Steve.....very nice.

I like the designer touch the print silk gives........and I'm sure once lights are out and movies playing you don't even see them....so even the purists would be happy. Anyone thats got time to look at walls when their chest being pounded by your IB have got their priorities wrong.

Kudos to you both.

Cheers,
Mark

Quick Panel Update….

If anyone is on the fence trying to decide if you should put in the extra effort (and expense) to install panels in your room, I have some info to share with you.

Today I was able to complete my (7) panels by filling them with 2” JM814. All I can tell you is WOW! I’ve actually had the opportunity to experience my room without panels, with panels, without panels and now finally again with panels. The difference in sound quality with panels is night and day.

Bass is now stronger and dialog is so easy to understand. I actually have my bass turned down about 20% from how I had it when it was a "no-panel" room. The funny part is it now “feels” like I turned the bass up another 20-30%. Everything just seems so much in balance. I did do a Auto-EQ with my Pioneer AVR but did not touch the EQ for my sub (it is the same as I had it before).

We just finished watching Ratatouille (SD Version). A very clever movie and everyone enjoyed watching it again. I knew after seeing it in the theater that the bass in this movie would be very rewarding in the room. I was not disappointed.

Ahh – the room is back to normal and I am very happy! Hopefully I’ll never be without them again.

Steve.....very nice.

I like the designer touch the print silk gives........and I'm sure once lights are out and movies playing you don't even see them....so even the purists would be happy. Anyone thats got time to look at walls when their chest being pounded by your IB have got their priorities wrong.

Kudos to you both.

Cheers,
Mark
Mark -- you crack me up! Yep, I don't even look at them when I watch a movie. The bass from the IB is enjoyable. I had fun with it tonight watching Ratatouille. AVR was on -19 (which is IMO a good level without too much punch to scare the kids but loud enough to get strong bass you can feel). I still want to add the other (2) woofs but have not had the time. I can only image how my insanity will be once they are pumping away :D

Aaron,

Well, the bar might again be put on hold again. The wife wants me to build her some “stand-alone” stain-grade shelves for her new office in the house. I’m not fully committed to it yet but we’ll see what happens. She thinks I can build them in the weekend but I think it will take much longer. Once I have the plans finalized, I’ll know more. What fun :)

Steve, how about buying some shelves instead of making them? That would allow you to move on to the wet-bar! :)

Steve, how about buying some shelves instead of making them? That would allow you to move on to the wet-bar! :)
I would love to do that but... the wife wants these exact shelves from Williams Sanoma Home Collection. At $1,850/ea (and we need two of them), I just cannot help think "highway robbery" :eek: She especially likes the silver "X" in the back. I should be able to build both of these out of Cherry (to match her existing desk) for less than $500.

http://swithey.gotdns.org/swithey/ht/avs/OfficeShelf.jpg

Holy Cow...Highway robbery may be an understatement.

I am in the process of selecting furniture for my home office and boy, my head spins sometimes looking through some of the catalogs when I see the prices of a simple file drawer.

You wife seems to be like mine....very expensive tastes.

I would love to do that but... the wife wants these exact shelves from Williams Sanoma Home Collection. At $1,850/ea (and we need two of them), I just cannot help think "highway robbery" :eek: She especially likes the silver "X" in the back. I should be able to build both of these out of Cherry (to match her existing desk) for less than $500.

http://swithey.gotdns.org/swithey/ht/avs/OfficeShelf.jpg

You could make that with some MDF and aluminum foil :D

You wife seems to be like mine....very expensive tastes.
I think our wifes would get along rather well. Let's make sure we never let them go shopping together with high limit credit cards :D

You could make that with some MDF and aluminum foil :D
That reminds me of the time I put foil on the college appartment window to shield the sun. It never looked that great (okay, it looked terrible) but it was cheap and worked quite well. I think with my wifes "picky" tastes, she might not go for it :rolleyes: However, thanks for the suggestion ;) :D

Quick Panel Update….

If anyone is on the fence trying to decide if you should put in the extra effort (and expense) to install panels in your room, I have some info to share with you.

Today I was able to complete my (7) panels by filling them with 2” JM814. All I can tell you is WOW! I’ve actually had the opportunity to experience my room without panels, with panels, without panels and now finally again with panels. The difference in sound quality with panels is night and day.

Bass is now stronger and dialog is so easy to understand. I actually have my bass turned down about 20% from how I had it when it was a "no-panel" room. The funny part is it now “feels” like I turned the bass up another 20-30%. Everything just seems so much in balance. I did do a Auto-EQ with my Pioneer AVR but did not touch the EQ for my sub (it is the same as I had it before).

We just finished watching Ratatouille (SD Version). A very clever movie and everyone enjoyed watching it again. I knew after seeing it in the theater that the bass in this movie would be very rewarding in the room. I was not disappointed.

Ahh – the room is back to normal and I am very happy! Hopefully I’ll never be without them again.

Do you think you would get the same effect if you didnt have the dbl drywall and green glue? Might have to add some panels when im done if you would.

Do you think you would get the same effect if you didnt have the dbl drywall and green glue? Might have to add some panels when im done if you would.

The panels are there to help absorb reflections... those reflections would be there regardless of whether they were bouncing off of a single 1/2" piece of drywall or a double drywall green glue sandwich.

thanks!

Wait, she likes the metal X on the back? I don't like it at all, personally, but that's me.

Easy to do with some sheet-metal strapping material. Just don't use the plumbers tape that is about an inch wide and has holes every two inches or so, that won't look good at all.

Wait, she likes the metal X on the back? I don't like it at all, personally, but that's me.

Easy to do with some sheet-metal strapping material. Just don't use the plumbers tape that is about an inch wide and has holes every two inches or so, that won't look good at all.
Shes into that modern feel but mixes in traditional accents. I can take it either way. Oh well, it's her office so she gets to pick what she wants. I should be happy she is not picking something like this. Remember these?

http://www.drinkstuff.com/productimg/9555.jpg

Do you think you would get the same effect if you didnt have the dbl drywall and green glue? Might have to add some panels when im done if you would.

The panels are there to help absorb reflections... those reflections would be there regardless of whether they were bouncing off of a single 1/2" piece of drywall or a double drywall green glue sandwich.
Yes, what he said.

And just a clarification. I did not do double drywall and GG throughout my room. I only did it in the wetbar area. Bass transmitts through the walls pretty easily however only 1.25 walls actually touch living space. I can listen to movies at moderate levels without disturbing the wife downstairs in the MBR.

Steve - whats new?

Steve - whats new?
Black granite floor is being installed in the wet bar area next week. I've also been giving the green like to resume work on the lower cabinet. Hopefully I can make some nice progress on it over the holiday break :)

About time you got your butt back to work!

Bud

About time you got your butt back to work!

Bud
Tell me about it!

Steve - I am completely blown away :eek: by your HT room . Throughout this entire post, I am amazed at your patience and level of detail you've shown while working on this project. You have been an inspiration to me (and i am sure MANY others) and I wish you many hours of enjoyment!!

New room looks absolutely fantastic!!!!... I didn't think it could improve any from when I've experienced it. Can't wait to give Swithey HT 2.0 a try.

And, looking forward to you guys seeing my completed room on New Years. Hopefully, I'll have a little something to show-off too with the new speakers and subs.

I think I've finally looked through all of the posts, and I still haven't found a good picture showing how you put your speakers in the front stage area.

Steve,
I just found this thread of your HT Project. All I can say is WOW!!! :eek: No wonder you were always too busy for a get together. Skimming thru, I'm confused... Is the room finished or not? Some shots show it done, then others say you are still working on it. When do I get the invite?:rolleyes:

It looks awesome.. keep in touch.

P.S. How good are you at raising the roof of a garage to create my own H.T. room;)

Panel Update…

I have the panels up and we think they look great. The panels are 2.25" thick to accomidate the 2" JM814. The fabric is silk and custom selected by my wife. She calls the fabric “Trees”. The (2) rear panels and the wet bar area panels will have a different but complimentary pattern (no pics of that yet since those panels still need to be covered).

The plan is to put a 2.5” wide rift-cut oak frame around the panels (which is why there is so much space around the panels). However, I’ve been asked/persuaded to get the wet bar cabinet completed before I do the frames. I've also selected a sheer material to replace the brown speaker covers (which look totally out of place now). The color of the sheer fabric matches the column's stain color almost exactly! I used the "breathing test" and this sheer material is as "open" as the GOM I have on the front wall. I think it will work out beautifully.

http://swithey.gotdns.org/swithey/ht/avs/PanelsV3-Left Wall.JPG

http://swithey.gotdns.org/swithey/ht/avs/PanelsV3-Pana2.jpg

holy crap :eek: looks great...

Steve - I am completely blown away :eek: by your HT room . Throughout this entire post, I am amazed at your patience and level of detail you've shown while working on this project. You have been an inspiration to me (and i am sure MANY others) and I wish you many hours of enjoyment!!
Thanks rungriot. I wish you the best of luck on your own HT construction :)

New room looks absolutely fantastic!!!!... I didn't think it could improve any from when I've experienced it. Can't wait to give Swithey HT 2.0 a try.

And, looking forward to you guys seeing my completed room on New Years. Hopefully, I'll have a little something to show-off too with the new speakers and subs.
Thanks for having me over for New Years. I think we had some fun field-tesing the twins. If anyone wants a quick review of what went on, you can check out my post HERE (http://www.av123forum.com/showthread.php?p=485835#post485835) (waptaps main thread starts HERE (http://www.av123forum.com/showthread.php?t=27472)).

I think I've finally looked through all of the posts, and I still haven't found a good picture showing how you put your speakers in the front stage area.
Since I put the fabric on the front wall, it was impossible to get a pic of the L/R speakers in place. I do not have them behind my SMX screen but rather to the left and right of the screen. My purist (aka bpape) suggested I would get better performance out of the speakers behind the GOM material over the SMX. One of these days, I may do a test but they are working out very well in thir current position.

Here is a render of the current position:
http://swithey.gotdns.org/swithey/ht/avs/frontscreenwall.jpg

Steve,
I just found this thread of your HT Project. All I can say is WOW!!! :eek: No wonder you were always too busy for a get together. Skimming thru, I'm confused... Is the room finished or not? Some shots show it done, then others say you are still working on it. When do I get the invite?:rolleyes:

It looks awesome.. keep in touch.

P.S. How good are you at raising the roof of a garage to create my own H.T. room;)
You know -- the room is NEVER done. Actually, I'm working on the wet bar area to the side of the theater right now. The granite floor is now installed and I am working on the cabinets. I embarrassingly still have a lot of little items to complete in the room but those will probably get completed on a cold rainy day.

Seems like "other" things have gotten in the way of HT build progress but I still plan to keep on it until it is done or I retire in about 20 years ;)

We'll have a Dallas meet one of these days :)

EDIT: I know a good contractor that converted my buddies 3rd story attic into a HT and guest bedroom. PM me if you want his contact info. He did a 1st class job!

holy crap :eek: looks great...
Thanks for the kind works Raven. We had some folks over the Cowboy game last weekend (what a disappointment but that's another discussion all together). Most of them had not seen the room before. I think a number of the guys are talking to their wives about building their own HT after seeing mine. See- it spreads like a virus and I think I like it :D

So your room is truly 14.5 x 17.5 ? Looks bigger
The reason I ask is this is pretty much the same size as mine give or take a few inches. Your HT is awesome, and has helped me visualize mine (won't be starting mine for a few months yet).

Question how much space do you have between the side walls and your seating? Looks like there is plenty of room, this was/is a concern of mine.

Take care! I will be visiting back quite often as I finalize my plan!

Steve,

I finally caught up on your thread and the room really came together very nicely. I love the starfield ceiling panel/frame and the wodwork is fantastic. I hope you are enjoying it.

John

So your room is truly 14.5 x 17.5 ? Looks bigger
The reason I ask is this is pretty much the same size as mine give or take a few inches. Your HT is awesome, and has helped me visualize mine (won't be starting mine for a few months yet).

Question how much space do you have between the side walls and your seating? Looks like there is plenty of room, this was/is a concern of mine.

Take care! I will be visiting back quite often as I finalize my plan!
Jeff,

Thanks for the kudos on the room. I'm sure yours will be awesome as well! Please let me know when you start your thread so I can watch your progress.

If you forget about the column depths (about 8"), I have about 12" on the left side and about 36" on the right side. If I grow the room, I would have preferred 3' clear on each side and 3' behind my rear row. This would allow for a 3' isle on each side of the seating and make the audio performance of the left seat better.

Steve,

I finally caught up on your thread and the room really came together very nicely. I love the starfield ceiling panel/frame and the wodwork is fantastic. I hope you are enjoying it.

John
Thanks John. The starfield is definately one of my favorite items in the room. In some sense, it was one of the easier items built in the room but has one of the biggest impacts with the guests. It also adds accoustical absorbtion to the room which is a great plus. I recommend one for any HT.

Steve,

breathtaking.... just fantastic.

Skyx

Steve,

breathtaking.... just fantastic.

Skyx
Thank you so much!

Steve,
Fantastic job. Looks really great and thanks again for having us along for the ride been a good read and fun to view your build these many months :)
Enjoy the HT room it really is a stand out job, even here amongst your many peers

Cheers
Calvin

Jeff,

If you forget about the column depths (about 8"), I have about 12" on the left side and about 36" on the right side. If I grow the room, I would have preferred 3' clear on each side and 3' behind my rear row. This would allow for a 3' isle on each side of the seating and make the audio performance of the left seat better.

I have ~ 12" more width so that will help. Another quick question you probably commented on this but can you give me a few thoughts on your screen size and first row seating distance. I want to go with the 10foot scope SMX as well and a little concerned that it may be to big as the first row (as drawn on my plans) will be around 10Ft. And was thinking your room setup must be about the same as mine will be. Much debate over this and would certainly trust your thoughts on this.

Thanks Jeff

I have ~ 12" more width so that will help. Another quick question you probably commented on this but can you give me a few thoughts on your screen size and first row seating distance. I want to go with the 10foot scope SMX as well and a little concerned that it may be to big as the first row (as drawn on my plans) will be around 10Ft. And was thinking your room setup must be about the same as mine will be. Much debate over this and would certainly trust your thoughts on this.

Thanks Jeff
Sorry for the slow reply...

10 wide scope screen and your seating distance is 10' -- right? With the 1080 projectors out today, you won't have any problem with SDE. The issue comes with just being too close and having to move your eyes back and forth to much to follow the action on the screen. Also, on fast pans across crowds of people, you might get a little woozy. I actually felt that a few times in my room and I'm at 9.5' and a little over 11.5' from my screen.

This is my suggestion -- get your projector, put a 10' image up there (using cheap blackout cloth from JoAnnes) and place your seating at 10'. If you like it, then go for it. When you watch sports, you’ll be down to something around 104" (mine is at 100") -- which should work out fine. I did this test in my room and that is how I came up with my screen size. When I was a 720, this was really the largest screen I could use without bad SDE.

Good luck with your room.

Steve,
Fantastic job. Looks really great and thanks again for having us along for the ride been a good read and fun to view your build these many months :)
Enjoy the HT room it really is a stand out job, even here amongst your many peers

Cheers
Calvin
Calvin,

Thanks a lot. I've been watching your thread for quite some time as well. Your theater looks great also. I guess this summer (once you get the back yard done), you can setup your 200" outdoor screen and have the neighborhood over :)

Since SWithey's server is no longer does anyone have these files?

Bob

Since we're having a Super Bowl party, I figured I'd go all out and offer tickets for my guests. I thought it would be fun to send them along with the invitation. I still have some minor tweaking but thought I would share.

