[robby69]

I am moving to a new home, and it has a 10'7" x 17'6" unfinished area in the basement with NO windows that I want to convert to a home theater.

It has 9-ft ceiling, but after drywalling or drop ceiling it will be around 8'?


Got alot of good ideas here at AVS, but I thought I might throw my ideas out there and see if anyone can expand or make recommendations?


Going to have builder do this for me:


1) already studded out on 2 sides, going to have other 2 sides studded out and drywalled.


2) for ease of running cables, and saving ceiling height space was going to put in an armstron drop ceiling (black 2'x2' tiles) and black rails.
http://www.lowes.com/pd_89091-61-172...les&facetInfo=


3) 2 sconces in middle of opposite side of longest length of room, on dimmers.
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/...kuId=202573214


4) I will also use some can lights for general lighting, as well as smaller spots in front of the screen and on the left and right to highlight some movie posters, on dimmers.


5) There is a recessed area in the back of the room that I can get drywalled and have shelves recessed flush into the area for AV equipment.


6) Have to cover up an electrical panel, maybe with something from this company, haven't talked to builder about it yet.
http://www.accesspanelsolutions.com/


7) I currently own an Optoma HD 70 projector and 106" pull up from the floor screen that I am going to use for awhile, and eventually upgrade to 1080p and a 120" fixed screen.


8) I plan on painting the screen wall black, but haven't decided on carpet or wall colors yet..


9) Would like to do a small edge tray ceiling around 3/4 of the room, but don't know yet how it will affect ceiling height as well as how it will look with the drop ceiling.


10) I am going to buy an Onkyo N509 receiver, and a Take-5 5.1 speaker system, with subwoofer. I am going to stand mount them to start, then when I upgrade to a fixed screen wall mount them. One of the reasons to go with the drop ceiling to aid that in the future.


11) So I don't have to build a riser, I plan on getting s sets of 3 row HT seats here. One set will be the "back row" that are taller than the "front row"
http://www.4seating.com/seatcraft-th...o-back-row.htm


Anyone have any thoughts, comments or suggestions before the work gets started would be appreciated.

 

[BIGmouthinDC]

From your description I assume that keeping the sound in the theater and not in the bedrooms is not a high priority in this new construction.

 

[ack_bk]

I prefer 5/8" drywall to the drop down ceiling (with insulation). Looks cleaner, gives you more ceiling height, and is better for sound. I would also reconsider the Take speakers for a media room. They are not bad speakers but not that dynamic for theater, and might be too small for your space.

 

[robby69]

Thanks for the responses.

Just remember, I am a newbie at this and have just culled ideas from folks here on the forum. I don't have the funds to hire a custome installer, and what's the fun in that anyway?


I was going to insulate the walls, there is only one wall that butts up to another finished space and it is a bathroom. There is a master bathroom directly above it. I don't think the soundproofing is a issue because there are 3 of us in the family, and most likely we will all be in there at once when watching. The ceiling tiles have a 0.63 coefficient.


I like the cleaner look of a drywall on the ceiling better too, but I was thinking that there are ALOT of pipes etc. that the builder ran thru that room to give more space in the adjacent finished basement. I would also have to shell out right away for a fixed screen atleast since it would be more difficult to run the wires afterwards with a drywall ceiling versus a drop.

I could get a little more creative with the ceiling design with a drywall ceiling too.


I have been looking for other speaker systems, (any recommendations??) but the price on the Take-5's bang for the buck, fit my budget right now with the remodeling costs. I may go with a higher watt Onkyo though for the future. From what I read a 7.1 system doesn't make since in that small of a space, and the limited material that is out right now.


Thanks for the responses,, more to think about !! aaargh...

BTW, ack_bk was just in Maple Grove last month visiting friends during the "heat wave". Nice town and tons of urban sprawl for lots of activities.

 

[HopefulFred]



Quote:
Originally Posted by robby69 /forum/post/20873745


5) There is a recessed area in the back of the room that I can get drywalled and have shelves recessed flush into the area for AV equipment.

Have you thought about how you'll access the wiring? Might be a good idea for the back of that to have a door.

 

[robby69]



Quote:
Originally Posted by HopefulFred /forum/post/20873931


Have you thought about how you'll access the wiring? Might be a good idea for the back of that to have a door.

Right now it is just a space 9-feet hight, by 36-inches wide and 48 inches deep. No way to get a backdoor because there is a shower enclosure on the other side. I thought I might run all the cabling to it, drywall it, and put in painted shelving to match, and I should be able to slide underneath a bottom shelf to "go inside"?

 

[HopefulFred]



Quote:
Originally Posted by robby69 /forum/post/20873946


I should be able to slide underneath a bottom shelf to "go inside"?

I guess so. If there's enough space for you to stand back there (and it sounds like there will be, depending on you personal size...) That's not the worst option. As long as the shelves are secure (so they don't slide backwards or go flying if you stand up under them), and the electronics won't get accidentally pushed off the back, it sounds OK to me.

