Now that your loved ones know you have an addiction, you are easy to shop for. Well maybe not always. What are you keeping, what are you returning?

I'm keeping the Sling Box Solo.

My wife is keeping the Wii (it was on her list) One more reason to build a stage, you can set the sensor bar on it!

I'm returning the 42 disk Ultimate James Bond Collection.

Some of our family is in until tomorrow. We have delayed opening ours until then.

Harmony 880

Wii

various theater decore, centering mostly around a freakishly eerie rendition of a hotdog in various clothing and poses

"... let's all go to the lobby..."

But alas, they're all keepers :)

Wife got a new Panasonic DMZ-TZ3 digital camera which i'm using to take these pics...

kids got their bikes and Mario Galaxy for their Wii...

http://www.bsnystudios.com/videos/wiiroom2.jpg

Dad got some accessories for his theater... they're all keepers!:)

http://www.bsnystudios.com/videos/xmasgifts.jpg

Addiction? nawwwwww!

I thought the "Dedicated" part of Theater Design & Construction was a descriptor for the person, not the space :D

HT-related Loot:

From those who love me (and know me):

Keepers:
Harry Potter HDVDs (#2 & #3)
DeWalt Jigsaw
Various hand saws
Torpedo Level
Screwdrivers galore!

From well-intended acquaintance:
(not so much a keeper)
"cart' style tabletop hot air popper...

But we got the kids a 360 Elite, and they might let me play in the theater later on tonight if I promise to clean my room :rolleyes:

Some gifts I received earlier than others, I'm keeping them all tbh..

New Nevo color LCD remote

Matrix trilogy in HD-DVD WOOT! Big and loud TrueHD ftw.

"I think they're trying to save him...


Nooo....."


http://img176.imageshack.us/img176/1962/dsc00252se8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

All the Harry Potters

The Bourne series(sooo good)

Re-chargable battery pack for my Xbox 360 controllers(excellent)

Fabric for my acoustic panels. Yay more work.

Pretty good haul this x-mas.

Winter is here and it's time to log some serious HT hours.

Lost season III on Bluray, a definite keeper :)

And a $75 gift card for more high definition media.

Keeping the tools that Santa brought as well as the milkshake machine! Also keeping the old style fountain soda cups too.

Not returning anything this year actually. Santa was listening carefully this year :D.

Keeping the Butt Kicker's set up, thanks Santa. Need to thank my Wife also.

Wife got a new Panasonic DMZ-TZ3 digital camera which i'm using to take these pics...

kids got their bikes and Mario Galaxy for their Wii...

http://www.bsnystudios.com/videos/wiiroom2.jpg

Dad got some accessories for his theater... they're all keepers!:)

http://www.bsnystudios.com/videos/xmasgifts.jpg

I got that same clock and the 4x6 photo frame also. Great girls must think alike:)

also got a hd a2 with clears II and Italian Job and Blood diamond

planet earth and bourne ultimatium on HD.

$50 in best buy gift cards will go towards the matrix box set in HD.

now i just need my darn basement to get finished! :)

later.

I got that same clock and the 4x6 photo frame also. Great girls must think alike:)
http://lh5.google.com/videocam/R3HZ1yuQQBI/AAAAAAAAA8Q/Dm4mk-Z6sEo/S5001673.JPG?imgmax=512

My fiancee must be a "great girl" :D I got the clapboard and the clock as well!
Keepers! The presents and the girl!

She is also going to pitch in half for a Playstation 3 ... I have about $80 in Reward Zone certificates to use up and I also got a $25 best buy gift card at work! So looks like I'm getting a pretty good deal on a PS3!

I wish we had IKEA in the area... the filmstrip photo frames rock.

GE microwave for the snack area. Model JES1358

24 (show) seasons 1,2,6 - complete now
Castaway - my favorite film

Snoopy & #1 movie buff ornaments

Lexmark Z1300 printer

I soaked a sign (came from a place I used to work no less) in hot water and removed the vinyl. I will do that myself as that is non returnable but I can use the sign backing and laminate my own.

I wasn't quick enough to get a back lit one setup since I was busy making other designs and the room wasn't ready for a sign. Wasn't the look I was going for...asked not to get one. I printed one in Photoshop that I was more content with to go with the official naming of the theater. Folks happy. The HP gift set was an early birthday gift.

Movies -
Transformers (HD-DVD)
Ratatoule (Blu-Ray & Spelling?)
Pixar Short films Collection (blu-ray)

Build related -
a bench lamp with a snake-like section for aiming that clamps with an LED light. - thinking about mounting this on the back of my rack.
a magnetic tray for tools and screws (put them on the tray and they don't roll away)
a clamp that has a piece of fabric that wraps around things (might be good for my frames if I can ever get my beveling done)
A package of a ton of pliers, most of which I had. Might be the only return. Then again. . .

Accessory -
Charge two PS3 controllers at once flying saucer (basically a circle with two mini usb ports that you can park two controllers on).

