AVS Forum banner

Ed's Build Thread

19K views 146 replies 23 participants last post by  Iusteve 
#1 ·
I've been working on my HT for a few years now. Not sure why I never started an official thread. No particular reason it has taken this long I guess. But recently I have been motivated to finish it up. Pretty sure it will be done by end of year or very close to it. I have done everything myself. When we bought our house it had 1300sqf completely unfinished. That was of the deciding factors to buy it. The basement now has a large bar area with pool table, full bath, bedroom and storage area. I originally did not plan for an HT room so the room has a few odd areas that had I planned for I could have avoided.


I'll go back and grab some old photos and post my current progress until finished. Right now I am pulling up pillars and finishing stage.


More to come.
 
#2 ·
This photo is of the stage as originally planned and built.

 
#3 ·
My screen is just a DIY blackout setup for now. With recent build activity and enough progress to host a night of Rock Band on a temporary projector I realized I wanted a bigger screen size. So I decided to change the stage set up and make it simpler.


Daughter helped me rip out the sides. Two photos show original idea. One photo of the new area to allow for a larger screen. I will go from 92" to 110" screen.


If you are wondering why the stage is sort of resessed into the room it is because of a cross beam. Also room was not originally built with HT in mind.





 
#4 ·
Here is a shot look back. Picked up the theater seats off bay a couple of years ago. I think I paid $45 for each seat. Hell of a deal! After I mounted them I realized that they were actually really comfortable. I will put either a two or three theater seat setup in front of the rear riser.


You can see the component closet to the left. Only one small window in the room so I have complete con toll over any light coming into the room.


Just last week I decided to go full material on the walls so the blue was a waste of paint. I have flip flopped on full material and only bottom half material a few times now. I have the material already. I'll grab a photo of the material next.

 
#5 ·
Last weekend I started painting the ceiling. Right now I have 2 coats on and one gray primer coat. I will do one more coat of the black. It was after painting the ceiling that I changed my mind (again) on the blue upper walls and went back to full material.

 
#6 ·
Here is my material. It is not GOM as you can tell. I ordered it online a few years ago from Dazian. It is fire resistant. I can't remember the name of the fabric now. It has a slight stretch to it so I will work fine to stretch and staple. I changed to the blue upper walls since my wife did not like the maroon color. But after putting on the blue on I was able to pursued her back the the maroon. I will do the gray at the bottom and maroon top.


img] http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5005/5252538274_228596165c.jpg[/img ]
 
#7 ·
Here is a photo of a test stretch on the stage. Sides will get the same treatment. It is actually speaker cloth.

[
 
#8 ·
Build columns last weekend. Had HD make all the long cuts for me. Saved some time and mess. Just yesterday I bought sconces. Picked these up for under $18 each. Bought 4 and need to get two more.









 
#9 ·
I don't know the size of your room, but that screen is not much larger than my 65" rear projection TV. If you have the length, won't you want to bring the screen out to the bump out level on a false wall so you can have a much wider screen, of course, this means you need a AT screen. Theater looks pretty nice.
 
#10 ·
The screen now is 93" diagonal. Adjusting the stage like i did will let me go up to 110" diagonal with speakers on the sides. The room is about 13 x 19. The stage height is about 73" tall I think. I think I could go 120" if I put the speakers I have now under the screen.


But an AT screen would be great. Just can't afford it. I think last time I looked a 110 AT is about 5k isn't it?


Are there any alternative material for cheap AT screens?
 
#11 ·
If you buy AT screen material and make the screen yourself, it won't cost you that much, probably around $350 I think.
 
#12 ·
Really? I would build myself for sure. Where can you get AT screen material by the yard? I have only seem fully built screens when I looked I guess. Please share link. This would allow me to go with 120" for sure.


Thanks.
 
#13 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by edmove /forum/post/19632943


Really? I would build myself for sure. Where can you get AT screen material by the yard? I have only seem fully built screens when I looked I guess. Please share link. This would allow me to go with 120" for sure.


Thanks.

+1


Definitely interested in a DIY AT screen option for a reasonable price. Cost has been the main if not the only reason I have (to this point)ruled out going AT
 
#14 ·
#15 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by theWalkinator
SeymourAV Center Stage XD fabric, scroll down and you will see DIY fabric section, they sell it by liner feet:
http://www.seymourav.com/store.asp


Phifer Sheerweave 4500 Chalk color, similar to Center Stage material, sold by yard:
http://www.interiormall.com/cat/nsam...=113044&t=2182
Thanks for the links. I am going to go this rout for sure. Looks like another stage change will be needed!
 
