[haas_chrs]

Like many on here this is my first thread. I am hoping one day to turn our basement into a "multi-use" room, to include (of course) a theater. It isn't a large basement however a good size for a theater, its about 14' Wide X 23' Long, it has a half bath (needs to be finished). The actual theater build will be a dream for now, but hopefully this rack is "The beginning" of things to come.


Here is the existing "big screen" that will remain down there and I hope to have a electric screen drop down in front of the tv, (this is why I wanted to relocate the A/V rack to the back of the room) I have read so many people talk about the blinking lights. You can see in the picture the half bath takes up some of the wall, I should be able to fit a 92-96" screen in there. Main reason for using that wall for the screen versus the opposite side (which is 14' wide) is use of space.

Wall on left side of sitting side of room. Existing access panel is for a "crawl space" below our utility room which is accessed from the Garage. This is where I will build the rack. The crawl space is great space for storage of Christmas lights and decorations.

Here is the existing theater seating we have down there

. Looking from screen wall towards seating, new rack will be on wall to the right.

The demo begins, need to relocate existing return for HVAC, and the access door.

Its all opened up and ready for new framing.

 

[RTROSE]

Excellent,


Welcome to the madness of DIY theater building. You will START with building a rack but it won't END there. I know there is the ever present WAF but the opposite side would be the MUCH better side for the screen. Having said that, if you are willing to compromise and she is willing to let you do your thing for a HT then it is all good. Keep us posted.


Good Luck.


Regards,


RTROSE

 

[malovich]

Why does the wife require the entertainment area to be a "nook" and not an entire wall? You should be a man and make it how you want. The wall where your surrounds are would be an EXCELLENT screenwall!


edit: RTROSE and I had the same thought at the same time....

 

[haas_chrs]

Wow less then 30 minutes and Rtrose has read my thread? I have been stuck on this forum for a couple of weeks now and your build(s) are one of the ones I am still reading through.

 

[haas_chrs]

**EDIT** I have to change my original post, definitley NOT completley WAF for the location of the screen wall. As this is not going to be dedicated theater, we feel the area left open by using the "nook" for the tv/screen will maximize our living space. I wish I had a larger basement so we could do a seperate dedicated theater space, oh and of course wish we had a larger budget!

Measured 4 times and cut once and still 10" to short. Somewhere from the basement to the garage my 35 1/2" in my head (which i measured twice) became 25 1/2" (again measured twice before cutting) once it was cut and back in the basement I realized there was something wrong. Not only did I cut one but I cut 4 pieces for this area.

Second trip to HD (I am lucky to have one less then 1 mile from the house) and new correct cuts the wall is framed in for the new shelves.

One of the delimas I had originally going through my head was the height of the shelves. As I mentioned before this wall is in the crawl space below the utility room. Problem I am having is the available height, the 2"X10" for the support of the floor above is in the middle of the wall. I thought about doing 2 different racks with drywall between, I dont think that would turn out looking good.

This is the point when I really didnt like the way a short rack was turning out. (I liked the rack but not the height)

I decided to go for it and came up with an idea, cut the wall open into the utility room. Going to take the rack up higher and "hide" the 2X12 in the rack.

I also realized how messy of a work area I keep while going back through these pictures.

Here you can see the beginning of my idea of hiding the 2X12, thats a strip of melamine edging that I ironed on in the middle. Also, the coax cable is a temporary run for me to have tv in the basement for music while working.

Heres the shelves going in and my first piece of trim EVER

Went and bought a mitre box and a contractor pack of trim (read that hint in other threads, way cheaper to buy the contractor pack then exact measurements of trim).

Got the trim finished up, I am pretty excited so far, as I said I have never done any trim work before this.

 

[Remax]



Quote:
Originally Posted by haas_chrs /forum/post/18225039


**EDIT** I have to change my original post, definitley NOT completley WAF for the location of the screen wall. As this is not going to be dedicated theater, we feel the area left open by using the "nook" for the tv/screen will maximize our living space. I wish I had a larger basement so we could do a seperate dedicated theater space, oh and of course wish we had a larger budget!

Measured 4 times and cut once and still 10" to short. Somewhere from the basement to the garage my 35 1/2" in my head (which i measured twice) became 25 1/2" (again measured twice before cutting) once it was cut and back in the basement I realized there was something wrong. Not only did I cut one but I cut 4 pieces for this area.


Got the trim finished up, I am pretty excited so far, as I said I have never done any trim work before this.

Gotta love contractor packs. They are like 33% of the cost if you were to buy individual pieces.


Go get yourself a miter saw. I got mine from craigslist for $75 and it was worth every penny. The blade on it is meant for rough cuts, but if I dont go too fast it will make very nice finish cuts. I used to do the miter box thing, but after a few cuts it grows old quick. Mine has a laser and dust catcher on it. I always try to buy my tools used to save a few bucks. Im currently looking for a table saw.

 

[RTROSE]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Remax /forum/post/18225841


Gotta love contractor packs. They are like 33% of the cost if you were to buy individual pieces.


Go get yourself a miter saw. I got mine from craigslist for $75 and it was worth every penny. The blade on it is meant for rough cuts, but if I dont go too fast it will make very nice finish cuts. I used to do the miter box thing, but after a few cuts it grows old quick. Mine has a laser and dust catcher on it. I always try to buy my tools used to save a few bucks. Im currently looking for a table saw.

+1 on the miter saw. I purchased a 10" DeWalt compound miter saw about six years ago and have used it on the majority of my home improvement projects. If you are cutting a lot of trim there just is not a substitute for a miter saw. Check Craigs list, but also check your local pawn shops too, they can be a good place to find deals as well.


