New house, new HT build, but going to take a while

I am happy to be your first post! I have been working on finishing my entire basement for over 5 years. I have fianlly started dedicating my efforts specifically on the theater. Hang in there...it is a long journey but very rewarding. I have done all the work myself (I am not a trades person) and get a great feeling of accomplishment.

20' x 30' is a great amount of space for a theater. You can do a good 2.35 : 1 with that width.

I also have a small area set up for an arcade, mostly pinball machines and a couple of stand-up video games...but an arcade none-the-less!

Looking forward to progress pictures...

Dave

Hopefully you have a projector and screen set up somewhere to use while your multi-year project goes forward.

Remember that Theater in the Home is first a visual experience and second much enhanced with surround sound.

All the rest is very nice to look at and stroke yourself about but when the lights go down and the screen lights up one realizes that all that other stuff - marqee, or lobby area or concession stand or popcorn machine and stage and funny/fancy lighting and posters and on and on and on is just eyewash that has not a thing to do with the HT viewing experience.

So if you already have a PJ and screen waiting to be installed in your one day it will be finished theater area then forgive me. However, if you don't have a PJ and screen then get your priorities squared away and make a projector and screen the first things you buy so you and your family can start going "WOW, this is just like being at the movies"!!!

To get the WOW in our house in our multi-purpose space I put the PJ on a shelf facing the fixed screen I mounted on opposing wall and as far as we are concerned Home Theater began at that moment.

Nothing fancy needed for the arcade area. Make sure you invest more in the games than in the eyewash (decorations). Much better to have pins like LOTR or Twilight Zone or Monster Bash than a spiffy room with lower level games. Our advice is get the stuff that matters first so the enjoyment can begin NOW and build out the rest over that looooong two years - substance first and eye candy when you get around to it.
goodluck

A couple notes on HVAC -

If you are going for a mini split (or ducted system), you'll probably want to have your framing further along before you install. It would be good to know where the screen and other bits are going. It may turn out that you want the unit(s) where there is currently only a concrete wall. You may also decide to add an extra room or two (such as a bathroom) that you want cooled/heated as well.

This is also true if you decide to go for a ducted system (which is what we did). After the framing was mostly done, they came in and ran the duct work and put the equipment in place. After the drywall was done they came back and hooked everything up and installed the registers.

We decided to go for a ducted unit since we had a fairly large space and a 1/2 bath away from where the mini split would have gone. Our HVAC guys thought that the bathroom might not get enough conditioned air.

Very nice!! Did you own an arcade or obsessed? Either way thats great.

Looking Good! you have to love that Gyruss Machine, one of my favorites.