#16 ·
Tonight's progress consisted of running speaker wire for my rear 4 speakers. I am using 6.5s from Monoprice for my rears. I have a set of their speakers plus a center in the bar area and have been pretty happy with them. Unfortunately 2 of the four had defective crossovers. Sucks since I wanted to mount all 4 this weekend. I submitted a replacement request yesterday and already have a RMA on them. Hoping I get them back before next weekend.


I also ran electrical for the sconces. I have 3 of the 6 lights wired and hooked up. I need to pick up 2 more sconces still. Very happy with the light they are producing with just three of them. 60w bulbs in them now. Pretty sure I'll drop down to 40w. Only other light in the room will be something on the screen for effect.


Still need to mount columns to the wall. Oh, and flood lights can be removed now.


Here is a quick photo of the three lights. The projector is just a temp one to keep the boy happy during the build.

 
#17 ·
Just making notes of a couple things I would have done different for later reference.


1. Door opening out of room instead of into room.


2. Should have made room a perfect rectangle. Even if this meant smaller room size. My room is current not and it is causing me angst on setting up my columns. My stage is not the same width as the back of my room. This causes my rear speakers to be centered differently than my front. Maybe I am making this a bigger deal than. I should but it is bugging me.


3. Instead of facing towards the area of my room that is smaller due to crossbeam I would have faced the opposite direction. This would require door to be moved from current location.


Mockup better illustrates what I have listed above.


That's about it for now.

 
#18 ·
Getting ready to put material on my walls this weekend. Maroon top and gray bottom. I am debating if I want to go beveled edges at the middle where the colors meet or flat with trim hiding the stables. I guess I could do straight as well and hide the staples but not sure I have see that done or noticed it that way before.


Looking at the photo gallery now for examples. Looking for what others have done with material top and bottom at the middle. Let me see your links to photos if you got them.


Thanks.
 
#19 ·
Great stuff Ed, keep the updates/pics coming.


Are those Monoprice speakers in the columns? Have you hooked them up yet and if so, how do you like them? I'm planning on putting four of those in our dining room walls and would love to hear thoughts on build and sound quality.


Chris
 
#21 ·
Chris, those are the Monoprice speakers. I have a pair of the 8" in walls in my bar area along with one of their centers. In the bar that setup sounds great. I went with the 6.5 60w/110 max for the rear speakers in the theater room. I have Polks in the front and center that I had for a good number of years.


I don't have all the Monoprice rear speakers up just yet. Unfortunately of the 4 speakers 2 of them had bad crossovers. They had another set out to me in 48 hours. Waiting on them now. As soon as I get them in the columns and can do some listening I'll follow up. For the money they can't really be beat.


More to come.
 
#22 ·
Just a single photo tonight. Started the projector box. Nothing too special or elaborate is planned. I managed to get the box mounted to the 2x2 in the photo. I will prime and paint flat black. Until I order my new projector I won't do much else to it for now.


Tonight I also bought material to build my component rack. I am going with a shelving system from Lowel's. I will have to cut and paint shelves for it. I am trying to do something similar to another forum member. See the attached photo. That is what am will try to accomplish. More to come on the rack over the weekend.


I'll get a few photos tomorrow night of the box.


 
#23 ·
good build. Gotta love all the DIY work that is going on. Can't wait to see it when it's finished.
 
#24 ·
I was searching Google today for AT screen DIY builds and came across this fantastic idea. Posting here so I can come back to it when I get ready to build my screen. The screen photos start at post #90. I really like this idea compared to a wood frame!

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=730306&page=3
 
#25 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by edmove
I was searching Google today for AT screen DIY builds and came across this fantastic idea. Posting here so I can come back to it when I get ready to build my screen. The screen photos start at post #90. I really like this idea compared to a wood frame!

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=730306&page=3
Why not just fit grommets and use bungy cord or rubber o-rings? I just did that with my screen build (there are pictures at the end of my build thread).
 
#26 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Moggie
Why not just fit grommets and use bungy cord or rubber o-rings? I just did that with my screen build (there are pictures at the end of my build thread).
grommets, I like that even better. Cheaper I would think as well. I think those clips in the link I sent were $1 each. Looking at your solution now....
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top