AVS › AVS Forum › Home Entertainment & Theater Builder › Dedicated Theater Design & Construction › The Tupalev Family Home Theater Construction Thread
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

The Tupalev Family Home Theater Construction Thread - Page 4

post #91 of 140
11/6/08 at 8:03am
Jamis, Tupalev, thanks for the information. It's good to learn from real life experiences, specially when making an investment on something like this. The 13175s (along the 45088) are on my short list, but mostly for their width. I want to get 2 straight rows of 4 and only have about 130" of space - between the required aisles on both sides.

I prefer the chaise like style of the 088, but their low backs seem to offer little head support while reclined. And the 13175s might be be exactly what I need, albeit I had questions about the seat cushions and arm rests - which you've kindly answered. And I agree with both of you, you can't beat the price of the 13175s.

Tupalev, sorry to hear about you having some spring issues with one of them. I've also been in contact with Roman about my purchase and he seems to be quite a nice guy. I am sure he'll take good care of you. I hope this model being on the el cheapo end of Berkline's line, doesn't bring this kind of problems to owners abroad.

Jamis, congratulations to you also on your awesome HT.

I have learned a lot from both of your constructions, hopefully have some pictures soon about mine.

-billmac
Reply
Reply

AVS Top Picks

post #92 of 140
11/6/08 at 9:11am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by billmac View Post

Jamis, Tupalev, thanks for the information. It's good to learn from real life experiences, specially when making an investment on something like this. The 13175s (along the 45088) are on my short list, but mostly for their width. I want to get 2 straight rows of 4 and only have about 130" of space - between the required aisles on both sides.

What's the total width of your planned HT? If you have 130" width to work with (not including the isles), you should be just fine. According to the 13175 schematic, a straight row of four is 122.75". My HT's total width is about 15.5', giving me plenty of room on either side.

source:
http://www.rtheaters.com/berkline/images/13175.pdf
Reply
Reply
post #93 of 140
11/6/08 at 10:25am
Total width is 16' (192"). I am leaving roughly 32" on one side for an aisle that leads to a full bathroom and home gym and 30" on the other side for symmetry.

The remaining space is about 130" wide, which is plenty of room for the 13175 x 4 @ 122.75" and even more for the 45088 x 4 @ 112.5". Problem is that most other models need 134" or more, therefore my chair options are limited, speaking of Berkline models from the same source you quoted.

And... *drum roll*... my AE3000 just arrived!!! Looks great inside its sealed box, where it will stay for at least the rest of the day... or two.
Reply
Reply
post #94 of 140
11/6/08 at 11:11am
Also take a look at the Berkline 45004's. The straight row of 4 comes out to 120.25".

We considered doing a chair/loveseat/chair config with these but decided to not compromise on the aisle width. Since we scrapped the 4 seat config, we felt no reason to spend the extra on the 45004's for similarly sized seats compared to the 13175s.

We decided to not get the 088's due to the back height (head support). We also preferred a slightly wider seat (roomier).


Btw - I'm loving my AE3000
Reply
Reply
post #95 of 140
11/6/08 at 12:51pm
Tupalev, Jamis - grrrr grrrr - you guys are going to waste countless hours inside those dark, loud, unreal rooms - while I enjoy the outdoors on my very own 13" portable TV!!! can I come and watch the superbowl in a few months with you? ...I am still some 3 months or so away from finishing.

Ok, I need to decide on the seating by next week, so all the info I can get from you and others here will be crucial.

Jamis, actually Roman mentioned the 004 as another option, but my wife doesn't like the style of the back cushion - the 13175 and 088 both look quite more comfortable.

I am not too fond of the love seat, chair combo (i.e. IOIOOIOI), because although it saves a little width, I think giving each person their own space (chair) is a better choice. Just like both of you have in your setups right now.