NOTE: These are for entertainment purposes only. I am in no way trying to counterfeit the official Super Bowl tickets.

http://swithey.gotdns.org/swithey/ht/avs/SBT-Single-Front-Sm.jpg http://swithey.gotdns.org/swithey/ht/avs/SBT-Single-Back-Sm.jpg


Sheet of 6 Tickets (Hi-Res)
-----------------------
Front – Row 1 (http://blaze.gotdns.com/demos/superbowl/SBT-Sheet-FrontR1.jpg) (5.6Meg JPG)

Front – Row 2 (http://blaze.gotdns.com/demos/superbowl/SBT-Sheet-FrontR2.jpg) (5.6Meg JPG)

Back (http://blaze.gotdns.com/demos/superbowl/SBT-Sheet-Back.jpg) (11.5Meg)


Single Ticket (High Res)
----------------
Front (http://blaze.gotdns.com/demos/superbowl/SBT-Single-Front.jpg) (920kb JPG)

Back (http://blaze.gotdns.com/demos/superbowl/SBT-Single-Back.jpg) (1.8Meg JPG)

Please note that these JPG files are larger so the print will look crisp and detailed.

Native VISIO 2003 file (http://blaze.gotdns.com/demos/superbowl/Superbowl Ticket-AVS.vsd)

If you do not have Visio, you can download a free 60 day trial HERE (http://us1.trymicrosoftoffice.com/product.aspx?family=visioprofessional&culture=en-US)

actually I have visio file

should be able to get it here
https://home.mchsi.com/~jcoil/

actually I have visio file

should be able to get it here
https://home.mchsi.com/~jcoil/

Thanks!

Bob

Since SWithey's server is no longer does anyone have these files?

Bob
Sorry that server had to go down guys. JeffC -- thanks for bailing me out :)

EDIT: jikkjack has made a new one for this years SB. You can see it HERE (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=12927205#post12927205). He needs someone to host it, though.

Sorry that server had to go down guys. JeffC -- thanks for bailing me out :)

EDIT: jikkjack has made a new one for this years SB. You can see it HERE (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=12927205#post12927205). He needs someone to host it, though.

I can host it....

I can host it....
Mr. Wizard,

Thanks! You might PM jikkjack/Jason so you can get the file.

Here are the corner end caps.
http://swithey.gotdns.org/swithey/ht/avs/SC-Corners.JPG


Hello Steve,

I'm just starting to plan my own HT setup and have been reading your thread for a few hours now (I'm only on page 26)... very good info here, thanks for taking the time to create it.

Sorry to dig up this old post, but I was wondering something about the edges of your veneer where the pieces of veneer meet eachother at the corners. In you pictures it appears the pices are created from a solid piece of wood which I know is the idea. I've never worked with veneer myself, but for some reason I have in my mind that the inside of it would be like luan or some of the 1/4" hardwood plywoods that Home Depot carries... kind of like a particle board in the center; In you pictures it appears that it must be quite different. Is it solid wood for the entire thickness. Did you use any type of wood filler at these edges or is that just what the side view of a cut piece of veneer looks like.

Originally I had planned on making my columns out of a stackstone variation (see image below), but after reading your thread I may incorporate a veneer portion at the top to make a flat surface to make it easier to attach speakers, sconces, and crown molding. Thanks for the idea. I had also read that bookshelves with books at varried depths made good sound diffusers, so I thought the stackstone would be a good natural option on the columns. Any thoughts on this idea? Sorry, don't mean to hijack.

Again, excellent job so far. (You're probably done by now, but I don't want to skip to the end of this thread.)

http://www.stonehavendist.com/images/products/weatherledge_prestige.jpg

Mr. Wizard,

Thanks! You might PM jikkjack/Jason so you can get the file.

He's all set. I am also willing to help anyone else out as well but I cannot host the Demo files just smaller files like the SuperBowl tickets and such. I would also accept small app files too.

Bob

Hello Steve,

I'm just starting to plan my own HT setup and have been reading your thread for a few hours now (I'm only on page 26)... very good info here, thanks for taking the time to create it.

Sorry to dig up this old post, but I was wondering something about the edges of your veneer where the pieces of veneer meet eachother at the corners. In you pictures it appears the pices are created from a solid piece of wood which I know is the idea. I've never worked with veneer myself, but for some reason I have in my mind that the inside of it would be like luan or some of the 1/4" hardwood plywoods that Home Depot carries... kind of like a particle board in the center; In you pictures it appears that it must be quite different. Is it solid wood for the entire thickness. Did you use any type of wood filler at these edges or is that just what the side view of a cut piece of veneer looks like.

Originally I had planned on making my columns out of a stackstone variation (see image below), but after reading your thread I may incorporate a veneer portion at the top to make a flat surface to make it easier to attach speakers, sconces, and crown molding. Thanks for the idea. I had also read that bookshelves with books at varried depths made good sound diffusers, so I thought the stackstone would be a good natural option on the columns. Any thoughts on this idea? Sorry, don't mean to hijack.

Again, excellent job so far. (You're probably done by now, but I don't want to skip to the end of this thread.)

http://www.stonehavendist.com/images/products/weatherledge_prestige.jpg

Veneer is like a heavy card stock and very easy to work with and is very bendable. You can see from SWithey's pic that he used one piece that wraps 4 sides and a seperate piece for each end, veneer is thin enough to do this. Also you should use a router when trimming veneer so you can get a clean look when done and then lightly sand the edges.

Bob

Veneer is like a heavy card stock and very easy to work with and is very bendable. You can see from SWithey's pic that he used one piece that wraps 4 sides and a seperate piece for each end, veneer is thin enough to do this. Also you should use a router when trimming veneer so you can get a clean look when done and then lightly sand the edges.

Bob

Thank you for explaining, I understand now. I was under the impression that those square blocks were covered in 6 individual pieces of veneer.

Rich

Hello Steve,

I'm just starting to plan my own HT setup and have been reading your thread for a few hours now (I'm only on page 26)... very good info here, thanks for taking the time to create it.

Sorry to dig up this old post, but I was wondering something about the edges of your veneer where the pieces of veneer meet eachother at the corners. In you pictures it appears the pices are created from a solid piece of wood which I know is the idea. I've never worked with veneer myself, but for some reason I have in my mind that the inside of it would be like luan or some of the 1/4" hardwood plywoods that Home Depot carries... kind of like a particle board in the center; In you pictures it appears that it must be quite different. Is it solid wood for the entire thickness. Did you use any type of wood filler at these edges or is that just what the side view of a cut piece of veneer looks like.

Originally I had planned on making my columns out of a stackstone variation (see image below), but after reading your thread I may incorporate a veneer portion at the top to make a flat surface to make it easier to attach speakers, sconces, and crown molding. Thanks for the idea. I had also read that bookshelves with books at varried depths made good sound diffusers, so I thought the stackstone would be a good natural option on the columns. Any thoughts on this idea? Sorry, don't mean to hijack.

Again, excellent job so far. (You're probably done by now, but I don't want to skip to the end of this thread.)
Rich,

Yes, just what Bob said. Veneer really easy material to work with and the end result is just beautiful. I think the combo of the stone would produce a nice diffuser. Maybe bpape will ring in and give his opinion on the whole "stone" and bookshelf thing.

On the "cubes" you pictured above, they are built out of 3/4" MDF with maple veneer. I rounded over the front vertical edge and used a single piece of veneer to wrap both sides. I then applied a piece on top to finish it out. If you have any edges that need to be covered up, you can use another small piece of veneer to cover that (or veneer edge band tape). No wood filler because it was MDF particle board. I was very happy with these as they turned out great.

You won't find a good selection (or price) for veneer at HD or Lowes. You'll need to call around to find them at a wood supply shop. You'll most likely get it at a much better price there as well!

Feel free to hijack all you want. This is what it is all about :) And thanks for the kind words on the theater. Unfortunately, it is not quite done with the room yet. I'm working on the wet bar right now (slow going, but working on it).

Steve, do you ever finish a project?

I assume your wife tells you that? How much more do you have to go on the wet bar? And are you happy with what you have done so far?

Steve, do you ever finish a project?

I assume your wife tells you that? How much more do you have to go on the wet bar? And are you happy with what you have done so far?
Work on the room has slowed down to a crawl. With my wife in school and the kids homework and sports, we are busy. After the kids are in bed, there is ALWAYS stuff to do around the house that seems to take precedence over working on the room.

As far as the room, it is about 95% completed but I have the few little nit-pick items to complete. The wet bar is the item my wife is pushing me to complete. Of course, if it was up to me, I would add my other (2) 15" woofs to my IB setup. I just have the base frame and the wood for the doors done. I really do want to get it completed because I'm tired of looking at it every time I go out into the garage!

I plan to purchase the new Panasonic DMP-BD50 BR player once it is released. I've been waiting for the format war to end and I think BR will now be the winner. I do not have a preference on either format -- I just want to buy the one that will be the most supported with the studios.

With my wife in school and the kids homework and sports, we are busy.

You can say that again, brother !!

Steve, have you thought of the getting the combo one that LG has?

I am also thinking that maybe I'll start a HTPC and get one of the combo drives that also is a lightscribe burner for the two formats.

Why spend the money on the combo units (if that interests you) when you can get an A3 (or could, not sure now) for $100 at Circuit City, etc. Might be on its way out, might not but the way I look at it is I get a great SD upconverter for $100 and they throw in an HD player and some movies for free ;)

Mike

I have the A2 for $100. But I also have a Bravo D1 which upconverts as good. Most studios seems to be heading for BD so, yes a combo may not be needed but if the prices of those units keep dropping, why only have HD-DVD when you can have both. HD-DVD titles already out aren't going to disappear that quickly.

Steve, have you thought of the getting the combo one that LG has?

I am also thinking that maybe I'll start a HTPC and get one of the combo drives that also is a lightscribe burner for the two formats.

Which unit (combo drive) are you looking at ? I read a few of the LG combo drives have compatibility problems with NForce chips..

I have not looked into compatibility issues as yet or even started looking into HTPC, but I saw the LG GGC-H20LI for $248 and thought it might be a no brainer for those with existing HTPCs or planning on a HTPC anyway (assuming no compat issues).

I have not looked into compatibility issues as yet or even started looking into HTPC, but I saw the LG GGC-H20LI for $248 and thought it might be a no brainer for those with existing HTPCs or planning on a HTPC anyway (assuming no compat issues).

The problem is the playback software. Its getting better but its kinda like the early days of HTPC where you have to stand on one foot and hold your mouth right to get it to work.

Well, I am a Linux person anyway...so hopefully by the time I get to an HTPC, they'll be something that allows me to sit down and drink a beer without having to worry about playback issues. Maybe that is why I just have the case and power supply and nothing else yet...lol

Nice room. I am attempting a much smaller project and you seem to know what you are doing so may I ask you a couple of simple questions? I am going to build a rear wall diffuser but my problem is I can't anchor it to the wall because of two rear windows. Can I build my diffuser and suspended it from the ceiling? With it not being anchored to the wall will this create more problems than it solves? Is building one large diffuser (4x8 panel of birch) better than building two smaller ones? Hopefully you expertise can guide me in my decisions. My room is extremely small ( approximately 250 sq ft) and my goal is to fabricate a music listening room. My equipment is Krell and Sonus faber. Any suggestions.

The problem is the playback software. Its getting better but its kinda like the early days of HTPC where you have to stand on one foot and hold your mouth right to get it to work.
This is my concern -- and why I'm going to skip the HD HTPC option for now. I have plenty of horsepower (both CPU and video) but the compatibility it just not solid yet. We'll get there but for now, I want everything rock solid.

Why spend the money on the combo units (if that interests you) when you can get an A3 (or could, not sure now) for $100 at Circuit City, etc. Might be on its way out, might not but the way I look at it is I get a great SD upconverter for $100 and they throw in an HD player and some movies for free ;)

Mike
Mike,

You make a good point but I'd rather just purchase the BR and be done with it. Having both would be nice and with the price so cheap, it "could" be an option. Luckily I do not own ANY HD discs -- which makes it easy to pick BR.

Steve, have you thought of the getting the combo one that LG has?
Yes, a combo drive is a possibility but at $800, it is a little outside of my budget. The nice part about the new Panny BD50 DVD player is that it has 7.1 analog channel out. This can feed directly into my AVR and I get zero audio loss with no downsampling. Again, I don't own anything right now, so whatever I do will be a HUGE improvement. One other option I am considering is getting a PS3 (no 7.1 audio out as of yet, but you never know what may happen in the future).

Nice room. I am attempting a much smaller project and you seem to know what you are doing so may I ask you a couple of simple questions? I am going to build a rear wall diffuser but my problem is I can't anchor it to the wall because of two rear windows. Can I build my diffuser and suspended it from the ceiling? With it not being anchored to the wall will this create more problems than it solves? Is building one large diffuser (4x8 panel of birch) better than building two smaller ones? Hopefully you expertise can guide me in my decisions. My room is extremely small ( approximately 250 sq ft) and my goal is to fabricate a music listening room. My equipment is Krell and Sonus faber. Any suggestions.
dwberryman,

There are many different types of diffusers that can be built. Mine is far for perfect but does help tame the audio when sitting in the rear row as well as adding a nice artistic quality to the room. The person you want to contact (and the guy that has helped many of us with our rooms) is Bryan Pape (bpape). He designs acoustically balanced rooms all the time (from professional sound studios to home theaters to dedicated listening rooms like yours). I know he can help you design something that is easy to build and will give you the performance you are after. His pricing is very reasonable and offers a lot of free advice along the way.

Good luck and please keep us posted on your progress. I do not know of many rooms with rear diffusers incorporated into them. I'd love to see your build process and the final installation.

You can say that again, brother !!
YES. And this is why I've been so slow at responding to posts.

Yes, a combo drive is a possibility but at $800, it is a little outside of my budget. The nice part about the new Panny BD50 DVD player is that it has 7.1 analog channel out. This can feed directly into my AVR and I get zero audio loss with no downsampling. Again, I don't own anything right now, so whatever I do will be a HUGE improvement. One other option I am considering is getting a PS3 (no 7.1 audio out as of yet, but you never know what may happen in the future).

I think he was referencing the $300 combo drive that you would hook to a PC - but, as we discussed, this is not as good of an option as one would hope.

On the audio - why do you want to go analog? Most BR discs have uncompressed 7.1 LPCM on them. If you feed that directly to your AVR (via HDMI) you don't give up all the features of the AVR (EQ, processing, etc.) like you would with analog.

I think he was referencing the $300 combo drive that you would hook to a PC - but, as we discussed, this is not as good of an option as one would hope.

On the audio - why do you want to go analog? Most BR discs have uncompressed 7.1 LPCM on them. If you feed that directly to your AVR (via HDMI) you don't give up all the features of the AVR (EQ, processing, etc.) like you would with analog.
ebr,

Ah -- yep, the dual-duty BR/HD-DVD player is a solid option once the HTPC support is much better.

From what I understand (and please correct me it I'm wrong) is that unless the AVR can decode Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD MA, HDMI will not work without some type of downsampling done by the DVD Player or choosing a difference audio option when playing the movie. Granted, there are not a ton of Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD movies out there right now, but you know it grow quickly over time.

With the BD50 and analog outputs, I can get the Full Monty without the need to purchase a new AVR that can natively decode Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD MA (since the BD50 will take care of that for me).

Are you sure the Pio Elite does ZERO processing on the analog inputs? I would assume you get speaker level and distance by default. I'd be okay with that but would prefer the full EQ if it was available. I'm NOT okay with the purchase of a new AVR since mine is only 2 years old (and the same model as yours :D )

Am I missing anything?

To tell you the truth Steve, I would wait a little longer since it seems everything is headed to BD. I wouldn't be surprised if these combo drives get blown out in a few months.

To tell you the truth Steve, I would wait a little longer since it seems everything is headed to BD. I wouldn't be surprised if these combo drives get blown out in a few months.
I feel the same thing is going to happen. I can wait :D

ebr,

Ah -- yep, the dual-duty BR/HD-DVD player is a solid option once the HTPC support is much better.

From what I understand (and please correct me it I'm wrong) is that unless the AVR can decode Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD MA, HDMI will not work without some type of downsampling done by the DVD Player or choosing a difference audio option when playing the movie. Granted, there are not a ton of Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD movies out there right now, but you know it grow quickly over time.

With the BD50 and analog outputs, I can get the Full Monty without the need to purchase a new AVR that can natively decode Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD MA (since the BD50 will take care of that for me).

