AVS › AVS Forum › Audio › DIY Speakers and Subs › Building a Dinner Theater w/ DIY Speakers, Subs, etc...
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Building a Dinner Theater w/ DIY Speakers, Subs, etc... - Page 18

post #511 of 558
1/13/13 at 8:23pm
Thread Starter 
I suppose the only solution is for everyone to visit us and decide for yourself if I have accomplished what I set out to do. No need to BYOB ;-)
Reply
Reply

AVS Top Picks

post #512 of 558
1/13/13 at 8:29pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by brian6751 View Post

I think Desertdome said it best Bippy,
the goal here isnt an IMAX experience or really even a traditional theater experience. its a relaxed dinner with entertainment experience. and for that i think its very capable.

Well...technically we do plan to bottle our first sparkling white wine this year. Though it cannot be called champagne, as it was not bottled in that region of France haha.
Reply
Reply
post #513 of 558
1/14/13 at 6:44am
Quote:
Originally Posted by dutchswan0311 View Post

I suppose the only solution is for everyone to visit us and decide for yourself if I have accomplished what I set out to do. No need to BYOB ;-)

I plan on being there this summer sometime.....

JSS
Reply
Reply
post #514 of 558
1/14/13 at 10:11am
Quote:
Originally Posted by dutchswan0311 View Post

I suppose the only solution is for everyone to visit us and decide for yourself if I have accomplished what I set out to do. No need to BYOB ;-)

i just wanted to quote that! tongue.gif:p:p
Reply
Reply
post #515 of 558
1/15/13 at 2:20am
Quote:
Originally Posted by dutchswan0311 View Post

I suppose the only solution is for everyone to visit us and decide for yourself if I have accomplished what I set out to do. No need to BYOB ;-)
Or maybe host a home brewers night where folks could bring in their brews and trade. Then dinner and a movie.
Reply
Reply
post #516 of 558
1/15/13 at 7:19am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Looneybomber View Post

Or maybe host a home brewers night where folks could bring in their brews and trade. Then dinner and a movie.

THAT could be fun cool.gif
Reply
Reply
post #517 of 558
1/15/13 at 10:57am
Considering the limited budget, I'm wondering why the upgrades on the 4pi's? They add significant cost...
Reply
Reply
post #518 of 558
1/15/13 at 11:54am
I think I can probably answer that. The entry level drivers are pretty good and sound nice. But the upgraded drivers are even better. For example, the upgraded midwoofer uses a shorting ring, wherase the entry level driver does not.

More details about the upgrades and other information can be found here:
Reply
Reply
post #519 of 558
1/15/13 at 1:52pm
Well I would hope the entry level woofer sounds good. It's a $200 driver!

I can see in an application like this where the lower distortion could make a big difference. I would think in a typical HT there would be so much headroom that distortion would be very low with either woofer.
Reply
Reply
post #520 of 558
1/16/13 at 9:58am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stereodude View Post

While your comment is generally correct, the sorts of consumer projectors people on this forum usually buy don't have constant aperture lenses, so they do change brightness over the zoom range. I can't speak to commercial projectors and their lenses.
Didn't you mean to say consumer projectors "do" have constant aperture lenses, or perhaps don't have constant "f/ratio" lenses, as it's a change in f/# that's associated brightness changes.

It's f/raio that you need to maintain, defined as focal length/aperture. A good zoom lens will maintain f/# through it's focal length range. A cheap zoom lens will have a fixed aperture, so longer throw via longer focal length means higher f/# and loss of brightness.

In terms of understanding why the inverse square law does not apply, think of F-raio as the inverse of the included angle of the aperture and the distance of the focal length. D/f.l. is an angle, and as long as all the light stays withing that angle, image brightness is proportional to image area, independent of throw distance. Focal length affects throw distance, focal ratio affects brightness.