 

[BIGmouthinDC]



Quote:
Originally Posted by robby69 /forum/post/20873906


I was going to insulate the walls, there is only one wall that butts up to another finished space and it is a bathroom. There is a master bathroom directly above it. I don't think the soundproofing is a issue because there are 3 of us in the family, and most likely we will all be in there at once when watching. The ceiling tiles have a 0.63 coefficient.

Insulation does little to control the sub-woofer rumble of a home theater.


The rumble will also fly through a .63 coefficient ceiling tile like a screen door.


I want you to think about whether your marriage will ever reach the stage when you want to unwind in the theater after a hard day at work by watching an action flick and the misses wants to go to bed early because she isn't feeling well.


If you can imagine that happening go to soundproofingcompany.com and read the articles before you let anyone in the basement to do work. Sound containment starts with framing the room using isolation clips.


Pipes schmipes, drywall the ceiling.

 

[ack_bk]



Quote:
Originally Posted by robby69 /forum/post/0


Thanks for the responses.

Just remember, I am a newbie at this and have just culled ideas from folks here on the forum. I don't have the funds to hire a custome installer, and what's the fun in that anyway?


I was going to insulate the walls, there is only one wall that butts up to another finished space and it is a bathroom. There is a master bathroom directly above it. I don't think the soundproofing is a issue because there are 3 of us in the family, and most likely we will all be in there at once when watching. The ceiling tiles have a 0.63 coefficient.


I like the cleaner look of a drywall on the ceiling better too, but I was thinking that there are ALOT of pipes etc. that the builder ran thru that room to give more space in the adjacent finished basement. I would also have to shell out right away for a fixed screen atleast since it would be more difficult to run the wires afterwards with a drywall ceiling versus a drop.

I could get a little more creative with the ceiling design with a drywall ceiling too.


I have been looking for other speaker systems, (any recommendations??) but the price on the Take-5's bang for the buck, fit my budget right now with the remodeling costs. I may go with a higher watt Onkyo though for the future. From what I read a 7.1 system doesn't make since in that small of a space, and the limited material that is out right now.


Thanks for the responses,, more to think about !! aaargh...


BTW, ack_bk was just in Maple Grove last month visiting friends during the "heat wave". Nice town and tons of urban sprawl for lots of activities.

Couple things. Drop ceilings cost more money. Using drywall will put more money in your pocket (perhaps towards speakers).


As for a fixed screen, lots of DIY options out there. Again, since your on a tight budget consider DIY.


You run your future wiring needs now. Before drywall. I would wire for 7.2 and buy your cabling at Monoprice. Quality at a great price.


As for speakers, I have lots of recommendations, but your budget will be the key. I would focus on the room first then getting speakers. The more you DIY, the more you save. Drywall vs drop ceiling will save you a bundle. Same with DIY screen vs commercial.


Can you post some pics of the ceiling and these pipes?


Cool that you were in Maple Grove. Do you live in MN?

 

[robby69]



Quote:
Originally Posted by ack_bk /forum/post/20875927


Couple things. Drop ceilings cost more money. Using drywall will put more money in your pocket (perhaps towards speakers).


As for a fixed screen, lots of DIY options out there. Again, since your on a tight budget consider DIY.


You run your future wiring needs now. Before drywall. I would wire for 7.2 and buy your cabling at Monoprice. Quality at a great price.


As for speakers, I have lots of recommendations, but your budget will be the key. I would focus on the room first then getting speakers. The more you DIY, the more you save. Drywall vs drop ceiling will save you a bundle. Same with DIY screen vs commercial.


Can you post some pics of the ceiling and these pipes?


Cool that you were in Maple Grove. Do you live in MN?

Just visiting friends, live 500-miles south...

I took some photos yesterday, we haven't closed on the house and I think drywall is the best way to got... Funny how you remember things, was thinking there was more "stuff" hanging lower that there actually was. Maybe I can do a small tray ceiling that will hide the pipes on the east wall and match it all the way around, and put in some perimeter rope lighting inside.

The ceiling height is 9-feet to the beams.

 

[ack_bk]



Quote:
Originally Posted by robby69 /forum/post/0



Just visiting friends, live 500-miles south...

I took some photos yesterday, we haven't closed on the house and I think drywall is the best way to got... Funny how you remember things, was thinking there was more "stuff" hanging lower that there actually was. Maybe I can do a small tray ceiling that will hide the pipes on the east wall and match it all the way around, and put in some perimeter rope lighting inside.

The ceiling height is 9-feet to the beams.

Yeah, that is not bad at all. Soffits with a Trey ceiling and drywall would look very nice in that room. Looks like a great space for a home theater room.

 

[Tedd]

Definately keep the nine foot height and build perimeter soffits. You could even keep pipe access if you have a removeable soffit bottom.


Have you taken into consideration that a full width riser properly designed can be a bass trap?