Are you sure the Pio Elite does ZERO processing on the analog inputs? I would assume you get speaker level and distance by default. I'd be okay with that but would prefer the full EQ if it was available. I'm NOT okay with the purchase of a new AVR since mine is only 2 years old (and the same model as yours :D )

Am I missing anything?

HDMI is your friend ;). The players (at least my HD-A2) can decode both DD+ and TrueHD and send them to your AVR as LPCM in their full glory. And then the Pio can apply any processing you wish (EQ, 7 channel expansion, etc.) to that signal. The only thing you can't get without a new AVR is DTS-HD/MA. However, I'm not sure any players can decode that yet anyway so even if you went analog you couldn't have it.

Also, since BD appears to be winning (have won) that may all be close to moot as most BD titles I have played (admittedly not a huge number) have all had uncompressed 7.1 PCM tracks on them which, again, your AVR can take in full glory and apply its digital magic to if you wish. No need for all the fancy compression/decompression (lossless or not) if you've got the raw source.

With analog, the only thing you get is volume. I'm sure speaker levels are still good (as that's just volume attenuation) and maybe distance/delay too, but that sounds like a digital process so I'm not sure about that. There is a note in the 84 manual that says "when using multi-channel analog in only the volume and channel level can be set". In any case, I couldn't do without my EQ adjustments (makes a big difference in my room) and I don't need to because HDMI and PCM give me the "full monty" as you put it.

HDMI is your friend ;). The players (at least my HD-A2) can decode both DD+ and TrueHD and send them to your AVR as LPCM in their full glory. And then the Pio can apply any processing you wish (EQ, 7 channel expansion, etc.) to that signal. The only thing you can't get without a new AVR is DTS-HD/MA. However, I'm not sure any players can decode that yet anyway so even if you went analog you couldn't have it.

Also, since BD appears to be winning (have won) that may all be close to moot as most BD titles I have played (admittedly not a huge number) have all had uncompressed 7.1 PCM tracks on them which, again, your AVR can take in full glory and apply its digital magic to if you wish. No need for all the fancy compression/decompression (lossless or not) if you've got the raw source.

With analog, the only thing you get is volume. I'm sure speaker levels are still good (as that's just volume attenuation) and maybe distance/delay too, but that sounds like a digital process so I'm not sure about that. There is a note in the 84 manual that says "when using multi-channel analog in only the volume and channel level can be set". In any case, I couldn't do without my EQ adjustments (makes a big difference in my room) and I don't need to because HDMI and PCM give me the "full monty" as you put it.
Thanks for the explanation. I'll take that under consideration. I have a little time before I'll make my purchase.

Hey Steve,

Just out of curiosity, when using the seat that is the farthest off center from the screen (looks like the front/rear left seats), how much of a difference does being off to the side like that make as compared to being directly in the center? I am reconsidering my seating and since you seem to have exactly what I am going to end up with I thought I would ask. I had planned on an aisle down both sides of my room but can get better/more seating if I go with a single aisle similar to yours.

John

Hey Steve,

Just out of curiosity, when using the seat that is the farthest off center from the screen (looks like the front/rear left seats), how much of a difference does being off to the side like that make as compared to being directly in the center? I am reconsidering my seating and since you seem to have exactly what I am going to end up with I thought I would ask. I had planned on an aisle down both sides of my room but can get better/more seating if I go with a single aisle similar to yours.

John
John,

I've sat in that chair a few times for movies and it is actually not that bad. I notice that the bass is less intense and the left-side surround experience is not as enveloping (since you are so close to the wall). I have a 2" thick panel right next to that seat which does help smooth things out a bit. For a non-audiophile (aka wife, kids, etc), it is still an excellent seat.

With that said, I would have preferred to have a 3' isle on each side of my seating. However, I went with the extra seat for the same reason you mentioned above. We're a family of (4) so having 4 in the front made the most sense.

John,

I've sat in that chair a few times for movies and it is actually not that bad. I notice that the bass is less intense and the left-side surround experience is not as enveloping (since you are so close to the wall). I have a 2" thick panel right next to that seat which does help smooth things out a bit. For a non-audiophile (aka wife, kids, etc), it is still an excellent seat.

With that said, I would have preferred to have a 3' isle on each side of my seating. However, I went with the extra seat for the same reason you mentioned above. We're a family of (4) so having 4 in the front made the most sense.

I decided to go with 3 in the front row...well for today anyway and 5 nice movie seats in the back. My thinking was I would be spending the most time in there with no one else a good portion of the time so why not have a sweet spot :)

My biggest problem right now is the freaking snow! to deep to get the dry wall delivered through the walk out:(

I decided to go with 3 in the front row...well for today anyway and 5 nice movie seats in the back. My thinking was I would be spending the most time in there with no one else a good portion of the time so why not have a sweet spot :)

My biggest problem right now is the freaking snow! to deep to get the dry wall delivered through the walk out:(
Jeff,

That sounds like a great plan. I checked out your HT thread and WOW. I love your renders. I might want to talk to you more about that 3D app you used with your CAD drawings. They look great!

Good luck with you room and I hope the snow subsides a bit so you can get your drywall delivered.

why the images doesn't show up?

why the images doesn't show up?
rodrigo,

Thanks for noticing that. I switched ISPs and forgot to update the DNS entry. I just made the change but it might take 6-12 hours for the changes to propagate around the world.

How's about some photos of the theater in action?

How's about some photos of the theater in action?

What did you have in mind? I do plan to take some new pics of the room with the latest rev. of the panels (the ones I put in about 6 months ago).

Pre-Update…

Hey everyone – yep, nothing has gone on for almost a year in “the room” but I feel things will turn around pretty soon. The wife is out of school in a few weeks and I'll have 1 month to get some stuff DONE before she begins here summer session! A second degree definitely takes more time than we ever imagined.

The plan is to complete the following:


Complete lower wet-bar cabinet – all wood is bought but I still need to purchase the hidden door European hinges
Depending on how well the lower cabinet goes, I'll try to get started on the upper cabinets
Hook up a DIY equipment closet venting solution that will pull heat into the attic when the temp in the closet reaches “X”. I’d also like to reverse this (pull air in FROM the attic) during the winter to cool things off as well. It will have something to do with a DC fan so a simple reverse of polarity will invert the air flow OR a dual A/C fan setup (in/out). I want to incorporate a “flap” setup so when they are off, the heat/cool will not pass through the fan blades as easily. As you can see, I’m still working out the details on this – which is why it has not been done yet.
If I can sneak this in – rebuild my IB manifold to accommodate (4) 15” drivers (low on the wife-approved list but high on mine :D )
Recover the side and rear column speaker covers with new fabric to match the new panel color scheme
Take some new pics of the room with the new panels and speaker covers
Buy a PS3 for BluRay playback (oh, and the ability to play Rock Band with my friends)

So, you should see some sawdust flying REAL soon! I’m very excited to get back in the groove on the room. Sorry for the delay guys :o

More soon :)

Sweet! dont forget lots of pictures, welcome back, hehehe

Hey Steve,

Welcome back. Hadn't from you in a while and figured you'd finished up and moved on (I'm sure that happens -- but I haven't gotten to the "finished up" part yet, so I don't know ;)).

Mike

Steve for the fan... I doubt having cool air pulled into the space during the winter would be worth the effort. If we were in chicago I would say great idea, but my attic always seems to have a fair amount of warmth in the winter from the thermal transfer of the sun. :D

for a really easy way to pull air out... use a bathroom fan. it has a flap (reverse it) and it should work fine. I used a attic fan control to run it on...works fine and don't hear it at all

Good luck

Ill just throw in for the pic requests...can't wait to see em.

Steve for the fan... I doubt having cool air pulled into the space during the winter would be worth the effort. If we were in chicago I would say great idea, but my attic always seems to have a fair amount of warmth in the winter from the thermal transfer of the sun. :D

for a really easy way to pull air out... use a bathroom fan. it has a flap (reverse it) and it should work fine. I used a attic fan control to run it on...works fine and don't hear it at all

Good luck

That's exactly what I use for my equipment closet, and it works like a charm.

Sweet! dont forget lots of pictures, welcome back, hehehe

Ill just throw in for the pic requests...can't wait to see em.
Most definitely!! I'll make sure you guys learn from my many mistakes.

Hey Steve,

Welcome back. Hadn't from you in a while and figured you'd finished up and moved on (I'm sure that happens -- but I haven't gotten to the "finished up" part yet, so I don't know ;)).

Mike
Mike,

Good to hear from you. I've been watching your thread in Stealth-mode. Love the progress. You'll get to the finished up part soon enough. I don't know if I ever got to the "Done Stamp" but at least the room is functional :)

Steve for the fan... I doubt having cool air pulled into the space during the winter would be worth the effort. If we were in chicago I would say great idea, but my attic always seems to have a fair amount of warmth in the winter from the thermal transfer of the sun. :D

for a really easy way to pull air out... use a bathroom fan. it has a flap (reverse it) and it should work fine. I used a attic fan control to run it on...works fine and don't hear it at all

Good luck
That's exactly what I use for my equipment closet, and it works like a charm.
I did consider this but thought it would not pull enough out of the closet. However, looks like it should work just fine (based on your advice). I'll buy one of those more quiet models they sell at HD along with a attic fan thermostat -- and I should be set. I'm tired of leaving the closet door open all the time.

I looked at HD's site and they offer a wide range of fan choices. I don't need a light or heat -- which cuts down the options. Some are rated in sones (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sone). It looks like I'll want something 4 sones or less. I could go with a remote fan like chinadog did but I'm not sure I want to spend over $150 for something so simple. My closet is not super quiet right now, so it may not make much of a difference. Once the door is shut, you cannot hear anything from the seats. Thoughts?

Hey Steve,

Just got done reading the thread (87 pages takes a while!) It was a fun and interesting read, and I learned a lot. Maybe someday I'll actually put it into practice. Quick question, have you ever thought about indexing your thread? It takes a while, but it sure is a great quick reference tool.

About the fan, I guess it depends how many "sones" you feel you can handle. NuTone had a few on the HD website that were in the 1-4 "normal speaking volume" range, that didn't have lights or (edit)heaters. One was for $89, not sure if that's far enough away from $150 for you.

Anyways, that's my 2 cents, take it or leave it. The room is totally awesome. I wish I had time to get some things done with my less than sub-par SD setup, but I'm plenty busy around here. I work at a hotel and we're gearing up for the US Olympic Trials in June. Busy times!

later days,

Hey Steve,

Just got done reading the thread (87 pages takes a while!) It was a fun and interesting read, and I learned a lot. Maybe someday I'll actually put it into practice. Quick question, have you ever thought about indexing your thread? It takes a while, but it sure is a great quick reference tool.

About the fan, I guess it depends how many "sones" you feel you can handle. NuTone had a few on the HD website that were in the 1-4 "normal speaking volume" range, that didn't have lights or fans. One was for $89, not sure if that's far enough away from $150 for you.

Anyways, that's my 2 cents, take it or leave it. The room is totally awesome. I wish I had time to get some things done with my less than sub-par SD setup, but I'm plenty busy around here. I work at a hotel and we're gearing up for the US Olympic Trials in June. Busy times!

later days,
Steve,

A comment on the fan. I purchased a Broan fan / light combo for the "ceiling" of my equipment room. paid around $40.00 for one on sale - it was rated 3.5 sones. I also wired it so that it is controlled by a thermostat, OR can be manually turned on with a wall swtich - this is working out well for me.

I don't even have the wall completely sealed yet between the Theater and Eq closet - and it can barely be heard in the theater room.

It is shown twice in my thread - the later photo on page 2 shows it mounted in the ceiling of the Equip closet. I also used some weather stripping foam to further isolate it (noise proofing) from the drywall.

Steve,

I used one of the panasonic whisper fans and you can't hear it at all. Worth the $100 or $120 or whatever I paid for it if you ask me.

Another thing to consider: I ran the fan outside because I thought that was the best option. However I've created a bit of a problem. It creates a negative pressure in the room which I don't think is all that big of a deal because none of our houses are level-4 bio-sealed air proof etc, etc but rather when the heat is running in the winter the negative pressure causes the heat from the vents to more or less be routed straight to the vent fan :(

Not the biggest of deals in my closet but I split my line between the closet and projector and I can feel the heat run along the ceiling when it kicks on right to my PJ. Ugh. Of course, the real question is, would running it to the return vent cause the same result or not? I don't know...

Just some more things to think on :)

Mike

Steve,

I have my fan mounted in the attic... constructed a box so the "ingest" of the fan sucks into it... with a vent that runs into my hush box... it draws a good stream of air out and cannot hear it at all (even with the hush box removed)

Hey Steve,

Just got done reading the thread (87 pages takes a while!) It was a fun and interesting read, and I learned a lot. Maybe someday I'll actually put it into practice. Quick question, have you ever thought about indexing your thread? It takes a while, but it sure is a great quick reference tool.

About the fan, I guess it depends how many "sones" you feel you can handle. NuTone had a few on the HD website that were in the 1-4 "normal speaking volume" range, that didn't have lights or (edit)heaters. One was for $89, not sure if that's far enough away from $150 for you.

Anyways, that's my 2 cents, take it or leave it. The room is totally awesome. I wish I had time to get some things done with my less than sub-par SD setup, but I'm plenty busy around here. I work at a hotel and we're gearing up for the US Olympic Trials in June. Busy times!

later days,
Benson,

I'm sorry you had to read through all 87 pages of the thread. It has gotten rather long. But you are right -- I do need to index it. chinadog/Bud did it on his and it really has helped out quite a bit. When I get some time, I promise I will get that done.

I'm not sure how much I want to spend or how loud is "tolerable". I do know the "builder supplied" fans I have in my bathrooms are very loud. Granted, builders typically put in the cheapest thing they can find -- so as long as I get a med/good quality fan I should be fine. I'm still doing research. Thanks for the advice.

And thanks for the the kind words on the HT. I understand busy -- so no need to apologize for not getting things done with your setup. Sounds like you will have your hands full with the Olympic Trials.

Steve,

A comment on the fan. I purchased a Broan fan / light combo for the "ceiling" of my equipment room. paid around $40.00 for one on sale - it was rated 3.5 sones. I also wired it so that it is controlled by a thermostat, OR can be manually turned on with a wall swtich - this is working out well for me.

I don't even have the wall completely sealed yet between the Theater and Eq closet - and it can barely be heard in the theater room.

It is shown twice in my thread - the later photo on page 2 shows it mounted in the ceiling of the Equip closet. I also used some weather stripping foam to further isolate it (noise proofing) from the drywall.
Craig,

Sounds like that fan could work out well. I'd prefer one without a light -- but for $40, you can't beat it.

Question -- does the switch override the thermostat? How do you have it wired up? I was planning to put in a switch but I figured it would just cut electricity if I ever wanted to turn it off permanently.

And your room is coming along very well. You did a very nice job on that bathroom.

Steve,

I used one of the panasonic whisper fans and you can't hear it at all. Worth the $100 or $120 or whatever I paid for it if you ask me.

Another thing to consider: I ran the fan outside because I thought that was the best option. However I've created a bit of a problem. It creates a negative pressure in the room which I don't think is all that big of a deal because none of our houses are level-4 bio-sealed air proof etc, etc but rather when the heat is running in the winter the negative pressure causes the heat from the vents to more or less be routed straight to the vent fan :(

Not the biggest of deals in my closet but I split my line between the closet and projector and I can feel the heat run along the ceiling when it kicks on right to my PJ. Ugh. Of course, the real question is, would running it to the return vent cause the same result or not? I don't know...

Just some more things to think on :)

Mike
As always, thanks for your advice Mike. I think chinadog is using the same one and vents the heat to his workshop area in the basement. It may be over kill for my needs but you know me -- I'll over analyize this until the cows come home and end up getting the most expensive option :eek: ;)

Steve,

I have my fan mounted in the attic... constructed a box so the "ingest" of the fan sucks into it... with a vent that runs into my hush box... it draws a good stream of air out and cannot hear it at all (even with the hush box removed)
Chris,

This setup sound interesting. You know I love to build stuff! Any pics you can share (or point me to)?

Steve,

Thanks for the compliments on my build. I'm actually taking a few extra days this weekend. I have just receive a shipment of custom-sized build-in cabinets that I will be assembling and installing. More photos later.