How much space do you have between rows? The 13175 is one of the longer chairs at 73", as compared to 65" on the 004 and 66" on the 088.
Reply
Reply
post #96 of 140
11/6/08 at 1:29pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by billmac View Post

Tupalev, Jamis - grrrr grrrr - you guys are going to waste countless hours inside those dark, loud, unreal rooms - while I enjoy the outdoors on my very own 13" portable TV!!! can I come and watch the superbowl in a few months with you? ...I am still some 3 months or so away from finishing.

Ok, I need to decide on the seating by next week, so all the info I can get from you and others here will be crucial.

Jamis, actually Roman mentioned the 004 as another option, but my wife doesn't like the style of the back cushion - the 13175 and 088 both look quite more comfortable.

I am not too fond of the love seat, chair combo (i.e. IOIOOIOI), because although it saves a little width for an, I think giving each person their own space (chair) is a better choice. Just like both of you have in your setups right now.

How much space do you have between rows? The 13175 is one of the longer chairs at 73", as compared to 65" on the 004 and 66" on the 088.


Its a matter of preference. We wanted the loveseat for increased 'snuggle factor'. But the added width in our room with any 4 seat combo wouldn't allow it in anything other than the 088's which we didn't want.

My riser is 7' deep. With the chairs on the riser fully reclined, you would have a tough time walking by, but not so close as to have your feet right near the heads of those in the front row. Since i have aisles on both sides of the riser, it works out pretty well.
Reply
Reply
post #97 of 140
11/6/08 at 1:31pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by billmac View Post

How much space do you have between rows? The 13175 is one of the longer chairs at 73", as compared to 65" on the 004 and 66" on the 088.

From the front of the drybar to the edge of the riser is 72". I probably should've added another 6-8" as feet get pretty close to the back of the front row seats when the back row is fully reclined. Either way, a good feature of this model (and many other Berkline models) is the "Wallaway" feature, essentially requiring only a few inches of wall clearance when the chair reclines.

Hang in there Bill - you'll be in HT heaven before long!
Reply
Reply
post #98 of 140
11/7/08 at 11:12am
:d
LL
Reply
Reply
post #99 of 140
11/7/08 at 11:58am
Quote:
Originally Posted by billmac View Post

:d

Nice.
Reply
Reply
post #100 of 140
11/7/08 at 12:25pm
Your room is looking great! Those chairs look pretty comfy!!!

Did you get AE3000 yet? If so, I would also be interested in hearing your thoughts on the projector between using it for 2.35 and 16:9 content. I have been toying with the idea of redoing my front wall with a 2.35 AT screen and possibly upgrading to the AE3000. I have been spending a little time reading in the DIY 2.35 section also and looking at the lenses also. The wife might kill me if I mention redoing the screen wall since I just finished the theater room last Christmas.

Cheers,
JJ
Reply
Reply
post #101 of 140
11/7/08 at 12:40pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by jjmj427 View Post

Your room is looking great! Those chairs look pretty comfy!!!

Did you get AE3000 yet? If so, I would also be interested in hearing your thoughts on the projector between using it for 2.35 and 16:9 content. I have been toying with the idea of redoing my front wall with a 2.35 AT screen and possibly upgrading to the AE3000. I have been spending a little time reading in the DIY 2.35 section also and looking at the lenses also. The wife might kill me if I mention redoing the screen wall since I just finished the theater room last Christmas.

Cheers,
JJ


JJ ... I've been using my AE3000 for a week now. Switching between 16:9 and 2.35:1 is as easy as bringing up a menu and selecting the aspect ratio (memory setting) you want.

Basically, you get the picture how you want (zoom/focus) and simply save and name the settings. You then adjust the zoom/focus again for another aspect ratio and save and name that one too..

Check out my thread for some photos of my setup.
Reply
Reply
post #102 of 140
11/14/08 at 10:10am
Thread Starter 
Latest update: this past weekend I had the good fortune of enlisting BigMouthinDC to assist with the projector and screen. Was great to have some HT-trained eyes on hand to see what I’m trying to accomplish. My thanks to Bigs for his assistance; he certainly has a penchant for detail!

