Theater 3.0 - Rise of The Popcorn Machines! - Page 4

Oh yea, my wife loves the planning stage. It's when I get to tell her how much money I plan on spending!

I did see that HOM sells Palliser. I pulled a list of local dealers where I could check them out. It looks like I have to go to the east side of the cities here to check them out, so it's on the radar at least. There are a couple of other shops here too that sell them. Like you, I just plan to see them in person but still buy online. The price difference is pretty drastic between the two options.

Regarding the rack - I did some research yesterday. I have a couple of options, but I think one of the rotating rack systems from Middle Atlantic will fit the bill best. Here are the two series that I'm looking at:

http://www.middleatlantic.com/enclosure/roll/srsr.htm

or

http://www.middleatlantic.com/enclosure/roll/axsr.htm

I'll most likely go with the axsr since I can get up to 43U (the srsr is capped at 30U).

After checking out the "Show Me Your Rack" thread, I saw a very cool idea that I'd like to use on the rack. Plans are to have the standard AV equipment of course (power conditioner, receiver, Xbox 360, BR player, etc) but I also want to add a touchscreen monitor that I'll be using for a jukebox. I'd like to mount it at the top of the rack and then create some kind of door system that would allow me to close off everything except the monitor for parties. I can either do a single door that comes up short below the monitor or 2 doors to complete close off the rack.

I'm hoping to hear back from the framer this week so that we can get moving. My wife wants to close in the dining room in the house with french doors and move her office from the formal living area to there. The living room would then become the dining room. Hopefully we can get both projects started very soon so I can see phase 2 of "the vision".

Definately the case for an IB sub, but most in-wall mains rarely require a huge cavity. I used a Klipsch design in theater 2.0 for rear in-walls. Per specs, they require about 3 cubic feet of dead space enclosed in a box. The right size dead space with a little insulation usually does the trick. Too much and you're dealing with insane resonance inssues. It's really just a matter of wanting an enclosed tower with enough free space behind (unless I go with the Klipsch again that are front ported) or making sure that I'm boxing in the cavity with the proper amount of open space behind the driver.

I'm hoping to hear back from the framer mid week so that we can (fingers crossed) get some framing in on the soffit and EQ closet in the next 2 weeks.

I just ran over and checked out your build thread again. Love the glass tile and granite in the bar area. We're considering the same kind of idea for our bar, but probably a brownish tile.

Regarding the speakers - the look up front is purely cosmetic, but I want to try and not sacrifice on sound. I'll need towers this time around since the (although still big) bookshelf speakers I have now would be straining a little to push the sound through the larger space. If I went outside of the columns, the main channels would have to reside next to them. It's an option, but it might look a little busy, especially with subs on the stage as well.

If I choose to go with an in-wall design in the columns, it will need to be something higher end like a Triad (still researching here). I hate having to go in-ceiling for the side surrounds, but it seems to be the only thing that makes sense considering how the left and right side walls are the room are offset.

Thanks for the link. Hadn't heard of them but will definately check them out!

Looks like my guy wants to frame and run all electrical and low voltage at the same time, so I guess it's time to get together a monoprice order for everything going through the walls. Here's what's currently in my head:

Rack To Projector
- Cat5
- Component
- HDMI

Rack To Speakers
- 14 gauge wire to 7 channels
- Coax to 2 subs
- 14 gauge wire to bass shaker location at seating

Rack To Mechanical Room
- Cat5 to Cable modem and router location
- Coax to DTV service location

This list doesn't include any interconnects for the rack. I'll do that once the equipment is all in place.

Aside from legacy cables like composite, etc. can anyone think of anything that I'm missing?

Framing is going on this morning in the basement. The plan today is to frame in the soffit with an opening for the projecter, as well as the closet for the equipment rack. I'm framing it to meet the specs for the 43U Mid Atlantic AXSR rack right now, but can always modify it to make it smaller as we get closer.