As for your questions on the fan:

Indeed - My switch parallels the thermostat switch so that I can manually turn-on the fan. It is wired so that their are two hot lines in parallel feeding the fan. One takes the hot supply thru a switch to the fan. The other takes the same hot supply thru the thermostat to the fan. Both have to be off for the fan to stop.

Hope that helped?
Craig

Steve,

Thanks for the compliments on my build. I'm actually taking a few extra days this weekend. I have just receive a shipment of custom-sized build-in cabinets that I will be assembling and installing. More photos later.

As for your questions on the fan:

Indeed - My switch parallels the thermostat switch so that I can manually turn-on the fan. It is wired so that their are two hot lines in parallel feeding the fan. One takes the hot supply thru a switch to the fan. The other takes the same hot supply thru the thermostat to the fan. Both have to be off for the fan to stop.

Hope that helped?
Craig
Yes, that helps Craig. Enjoy the 2-days working on the room. I took a ton of Fridays off from work to work on my room. It really helped speed things along quite nicely :D

Everyone,

Kind of some fun news. Based on advice from a number of AVSers, I went ahead and purchased a 40GB PS3 as my primary Blu-ray player. I just cannot wait for the Panasonic BD50 anymore – now slated for release this fall. The 1st movie I watched was Pirates of the Caribbean - At Worlds End. All I can say is OMG! I could see the pours in Captain Jack Sparrow’s nose. Just unbelievable! Movies look spectacular on the RS1. I plan to watch I Am Legend tonight.

I also purchased RockBand and had a blast today with my Nieces and Nephews. They play RockStar on the Wii – so this was right up their alley. This is really a fun multi-player game. Oh, I picked up Grand Theft Auto IV as well (but not played it yet). I guess I’ve been holding back for some time and blew the wad on this multi-purchase.

And on the bar cabinet – nothing yet (I guess you figured that out). I planned to get some work done on Saturday but had too many honey-dos to do in prep for Mother’s Day. I’m going to see if I can get the doors cut one eve this week.

The 1st movie I watched was Pirates of the Caribbean - At Worlds End. All I can say is OMG! I could see the pours in Captain Jack Sparrow’s nose. Just unbelievable! Movies look spectacular on the RS1. I plan to watch I Am Legend tonight.

Is this your first experience with Hi Def? I won't waste the RS1's bulb on anything else. I have over 110 HD-DVD's (I bet on the wrong horse, though the blow-out has been fantastic, deal-wise.)

I sit 10' from a 10' wide SMX. As you say, "Just unbelievable!"

Is this your first experience with Hi Def? I won't waste the RS1's bulb on anything else. I have over 110 HD-DVD's (I bet on the wrong horse, though the blow-out has been fantastic, deal-wise.)

I sit 10' from a 10' wide SMX. As you say, "Just unbelievable!"
Okay -- the picture is freak'n unreal! I cannot find a flaw in anything shown in HD on the RS1. That SMX material does do quite well at nearly any distance and size! I love mine.

I had watched Apollo 13 on HD-DVD a while back (Xbox HD-DVD drive hooked to my HTPC) and HD broadcast. I had put my money on HD-DVD as well -- but bit my tongue until a winner was announced. I guess it was good that I waited :)

Just finished watching 'I Am Legend' and visually - it was just outstanding. I think my BR collection will be growing rapidly. Does anyone know what sites to watch that alert you of deals on BR DVDs?

There is a sticky in the blu ray software forum that tracks deals. First post in the thread is updated frequently. Right now Best buy has a 2 for $30 deal with some decent titles.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=976789

Steve - Welcome to true HD. I can't believe it took you this long but I'm glad you've made it.

Also, IMO, the PS3 was a great purchase. I broke down and got one several months ago and it is a great BD player. I don't even really play games and I think it was a good purchase.

Hey Steve.

Glad to see you're getting back in the game.

Good deal on the PS3. Haven't heard anybody complain yet about it.

Bryan

I have not yet made a purchase of a BD player, but it will probably be a PS3 based on everything I have heard. The simple fact that is has wi-fi built in and will go get firmware updates to make sure it can read every disc is a big seller for me. I don't know how many games I would ever buy (if any) since I am not really a gamer, but for HD-movies, it would be great. Problem is, I only have 720p in my theater and no plans to upgrade to 1080p anytime soon. Too many other things I want to spend my money on.

For asteroids meets robotron, download superstardust HD off the PSN, fun little timekiller game for $10 or so. Get a few free demos too. I hear the bowling game is good for social gatherings too.

So I have a question on the PS3 for HD movies. Can you integrate the PS3 into a universal remote or are you stuck using the PS3 controller? I know there's been discussion elsewhere on this, but have any of you guys found a good solution?

Bud

This seems to be the best solution going for the PS3. http://ir2bt.com/

Or the $20 Nyko remote/IR dongle (won't be able to power on or off) on amazon.
Or the schmartz ones - $35 for a USB IR port (no power on/off) or $100 for the bluetooth one (full function).

http://www.schmartstuff.com/

I had the $35 one in my old theater, worked fine. Not sure I could justify the difference from $55 (IR2BT) to $100 if you want the bluetooth option.

I have the Schmarts one and it works great with my MX-850. It is incredibly simple because you just plug it in and tell your universal remote it is a PS2. No learning no codes etc.

The other selling point he has is that the IR device can be controller #2 where some of the others apparently sign on as controller #1 (which can be a problem for some games).

There is a sticky in the blu ray software forum that tracks deals. First post in the thread is updated frequently. Right now Best buy has a 2 for $30 deal with some decent titles.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=976789
Thanks! I bought the 2-fer-$30 at BB yesterday. I'm now sub'ed to that thread and plan to grow my collection.

Steve - Welcome to true HD. I can't believe it took you this long but I'm glad you've made it.

Also, IMO, the PS3 was a great purchase. I broke down and got one several months ago and it is a great BD player. I don't even really play games and I think it was a good purchase.
Yes -- it plays wonderfully. And with the new firmware (v2.3), it will be able to decode DTS-HD and Dolby TrueHD (http://gizmodo.com/378180/playstation-3-firmware-update-230-brings-dts+hd-master-audio) internally. This is great since both our Pioneer Elites cannot decode it natively. I'm a happy camper.

Hey Steve.

Glad to see you're getting back in the game.

Good deal on the PS3. Haven't heard anybody complain yet about it.

Bryan
Me Too!

I have not yet made a purchase of a BD player, but it will probably be a PS3 based on everything I have heard. The simple fact that is has wi-fi built in and will go get firmware updates to make sure it can read every disc is a big seller for me. I don't know how many games I would ever buy (if any) since I am not really a gamer, but for HD-movies, it would be great. Problem is, I only have 720p in my theater and no plans to upgrade to 1080p anytime soon. Too many other things I want to spend my money on.
Just become a "Power Seller" on ebay and make your millions there :D

For asteroids meets robotron, download superstardust HD off the PSN, fun little timekiller game for $10 or so. Get a few free demos too. I hear the bowling game is good for social gatherings too.
I'll check out Superstardust HD. We love Bowling on the Wii, so I'll need to check that out as well. We're having fun with Rock Band right now. It's unbelievable how good my 8 year old is on the drums.

How is the PS3's performance with regular dvd's? How well of an upscaler is it?

I'll check out Superstardust HD. We love Bowling on the Wii, so I'll need to check that out as well. We're having fun with Rock Band right now. It's unbelievable how good my 8 year old is on the drums.
LOL I have a 8 year old boy that plays expert drums on the XB 360! Pretty cool to watch....

Hey a question on the RS1 as I recall you mentioned the only downside was it didn't have a scaler (stretch) for use with your lens. what did you do for this?

Jeff

I'll check out Superstardust HD. We love Bowling on the Wii, so I'll need to check that out as well. We're having fun with Rock Band right now. It's unbelievable how good my 8 year old is on the drums.

I'll second Super Star Dust. I like picking my own heavy song (can choose any song from the music on your PS3) and cranking the sound and just blowing everything up. It's some of the most fun I've had gaming in the last year and it's pretty darn cheap. (I really like Pixel Junk Monsters too...)

I have the Schmarts one and it works great with my MX-850. It is incredibly simple because you just plug it in and tell your universal remote it is a PS2. No learning no codes etc.

The other selling point he has is that the IR device can be controller #2 where some of the others apparently sign on as controller #1 (which can be a problem for some games).
You guys beat me to the punch. I'm on the waiting list for this one. This will allow perfect integration with my Universal Remote Control.

ebr -- can you hook me up?? ;)

How is the PS3's performance with regular dvd's? How well of an upscaler is it?
Can't tell you. No stink'n SD DVDs have been played on the PS3 yet :D ;) I'll do some comparisons with my HTPC and PS3 this weekend and report back.

LOL I have a 8 year old boy that plays expert drums on the XB 360! Pretty cool to watch....

Hey a question on the RS1 as I recall you mentioned the only downside was it didn't have a scaler (stretch) for use with your lens. what did you do for this?

Jeff
Kids are amazing. I think she likes the rhythm of it. We might have a musician among us :)

On the RS1 -- no solution yet. Right now I'm using the zoom method. A PITA but it does quite well. I'm seriously thinking about an external scaler to do the zoom/stretch I need. This would allow me to keep the lens in place for all content (if desired) and also give me the ability to change aspect ratios with my IR remote -- good WAF!

I'll second Super Star Dust. I like picking my own heavy song (can choose any song from the music on your PS3) and cranking the sound and just blowing everything up. It's some of the most fun I've had gaming in the last year and it's pretty darn cheap. (I really like Pixel Junk Monsters too...)
Looks like some great fun. I'll definitely check it out this weekend.

Oh -- and I guess when you have the song cranked, you're home alone?? :eek:

Vent Question.

I've just about have my vent solution decided but wanted to ask about cfm.

My closet is 5' x 5' x 8' tall (200cu/ft). With the door shut, it gets warm in about 30 minutes and HOT in about an hour. If I go with an 80cfm rated fan, it will take about 2 1/2 mins to vent all the air. This seems like plenty given the amount of time it takes for the closet to get really hot.

Here is a quick breakdown using the Panasonic Whisper Ceiling fans with the sones (noise) rating:

1 sone ~ 40 dB (whisper: 15db, normal conversation: 60db, JVC RS1: 27db)

80cfm (http://www.westsidewholesale.com/index.cgi?HN_SessionID=@@@@1210888423.5053@@@@&pid=857&CATEGORY=6343) - 0.3 sones
110cfm (http://www.westsidewholesale.com/index.cgi?HN_SessionID=@@@@1210888423.5053@@@@&pid=858&CATEGORY=6343) - 0.8 sones
150cfm (http://www.westsidewholesale.com/index.cgi?HN_SessionID=@@@@1210888423.5053@@@@&pid=970810&CATEGORY=6343)- 0.6 sones (it uses larger fans running at a slower RPM)

Just for comparison, those cheap builder-grade bathroom fans rate at about 5-6 sones (about 48-50db)

One note, I took a meter into my closet last night and shut the door. I have a stable 53db in there at all times when equipment is running. Yep, you can hear the fans. However, when you exit the closet and close the door, you cannot hear anything once you are about 1' away (definitely nothing from the seated position). If I did add even 40db to the closet, it would only raise the overall db of the closet by .1db or so since db is a log-based scale. So I may be splitting hairs here :o

Comments?

Steve,

I saw your email on my BB and figured I'd reply here. To answer your question, I used the inline fan for the projector box and the bathroom fan for the equipment closet, so I didn't swap them out. At the time when I was looking, I wanted maximum flow with minimal noise and the Panasonic fit the bill. The inline fans I was looking at were the cheap Depot fans.

Bud

Thanks Bud. I'm thinking the 110 or 150cfm just to be safe. 150cfm may be way overkill -- so any input from any of you A/C guys out there would be great! :) I just do not want to create a suction factory in there and have other issues.

I just do not want to create a suction factory in there and have other issues.

I was going to do a fan in my room will be 4x10x8 and was advised to just put a return in there with a vent drawing from the main room. Our house is on a zoned system so there is normally a zone on to pull the heat out. I also will put a 4 inch return by the PJ.

So when you say hot- how hot is hot?

Jeff

I was going to do a fan in my room will be 4x10x8 and was advised to just put a return in there with a vent drawing from the main room. Our house is on a zoned system so there is normally a zone on to pull the heat out. I also will put a 4 inch return by the PJ.

So when you say hot- how hot is hot?

Jeff

I went this route too. My control room (behind the rack) just has a return air in it. It only gets real warm in there when the PS3 is on (boy that thing throws some heat) but it seems to do fine. I also have a very large return air (the main one for the room) right over/behind my projector.

Bar Cabinet Update…

Wow – my 1st post in over a year with some actual construction progress on the ‘ole HT room. Yea, I hear the boos and hisses – I’m with ya ;)

I was able to get the doors cut for the cabinet today. I actually surprised myself when I looked at the caucus I built a year back. It actually looks like it is square. I guess all that coffee late at night did the trick!

Just to refresh your memory, this is what I plan to create. The upper cabinets are not final final yet as the wife is still thinking about a few changes. This is fine since I have not started on that part yet :D I am using a frameless design (a more modern look) and rift oak for the cabinet doors. The left most section will have drawers on top with normal cabinet doors below. The right cabinet door in that section will be a pull-out trashcan. The next section will be a combo-of-sort. The top is drawers, the middle will look like drawers but will open like normal cabinet doors to reveal a small microwave (we opted to go this direction vs. a full-size popcorn maker). The bottom section will be (2) true drawers. The far right section will be for a beverage cooler.
http://swithey.gotdns.org/swithey/ht/avs/WBUC-Render.JPG


Today, I ripped a high-dollar 4x8 sheet of Rift Cut Oak ply. I was working alone, so I had to rig up support for the large piece in order to get a clean cut. It looks a little put-together but it actually worked out VERY well. I was able to stay on track and make a near perfect rip.
http://swithey.gotdns.org/swithey/ht/avs/WBUC-PreCut.JPG


After several more cuts, I was able to get all the doors cut with grain matching from top to bottom. I still need to trim them down to fit but that’s the easy part.
http://swithey.gotdns.org/swithey/ht/avs/WBUC-Layout.JPG


I want to thank ifeliciano/Ivan for his "blade picking" assistance. I picked up a special Freud blade (http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=16447&filter=melamine%20freud) that is designed to cut melamine and plywood with no tearing of the wood. If you look at the 1st cut, this is the perfect cut this blade makes. The 2nd pic is the same wood cut but cut with my skill saw – just awful.
http://swithey.gotdns.org/swithey/ht/avs/WBUC-GoodCut.JPG
http://swithey.gotdns.org/swithey/ht/avs/WBUC-BadCut.JPG


The reason I did not cut all the doors to perfect size as of yet was because I need to see how the doors with hinges would lay out. I used standard Blum European hinges (http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=5408&cs=1). I’ve never installed them before but it ended up being a breeze to attach them to the cabinets. I went ahead and setup a mock-up just to be sure I had everything correct.

Here with the doors shut using a common piece of ply in the middle. The gap between them is about ¼” because they are closed beyond their normal setup. When I am done, the idea is to have about 1/8” between all doors and drawers.
http://swithey.gotdns.org/swithey/ht/avs/WBUC-DoorsFront.JPG
http://swithey.gotdns.org/swithey/ht/avs/WBUC-DoorsBack.JPG


Here is a top view with the doors open just so you can see how the hinges are attached.
http://swithey.gotdns.org/swithey/ht/avs/WBUC-DoorOpenTop.JPG


Tomorrow I plan to cut all the doors to size and veneer the styles and edges of everything. Once done, I’ll have the proper thickness for everything and will install the hinges and stain. With these small tolerances, the extra 1/16th of an inch that the veneer adds will make a difference in the gap between the doors. Luckily, the Blum European hinges have all type of adjustments to compensate for small differences up to 1/8”.

It feels good to be back in the game!

I was going to do a fan in my room will be 4x10x8 and was advised to just put a return in there with a vent drawing from the main room. Our house is on a zoned system so there is normally a zone on to pull the heat out. I also will put a 4 inch return by the PJ.