Some pics of our handywork:









I’m really impressed by the image that the Panasonic PT-AE3000 throws, especially with Blu Ray content. The Carada screen (128”; 2:35:1 aspect) was fairly easy to assemble and mount - Bigs had a great laser level that aided the install.

Once we mounted and turned on the projector, we noticed I was coming up a bit short on the sides when I fully zoomed out for 2:35:1 content. After checking the throw ratio of the panny, I needed to drop back about 8 inches, however, my builder dropped the ball on installing blocking here. Reluctantly decided to get a narrow strip of plywood and bolt it between the trusses – was a bit concerned about this due to aesthetics – but once I painted to match the black ceiling and hung the projector and mounting hardware – was hardly noticeable. Very pleased overall.

Got a lot of the remaining equipment over the last few weeks as the WAF appropriations bill got passed! Latest equipment inventory:

Paradigm Studios 100 towers (L & R)
Paradigm Studios CC590 w/ J-18c speaker stand
AV123 MFW-15 subwoofer
Atlantic Technology 4200e Surrounds
Pioneer Elite SC-07
Directv HR21
Belkin PureAV PF21
Xbox 360 Elite
Sony Blu Ray (BDP-S550)
Panasonic PT-AE3000
Carada Criterion Brilliant White 128" Screen (2:35:1)
Berkline Chairs (13175)

Just ordered bar stools for the drybar, hopefully in by next week. Still need to do some audio/video calibration and other odds and ends, just glad the room is up and running!
Reply
Reply
post #103 of 140
11/14/08 at 10:40am
Wow - looks great.
Reply
Reply
post #104 of 140
11/14/08 at 10:42am
Looks great!

The pic from the back corner reminded me of my theater with the granite bar and black berks. Very similar layout... though yours is enviably wider.
Reply
Reply
post #105 of 140
11/14/08 at 10:56am
Tupalev, I am really impressed with your setup. It's looking great! Congratulations indeed. I am learning a lot following both yours and jamis' HT threads.

By the way, is that 128" Carada screen a Brilliant White (BW) or Classic Cinema White (CCW)?
Reply
Reply
post #106 of 140
11/14/08 at 11:19am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by billmac View Post

By the way, is that 128" Carada screen a Brilliant White (BW) or Classic Cinema White (CCW)?

Thanks all. I went with the Criterion Brilliant White screen. Even though the room is 100% light controlled, at times we like to have ambient light for tv viewing. Though I had nothing to compare it to, I felt the added gain could help bring out the picture even more.

I must say, watching blu-ray with this setup is a surreal experience. Watching Cars in HD was jaw dropping ...
Reply
Reply
post #107 of 140
11/14/08 at 11:27am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by jamis View Post

Looks great!

The pic from the back corner reminded me of my theater with the granite bar and black berks. Very similar layout... though yours is enviably wider.

Thanks Jamis and also thanks for the tip on the barstools - almost pulled the trigger on them until I found these. Since I had some room to give, these filled the bar area out a bit more. We'll see how it turns out ....
Reply
Reply
post #108 of 140
11/15/08 at 8:12am
What impressed me with this set up is how the combination of dark colors used on the walls and ceiling, the screen selection, and the Panasonic 3000 produced a really bright "in your face" image. I'm only disappointed that I didn't get to hear the full sound system and the monster AV123 sub. The pictures do not do justice for just what a great theater Mark has created.

I left Mark's house with a definite case of Projector Envy.

Until the Dow gets back above 11000 I'm changing my mantra from will work for food, to will work for a new projector.
Reply
Reply
post #109 of 140
11/16/08 at 1:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by BIGmouthinDC View Post


Until the Dow gets back above 11000 I'm changing my mantra from will work for food, to will work for a new projector.

you're going to have that new mantra for a while then! :/
Reply
Reply
post #110 of 140
11/16/08 at 4:31pm
Mark - can't believe I've only just stumbled across your thread. The room looks great.....can't wait to see it.

