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After lurking around for a long time browsing other DIYers theater builds, I'm finally getting ready to start work on "my" room. It's an upstairs bonus room (17'x35') inside the trusses of a home addition we're building. The first pic is front right corner of the theater end where I plan to put the screen. The wing wall is 5'7" high then it slopes up to the ceiling (12:6 pitch). The center is 8' high and the ceiling is about 8' wide at that height. The 2nd pic gives a better overall view of the theater end of the room. You can see my taped outline for a pool table at the game end of the room. In the darker pic after the first coat of paint, the kids are already having fun at the "theater" end. I hung up a sheet about where I was going to place the screen and I'm currently throwing a 100" 16x9 image using a neighbor's extra presentation projector. I was thinking worst case, I was going to have the screen out about a 1' from the wing wall to give me another 6" of height for the screen.
The movie end of the room is 17'x14'. 17' deep, 14' wide from the window wall to that opening for the dormer. That hole in the dormer wall is where I was planning on putting the equipment rack. Behind the 5'7" wing walls is attic space. The outside wall and roof are foam insulated. Downstairs is 1/2 garage and the other half is a guest room, bathroom, and laundry room. I'm not worried about soundproofing since the guest room would be used rarely, and chances are, the guests would be upstairs enjoying a movie. I'm going to build some really good, sliding shutters for those windows to provide 100% blackout for daytime viewing. The only other window is a small dormer window.
I'm shooting for two rows of Berkline seating. Probably a curved 3 in the front and a straight or curved 4 in the back. Although I don't know if I can give the back row enough space to be able to fully recline. I was planning on giving the back row just 5'. If I go with a rear straight 4, the outer two should be able to recline. That gives me 10-11' for the front row viewing distance. Which seems just within the range for a 2:39 image using the THX diagram. I don't know how that leaves me for 16x9 viewing. The second row would be on an elevated platform although it is getting tight back there. Plus the projector will have to be inside some type of enclosure that I need to build out from that ceiling. And if I go with a Panasonic AE4000U (or one of those new epson equivalents), I guess I'll be height limited if I want to make use of the memory zoom which I really do want. Hopefully people in the 2nd row won't bump their head on the projector or hear it.
Right now, if I go with a CIH screen of about 48" height, that gives me a 98" diag 16x9 screen and a 122" diag 2.35 screen. If I place it 1' out from the wall, I can get it so the bottom of the screen is 2' off the ground. If I can get away with just 18" from the floor to the bottom of the screen, then I can move the screen back 1' to the wall and gain another 1' of viewing distance. But I don't think I can go too low because of the second row. Or I can give that 1' to the 2nd row.
I'm thinking of ordering the berklines asap during these christmas deals so that I can work on building a matching curved platform and determining how low/high I can build it. Some of my first questions are regarding berkline seats. I've sat in a few at Costco but none of the home theater variety. But what I've always liked about whatever models Costco had, is how as soon as I sit in them, before I even recline, I feel like the chair/seat back is already cradling me, supporting my head. And reclining just gets even more comfortable. I've visited various local stores and none have berkline home theater seating in stock. I'm 5'9". What's the minimum seat back height to make sure I get this feeling? There are so many models too choose from. Money is always an issue and trying to figure out what I can go with. I've been looking at the Berkline 12003 as it seems they have the highest back. Plus if I can get the 2nd row placed just right (maybe instead of a single 4, I can with two pairs of two), maybe they can get a better view of the screen looking between the front row seats.
Looking for ideas!
After lurking around for a long time browsing other DIYers theater builds, I'm finally getting ready to start work on "my" room. It's an upstairs bonus room (17'x35') inside the trusses of a home addition we're building. The first pic is front right corner of the theater end where I plan to put the screen. The wing wall is 5'7" high then it slopes up to the ceiling (12:6 pitch). The center is 8' high and the ceiling is about 8' wide at that height. The 2nd pic gives a better overall view of the theater end of the room. You can see my taped outline for a pool table at the game end of the room. In the darker pic after the first coat of paint, the kids are already having fun at the "theater" end. I hung up a sheet about where I was going to place the screen and I'm currently throwing a 100" 16x9 image using a neighbor's extra presentation projector. I was thinking worst case, I was going to have the screen out about a 1' from the wing wall to give me another 6" of height for the screen.
The movie end of the room is 17'x14'. 17' deep, 14' wide from the window wall to that opening for the dormer. That hole in the dormer wall is where I was planning on putting the equipment rack. Behind the 5'7" wing walls is attic space. The outside wall and roof are foam insulated. Downstairs is 1/2 garage and the other half is a guest room, bathroom, and laundry room. I'm not worried about soundproofing since the guest room would be used rarely, and chances are, the guests would be upstairs enjoying a movie. I'm going to build some really good, sliding shutters for those windows to provide 100% blackout for daytime viewing. The only other window is a small dormer window.
I'm shooting for two rows of Berkline seating. Probably a curved 3 in the front and a straight or curved 4 in the back. Although I don't know if I can give the back row enough space to be able to fully recline. I was planning on giving the back row just 5'. If I go with a rear straight 4, the outer two should be able to recline. That gives me 10-11' for the front row viewing distance. Which seems just within the range for a 2:39 image using the THX diagram. I don't know how that leaves me for 16x9 viewing. The second row would be on an elevated platform although it is getting tight back there. Plus the projector will have to be inside some type of enclosure that I need to build out from that ceiling. And if I go with a Panasonic AE4000U (or one of those new epson equivalents), I guess I'll be height limited if I want to make use of the memory zoom which I really do want. Hopefully people in the 2nd row won't bump their head on the projector or hear it.
Right now, if I go with a CIH screen of about 48" height, that gives me a 98" diag 16x9 screen and a 122" diag 2.35 screen. If I place it 1' out from the wall, I can get it so the bottom of the screen is 2' off the ground. If I can get away with just 18" from the floor to the bottom of the screen, then I can move the screen back 1' to the wall and gain another 1' of viewing distance. But I don't think I can go too low because of the second row. Or I can give that 1' to the 2nd row.
I'm thinking of ordering the berklines asap during these christmas deals so that I can work on building a matching curved platform and determining how low/high I can build it. Some of my first questions are regarding berkline seats. I've sat in a few at Costco but none of the home theater variety. But what I've always liked about whatever models Costco had, is how as soon as I sit in them, before I even recline, I feel like the chair/seat back is already cradling me, supporting my head. And reclining just gets even more comfortable. I've visited various local stores and none have berkline home theater seating in stock. I'm 5'9". What's the minimum seat back height to make sure I get this feeling? There are so many models too choose from. Money is always an issue and trying to figure out what I can go with. I've been looking at the Berkline 12003 as it seems they have the highest back. Plus if I can get the 2nd row placed just right (maybe instead of a single 4, I can with two pairs of two), maybe they can get a better view of the screen looking between the front row seats.
Looking for ideas!