So when you say hot- how hot is hot?

Jeff
Thanks Jeff. I actually have a supply in my equipment closet. If the A/C ran 100% of the time, it would stay very cold in there. Unfortunately, that is not the case. How hot - well I typically close the door for movies. Upon opening the door after about 2 hours, you are HIT with the heat that was trapped in that closet. This a horrible for the equipment and I've actually had my HTPC hang because of the heat in the past.

The fan vent should do the trick. I plan to get it ordered next week.

I went this route too. My control room (behind the rack) just has a return air in it. It only gets real warm in there when the PS3 is on (boy that thing throws some heat) but it seems to do fine. I also have a very large return air (the main one for the room) right over/behind my projector.
The return air duct for my HT is just in front of the projector. This is perfect since it vents to the front anyway.

Thanks for the props !! :)

Another thing I forgot to mention and I do it frequently when cutting plywood, is to put blue painters tape along the "cut" line. Usually on the bottom side of the plywood when using a table saw or the top when using a circular saw. This further minimizes chipout.

Thanks for the props !! :)

Another thing I forgot to mention and I do it frequently when cutting plywood, is to put blue painters tape along the "cut" line. Usually on the bottom side of the plywood when using a table saw or the top when using a circular saw. This further minimizes chipout.
Actually, you did tell me :o I remembered after I did my cuts. They turned out great so I didn't need it anyway. I had zero chipout. That blade is a bute.

Thanks for the props !! :)

Another thing I forgot to mention and I do it frequently when cutting plywood, is to put blue painters tape along the "cut" line. Usually on the bottom side of the plywood when using a table saw or the top when using a circular saw. This further minimizes chipout.

Question? I haven't tried but have thought if you were to score the cut line with a razor knife do you think it would help? Ever try this? I plan to next time

swithy BTW I have seen that awful looking crosscut before myself!

Cabinet Update...

I was able to get all the doors cut down to size tonight. I'll start on the edge veneering tomorrow. Once that is completed, I'll attach the hinges and make sure everything lines up nicely.

Next, I'll tackle the (6) drawers, a pull-out trash can and a pull out shelf. I have only basic drawer experience so it should be an exciting endeavor.

Question? I haven't tried but have thought if you were to score the cut line with a razor knife do you think it would help? Ever try this? I plan to next time

swithey BTW I have seen that awful looking crosscut before myself!
Interesting idea of using a blade to pre-cut the wood. I guess the hard part would be to get it exactly on the edge where the saw blade cute. For me, the right blade does all the work for ya :D

Good to know others have been there before! I knew my Skill saw would beat the crap out of the wood -- but I had to cut it down to size a bit to make it easier to cut the doors. A little waste but in the end, it helped make sure the doors were smooth and square.

Today, I ripped a high-dollar 4x8 sheet of Rift Cut Oak ply. I was working alone, so I had to rig up support for the large piece in order to get a clean cut. It looks a little put-together but it actually worked out VERY well. I was able to stay on track and make a near perfect rip.
http://swithey.gotdns.org/swithey/ht/avs/WBUC-PreCut.JPG




I take it the saw horses adjust up and down? Where did you find those at?\

Another thing I do when cutting these big sheets is I built and extension fence to help get it fed in :)

Question? I haven't tried but have thought if you were to score the cut line with a razor knife do you think it would help? Ever try this? I plan to next time

swithy BTW I have seen that awful looking crosscut before myself!

JeffC,

I've never used a utility knife or razor to score the plywood. I have pretty good blades and always keep them sharpened. Every once in a while I use the tape method. I have also used the tablesaw to score the crosscut prior to cutting through by setting the blade to about 1/16".

JeffC,

I've never used a utility knife or razor to score the plywood. I have pretty good blades and always keep them sharpened. Every once in a while I use the tape method.

I have tried "other" types of these blades with pretty good luck, however the last one I used still had tear out don't recall the brand. I use the Freud blades for my miter saw and like them! Will be picking up one of these for the next project for sure!

10 Tips for Cutting Plywood


Avoid Cross Cutting – Plywood tends to chip the most when cut across its width (grain). Cutting along the length of the wood will help to reduce chipping.
Use the Right Blade – Special blades are manufactured for different cutting jobs. The number of teeth, width, angle, and rake of the blade all impact the cut. Choose a blade that best matches your specific cutting situation.
Circular Saw – cut with the “best face” down.
Table Saw – cut with the “best face” up.
Score the Cut First – Run the plywood through the saw removing only a minimal amount of wood. The next cut will leave a cleaner cut.
Masking Tape – Put masking tape over the cut line to help keep the fibers on the edge from pulling up.
Backing Panel – Attach a backing panel with strong double stick tape. The backer board will take the brunt of the damage.
Use a Router – A router fitted with a straight bit will cut a clean line. A pilot bit and straight edge will help provide a clean line.
Score with a Utility Knife – Score the cut line with a utility knife. DIY Scoring Tool (http://www.woodworkingtips.com/etips/2005/09/30/sn/)
Buy a Panel Scoring Setup – Some saws can be fitted with a plywood panel scoring setup and are ideal if you have to cut a lot of plywood. The setup consists of a smaller blade that scores the surface of the plywood before it reaches the cutter.

I take it the saw horses adjust up and down? Where did you find those at?\

Another thing I do when cutting these big sheets is I built and extension fence to help get it fed in :)

They are Fatmax Folding Sawhorse with Adjustable Metal Legs (http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100375897). I got them for Father's Day from HD for about $35/ea. The legs are adjustable at 1" increments (up to 6" I think). They click into place at each 1" notch. The adjustments are great but I especially like that they fold up flat for easy storage. My old ones I had made of 2x4s do come apart but take up a lot of room in the garage -- but very happy I had both for the cut.

Extending the fence is a good idea. I'll be sure and try that next time.

10 Tips for Cutting Plywood
Thanks for the tips Ivan!

Cabinet Update…

I’m making some nice progress. I veneer "edge-banded" all the doors and drawer fronts (10 pieces), the cabinet edges, attached door hardware and mounted the doors on the carcass. I’m moving onto the drawers next. I have to build a total of (6) traditional drawers, (1) pullout trashcan (just a tall drawer) and (1) pull-out tray for under the sink area. I plan to make a trip to my wood supplying for a few sheets of 5’ x 5’ ½” Baltic Birch. Home Depot does not sell that caliber of plywood.

Here is the carcass with the veneer applied to all edges and the door hardware attached.
http://swithey.gotdns.org/swithey/ht/avs/WBUC-DoorsOff.JPG


Here is a carcass with the (3) cabinet doors snapped in. They still need a little adjustment but I’ll do that when I’m ready to attached the drawer fronts. I also need to build the support mechanism for the pull-out trashcan slides. The trash-can will live int the larger "open" cabinet on the left.
http://swithey.gotdns.org/swithey/ht/avs/WBUC-DoorsOn.JPG

Looking good Steve. I wonder if I should get back to work on my theater? LOL:D

Looks great so far Steve! How do you stain something like that? Do you have to take it apart and stain the individual pieces, or do you just spray the whole thing while it is assembled? I am also curious as to what you are using for joinery.

Looking good Steve. I wonder if I should get back to work on my theater? LOL:D
It was hard to get back in it as other things kept taking precedence. But I'm happy to be "re-started" again. I thought you were just about done. What is left on your end?

Looks great so far Steve! How do you stain something like that? Do you have to take it apart and stain the individual pieces, or do you just spray the whole thing while it is assembled? I am also curious as to what you are using for joinery.
I plan to take off all the doors and hardware, stain and finally reassemble. I wanted to attached all hardware just to be sure everything fits as it should (since it is easier to fix it now vs. after the staining process). We're still trying to decide on the stain color anyway.

Looking good! I'm going to be doing some built-ins for my Family room so this is very timely.

I am also curious as to what you are using for joinery.+1. Biscuits? Pockets?

Looking good! I'm going to be doing some built-ins for my Family room so this is very timely.

+1. Biscuits? Pockets?
Sorry for the delay with this response and the brevity of my explanation.

I used rabbit joints to attach the side and center pieces to the bottom piece. Everything else is standard butt joint. On both joint types, I used wood glue, a few brad (to hold it place) and 2.5” deck screws to get solid. No biscuits or dowels on this cabinet. It feels very solid. I probably broke the rules using the deck screws but when have I ever followed directions (just ask my wife) :D

And the reason for my delay was because I am going on a campout this weekend with my older daughter. We’re going to have 48 folks there – Holy Cow! Hopefully it will be controlled kayos. And I built a game called Washers to play at the campout. There are a bunch of guys that like to play (including myself). I used to play it in college -- so lots of memories there. My design was based on the commercial version (http://www.originalwashers.com/). It's just about like the commercial design but it has a small slope to it (5.25" tall in the back and 3.25" tall in the front). Mine is only 12” wide where the commercial one is between 16”-18”. Length is 48”, the holes have a 3” diameter and the washers have a 2.5” diameter.

Long Shot
http://swithey.gotdns.org/swithey/ht/avs/Washers-LongShot.JPG

Closeup
http://swithey.gotdns.org/swithey/ht/avs/Washers-Closeup.JPG

Packed up and ready to go
http://swithey.gotdns.org/swithey/ht/avs/Washers-PackedUp.JPG

I’ll resume the cabinet work next week.

Thats cool Steve. I played washers this past weekend and was wanting to build a set for myself. Great timing!

Ronnie

Thats cool Steve. I played washers this past weekend and was wanting to build a set for myself. Great timing!

Ronnie
Ronnie,

We just got back and the game was an instant success. Here are a few things I learned from v1.0 (in no particular order):

1) Don't paint the washers green. I was so rushed to get it done before we had to leave, I grabbed the 1st (2) cans of paint color I could find in my garage stash. Obviously, green blends in TOO well with the surrounding grass around the deck. We spent a little more time than needed looking for the darn washers.

2) The paint on the washers came off almost completely after a few days of use. This was probably due to the fact I did not use a primer and only had a single coat of paint. I recommend a few coats min.

3) Playing at sunset is challenging because it is hard to locate the washers after the round. I plan to make a set with florescent orange and yellow for times like that. I'm even considering glow-in-the-dark paint.

4) Get a light brown carpet color. Since you step on the deck when making your shot, thay tend to attract the dirt a bit. Having a light brown carpet will hide that better. The gray didn't get that dirty, but if I had to do again, I'd do the brown. HD has a number of colors to pick from and its cheap at .47/ft.

5) I made the top deck out of 3/4" plywood. You could easily use 5/8" plywood. The thinner ply should reduce the weight a bit. They are a bit heavy (maybe 35-40lbs total) and bulky at 48" long.

6) I did not notice any issues with them only being 12" wide (since the official size is in 16"-18" range). I picked 12" for convenience. I used one of those pre-cut 2' x 4' pieces of ply they sell at HD. Quick and easy since it was only a single cut on my table saw.

7) We followed the official rules (http://www.originalwashers.com/rules.shtml) but added a few of our own:

- DECK POINTS: (2) same color washers on the deck (top surface of the game) is 1 point. (3) washers on the deck is 2 points.
- HANGERS: A washer that hangs over the opening of a hole. BUT --you must be able to see into the deck hole opening through the center hole of the washer. This worth 1 point. You can add these points to the deck points (explained above) if you have multiple washers on the deck with any/all as hangers. So, you could conceivably score 5 points total without having a single washer in the hole.

All in all -- loads of fun for about $40.

New Project: Custom Equipment Rack

Have you ever had one of those things that bug the crap out of you until it finally gets done? Well, that is the equipment rack for me. Currently I have a 19” telco rack that is messy and in total kayos. I decided to put the wet bar cabinet on hold for a few weeks while I get this baby built, painted and installed.

It took me a few weeks to come up with the plans but I am really happy with the design. I had every cut and measurement drawn out before I hit the garage. Yesterday, I spend the entire day cutting and assembling the cabinet and have it just about completed (as far as the construction part).

I plan to poke it into the left side of wet bar area. Since this wall is shared with my current equipment closet, it will make rear access a breeze. Below is the plan for the equipment rack. The light-red color is a transparent representation of the actual wall. Everything you see behind that light-red color will actually be behind drywall (and not seen from the wet bar side).

I decided to build the rack out of ¾” Birch plywood to make it a little lighter and also to take screws a bit better. The rack is 21” wide (19.5” internal width), 88” tall and 28.5” deep. However, the “visable” section from within the wet bar will be 5’ 8.5” tall. The reason I have it raised on the bar room side is so I can put a hinged door panel over the front. The panel will accomplish three things: 1) to match the look of the current room panels, 2) to hide it from view (the wife likes the hidden look), 3) to help contain equipment noise (since the panel will have 1” or 2” OC703 insulation).
http://swithey.gotdns.org/swithey/ht/avs/Rack-Plan1.jpg http://swithey.gotdns.org/swithey/ht/avs/Rack-RackRaw.JPG


For the shelving, I decided to use 1/2" adjustable shelf standards. The style I'm using is called Pilaster (http://www.cabinetparts.com/shop_2008/item_details/?id=KV-255AL72&cat=1187). They sell 72" sections of this at HD for about $4
http://swithey.gotdns.org/swithey/ht/avs/Rack-ShelfStandard.JPG


To make the front the rack look “clean”, I plan to cut custom fronts for each piece of equipment out of ¼” Masonite (carrefully cutting out a hole just large enough for the equipment to poke through the opening). I have a little ½” lip set in 2.25” from the front so that the equipment knobs (and the huge overhanging PS3) will not poke out beyond the front of the cabinet. The fronts will be affixed to the 1/2" lip with A/B magnetic tape (http://www.custom-magnets.com/MatchPole_Magnetic_Stripping.htm). This will make it very easy to attach and remove the fronts when needed.

The shelves are only 19” deep but the cabinet sides will extend another 9.5” in depth. This will allow me room to affix rack management tracks and (4) long power strips (http://www.x1up.com/.sc/ms/cat/Power%20Strips) -- which will keep all the wiring organized and easily accessible. Each side of the rack will have a purpose. The back left side will be dedicated to power. It will house (2) 48” power strips and (2) 24” power strips. This will be plugged into (4) seperate circuits (for different equipment needs). Three of the four circuits will route through a UPS. The right side of the cabinet will be used for AV cabling.
http://swithey.gotdns.org/swithey/ht/avs/Rack-Plan2.jpg


With heat being a huge issue (especially with the equipment being so close together), I have designed a custom vented shelf. The shelf started out as a ¾” birch piece (~20” wide x 19” deep). I then put a piece of ¼” masonite pegboard in the middle to allow for air flow and heat transfer. I also plan to have (2) 120mm fans at the top to pull heat out of the cabinet. The back of the cabinet will either be open or with doors made out of the same pegboard I used on the shelves.

I started by using my router to cut a ¼” deep groove all the way around. I made a simple “removable” frame around the shelf to act as a guide for my router. This saved a lot of time since I had to do 12 of these. This groove will support the edge of the pegboard shelf.
http://swithey.gotdns.org/swithey/ht/avs/Rack-Router1.JPG http://swithey.gotdns.org/swithey/ht/avs/Rack-Router2.JPG

Next I used my jigsaw to cut out the center of the board (on the inside of the 3/4" wide groove).
http://swithey.gotdns.org/swithey/ht/avs/Rack-Jigsaw.JPG

Lastly, I cut the pegboard to fit and glued it into place.
http://swithey.gotdns.org/swithey/ht/avs/Rack-ShelfPegboard.JPG

I should get to the painting by the weekend.

More soon.

Steve,

Excellent rack design! I just went through the same process of building my own rack. Mine is not visible from the HT room, it's in a seperate closet. So the design was easier, but I understand all you're going through. BTW, I used the same metal shelf brackets for mine.

Good luck.

Steve,

Got your email and just replied. Did you ever finish your bar area or did I miss that? The rack looks great. Too much thought for me, I'll pay through the nose for the Middle Atlantic stuff.:p

Bud

So you disapear for over 2 months and come back with an actual HT project - kudos :D

Sweet!!! Stevo is back in action. Its good to see some of your highly detailed posts coming back to life. I can wait to see the finished product.