Cheers,
Mark
Reply
Reply
post #111 of 140
12/3/08 at 12:41pm
Thread Starter 
Broke out the miter saw over the weekend to complete the framing of the rack. Tired of looking at the rough edges around it so went on over to my local Lowes and picked up some crown moulding. Results:



Conversely, what's happening behind the scenes:



Ugh - which brings me to next steps:

cable management!
Reply
Reply
post #112 of 140
12/3/08 at 1:22pm
Compared to my rack, your cables are immaculate.
Reply
Reply
post #113 of 140
12/3/08 at 4:18pm
That looks great. Well done.
Reply
Reply
post #114 of 140
12/6/08 at 10:41pm
Great work. The screenshot looks great!

Please post your cable management options as I am going to need it soon myself. Also, I am looking for the most reasonable source for rack blanks like you have. Where did you get yours from?
Reply
Reply
post #115 of 140
12/7/08 at 2:57pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by MountainAsh View Post

Great work. The screenshot looks great!

Please post your cable management options as I am going to need it soon myself. Also, I am looking for the most reasonable source for rack blanks like you have. Where did you get yours from?

For your blanks, make sure you get the HBL series as they match the custom shelving faces.

I got all my Middle Atlantic equipment from R.S. Engineering , based on a referral from another AVS member. Prices are comparable to any other place I found on the net. Ask for Robert, extremely helpful and steered me into exactly what I needed for this setup.
Reply
Reply
post #116 of 140
1/4/09 at 8:11pm
How do you like the Paradigm setup up front? I recently nabbed some Studio 60s and love them....just need the center and was looking at the CC490. Also, the Panny AE3000 is on my short list and was curious how far back your PJ is mounted from your screen wall?
Reply
Reply
post #117 of 140
1/5/09 at 6:27am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by cgloba View Post

How do you like the Paradigm setup up front? I recently nabbed some Studio 60s and love them....just need the center and was looking at the CC490. Also, the Panny AE3000 is on my short list and was curious how far back your PJ is mounted from your screen wall?

My Paradigms seemingly get better each time I hear them, I'm really impressed with the sound stage they produce for the front (music and film).

For the Panny, my throw distance is approximately 13.25'. The above distance (and what I would recommend) places the projector at the minimum throw range for 2:35:1 content on my 128" screen - by doing this, you maximize the quality of your 2:35:1 picture.

Enjoy....


- Mark
Reply
Reply
post #118 of 140
1/17/09 at 9:18pm
Tupalev, could you please post a couple of pictures of HDTV (16:9) content to see how the roughly 14" wide "black" pillars look on your 2.35:1 screen? Have you felt the need to add masks (like Carada's Masquerade) to your setup for this purpose? I am about to order a Carada Criterion screen for my Panny 3000 projector. Since your setup involves both the same screen and projector, I would really like to hear from you on this.

Bill.
Reply
Reply
post #119 of 140
1/18/09 at 5:29am
Mark, room looks great! I'm working on a similar layout, and your finished product is confirmation that the layout works for me.

tony
Reply
Reply
post #120 of 140
1/18/09 at 1:45pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by billmac View Post

Tupalev, could you please post a couple of pictures of HDTV (16:9) content to see how the roughly 14" wide "black" pillars look on your 2.35:1 screen? Have you felt the need to add masks (like Carada's Masquerade) to your setup for this purpose? I am about to order a Carada Criterion screen for my Panny 3000 projector. Since your setup involves both the same screen and projector, I would really like to hear from you on this.

Bill.

Sure thing - I'll get something for you. Thus far, I really don't feel the need for masking on the sides. If I did, I think the motivation for doing so would come more from wanting better presentation/aesthetics with fancy velvet curtains or something. As you'll see, what really diminishes the side bars is the black wall that the screen sits on - that's the key.

For whatever reason, having bars on the top and bottom bother me more, which of course are easily disposed of with the memory lens feature.
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home

AVS Top Picks

AVS › AVS Forum › Home Entertainment & Theater Builder › Dedicated Theater Design & Construction › The Tupalev Family Home Theater Construction Thread