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The "I hope this works" Home Theater

72K views 349 replies 68 participants last post by  RTROSE 
#1 ·
First off I would like to send a huge thank you to everyone that has contributed to this forum. If it wasn't for all of you, I would have built a Home Theater with a bed sheet, slide projector and some old kitchen chairs and called it a day. I have learned more in the last couple months than I could ever hope for. I feel like I am building a decent theater (not great, but decent), I just hope it comes out like I plan. Long story short....I started planning my unfinished basement about 2 years ago and settled on a design last July and started framing. This is completely DIY so I try and work on it when I can. After finding this forum I decided that I needed to stop for a while and plan accordingly for a Home Theater. This is where I start off:

Finishing off a 2,100 sq ft basement

Bar, TV area, Storage/Workroom, Workout Room, Kids Area, and Home Theater

Currently framed and some electrical run

Home Theater is 12.5' x 23' open to the basement

Two rows of seats with a riser with bar stools behind

1080p Projector with 11'w 2.35 screen (SMX) and lens

Star Ceiling

Not sure of all my equipment yet I am getting there


I will post some pictures of current basement framing along with my master plans and update when I can. Your feedback is always appreciated. Thanks again for opening my eyes to the joy of Home Theaters...I am addicted.
 
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#2 ·
Another victim, cough cough I mean AVS theater builder
Welcome! Be sure to post plenty of pics. Has anyone else noticed the number of scope screen installs seems to be rising quite a bit lately? Pretty soon having a scope screen will be the norm, and we will have to find something even more exotic... Fun!
 
#3 ·
I started thinking I was going to put in a 50" Plasma but before long I discovered Scope and away we went!
 
#4 ·
Ok here is the current basement plan. This was version #832 and it finally got the wife approval. She asked the other day if we could watch regular TV in the HT. Silly woman.
 
#5 ·
Looks like a cool place to drink with a bunch of buddies while watching a football game



Wished we had basemants down here..
 
#6 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by danieloneil01 /forum/post/0


Looks like a cool place to drink with a bunch of buddies while watching a football game



Wished we had basemants down here..


Without a basement I would be lost. Where would I store all my junk?
 
#9 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by David Ferguson /forum/post/0


Looking at your plan -- where will you store all your junk? The storage room is smaller than the theater... Oh, is the "fitness" room destined for future junk storage?


There is actually a support pole just to the left of the Fitness room entrance which I did not want to deal with in the HT so I put it in a wall. No way was I going to get ambitous and move the pole. My luck I would have brought the whole house down. I think my exercise equipment can be officailly classified as junk seein as I haven't used it in months.
 
#11 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by David F /forum/post/0


Is there going to be a rail or something behind the barstools on the riser? You don't want people tumbling off backward after a couple of drinks in the dark.

Good point. I will have to look into that. Knowing my friends it is pretty likely.
 
#12 ·
I think you may want to do a little bit more to scale modeling of the seating and seating heights. I don't see much leg room for the second row.


I'm not sure you'll need a 10 inch riser and you may not need to elevate the bar stools. It all depends on how low the screen will be and how far back your rows will end up.


Here are some great pics of Buffbakers 2 rows with stools and you will notice that the stools are not elevated, so no need for a railing.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...ghlight=heynow
 
#13 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by BIGmouthinDC /forum/post/0


I think you may want to do a little bit more to scale modeling of the seating and seating heights. I don't see much leg room for the second row.


I'm not sure you'll need a 10 inch riser and you may not need to elevate the bar stools. It all depends on how low the screen will be and how far back your rows will end up.


Here are some great pics of Buffbakers 2 rows with stools and you will notice that the stools are not elevated, so no need for a railing.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...ghlight=heynow


Yep my scale drawing is not too accurate. Eye distance will be 11' and 17' and according to my riser calculator I need 12" riser if the people in the back are 36" eye height. Buffbakers setup is exactly what I want so thanks for the link. Great point about the bar stool row and not having it on a riser. Maybe I should get a bar stool and test this out. Pictures are coming.
 
#14 ·
View of the bar



Entrance to the Fitness area



View of the Home Theater space. Notice the sweet couches and my weak screen mockup.



From a different angle. Outside blue tape is the actual width (or at least close to the actual)



View from the HT to the rest of the basement



Looking at the bar. Bought a fridge last weekend and wired the circuit so now I can move beer out of the garage. Still more workout stuff out of place.