Now that summer is coming to an end, most of us will probably be coming indoors to finish all the small theater touches.

Ronnie

Hey Steve - what are you using for cable management...?

Steve - been a while! - new projects are looking great! been a busy summer....:)

Steve,

Excellent rack design! I just went through the same process of building my own rack. Mine is not visible from the HT room, it's in a separate closet. So the design was easier, but I understand all you're going through. BTW, I used the same metal shelf brackets for mine.

Good luck.
Glad your rack design worked for you as well. Once you start your thread, I'd love to see some pics! Good to know that someone else has used those shelf standards for their rack. Those little clips can be difficult to remove but I figure once I have everything set, it should stay that way for a while.

Steve,

Got your email and just replied. Did you ever finish your bar area or did I miss that? The rack looks great. Too much thought for me, I'll pay through the nose for the Middle Atlantic stuff.:p

Bud
Actually, I was going to go with the standard rack approach. I found some VERY nice racks (4-post and glass doors) on craigslist for cheap . However, I wanted it to fit into the space a certain way -- which kept pushing me toward a custom setup. So far, I'm happy with everything. We'll see how well it works out when it is actually installed.

The wet bar cabinet it just about completed but I had to get this done first. I am so sick and tired of walking into the mess in my closet.

BTW -- I picked up one of those Panasonic bathroom vents and a thermostat. I plan to get that installed soon to help vent the heat out of the closet.

Yes, I received your email -- I owe you a reply :o

So you disappear for over 2 months and come back with an actual HT project - kudos :D
Thanks Mark. It's nice to be back in the game. I have a few weeks to get this done before my wife is deep into here classes again. I plan to get the painting started (and hopefully completed) this weekend. I'm getting excited since I get to use my paint sprayer again. I've not shot latex with it yet but have gathered a wealth of knowledge over the months on how to do it right. Wish me luck :p

Sweet!!! Stevo is back in action. Its good to see some of your highly detailed posts coming back to life. I can wait to see the finished product.

Now that summer is coming to an end, most of us will probably be coming indoors to finish all the small theater touches.

Ronnie
Getting back in the groove is a dirty job. I was wiping saw dust out of my ears the next day -- yuck. I'll be glad when this mini-project is done and I can get back to the cabinet. The wife reminds me about it at least twice a week.

Hey Steve - what are you using for cable management...?
I am buying them locally. They are the standard single-sided "finger" type. They measure about 2" wide and about 2"-2.5" deep and come in 7'-8' sections I think. The plan it to cut the cover in ~2' sections to make it easier to remove when needed.

Here is a pic of what it looks like.
http://swithey.gotdns.org/swithey/ht/avs/rack-wiremgmt1.jpg

Steve - been a while! - new projects are looking great! been a busy summer....:)
Thanks Gary. And a busy summer it was. I'm glad the kids are back in school. That means in bed by 8:30pm and time to work on "projects" again :)

http://i32.tinypic.com/256gzme.jpg
“We’re not worthy!”


Very impassive indeed and 89 page’s that’s a bundle to look though, I only need to glance at the first page. Very impressive with the ceiling lighting theme not rocket science just a willingness to getting on with the task to its finished accomplishment and very nice one you have looks like it cost a $6million dollars only, far better and neater!:)

“We’re not worthy!”


Very impassive indeed and 89 page’s that’s a bundle to look though, I only need to glance at the first page. Very impressive with the ceiling lighting theme not rocket science just a willingness to getting on with the task to its finished accomplishment and very nice one you have looks like it cost a $6million dollars only, far better and neater!:)
Thanks JBL. I can definitely say that it did not cost 6 million dollars :D

On another note -- Is your sig talking about the 1976 version of Logan's Run? If so, I always loved that movie. It had an interesting twist on what the future could hold. Seems like I caught it all the time on Saturday afternoon TV when I was a kid.

Thanks JBL. I can definitely say that it did not cost 6 million dollars :D

On another note -- Is your sig talking about the 1976 version of Logan's Run? If so, I always loved that movie. It had an interesting twist on what the future could hold. Seems like I caught it all the time on Saturday afternoon TV when I was a kid.

Yes it is and I’m a fan of the film, wonderful Jerry Goldsmith score.

Wow. The room itself is extremely similar to the home theater room we're building. Ours is 17 x 19 though, but the structure of the room is almost dead-on similar.

This thread has really helped me visualize what my theater very well look like when we get it started. That theater is insanely well-executed, and must provide so much enjoyment for you and your family. Kudos to you for a very impressive theater!

Wow. The room itself is extremely similar to the home theater room we're building. Ours is 17 x 19 though, but the structure of the room is almost dead-on similar.

This thread has really helped me visualize what my theater very well look like when we get it started. That theater is insanely well-executed, and must provide so much enjoyment for you and your family. Kudos to you for a very impressive theater!
Thanks so much sunwad. That 17' width will help out immensely! I always wished I had just a bit more to work with.

Good luck on your build. Hopefully you won't change you mind 100 times like I did along the way -- which should translate into a faster build time :D

And yes, we do enjoy the room quite bit. I don't get up there as much as the kids -- but when I do, I always leave with a smile on my face. The wife still comments on how much she loves the room.

I always wished I had just a bit more to work with.



Me Too :eek:

Okay guys, remember how I told you I was planning to fabricate some 1/4" Masonite covers to give each piece of equipment a clean look? I originally was going to use 1/16" magnetic tape (http://new.custom-magnets.com/product_info.php?products_id=345&cPath=2_38) to attached the custom panels to the rack. However, the more I thought about it, I do not think the magnetic tape will be strong enough to hold the panels in place. So, I'm thinking about going this direction:


Buy (2) 72" long strips of 1/8" thick x 1/2" wide pieces of steel (https://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cfm?pid=4802&step=4&id=199&top_cat=197). These would run along the 1/2" wide lip I have on the actual cabinet. The sale lady told me that this steel has a smooth finish.

Use THESE (http://www.magnet4less.com/product_info.php?cPath=1_5&products_id=21) small 1/2" long x 1/2" wide x 1/8" thick rare earth magnets (attached to the back of the masonite panels). Each magnet has 7lbs of magnetic force. Each panel would have (4) mags - one is each corner. I'll epoxy or hot-glue the mags to the back of the masonite board.

NOTE: Velcro was considered but think the mags are a little cleaner. I'd also prefer not to screw it down since I may move equipment around in the rack over time and I'd have to deal with screw holes, etc.

Let me know what you think. I think this will work out better -- however, if someone has an easier way to accomplish what I want to do, please let me know. Sometimes I over think (and over build) things a bit :o :D

Interesting...

I can't wait to see your masonite solution. Maybe I'll try something similar on my rack if yours turns out well. I've never wanted to pop for the custom cut real rack faces...

Hey Steve,

I noticed the rack you've built recently and wanted to share how similar it is to mine. Check out my post in this thread...
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=13843775#post13843775

I elevated the whole thing off the floor using leg levellers and it works great. This is a great design option for those who don't want to buy MA or similar EIA racks, or like to do a little woodworking and are willing to DIY to make a cabinet that looks more like a piece of furniture. Of course you could always add rack rails in your wood cabinet to get the benefit of both.


Also, regarding the rack face plates you are looking to build, you need to look at this thread, starting here:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=12943344#post12943344
with more here:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=13046275#post13046275

Tom has done a great job on this, and his solution is pretty simple. Any of you guys interested in face plates for your rack but you don't want to spring for ready-made ones, this is what you want to do.

Don't mess around with masonite... you want the finish on the plate to be a match for the finish on your equipment, and you'll never get the smooth finish and look on masonite as easliy as aluminum plate. This will be a lot less work and will look better in the end.

Peter

Hey Steve,

I noticed the rack you've built recently and wanted to share how similar it is to mine. Check out my post in this thread...
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=13843775#post13843775

I elevated the whole thing off the floor using leg levellers and it works great. This is a great design option for those who don't want to buy MA or similar EIA racks, or like to do a little woodworking and are willing to DIY to make a cabinet that looks more like a piece of furniture. Of course you could always add rack rails in your wood cabinet to get the benefit of both.


Also, regarding the rack face plates you are looking to build, you need to look at this thread, starting here:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=12943344#post12943344
with more here:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=13046275#post13046275

Tom has done a great job on this, and his solution is pretty simple. Any of you guys interested in face plates for your rack but you don't want to spring for ready-made ones, this is what you want to do.

Don't mess around with masonite... you want the finish on the plate to be a match for the finish on your equipment, and you'll never get the smooth finish and look on masonite as easliy as aluminum plate. This will be a lot less work and will look better in the end.

Peter
Peter,

Thanks so much for the input! Your rack looks great! I love that Tiger Maple front. Those aluminum plates that YW84U/Tom made look super clean. I actually saw those a while back but forgot about them.

Did the guy mention where he bought his stock? I might have to source a place here in Dallas.

BTW -- I did plan to spray the masonite the same black of the cabinet. I may build a simple prototype (since I have some scrap in the garage) and see how it looks. But I do agree that the aluminum would look better.

Thanks Steve,

Yeah, that maple was from a big piece I found in the pile at my local Big Orange... didn't cost any more than a regular piece of maple, and by using it sparingly, I've made it stretch over a couple projects. The picture shows the figure in the wood pretty well; it is exceptionally pretty.

I think building a prototype is a fine idea... but you should build with both materials to compare. Regarding sourcing of the materials, here's the link to Tom's post:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=13054262#post13054262

A snippet:
I picked up the sheet from a place called Metal Supermarkets - basically, just a business that sells all types of metal to other shops. A quick look at their 'store finder' shows that they apparently have outlets all over Canada and the US (I had no idea!). Depending where you live, if there isn't one nearby, there should be something else around in your industrial areas that either sells metal, or does machining. A machine or welding shop would likely have some as scrap, and you might even be able to pick it up even cheaper

I understand you will spray the masonite, but my point is about the prep work it will take to get to a comparable finished surface - masonite will require additional sanding, filling, sanding, priming, re-filling, resanding, re-priming, and finish painting and it still won't have the look of the aluminum. Tom's aluminum finish is much easier and quicker to accomplish and looks great.

P

Thanks Steve,

Yeah, that maple was from a big piece I found in the pile at my local Big Orange... didn't cost any more than a regular piece of maple, and by using it sparingly, I've made it stretch over a couple projects. The picture shows the figure in the wood pretty well; it is exceptionally pretty.

I think building a prototype is a fine idea... but you should build with both materials to compare. Regarding sourcing of the materials, here's the link to Tom's post:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=13054262#post13054262

A snippet:


I understand you will spray the masonite, but my point is about the prep work it will take to get to a comparable finished surface - masonite will require additional sanding, filling, sanding, priming, re-filling, resanding, re-priming, and finish painting and it still won't have the look of the aluminum. Tom's aluminum finish is much easier and quicker to accomplish and looks great.

P
I just called Metal Supermarkets (they have a store here in Dallas) and it would run me about $95 for a 96" x 22" wide piece of 1/16" standard grade aluminum.

I follow you on the Masonite prep and do agree that metal does paint far easier. I guess you were thinking I was trying to make the Masonite look like brushed aluminum? I was not planning to go that far since the rack will be hidden behind a hinged panel anyway. It will be out of site except when you put in a movie or game. I just wanted it to have a "clean" look when it was opened (vs. being able to see through the equipment into the closet).

Thanks again for the tips. It looks like I have some decisions to make :)

Rack Update…

I took the day off today to work on the rack. I was able to finish priming the cabinet and 12 shelves.
http://swithey.gotdns.org/swithey/ht/avs/Rack-Primer.JPG http://swithey.gotdns.org/swithey/ht/avs/Rack-ShelvesPrimed.JPG

I then started with the black. The shelves are done but the rack needs a third coat of paint. I ended up using Sherwin Williams Satin Enamel Latex and Alkyd. It covered well.
http://swithey.gotdns.org/swithey/ht/avs/Rack-Black1.JPG http://swithey.gotdns.org/swithey/ht/avs/Rack-BlackShelves1.JPG

I had fun using my spray gun. This is the first time I’ve used it to spray latex. I’m really happy with the results.
http://swithey.gotdns.org/swithey/ht/avs/Rack-Sprayer.JPG

I should have it up in the closet tomorrow and hopefully have everything wired by the end of the holiday.

More soon.

Wow, you really get after it, don't you!

Looks like you've got a great start on your rack and you're on track. I wish I had as much motivation!

I just have too many things on the go at once, am too much of a perfectionist, and never make as much progress as I'd like. In fact, I should start a thread on it and seek some help! ;)

Good going Steve; keep posting the pics.

Peter

Rack Update…

I gave the rack it's final 4th coat of paint (1 primer and 3 coats of black) on Saturday morning and moved it up the closet Saturday evening. I had this thing sitting on my driveway Friday and Saturday after painting so the warm sun could bake things on a bit. I got some crazy looks from my neighbors as they drove by -- I'm sure wondering what the heck this huge black thing was.

Last night, I finally got the new rack installed in the opening. The biggest delay was that I needed to relocate (7) light switches (6 Insteon zones for the room and the normal closet light) to a new location. The new rack location would have made it impossible to access this switches in the event of a failure. The plan was to have them flush mounted to a 7" wide board that sat between the rack and the wall -- a nice clean and built-in look. I had the board painted, boxes installed and mounted in place -- but had to rip it out to get the rack squared up properly. Because the board was MDF, it broke in half as I pulled it out. That was a REAL bummer since I’ll have to re-make the board, paint it and finally re-wire the light switches :mad: The cost is almost zero but the time invested was more that I want to talk think about :o

Here is a pic of the front of the rack. I still need to do some minor cleanup on the frame around the rack and also on the wall surrounding the opening – but overall, done :) I still plan to add the front equipment plates and a fabric covered panel. However, that is on hold until I get the bar cabinet completed. The wife has requested that I get that done before the OU vs. Texas game the 1st week in October.
http://swithey.gotdns.org/swithey/ht/avs/rack-framed.jpg

I'll take a pic of the rear with all the rack management once I complete the wiring. However, so far the rack management and power strips the back have worked out VERY well.

NOTE: The open space in the middle is for the the Wii. I plan to move that upstairs soon.

It was hard to get back in it as other things kept taking precedence. But I'm happy to be "re-started" again. I thought you were just about done. What is left on your end?

Its pretty much done. The main thing left is the star ceiling which i am dreading. Other than that, its just a lot of little small odds and ends like adding wire management to the back of equip rack, wiring up my IR repeaters, making a medalion for the front Soffit and finishing up the curtains on the doors. You know, all the boring stuff :)

Ronnie

I know what you mean.. I completely gutted the main level of our previous house, but didn't get around to installing the trim (baseboard or around doors) for about two years until just before we moved. :)

Its pretty much done. The main thing left is the star ceiling which i am dreading. Other than that, its just a lot of little small odds and ends like adding wire management to the back of equip rack, wiring up my IR repeaters, making a medalion for the front Soffit and finishing up the curtains on the doors. You know, all the boring stuff :)

Ronnie
Ronnie,

The star ceiling is really quite easy but a little time consuming. Are you planning to still do the entire upper ceiling area? Oh yes, the medallion -- can't wait to see that. Please be sure to post pics of your progress :)

I know what you mean.. I completely gutted the main level of our previous house, but didn't get around to installing the trim (baseboard or around doors) for about two years until just before we moved. :)
Tim,

Gosh - I have not seen a post from you in some time. I guess since you are back in the US, you have too much free time on your hands?? ;) Did you finally move to a new house? Does that mean a dedicated HT is on the list?

Mini Project…

I had an idea the other day while watching a movie -- how about a “hidden” digital clock that I could turn on with my IR remote and display the time on the ceiling above the screen.

I looked around for a few hours on the net and could not find anything that could do this (at a reasonable cost). So, I decided to put my electronics skills to work and combine a few different items to do exactly what I want.