Ironic that you're an amateur astronomer, as visual astronomy is one place where this all breaks down, due to the need to view a real image, not a virtual (projected) one, using a second optical device, the eyepiece. F-ratio now affects brightness more by changing exit pupil, found by dividing the eyepiece focal length by the f/#. But I digress...

Have fun,
Frank

PS Great job Dutch!! Can't be said enough...
Reply
Reply
post #521 of 558
1/24/13 at 7:34am
I noticed several folks talking about candles. My wife and I recently purchased several LED candles and to me they look very natural. They have a very soft, dim light. Something to consider if you are worried about having an open flame.
Reply
Reply
post #522 of 558
2/9/13 at 6:51am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by flyng_fool View Post

I noticed several folks talking about candles. My wife and I recently purchased several LED candles and to me they look very natural. They have a very soft, dim light. Something to consider if you are worried about having an open flame.

Interesting idea. Battery operated, right?
Reply
Reply
post #523 of 558
2/9/13 at 6:56am
Thread Starter 
We have been working hard to put on the finishing touches to the main level, as we are hosting a March 9 wedding/reception. Therefore, my near term focus has shifted from dinner theater to reception DJ services. I have so far installed six DMX controlled intelligent lights. I tried to video some of them last night, but I have to say that the Droid X2 is the worst smart phone ever made and takes terrible video and pictures. At any rate, here is a short video of the space with dance lighting. I am using Standalone G-Force to project onto the screen what would normally be on the laptop. The standalone version uses the mic on the laptop to ensure the designs on the screen "dance" to whatever music source is played. Thoughts? (BTW...It looks 1,000,000 times better in real life).



Reply
Reply
post #524 of 558
2/9/13 at 7:05am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by fbov View Post


Ironic that you're an amateur astronomer, as visual astronomy is one place where this all breaks down, due to the need to view a real image, not a virtual (projected) one, using a second optical device, the eyepiece. F-ratio now affects brightness more by changing exit pupil, found by dividing the eyepiece focal length by the f/#. But I digress...

Have fun,
Frank

PS Great job Dutch!! Can't be said enough...

What I mean to say is that, all things being equal on the same telescope, if you double the magnification on your eyepiece, you will have the inverse squared brightness of the image you are looking at, which is why the larger mirror is needed to accommodate such magnifications, or you end up with an image so dim you do not even know you are looking at it.
Reply
Reply
post #525 of 558
2/9/13 at 8:37pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by dutchswan0311 View Post

Thoughts? (BTW...It looks 1,000,000 times better in real life).

Looks pretty darn good in youtube life too! You have done a great job on the dinner theater.
Reply
Reply
post #526 of 558
2/10/13 at 1:27pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by dutchswan0311 View Post

Interesting idea. Battery operated, right?
Yes. Battery operated by the little coin batteries.
Reply
Reply
post #527 of 558
2/12/13 at 12:43pm
Outstanding Dutch!

Can you post up a link to your website?
Reply
Reply
post #528 of 558
3/2/13 at 5:33am
Thread Starter 
www.vanwijkwinery.com

Or you can check us out on facebook. Facebook has several photo albums with detailed before and after photos.
Reply
Reply
post #529 of 558
4/9/13 at 7:06pm
Thread Starter 
Finally, a look at the finished product. I have to say, the BenQ SH960 is really outperforming my expectations. The curtains you see in this image are not full "black out" curtains, but more than provide enough room darkening for the BenQ to do the rest of the work. Images are bright, crisp, and wonderful. Even the blackest blacks ended up being pretty good (it helps having a quality HD video source). I couldn't be happier with how this project turned out. I can't wait to meet those of you who contributed to its fruition over the past two years (and to get your $0.02 on how it looks, sounds, and FEELS).



And a few other pictures of the space to give you an idea of what the atmosphere is like...

Watching the Super Bowl...


A look at the main foyer's entrance and the stage off to the right...


Standing on the stage looking across the ballroom to the french doors that lead to the large deck off the back of the winery...