Decor -
A framed "Hudson Hawk" movie poster (a personal favorite and guilty pleasure), totally unexpected and a great choice. Purists will hate when I pair it with a Lawrence of Arabia poster.
http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u129/dc_pilgrim/1845661010A.jpg

A joyous christmas indeed.

My wife is keeping the Wii (it was on her list) One more reason to build a stage, you can set the sensor bar on it!

Big, they make a wireless sensor bar, but sure you knew that. I built a little shelf out or hardboard and painted it black (I'll have to post a picture tonight). The Carada Criterion series has a beveled edge, so the sensor bar won't stay on. The Carada Precision series has a flat edge and the sensor bar sits on it nicely.

You could also put it behind your GOM I bet and move it higher off the ground.

Bud

All keepers. :)

Close Encounter Blu-ray
An original, authentic, massive, framed, bigger than life "Good the Bad, and the Ugly" playbill. This one has to be worth several hundred bucks. An amazing large, wood, finely finished frame on the one.

A couple of very large, framed playbill prints. One of "Up in Smoke" and the other of "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas".

Then 5 more normal sized, framed prints" 17"x23"-ish.....
It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World.
Wizard of Oz
Brams Strokers Dracula
Close Encounter of the Third Kind
Lawrence of Arabia

I got the same ornament as SteveMo, a popcorn machine and two sets of popcorn bowls. My favorite is a 6 month subscription to Blockbuster's movie service. All are keepers.

What I'd like to return is the Grinch that convinced my wife that we don't need an Xbox 360. She considered a Wii which everyone else would enjoy but rejected the Xbox immediately as being too expensive & frivolous.

Too expensive & frivolous??? This *is* a home theater, isn't it? I thought that was the point.

Too expensive & frivolous??? This *is* a home theater, isn't it? I thought that was the point.

hehehe...so true.

My wife and I got a Panasonic AE2000 projector for each other back in November, and counted that as our present to each other.

I'm keeping the Harmony 880 remote I got LAST Christmas, and now can finally use since the theater is finally done.

I'm keeping the air compressor I got. Boy that would have been nice to have before I finished the theater build.

I'm definitely keeping the Wii we got for our kids. I bought it almost 3 months ago. Damn it was hard to keep it in the box until Christmas. Hooked it up in the theater using the Nextronics wireless sensor bar from http://www.videogamebundle.com and it works great. The kids played it all day.

Hopefully today at our second Christmas gathering I'll get a UPS/Power Condition to protect all my equipment.

Guy

I got an elite cinetension 2 screen from Santa, but it appears it's going back to elite with a defective motor =(.

My Wii mount:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=12590789#post12590789

All Keepers:

HD DVDs: Transformers & Top Gun (T.G. for my Birthday today)
Tools: Craftsman 5 1/4" 19.2v circular trim saw - perfect for stage building ;)
Gift Cards: Sears & Bestbuy (more tools and HD movies)
Cash (either more movies or 500GB hard drive for the HTPC)

Yep, Santa checked my list twice :D

I must have the wireless sensor bar that rocks :) Thanks for the link Digital Man

Ummmmm.... a belt and a few shirts from the parents.....

Inlaws funded me for some HD media when I buy a player.


Nonetheless, just found an antique (metal) gumball machine with stand for $25 at dillards for the theater. It was half price - after christmas sale. Lowest online price for the same was over $50 plus shipping.

db

XMas around here is mainly for the kids, so we don't do much gift exchanging.

I did manage to get and 5-1 HDMI switcher, an ethernet switch, an 880 remote, a $75 BB gift card and a check for $100 from various relatives. All keepers.

Some gift cards for the local media emporium which will be going towards the Bourne Collection and a copy of the Avia 2 calibration disc when they decide to start selling it in the new year. As a bit of a running gag, my mom has always added a copy of the year's recently-released Pirates of the Caribbean special edition to my gift which is really sweet.

Also some Big Orange cards which I spent yesterday on a 2HP Ryobi plunge router and a couple of bits (straight cut and roundover). Hello stage and DIY equipment rack!

Best gift ever? Folks chipped in enough for my wife and I to hire pros to wrap up the ongoing renovation of our upstairs master bedroom and bath so I could concentrate on finishing the basement and the HT. I almost burst into tears.

Best gift ever? Folks chipped in enough for my wife and I to hire pros to wrap up the ongoing renovation of our upstairs master bedroom and bath so I could concentrate on finishing the basement and the HT. I almost burst into tears.

Definately a keeper ther snowkarver...

Cash, Ryobi router and table set (also getting busy on my stage, and other HT related projects). Other than that it was non HT related gifts, watch (needed for a long time), A rotating tie organizer for the day job, some shirts and ties. Still all keepers:).

Harry Potter 1-5 on HD DVD
Slippers

The Tosh HD-A2 was my early present.

I'm keeping the PS3! I've only watched one movie in Blu-ray (Blade Runner) and I'm hooked!

Gary

How did blade runner look in bluray mine came in the mail today but I do not want to put it in or I will watch the whole movie :p I want to wait and watch it in the HT