The 1st piece is the clock (http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.2218) that shines the time up onto the ceiling. To “turn on” the ceiling display, it requires you to push a button on the side to display. It automatically turns off after 15 seconds or so. Cost $10

http://swithey.gotdns.org/swithey/ht/avs/irclock1.jpg
http://swithey.gotdns.org/swithey/ht/avs/irclock3.jpg


The 2nd piece is another clock (http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.12748) that comes with a cheap IR remote that turns on the clock’s back light. I plan to break this one open, pull out the IR circuit and adapt it to “push the button” on the other clock (via a small relay). The only concern I have is if the IR received by this clock is a specific IR signal or “ANY” signal. If it just looks for ANY IR signal, the clock will come on anytime I press a command on my IR remote. I hope it is a specific IR signal but won’t know until it arrives. I figured for the low cost of the clock, it was worth the risk. Cost: $17

http://swithey.gotdns.org/swithey/ht/avs/irclock2.jpg


Everything is coming from Hong Kong – so it will take 3-4 weeks before the shipment is received. I’ll let you know how it goes once it arrives and I get things disassembled and rebuilt.

You are just never gonna finish this theater, are you? LOL

Victor

You can buy that exact same clock from Radio Shack, but it sure isn't any $9.97. It's $19.21 including tax. I just got one for my elderly dad who likes to know what time it is at night.

Here is a person who did somewhat the same thing, in converting a clock so it would turn on the display via a remote control signal. But he also converted a cheap LCD clock into a pojection unit, by opening it up and using a bright LED so that it would project.

Anyway, if nothing else, maybe his schematic for the remote circuit may help you some.

http://imakeprojects.com/Projects/projection-clock/

Ha, Ha - the little things to keep you busy in the HT

Rack turned out great.

You are just never gonna finish this theater, are you? LOL

Victor
Have you been talking to my wife? :D Yes, the never ending project.

You can buy that exact same clock from Radio Shack, but it sure isn't any $9.97. It's $19.21 including tax. I just got one for my elderly dad who likes to know what time it is at night.
I figured something was sold local if I continued to look. Thanks. Yes, for $10 (and free shipping), it is worth it. I'm in no rush and have plenty of other items to do in the meantime.

Here is a person who did somewhat the same thing, in converting a clock so it would turn on the display via a remote control signal. But he also converted a cheap LCD clock into a projection unit, by opening it up and using a bright LED so that it would project.

Anyway, if nothing else, maybe his schematic for the remote circuit may help you some.

http://imakeprojects.com/Projects/projection-clock/
I DID see that yesterday on my search. I was planning to use his IR circuit until I found that cheap clock with the circuit already built. "In Theory", one less thing to build.

I also likes this guys idea. He took apart a cheap $1 LCD watch and used a bright LED to make his own. Here is HIS (http://www.raphnet.net/divers/projection_clock/index_en.php) project. Not the most elegant but it does do the job on the cheap.

Ha, Ha - the little things to keep you busy in the HT

Rack turned out great.
Thanks -- yes seems like life is VERY busy at the moment. I have to find little things to keep things fun. It is only so long that you can help kids with homework, fold clothes and attend soccer games until you need a break ;)

And we're getting my daughter a Nintendo DS Lite for Xmas this year. I've already found a hack cartridge (decided on the CycloDS (http://www.cyclopsds.com/cgi-bin/cyclods/engine.pl?page=products-cyclodsevolution) because of the simple interface) that you can fill with a few hundred games, play videos and listen to music.

Both the cartridge and game system should arrive this week so I can pre-test this for her :D They even have a MAME (http://ds.qj.net/tags/marcads/11579) port so I can play those old arcade classics. Yep, I'll be the Dad watching "The Matrix" and playing Galaga (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_lE_L0UtkQ)/Defender (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6sruFdGg_I&feature=related)/Sinistar (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCfSdc-TMSs)/Star Wars (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zT8dQDFKQac) on a Pink NS :o LOL.

And we're getting my daughter a Nintendo DS Lite for Xmas this year. I've already found a hack cartridge (decided on the CycloDS (http://www.cyclopsds.com/cgi-bin/cyclods/engine.pl?page=products-cyclodsevolution) because of the simple interface) that you can fill with a few hundred games, play videos and listen to music.

Be interested to see what you think of this - both my kids has DS Lites so be cool if you could use it to play movies. Be one less thing to take on flights.

Wow...I just wear my watch.

;)

Be interested to see what you think of this - both my kids has DS Lites so be cool if you could use it to play movies. Be one less thing to take on flights.

My son has been using the second generation of this product for a while. Has always worked great. He's been able to get and use all sorts of games. He has an Ipod classix with 80GB drive so he doesn't bother with the songs and video but you'd be able to use this product easily for that

http://www.maxconsole.net/?mode=news&newsid=6984

Swithey it'll be nice to see how yours works out, my daughter still needs one for hers. It'll be good to compare.

Heres a link to both over on the left.
http://www.dealwoot.com/

My son has been using the second generation of this product for a while. Has always worked great. He's been able to get and use all sorts of games. He has an Ipod classix with 80GB drive so he doesn't bother with the songs and video but you'd be able to use this product easily for that

http://www.maxconsole.net/?mode=news&newsid=6984

Swithey it'll be nice to see how yours works out, my daughter still needs one for hers. It'll be good to compare.

Heres a link to both over on the left.
http://www.dealwoot.com/
Movies are just icing on the cake. I think she'll use it mainly for games.

I had a hard time deciding between the M3 and the CycloDS. Does this M3mini have GBA emulation built-in or does it still require a Slot2 GBA emulation card? I didn't think it was possible to do GBA emulation in a slot 1 card.

Be interested to see what you think of this - both my kids has DS Lites so be cool if you could use it to play movies. Be one less thing to take on flights.
Will do. it does require you to convert the MPEG/AVI/etc to a special format. There are some free tools out there that can do that.

Wow...I just wear my watch.

;)
Forget the watch -- get one of THESE (http://www.dealextreme.com/feedbacks/browseVideos.dx/sku.13064) LOL! What a goob but still fun to watch it work. I can see this as a great gift for a young boy.

I figured something was sold local if I continued to look. Thanks. Yes, for $10 (and free shipping), it is worth it. I'm in no rush and have plenty of other items to do in the meantime.


Yeah, but you could have added somewhat of a movie based theme with the type of projection clock you use, these will be out in mid November.

http://shop.starwars.com/kernel/imageload?table=cat_images;ttl2=15;key1=1306478_f;key2=-100_f

http://shop.starwars.com/catalog/product.xml?product_sku=SWWESCR2P&rid=SWFEATURE38

Movies are just icing on the cake. I think she'll use it mainly for games.

I had a hard time deciding between the M3 and the CycloDS. Does this M3mini have GBA emulation built-in or does it still require a Slot2 GBA emulation card? I didn't think it was possible to do GBA emulation in a slot 1 card.

I had to double check with my son. He has a slot 1 card and it does not do GBA games he said. But in looking they now have the M3 REAL which comes packaged with the GBA expansion pack as well a rumble pack for a reasonable price.
Review:
http://www.gbatemp.net/index.php?showtopic=68277
Resource:
http://www.ishopvideogame.com/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=m3+real

Let's see how the cyclo works out for ya.

I had to double check with my son. He has a slot 1 card and it does not do GBA games he said. But in looking they now have the M3 REAL which comes packaged with the GBA expansion pack as well a rumble pack for a reasonable price.
Review:
http://www.gbatemp.net/index.php?showtopic=68277
Resource:
http://www.ishopvideogame.com/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=m3+real

Let's see how the cyclo works out for ya.
That's what I thought -- thanks for the confirmation. Yes, I'll let you know it works out.

Wet Bar Cabinet Update…

Doing a little every once in a while finally came together last night. I was finally able to assemble the wet bar cabinet in the garage.

Here is the front view will all the doors and drawer fronts attached. The wood is rift-cut oak with a dark brown stain. Oak is a pretty forgiving stain but it did get a little blotchy on a few of the pieces. Not horrible but I’m a perfectionist. I did prep the wood with a light sanding but probably should have done a sanding sealer first like I did on my maple columns. In person, the blotchy nature is not that noticeable and it passed the WAF test – so we’re good. This was one of the most difficult items I’ve made for the home theater. It required a very high amount of precision because of the close tolerances. Overall, I’m very happy with the results.
http://swithey.gotdns.org/swithey/ht/avs/WB-front1.jpg


Since I was able to build it myself, I could design it “my” way. The second cabinet door on the left is a pull-out trashcan. It can accommodate both normal and recycle trash.
http://swithey.gotdns.org/swithey/ht/avs/WB-POTrash.JPG


The doors to the right will store a small microwave to cook popcorn and re-warm the caso. We were originally thinking about an external popcorn maker but opted for a simple approach instead.
http://swithey.gotdns.org/swithey/ht/avs/WB-Microwave1.JPG

The (2) drawers below that are deep pull-out drawers. This is a request from the wife. She hates to dig deep into a cabinet and drawers are much easier. I still need to remove the blue tape used to keep the stain off the drawers bottoms.
http://swithey.gotdns.org/swithey/ht/avs/WB-BottomDrawers.JPG


The top (4) drawers are pretty self explanatory. The one of the very left is a pull-out to store the soap sponge. The sink will be over in that corner as well.
http://swithey.gotdns.org/swithey/ht/avs/WB-Drawers.JPG


And not pictured, the U-Line drawer refrigerator will be installed to the right of the cabinet. I have a small section that will attach to the right side of this cabinet to house the fridge. I was able to pickup this fridge for quite a deal off Craigslist. They sell on the internet for about $2,500-$3,000 and I picked up this baby for $500.
http://swithey.gotdns.org/swithey/ht/avs/WB-fridge.jpg


What’s left you ask?

1) Install handles. I plan to use these stainless steel curved handles.
http://swithey.gotdns.org/swithey/ht/avs/WB-Handles.jpg


2) Cut holes in the back for the electrical outlets. There will be (3) outlets total under -- under the sink, microware and refrigerator. All are GFI protected.

3) Buy a countertop. We played around with a solid Maple, Adler or Cherry tops but I think we’re going with Granite. Final color has not been selected yet but most likely it will be black. Once this is done, I can install the faucet and hot water dispenser (my wife drinks a lot of hot tea)
http://swithey.gotdns.org/swithey/ht/avs/WB-Faucet.jpg
http://swithey.gotdns.org/swithey/ht/avs/WB-HotWater.jpg


4) Start on the upper cabinets.

Well done, as usual, Steve.

Dam that is a lot of work, looks great.......

Steve - I'm very impressed

Excellent Work - this is really sharp!

Awesome work on the cabinets! It must weigh a ton being almost solid oak.

I like how the two middle doors (between the drawers) open up into a cabinet when they actually look like drawers. Its a funky surprise. I can't wait to see this with hardware installed.

I am a big fan of granite. I think you'll love it over a wood top.

Well done, as usual, Steve. Dam that is a lot of work, looks great.......Steve - I'm very impressed

Excellent Work - this is really sharp!
Thanks guys. It should look even better once the hardware is installed and it is put up into the bar. I'll be sure to post more pics as soon as that happens.

Awesome work on the cabinets! It must weigh a ton being almost solid oak.

I like how the two middle doors (between the drawers) open up into a cabinet when they actually look like drawers. Its a funky surprise. I can't wait to see this with hardware installed.

I am a big fan of granite. I think you'll love it over a wood top.
Jamis,

Glad you like the cabinet. It does weight a ton right now. The nice part is the drawers and doors can be removed very easily to reduce that weight. This will make it much easier to carry upstairs.

No solid oak in this cabinet, though. The doors are oak veneer with an MDF core. Everything is either birch ply or #1 pine with oak veneer.

Ahh -- the hidden "microwave" doors are nice. Having the drawers/doors on the right breaks things up a bit. It should work out perfectly. We had thought about putting the microware in the upper cabinets but because of depth concerns, decided to put it down. If anything, it is perfect "kid" height so they can make their own popcorn (yep, more "human" automation :D ;) )

The reason we considered the wood top was so I could do everything myself. I was able to source a 8' x 2' section of solid wood (multiple 4"-5" wide boards glued together) for about $150. And since it was wood, I could trim, route and cut as I saw fit. However, the wife thought that would be too much wood in the bar -- so granite it is. The thing I don't like is this small 7.5' x 2' piece of 3cm granite will be about $950 installed (which includes a SS undermount sink). This is quite a bit more over the wood -- but I agree it will look better. We also considered granite tile but the wife did not like the idea of having grout lines :(

Oh well, I'm sure we'll change our mind a few more times before the counter top is installed. I'll keep everyone in the loop as things develop :)

Granite is one of those things I just had to splurge on for our basement... and I agree with your wife on grout lines. :) All of our bathrooms and our kitchen have granite and I'll always consider it before any other counter surface.

Check out a few granite fabricators... you may be able to get a partial slab (also called a 'second') for a good price. Some of the lower-end grades can also be had for decent prices (sometimes as low as $30-40 sq/ft). You might be able to trim a bit off your estimate there as well.

Of course when we were shopping, we always gravitated to the expensive stuff... and not just granite. Even before seeing prices we always seemed to pick out some of the most expensive choices in our first time around (granite, carpet, etc). We saw some absolutely spectacular granites that were upwards of $300 sq/ft.

Of course when we were shopping, we always gravitated to the expensive stuff... and not just granite. Even before seeing prices we always seemed to pick out some of the most expensive choices in our first time around

Preach on brother!

On the DIY network there was an episode of Rock Solid that used some nice Granite tiles that also had bullnoses on them. The maker was Benissimo. Looking online, the center tiles are about $11 per square foot, and the bullnoses are from $28 to $46 per foot depending on if it is one edge, or an inside corner or an outside corner. These prices seem to be for absolute black. (other colors look cheaper)

You can place them real close, and use a black grout (non sanded) and the line will almost disapear. I think this is what I will be looking into for my counters.

Benissimo
http://www.benissimosystems.com/default.aspx
Online site where I found prices.
http://www.worldclasstiles.com/countertops/options/tabid/222/c-29-benissimo-countertops.aspx?gclid=CN711JHa3pYCFQsQagodQSlj1g

Anyone consider soapstone? I just did my kitchen in it and love it. I like granite too but it feels like glass... cold and slick. Soapstone has a warmer feel to it.

Granite is one of those things I just had to splurge on for our basement... and I agree with your wife on grout lines. :) All of our bathrooms and our kitchen have granite and I'll always consider it before any other counter surface.

Check out a few granite fabricators... you may be able to get a partial slab (also called a 'second') for a good price. Some of the lower-end grades can also be had for decent prices (sometimes as low as $30-40 sq/ft). You might be able to trim a bit off your estimate there as well.

Of course when we were shopping, we always gravitated to the expensive stuff... and not just granite. Even before seeing prices we always seemed to pick out some of the most expensive choices in our first time around (granite, carpet, etc). We saw some absolutely spectacular granites that were upwards of $300 sq/ft.

On the DIY network there was an episode of Rock Solid that used some nice Granite tiles that also had bullnoses on them. The maker was Benissimo. Looking online, the center tiles are about $11 per square foot, and the bullnoses are from $28 to $46 per foot depending on if it is one edge, or an inside corner or an outside corner. These prices seem to be for absolute black. (other colors look cheaper)

You can place them real close, and use a black grout (non sanded) and the line will almost disapear. I think this is what I will be looking into for my counters.

Benissimo
http://www.benissimosystems.com/default.aspx
Online site where I found prices.
http://www.worldclasstiles.com/countertops/options/tabid/222/c-29-benissimo-countertops.aspx?gclid=CN711JHa3pYCFQsQagodQSlj1g
Yep -- we seem to always like the "expensive" stuff as well :o:p I'm on the lookout for seconds and remnants but nothing as of yet. I'll continue my search.

Yes, if tiles were used, I could get the grout lines small. I did bring that up with the wife a while back but she still insisted on a single solid surface. However your product has a nice bullnose front to it that "could" sway her. I'll mention it to her and see what she has to say. Thanks for the tip.

Anyone consider soapstone? I just did my kitchen in it and love it. I like granite too but it feels like glass... cold and slick. Soapstone has a warmer feel to it.
I have not looked at soapstone for this application but do like the look. It is more porous, right? Do you know if it compares to the pricing of granite? The other "hard" part for this install is the small piece I need. Most places want to sell you the entire slab. We've considered doing the master bath at the same time to compensate, though.

