery!

SYIts not a color at all , I took the fabric thats going to be used and had it matched, Of course they could only match the darkness of it which is on the cieling and I just eyeballed a zillion paint samples untill I got close and then bugged the paint mixer for an hour to experiment, he did a pretty close match.

The story is kind of funny, I go into Lowes and dig through their samples till I get sort of close, I say give me this color in the cheapest crap you sell please. He messes around for 20 minutes and says, " I cant make that up in our $9.99 stuff only our $25 a gallon stuff" This was after he told me there was no way he could even get a read on the fabric I had.

I left went right across the street to trusty ole Walmart and the 100 year old man yanked the fabric out of my hand and jammed it in the old color matcher and came up with the darkness of the fabric when layed a certain way almost perfectly , I asked for 2 gallons , then the sample I had taken from Lowes we stuck in the ole color matcher and Bingo. then we messed around for awhile perfecting a material match. I cant remember But I think the paint was $7.99 a gallon.

I figured since its not going to be done for ages that I would at least see what its kind of going to look like. At night it looks pretty darn good and movies are great without the white reflections.

If you want the wal-mart codes I would be happy to give them to you, the color is pretty cool, its sort of a rusty burgandy

Painting the walls the color of the fabric first - BRILLIANT! (Cheers with a bottle) ;)

OK guys and gals, videos are back up but I am too lazy to go back and find where to post them so just dig them out of my Sig line, an addition are 2 videos testing Ruben (SandmanX's) Shearweave 4000 its on the left, go to his thread in DIY screens http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=7155570#post7155570 and read my remarks starting a little ways down the page if you want more info on his progress and what , how, and why I shot these. I am lazy and going to bed.

Remember to shrink your media player window to about 1/2 screen to get more realistic viewing , these have been compressed from 3 gig of info to 100 or less mb

This is one of those projects that I just love following. It's shaping up very nicely. :)

I truly envy you! Everything about your project I like!

I have a question though. What is the song called, in your one short movie, titled screenshots?

I would appreciate info on that, as I have been looking for that song unsuccessfuly.

John