Anyone need a nasty mattress?
 
#15 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by yaj123 /forum/post/0


View of the bar

Greetings from a *reformed* Michigander!


It looks like you have a lot of room to create with. I do miss those BIG basements back there.


But Dude! You have to get the excercise equipment away from the bar. Guilt is such a buzz kill



Good luck, post a lot of pictures, and I'm more people than you would believe will be watching your project with great interest.
 
#16 ·
Thanks Pat!


I want to be a reformed Michigander as well, want to trade states?
 
#17 ·
Sorry, once you learn to love these blizzards, avalanches, rockslides, flash floods, the lightning, hailstorms, wildfires, and coyotes eating your cat, there is just no going back!
 
#19 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by BIGmouthinDC /forum/post/0


Bar stool seat height is 30 inches for planning purposes

Thanks bigmouth! Have you heard about anyone with an open back wall (or lack of wall) and where they put their rear speakers? I am thinking that I would ceiling mount and aim down on an angle but not entirely sure.
 
#20 ·
I have an open back design with a back bar. Here is shot to give you an idea.

still don't have the counter top.




I took the Audax home theater kit and modified the surrounds using an angled baffle design inspired by the one that Triad makes for the rears




Then I covered it with fabric and it blends in with the trim that we put on the ceiling to add a little interest to the otherwise drab ceiling.




Here is the link for the Triad angled ceiling speaker example:

http://www.triadspeakers.com/products/icg6o.html
 
#21 ·
BigMouth - Great photos! Your place is looking great. Definately what to do a similar back bar layout as yours. Thanks for the speaker suggestion. That is a great idea. I only worry that I am not nearly ambitious and may just use ceiling mounts and angle towards the seats. Can't wait to see your finished theater.
 
#22 ·
OK so got some things done this weekend. Finally got the fitness room lights wired to the circuit...


...nothing caught on fire. Then I started plumbing with my brother in law and newphew. My first time with plumbing so cut me some slack, I know it is not pretty but no leaks....anymore.


This is where it enters into the base cabinet. Still need to work on supports and stuff but fine for now.


Great work where we tapped in...actually the burn marks are from the ORIGINAL plumbing when the house was built 4 years ago.






The carnage from trying to fix a leak after pressurizing the lines.


After 2 hours we just heated it up, pulled apart the leaking joint, cleaned it up and redid it.

This weekend is my sons 3rd birthday so Saturday is lost and Sunday I have to go into work to get ready for some clients coming in town so probably not much going to happen until next week. Oh yeah, one last artistic picture...


...I call it "code violation". Not thinking, I ran a couple wires on an angle through the walls. Easy fix. Trying to do everything to code (or close to it).
 
#24 ·
Matt,


Not sure about the equipment choices yet. They will be based on my budget (which I haven't set yet) so most likely I will have a flashlight and SlideMaster as a projector, some rockin' speakers I got from a Craig radio I bought in '84 and a few lawn chairs. Seriously I hope to do the following:


Sony 1080p projector

2 rows of 3 Coster Seats

Axiom Speakers and sub

Not sure on a receiver yet

power cleaner

Blue Ray DVD Player

PS3


I am sure it will change 47 times until I am ready to buy it all but its kind of a wish list.


Where do you live in Macomb? I am near 21 and Romeo Plank. Would love to stop by and see the progress you have made some day. I hope to have mine finished by September but have a busy summer coming up so not sure if that is going to happen.


Jay
 
#25 ·
Jay,


I've changed my equipment choices many times, I was also going with the Axiom speakers at first but then switched over to Klipsch Reference Line after hearing them (the Axiom are great speakers, I just liked the sound of the Klipsch horns). I'm also going to try and go the DIY route on the sub, at first I was going to pre-order the new SVS Ultra in May but changed my mind after stumbling on to the DIY speaker thread.


As far as were I live, I'm just over at 23 Mile and Card not even three miles away. I'd be more then happy to have you over, we could exchange ideas.
 
#26 ·
Ok, plumbing is done. Next I am finishing electrical this weekend and then on to the speaker and other wiring. My thoughts are that I would run speaker wire to each general speaker location (7.1 setup) but I am confused on what I should run for the future? What should I run for my sub? I am planning on a single sub for right now but would like to add a second some day. What about cat5e and should I run any of that for a media PC? My brain hurts. I swear if I finish this thing by Christmas it will be a miracle.
 
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