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And So It Begins....

41K views 170 replies 47 participants last post by  aham23 
#1 ·
I think?



We are in the process of getting quotes to finish our basement. It has been a long time dream for both me and the wife to have a dedicated HT. Due to the usual suspects, dollar bills, it will not be the over the top themed theater of our dreams. We are going for more of a casual room, but with front projection and 110'' screen it will get us by
.


This is the area dedicated for the HT. It will be 20x12x7.5 when finished. The screen wall will run left to right at the support pole. The area behind the screen wall is set for an unfinised storage.




This looks towards the back of the HT. There will be two openings, no doors, at the front and end of the stairs to help keep the basement open. The HVAC is an obvious issue and will have to be moved and snugged up against the stairs to make for a tight soffit.




The initial layout for the entire basement as drawn up by our contractor. It a big space, 1400 total sq feet with 1100 planned to be finished.




I plan to layout the HT area for the contractor and have him put things were I need them. I will do the pre wire, PVC runs for future proofing, and install the equipment. I can not stop reading AVS!!!


I have no equipment for the HT at this time. I am currently trying to figure out speaker placement. It will be 5.1 and I want a clean look for the setup. i would prefer no stands or speakers on the floor. I was thinking in-wall/ceiling speakers, but not sure now. Maybe just hang hand them on the wall. Maybe I could have them behind the screen? Not sure.


Anyway, thanks for looking and I welcome all suggestions. Later.

edit: added links for final (for now as of 5/16
) pics and slideshow.


Complete Pictures

Slide Show
 
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#2 ·
110" inch screen -- is that going to be on the 12' wall? If so, that will be very tight for speakers...unless of course your speakers are going behind the screen.


I have a 100" screen on a 12 foot wall and only have about 20" on each side. Not ideal for L&R speakers as they are probably a little to close to the wall, but it works okay.


Just something to think about.
 
#3 ·
^^^^ i would like to consider going behind the screen but do not think that is in the budget. well, i actually do not know what it would take to put the speakers behind the screen. any ideas?


the wall should be 13' feet when finished and my 106'' screen hope is just that, hope. i will wait to purchase the screen until the walls and projector are up. keep the tips and commments coming.


later.
 
#5 ·
How high is your unfinished ceiling? How high will the bottom of the soffit be? My basement is a bit different layout but the area I used for my theater room is similar. The soffit in my room has about 7' clearance so it's fine for a walkway down the side of the room, unless your over 7' tall.



Is there a cold air return near your furnace/AC? If so how loud is it when the furnace, or A/C is on? You might want to see if you can minimize the noise from it now while everything is open. I just noticed the unit is right there, and that is the primary problem I have with my theater... Trust me there's not much you can do after the fact.


I have in-wall Polk Audio speakers for my surrounds and they are great. I had a pair of decent sized book shelf speakers hanging on the wall but we would bump them every time we walked by. I would recommend going with in-wall's for the surrounds. I even painted the grills to match the wall so most people don't even notice them, until they hear them.
 
#6 ·
the HVAC you see running cross the floor joist and the length of the room has been earmarked to be moved. well, the goal is to snug it up next to the steps to minimize the soffit. i may even try the flex duct stuff?? i should have 7'' of clearance, but at 6'3'' i still might duck!


i do plan to tape all the duct joints then line the ones in and around the theater with duct wrap to limit the noise.


thanks for the speak tips. i think with the door right there that in-wall would be the best. it will get them up out of the way and give me that clean look. not sure if i should put the rears in the ceiling or on the wall though. the right rear would be under the soffit if mounted on the wall.


so much to consider.


later.
 
#7 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by aham23 /forum/post/12162537


^^^^ i would like to consider going behind the screen but do not think that is in the budget. well, i actually do not know what it would take to put the speakers behind the screen. any ideas?

I did a DIY accoustically transparent screen with inwalls behind the screen. Building the screen was less than $100. We're very happy with it.


Shoot me a PM if you want to see it in person-- I'm out in the Fox Valley (Aurora/Naperville).
 
#8 ·
GreySkies you are a hop skip and jump away from me. i am in plainfield and may have to take you up on that offer.


we have decided on a contractor, but he cant start until mid december. his work and his price dictate we will wait. plus the mess in the basment still needs to be cleaned up.


i know this is a big no no, but this past week i picked up a couple of my components. i got the Denon AVR 2808ci from 6th ave and Toshiba A3 with 10 free HD DVD movies from Amazon. the deals were just too good.


i will totally wait on the PJ and screen purchase. at least until the framing is done. i am looking at the sanyo z5, sony aw15, and maybe the 1080p sanyo z2000. screen wise i am leaning towards a carada 106''.


sure i am crazy, i mean the project hasnt even started. later.
 
#9 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by sivartk /forum/post/12162184


110" inch screen -- is that going to be on the 12' wall? If so, that will be very tight for speakers...unless of course your speakers are going behind the screen.