Home Depot does have something rather compelling. For $399, they offer a 8' x 2' 3cm granite with backsplash. The part I'm scared to tackle is cutting the opening for the undermount sink. I also have to buy more tools, abrasion pads (to buff the opening) and bits to drill holes for the faucet, etc -- all add to the cost.

Part of me likes the idea of just buying and having it done by a pro. However, that takes all the fun out of it -- right??? :D;)

I have not looked at soapstone for this application but do like the look. It is more porous, right? Do you know if it compares to the pricing of granite? The other "hard" part for this install is the small piece I need. Most places want to sell you the entire slab. We've considered doing the master bath at the same time to compensate, though.

Home Depot does have something rather compelling. For $399, they offer a 8' x 2' 3cm granite with backsplash. The part I'm scared to tackle is cutting the opening for the undermount sink. I also have to buy more tools, abrasion pads (to buff the opening) and bits to drill holes for the faucet, etc -- all add to the cost.

Part of me likes the idea of just buying and having it done by a pro. However, that takes all the fun out of it -- right??? :D;)

It is porous. But you oil it and that keeps it from staining.

Boy... cutting granite. That's a real challenge... wet cutting, shaping the results. I think I may try it with a top mount sink. But under mount... it has to be perfectly cut and shaped and it has to look perfect.

I watched them prepare the under mount sink in my kitchen and even with the softer soapstone it's a real process needing lots of skill and experience. I was impressed!

EDIT: It was about the same cost as granite.

Cutting the hole(s) for the faucet and/or soap dispenser is the easy part. They actually cut that on site for my basement install.

However, they cut the sink hole and drilled/set the anchors for the sink in the shop. These are probably not things you'd want to do yourself to save a couple hundred bucks.

They didn't have options for sinks/faucets to be cut? Or were these stocked pieces?

It is porous. But you oil it and that keeps it from staining.

Boy... cutting granite. That's a real challenge... wet cutting, shaping the results. I think I may try it with a top mount sink. But under mount... it has to be perfectly cut and shaped and it has to look perfect.

I watched them prepare the under mount sink in my kitchen and even with the softer soapstone it's a real process needing lots of skill and experience. I was impressed!

EDIT: It was about the same cost as granite.
I figured it would be hard to cut that sink hole that perfectly. If I did it, I WOULD go with an top-mounted sink to hide my mistakes, etc. Oiling the surface is not too bad but I may prefer something more maintenance free. Hmm, I wonder if popcorn oil will stain the counter top?? ;)

Here is a compromise. This company (http://bedrockcreations.net) manufactures Granite tile and corner pieces. Its turns the job in to a DIY project. It corner pieces is what really set the product off.

Look at the picture below and you can see the fancy edges. The first one is a bullnose.

http://bedrockcreations.net/images/bedrockcreations_colors/tropic-brown.jpg

The second on is a Ogee edge:
http://bedrockcreations.net/images/bedrockcreations_colors/baltic-brown-498.jpg

So there basicly three parts the field tile, the outside corner and the running edging.

Cutting the hole(s) for the faucet and/or soap dispenser is the easy part. They actually cut that on site for my basement install.

However, they cut the sink hole and drilled/set the anchors for the sink in the shop. These are probably not things you'd want to do yourself to save a couple hundred bucks.

They didn't have options for sinks/faucets to be cut? Or were these stocked pieces?
Yep, I figured that drilling the holes for the faucet, etc would be easy -- I just have to buy the bits.

HD uses stock pieces. They (HD) told me I would need to hire my own granite guy to cut it if I didn't want to do it myself.

I did just get off the phone with a local guy. He will fabricate and deliver it to my house (letting me install it myself) for about 2/3 the cost. However his product is only 2.7cm (vs. the normal 3cm) -- so a bit thinner. This price was for a less-black product, Impala Black, which is more of a charcoal gray. Galaxy black (he did not sell absolute black) was double the price of the Impala. He said a 7' wide slab would weight about 200lbs. That's going to fun carrying that up the stairs. Not sure saving $200 is worth the hassle. I'll just give up a few Sushi lunches to compensate ;)

That's going to fun carrying that up the stairs.
Surely a nice guy with a HT has friends! What else are friends for?

Here is a compromise. This company (http://bedrockcreations.net) manufactures Granite tile and corner pieces. Its turns the job in to a DIY project. It corner pieces is what really set the product off.

Look at the picture below and you can see the fancy edges.

http://bedrockcreations.net/images/bedrockcreations_colors/tropic-brown.jpg
Thanks Mr. Powers. Looks like Michael/Chiahead beat you to the punch on this one. It does look like an option if I can get the wife to accept grout lines. I'll see if I can have a "mini-meeting" and come to a decision. I'm ready to get this countertop installed so we can start using the bar.

Yep, I figured that drilling the holes for the faucet, etc would be easy -- I just have to buy the bits.

HD uses stock pieces. They (HD) told me I would need to hire my own granite guy to cut it if I didn't want to do it myself.

I did just get off the phone with a local guy. He will fabricate and deliver it to my house (letting me install it myself) for about 2/3 the cost. However his product is only 2.7cm (vs. the normal 3cm) -- so a bit thinner. This price was for a less-black product, Impala Black, which is more of a charcoal gray. Galaxy black (he did not sell absolute black) was double the price of the Impala. He said a 7' wide slab would weight about 200lbs. That's going to fun carrying that up the stairs. Not sure saving $200 is worth the hassle. I'll just give up a few Sushi lunches to compensate ;)


We have Impala Black (Nero Impala) in our kitchen. I like it, though it's not particularly exciting. It was one of the 'standard' choices from our builder. I'd still take it over any laminate, wood, or corian/wilsonart top. We didn't want to spend extra at the time. We got a more upgraded granite for the basement. :)

As long as everything is level and the screw anchors for the sink (undermount) are in place (by the fabricator), its simply a matter of putting a silicone bead on the top of the cabinet and dropping it in place. Then mount the sink using the included clips to the anchors and another bead of silicone around the rim of the sink.

Back splash just sits on the counter with silicone attaching it to the wall and the counter with more silicone. Our installers for the basement also put a bead of color matched epoxy in corner between the counter top and the back splash to help hide the gap. They just used silicone in our kitchen.

Thanks Mr. Powers. Looks like Michael/Chiahead beat you to the punch on this one. It does look like an option if I can get the wife to accept grout lines. I'll see if I can have a "mini-meeting" and come to a decision. I'm ready to get this countertop installed so we can start using the bar.

Sorry i missed the previous entry. Note the BedRock offer the Ogee in addition to the bullnose. And the edge is not part of the field tile.

Yes there are lines but they are zero (butt to butt, not gap) grout lines.

Yes there are lines but they are zero (butt to butt, not gap) grout lines.
Do you have this product in your home? If so, can you post some pics of the install? I'd like to show the butt to butt line to my wife.

I'd like to show the butt to butt line to my wife.

There is a joke in there somewhere...

Do you have this product in your home? If so, can you post some pics of the install? I'd like to show the butt to butt line to my wife.

yes we have it in a bookcase, i just need to find and/or take a photo.

I would recommend having a 1/16" grout joint rather than butting the pieces against eachother. If the gap is too small then grout can't get in, but crap can. I would recommend an epoxy grout if you decide to go the tile route since it's stain resistant.

At one of my local HD's here in Canada (Oakville), the carry Absolute Black edge and corner pieces similar to what is posted above which are made by Dal Tile. I'm thinking you could easily find them down in the US since you have Dal Tile stores down there.

I would recommend having a 1/16" grout joint rather than butting the pieces against eachother. If the gap is too small then grout can't get in, but crap can. I would recommend an epoxy grout if you decide to go the tile route since it's stain resistant.

At one of my local HD's here in Canada (Oakville), the carry Absolute Black edge and corner pieces similar to what is posted above which are made by Dal Tile. I'm thinking you could easily find them down in the US since you have Dal Tile stores down there.
I'll check HD and see what they have. I think DalTile is local to Dallas anyway just in case they do not sell it at HD. I did not know an epoxy-based grout was available. Sounds like you have to work really fast with that stuff. Interesting -- I'll check that out as well.

I still need to talk with the wife about the entire "tile" idea. I feel I may be shot down but you never know. Once Greg/gpowers get's me his pics, I show her those and the "commercial" versions as well.

There is a joke in there somewhere...
I'm surprised you did not say something about the "great rack" LOL!

Here is a sample at our office. Not the bedrock product but just like it. You can see the difference between the Granite and regular tile.

http://www.stargateunofficial.com/Gallery/Pic/Granite_tile.jpg

I recently used epoxy grout for my shower/soaker tub surround and it was pretty easy to work with. Took me around 2 hours to grout everything and didn't have a problem with it setting up. Used Mapei Opticolor. I think down in the USA, Laticrete Spectralok is available at Lowes.

If you go with absolut black tiles and black grout you won't notice the grout lines as much as on the picture that Gary posted above.

Check out the tile advice forums at www.johnbridge.com and search for tiled counters. I'm sure there will be several pics and lots of advice.

After saying all that, if the price difference between doing the tiles and slab isn't that much, I would obviously go with slab.

Have you thought about Wilsonart HD laminate. I don't know much about it but apparently it's very nice. I think you can undermount a sink with it as well.

Thanks guys!

I think the wife really wants a solid piece of granite. I found a local guy that can do it for a fair price. I just have to pick from his remnants. We've narrowed it down to (2) colors from his available inventory. We plan to go visit his lot next week to make the final decision.

Funny thing is once we got to looking at all the colors, the wife decide to go with a lighter color on the counter top. However, I'll put money that we'll end up with something different once we visit the lot :o

Giallo Fiorito
http://swithey.gotdns.org/swithey/ht/avs/GialloFiorito.jpg


Giallo Veneziano
http://swithey.gotdns.org/swithey/ht/avs/GialloVeneziano.jpg

We had Giallo Veneziano in our previous house. We liked it very much.

Bring a sample piece of wood that matches your cabinet so you can see it with the granites you are looking at.

Thats exactly what my wife and I did when we went to choose our granite. Went in thinking we would go with absolut black and ended up with something similar to you choices called Lapidus.

Another possible tip about the granite. Go to or call your local Ikea and see about getting a price through them or if they can give you the name of their fabricator. Did that for our ensuite and they were the cheapest by far. Of course, your results may vary.

We had Giallo Veneziano in our previous house. We liked it very much.

Bring a sample piece of wood that matches your cabinet so you can see it with the granites you are looking at.
I think I prefer that one better myself. I'll let you know how it goes once we see it in person.

Thats exactly what my wife and I did when we went to choose our granite. Went in thinking we would go with absolut black and ended up with something similar to you choices called Lapidus.

Another possible tip about the granite. Go to or call your local Ikea and see about getting a price through them or if they can give you the name of their fabricator. Did that for our ensuite and they were the cheapest by far. Of course, your results may vary.

I never thought about Ikea. There is one about 5 min from my house. I'll give them a call and see what they say. Thanks for the tip.

EDIT -- I just called them and they are about the same price as HD (which is higher than my current deal). However, I did get the name of their fabricator and will call them tomorrow to see if I can get a better deal.

Local shops will usually be cheaper than HD or Lowes.

In my case, it was significant. Black Galaxy (a common, but pricey color), for instance, was about 30% cheaper.

Wet Bar Update…

I was able to get the wet bar cabinet moved up to the HT last night. A buddy of mine came over the help me out. Its unbelievable how much less it weighs without all the drawers and doors installed. It was a breeze moving it up and getting it installed.

Here it is ready for transport in the garage. The cutout on the left is for the plumbing. I plan to cut the holes for the electrical up in the room.
http://swithey.gotdns.org/swithey/ht/avs/WB-ReadyForTransport.JPG


Here is the empty wet bar area ready for the new cabinet. The tape is to mark the studs.
http://swithey.gotdns.org/swithey/ht/avs/WB-Empty.JPG


Finally, I have this sucker installed in the room. What a relief. I still need to attached the trim piece around the fridge (top and right side). I wanted to wait until it was installed so I could get a perfect fit. It looks nice against the absolute black granite floor.
http://swithey.gotdns.org/swithey/ht/avs/WB-Installed1.JPG

http://swithey.gotdns.org/swithey/ht/avs/WB-Installed2.JPG


I have the granite guy coming out this week to measure and give me a final price on the countertop. I should get the door hardware installed this week as well.

More soon :)

Looks great and what a deal on the drawer fridge. Can't wait to see it with hardware.

Were you originally planning on matching the counter to the floors?

Looks great and what a deal on the drawer fridge. Can't wait to see it with hardware.

Were you originally planning on matching the counter to the floors?
Yep, I got lucky on the that fridge! Yes, the plan was to match the floor with the counter top -- but the wife now likes the idea of a lighter counter top to brighten up the room a bit.

The upper cabinet doors will have glass inserts with glass shelves to add more light to the room as well. I'm working on that next!

Under cabinet lights too?

Under cabinet lights too?
Yes, definitely under cabinet lighting. I should have a render to show you guys soon. We're still working out the details.

Bar Sink Question..

Guys, I wanted to asked a quick question about deadening the undermount bar sink. The sink I plan to get is 18guage steel but have always thought that metal sinks sounded loud and hollow.

I considered the spray-on dampening products (even truck bed liner) but I heard the small is really strong. So, I’ve decided to go with a peel and stick product. I’ve known about Dynamat for years but eDead 80 (http://www.edesignaudio.com/product_info.php?cPath=1_24&products_id=786) looks like a great low-cost solution/alternative. It is self-sticking with no odor. I figure I’ll only need about 4sq/ft to cover the entire underside of the sink – total cost ~$20.

Has anyone tried a product like this for an application like mine? Is there something like this available locally I should consider?

I wonder if something like GreatStuff foam insulation would work well. It's obviously sticky initially, but I think would stay on well in the future as well. It'd be cheap ($5), and no smell once it dries. I'd use the window/door type.

Maybe try mass loaded vynil. I bought a 20 ft x 5 ft roll, but you wouldn't need that much. might be able to find it in smaller sizes. I think it is a bout 1 lb per square foot at 1/4" thickness.

I'd start with peel and stick options because removal is probably easier if it doesn't work.

You could also try bracing the sink with 2x4's to help deaden impact sound as well (or a combo of both).

Maybe Ted or Dennis can offer some input on decoupling a sink for better acoustic performance... :)

I wonder if something like GreatStuff foam insulation would work well. It's obviously sticky initially, but I think would stay on well in the future as well. It'd be cheap ($5), and no smell once it dries. I'd use the window/door type. Thanks Tim. My concern is that if you hit it with your hand or any under the sink item, it would crumble off. Also, It might not have the density I need to deaden. Now, if I put 3" of that stuff, we might be talk'n ;) However, I do like the $5 price tag!


Maybe try mass loaded vynil. I bought a 20 ft x 5 ft roll, but you wouldn't need that much. might be able to find it in smaller sizes. I think it is a bout 1 lb per square foot at 1/4" thickness. The stuff sounds like it could work but not sure where I could buy such a small amount. I wonder what kind of glue I would need to attach it to the sink bowl?


I'd start with peel and stick options because removal is probably easier if it doesn't work.

You could also try bracing the sink with 2x4's to help deaden impact sound as well (or a combo of both).

Maybe Ted or Dennis can offer some input on decoupling a sink for better acoustic performance... :) I like the idea of giving the peal-and-stick a try. I don't plan to beat it like a drum but wanted to attach this before I installed the plumbing and hot water tank. And you did make me LOL with the Acoustic Performance line :p Hmm, I'll just make the cabinet cavity into a large sub. Why not rattle some glasses and plates to add to the DBs in the room :D

Granite is being installed this afternoon. I'll take a few pics before and after to show everyone. We decided on the Giallo Veneziano.

Here is a pic of it at the installers lot. This remnant is nearly the exact size we needed. The small square in the corner is the absolute black granite floor tile and the wood is the cabinet color. I think it's going to look great.

http://swithey.gotdns.org/swithey/ht/avs/WB-RawGranite.JPG

More soon :)