Stage framing will take place tomorrow and then we'll sit tight while coming up with the wiring plan and how much fishing some new circuits will cost. The builder made a bonehead move by installing the breaker panel in the back bedroom rather than the unfinished mechanical room. The BS reason I got was that it was closer to the transformer this way. Unfortunately, it makes fishing new lines a biatch!!

Yea. 5, 5e, 6.. they're all the same to me

Interesting. I actually had the opposite experience. After chunking down a good amount of change for a custom wallplate with everything under the sun in it I found that I only used it a couple of times. Once was to plug a laptop in and the other was to plug in drums for Rockband. I do have to admit though, the USB ports were nice for charging my Xbox wireless headset.

I'll most likely utilize an Aux port on the receiver or the USB ports on the PS3 or Xbox360 for stuff like that this time around.

Pics to come in next post!

Finally starting to put my personal stamp on the builder's basement design. The first step was to seperate the room visually into 3 areas vs. 2. By adding a soffit that matched the existing one tied to the bar, I feel like we're able to seperate the main game room area from the now semi-dedicated theater space.

Here's a shot of the screen wall with the new soffit in place. Pic is taken from the back of the game room:



And another taken from the screen wall pointing back to the game room:



If you look to the right of the center of the soffit, you'll see the wider area framed out to house the projector. Also the back corner will be where the equipment closet will reside. I'm thinking of doing a dual door design on it so that I can have an LCD touch screen up top that can be exposed during parties to act as a jukebox.

Next up... The Stage!!!!

The wood stand is my quick $30 projector stand I built to hold the projector up over the sectional when we moved it. I'll probably pull it apart and use it as an extension of my workbench in the garage now. The kids also have asked me to turn it on it's side and make it a skateboard ramp. We'll see..


Here are some more progress photos. First, the stage:



Currently, the plywood is just sitting on top of the 2x6 framing. Like I did on Theater 2.0, I plan to line the far left and far right cavities with some plastic and then fill the areas with sand to sit under the subs. The stage is a little over 20 feet wide, so I'm also planning on building some columns about 3 feet in from either side wall. I think this should frame screen pretty well.

Wiring for speakers will come down from the ceiling through the left column, into the stage, and then across the stage and back up to individual channels. Still not sure on how I'm finishing the stage, but I definately want some type of finished wood surface instead of carpet this time around.


Here's the rough-in for the equipment rack. When done, I'll have space for a 43U unit, which is about 75 inches. New additions to the rack this time around include an HTPC / media server and a touchscreen monitor to be used as a jukebox. I'm thinking of installing a DVR for a video security system as well.




I'll probably take a break for a week or two while I get the wiring diagram together so we can get things snaked. Stay tuned!!!

Thanks. The goal is to have something that has ideas that you see in some of the nicer hotel lobbys, clubs, etc. Basically going for dark warm colors. The trick for me is going to be trying to pull this off while not having to paint my baseboards and doors. Hoping to find the right shades of brown to do it. I'll see if I can scan a photo of a stage I ran across in a magazine that I'm kind of using for inspiration. While dusting will be a pain, I do think the wood will certainly add to the warmth.

I actually did consider this, but ran into an issue. To me, an arched soffit only looks good if it's symetrically anchored on both ends by a column or something similar. Due to the layout of the basement, this would be possible on the left side where the new soffit meets the bar area, but wouldn't work near the exterior wall. Had it worked though, i had even thought about doing similar across the top of the stage to mirror it (height permitting).

Thanks. One thing I think I forgot to mention in previous posts was how the ceiling would be handled. I'm planning on painting it a darker color on the front side of the soffit, all the way up to the top of the stairs. I'll most likely leave the bar and game room area white.

So here's a mockup of what I'm shooting for with the front wall and stage:



OR

Nope. Left and Right speakers will most likely be housed in the columns.

Thanks. No boookcases though. I'm going for more of a dedicated viewing space in an open area than I am a family media room type look. I totally agree though if I I wanted the end result to be something like the picture you posted - that's a very nice looking casual media room.

Keep in mind, the columns will be stained wood and the front wall will be painted black. I've considered doing some heavy drapes behind each of the subwoofers, but that's about it. It's all about clean, contemporary lines this time around.