I have a 100" screen on a 12 foot wall and only have about 20" on each side. Not ideal for L&R speakers as they are probably a little to close to the wall, but it works okay.


Just something to think about.

Actually a 100" screen only has a width of 87", so on your 12 foot wall, you should have 28.5" on each side.


The 110" screen he's planning is 96" wide and will leave him 30" on each side (based on his 13' estimate). That should be plenty of space.
 
#10 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by aham23 /forum/post/12254547


GreySkies you are a hop skip and jump away from me. i am in plainfield and may have to take you up on that offer.


we have decided on a contractor, but he cant start until mid december. his work and his price dictate we will wait. plus the mess in the basment still needs to be cleaned up.


i know this is a big no no, but this past week i picked up a couple of my components. i got the Denon AVR 2808ci from 6th ave and Toshiba A3 with 10 free HD DVD movies from Amazon. the deals were just too good.


i will totally wait on the PJ and screen purchase. at least until the framing is done. i am looking at the sanyo z5, sony aw15, and maybe the 1080p sanyo z2000. screen wise i am leaning towards a carada 106''.


sure i am crazy, i mean the project hasnt even started. later.

I'm just off 30 at the far Southern end of Eola, so we're really close. The deals on the A3 have been pretty insane-- I just picked one up a couple of weeks ago during the WalMart/Best Buy deal weekend. Next is a new receiver to go with it-- that Denon 2808 is one of the boxes on my list-- it looks like a good match to the A3.
 
#11 ·
Your plan looks good, however if you are planning on all those recessed lights, you're going to hear everything upstairs. May want to consider wall sconses in the theater or surface mounted lights. We have used in the past for inexpensive soundproofing ideas. May want to also look at Green Glue.
 
#12 ·
^^^^ great tip AND we did that. we are going with 5 or 7 wall sconces in the room. the plan pictured was actually the first one and not the contractor we are choosing. the rest pretty much is the same though. i just wish they could start already!!
 
#13 ·
no construction yet. we do have contractor selected and start date though. AND i just couldnt wait any longer to make a couple HT purchases.




later.
 
#14 ·
so, still no actual construction work, but i have two pieces of equipment and this monster arrived today. it barely made it into the basement and there was no way it would have fit once it was finished.




construction is set to start 12/17!! i am guessing after a glass, or two, of wine we will end up in the basement on the sofa pretend watching HD DVD
!


later.
 
#15 ·
A few months ago I noticed theatre chairs on the side of the road at an AMC theatre in Federal Way, WA, ready to be thrown in WM containers.

I ask one of the guys if i could have some (sets) he told mee "go ahead but you have to remove them from inside the building yourselves.

I retrieved 8 chairs intact, not a scratch on them and i just finished mounting them on stages.

take a look at the result halfway. I am now mounting the rumblers and after that I will finish the garage floor and the curtain that goes behind it.

I will finish it off with fishnet leds against the ceiling..

sorry for the dirty pics, i discovered afterwards that my camera lens had dust all over it.


Looks good considering the exorbitant costs of about $300 don't you think?

(that's for the paint, wood, hardware=screws, nuts and bolts, cleaning materials, screen made out of black out cloth etc...). Another $100 will be for the garage floor and it will be finished.


Jean-Pierre

 
#16 ·
^^^^ very cool chairs for that authentic look and feel. nice buy. later.
 
#17 ·
monoprice.com delievers. i still need two 20' HDMI cables from them, but those have been backordered for weeks.




later.
 
#18 ·
remember all that crap, er, my wifes keepsakes.


looking from the back of the HT. that will be our unfinished storage area. the screen wall will run in front of the "keepsakes."




this looks back on the opposite side towards the will be playroom. this is about as clean as i can get this place. where did all this stuff come from anyway?




the exercise nook.




one week until construction starts. i can barely stand the wait.
later.
 
#19 ·
ordered my sub last night, eD a3-300. constuction starting in TWO days. yeah for me.


later.
 
#25 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by dondosae1 /forum/post/12520853


It'll be a long journey...but WELL worth it! Your "long" room is just like mine, which I am just about finished with. Took me over 2 years on and off. I am so excited as all I really have left is the decorating.


Best of luck!

i have a contractor doing the bulk of the work so we are looking at 8 weeks or so. i have no talent when it comes to building things.


Quote:
Originally Posted by cuzed2 /forum/post/12523473


aham23,


That stack of 2x4's is where I was in June. How many are in that stack (by the time I finished my framinig > I was at about 270 2x4's, and still counting)


Now the fun begins - keep those photos coming our way!


Craig

enough to frame up some 1200 sq feet, which is a lot me thinks.


later.
 
#26 ·
i just couldnt help myself and had to mock up a screen.




a look towards the front entrance.




looking towards the rear of the HT




the equipment rack will be in wall in this closet.




looking towards the playroom. a knee wall will run between the pole and wall where the board lays on the floor.




exercise nook? who is going to have time to workout?





next up is the holidays, meaning no work for a while. then moving the HVAC ducts in the HT and finishing up framing.


later.
 
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