Tables setup for our first wedding reception in early March...


A look at the spiral stairs that lead to the balcony...


A look at the balcony before...


A look at the balcony after...


A look at the stage before...


A look at the stage after...


Standing in the middle of the ballroom looking at the entrance to the tasting room...
Reply
Reply
post #530 of 558
4/9/13 at 8:49pm
WOW!

The space looks amazing now that it is all done, well done.
Reply
Reply
post #531 of 558
4/10/13 at 8:36am
Well done. I'm definitely going to come check this out sometime cool.gif
Reply
Reply
post #532 of 558
4/10/13 at 7:08pm
Very elegant , I bet the sound system will catch some folks off guard eek.gif.. well done.
Reply
Reply
post #533 of 558
4/11/13 at 4:14am
Quote:
Originally Posted by dutchswan0311 View Post

Finally, a look at the finished product. I have to say, the BenQ SH960 is really outperforming my expectations. The curtains you see in this image are not full "black out" curtains, but more than provide enough room darkening for the BenQ to do the rest of the work. Images are bright, crisp, and wonderful. Even the blackest blacks ended up being pretty good (it helps having a quality HD video source). I couldn't be happier with how this project turned out. I can't wait to meet those of you who contributed to its fruition over the past two years (and to get your $0.02 on how it looks, sounds, and FEELS).

Dutch,

I've been to dozens of winery's across SoCal and even up this way in Virginia since my marriage in 2010. My wife is a real wine-o. It goes beyond Sideways being her favorite movie (of course she has taken the tour!), but not quite to the point her exploring horiticulture/viticulture as a profession. Just kinda been tagging along and enjoying the ride. I'd compare my wife to Maya and I think I would more closely resemble Jack...

Miles:
Quote:
"Mmm. Quaffable. But, uh, far from transcendent."
Jack:
Quote:
"I like it. Tastes great."

Anyway, guess what I am getting at is that if I EVER came across a masterpiece such as what you have created here, it would be my new favorite spot to frequent... You have literally bridged the gap between my wife's interest and my own. Bravo my friend.
Reply
Reply
post #534 of 558
4/23/13 at 5:26pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks Popa. That is what I was going for :-)
Reply
Reply
post #535 of 558
4/23/13 at 9:57pm
Rest assured - if I ever have a reason to head back to central Iowa, I will be stopping by.

Hope that they don't stop me at the border.....
Reply
Reply
post #536 of 558
4/23/13 at 10:13pm
So the place looks great, it probably sounds awesome, but most importantly, how's the wine!?
Reply
Reply
post #537 of 558
4/24/13 at 4:23am
Quote:
Originally Posted by lilmike View Post

Rest assured - if I ever have a reason to head back to central Iowa, I will be stopping by.

Hope that they don't stop me at the border.....

Agreed. I may manufacture a 'reason'.....

JSS
Reply
Reply
post #538 of 558
4/24/13 at 8:26am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Looneybomber View Post

So the place looks great, it probably sounds awesome, but most importantly, how's the wine!?

Our wine is quite good. I am a perfectionist and would not claim so if it were not true ;-)
Reply
Reply
post #539 of 558
4/25/13 at 9:10pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by dutchswan0311 View Post

Our wine is quite good. I am a perfectionist and would not claim so if it were not true ;-)
One of these days I'm going to make it up there. Maybe I can trade some home brewed beer or mead for a glass.
Reply
Reply
post #540 of 558
5/10/13 at 6:59pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by MKtheater View Post

BTW, I have 4 f-20's and had 2 dts-10's, I will measure and let you guys know which one does what better!!!

Did we ever learn how 4 F20s compare to 2 DTS-10s?
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: DIY Speakers and Subs

AVS Top Picks

AVS › AVS Forum › Audio › DIY Speakers and Subs › Building a Dinner Theater w/ DIY Speakers, Subs, etc...