So you admit in a public forum your reading my thread huh? Just be careful, you may be labeled unjustly, that bird of a feather thing ya know . Thanks though it is always nice to see people who are interested in what you are doing and take the time to read and comment on your build.


You had a very good idea to incorporate the 2 x 12 into the rack, very slick and solves many potential structural issues should you have tried to modify or change it. Nice work.


Oh and the measure multiple times and cut once theory.......well that is nice, but alas it is just a theory! Been there several times myself. In fact now instead of just "memorizing" what the cut is, I'll chant the measurement in low volume (don't want the wife to think I've lost it) until I get to the saw. There is that famous construction adage. I don't know why, but I've cut this board twice and it is still too short. Ha.


Nice work and great progress, keep it up and way to go on posting photos.


Regards,


RTROSE

 

[hanesian]



Quote:
Originally Posted by haas_chrs /forum/post/18224831


Wow less then 30 minutes and Rtrose has read my thread? I have been stuck on this forum for a couple of weeks now and your build(s) are one of the ones I am still reading through.

Here, here!


I can honestly say that of all the many thousands of theaters chronicled here on AVSForum, RTRose's HT is definitely one of them.

And I'm not ashamed to admit that.

 

[RTROSE]

Now you have truly arrived hanes has posted. Now if we only could get him to post one of his famous photos then you will have truly ARRIVED!


Regards,


RTROSE

 

[hanesian]

You big tease, RT!

 

[RTROSE]

Houston.....The Eagle has landed!


Regards,


RTROSE

 

[haas_chrs]

What have I gotten into? Appreciate the feedback from you guys and the laughs that go along with it.


I will try to get more pictures posted tonight. My hidden wood has come out rather stealthy if you ask me! Now I just need to have someone come over to test to see if it is noticeable, once I get the first person "fooled" then I know I got it! I think I might start off easy, maybe invite one of my neighborhood kids over to test it on untrained eyes, then move up to my wife, then brother and Finaly post the pictures.

First question to throw out there, I have already installed a Leviton structured media cabinet, basically only using it right now to distribute Fios signal, housing my router and terminating my CAT 5 runs. I just ordered the IR extender from them, I got one target, one punch down for all the CAT 5's and 5 or 7 emitters. One of the things I was reading on their page was the "interference" from having the original signal from the remote going through the extender system as well as hitting the source (Receiver). My question is..... has anyone ran into a problem of having interference/false signals or double signals with having the signal from the remote bounce off walls as well as going through the extender system. My room isn’t huge and the rack is in the rear just curious if I am going to have a problem in the future. I have already seen someone mention on another threat "embedding" the emitters into the equipment, if I go this route I guess at that time cover it up so the only way a signal can get in would be through the emitter. Thoughts, ideas? Not sure if it will matter or make a difference, I am using a Harmony One remote in there.


Again I appreciate the attention this is getting.

 

[haas_chrs]



Quote:
Originally Posted by hanesian /forum/post/18230528


You big tease, RT!

Just went back to see if I had read your thread before and then it struck me, the picture comment RTRose made, it all makes sense now, I never made it through your complete thread but what I did read had me rolling. I think I remembered your build as soon as I saw the "Danger, Microbial Hazard" sign, or wait maybe the large "sausage" in your backyard, hmmm too many to choose from!

 

[haas_chrs]

And, now the secret that all of you must not tell anyone! Here is where my master plan starts coming together!

Ahh now you see where my mind is going!

Got the Drawers glued up on the wall, I ended up using the same Melamine that the shelves are made out of and drilled a hole in the middle for the handle. got some spacing on the bottom, middle and top to try and make it more realistic. Glue is dry now painting the trim.

Got the back of the top rack cut out and painted white, its just a piece of 1/2" MDF, I have it screwed to the back side.

Closer pic. spaced the shelves out so I have room for the cd/dvd storage cases, I was always short on space so these made it easier to build my DVD collection, just think one day I will have to start all over and start buying Blu Rays, maybe do another built in for storage now that I am a expert.

 

[TheCableMan]

haas_chrs that looks awesome. Great thinking on the fake drawers. Almost look to real, hope no one trys pulling one out and ripping off the face.

 

[RTROSE]

Love the fake drawer idea, very nice.


Regards,


RTROSE

 

[haas_chrs]



Just received a package in the mail today from Mono-price...

Got me a bunch of Banana plugs, a Wii to component cable, a couple handfulls of red cat 5e jacks (red for the IR extender it will have 12V going through it) and a 6 gang plate for behind my rack.. I have to say the first time I ordered from them and completley pleased with cost, delivery time, and now that I have seen it, quality. Thanks to all of the posts in here that mentioned them, got all of that for less then I would have spent just for the banana plugs at a best buy or radio shack.

 

[haas_chrs]

OK, so I got everything moved over and wired in this weekend. Still need to do my cable management and run a new circuit to the location.

I was able to get the cables rerouted and made my first set of coponent cables out of RG-6, to feed to our tv (probably about 40' of cable). I had a wall jack plate behind the TV that I installed prior for the surrounds, sub out, speakers in the garage, and the video input to the fios. Ended up taking the sub out rca out and installed one new RG6 for the component set, I was able to reuse the existing RG6 for the new component. Reused all the speaker runs center, front right, left and the last existing speaker cable I was able to use for a "special" project.... Here are some pictures from before when I originally installed the wall plate.

 

[haas_chrs]

Now back to that "Special Project", we have a Wii and relocated it over to the new rack location. Once it was moved I started to do some research on the sensor bar, turns out is should be called a emitter bar instead of sensor, it doesnt sense anything. Basically it has IR LED emitters in it that turn on with the Wii, the remotes Sense where they are pointed in relation to the LED's. (I was being cheap and didnt want to purchase the wireless bar) There is a special kind of plug on the back of Wii to the bar, I decided I was going to cut and make a extension cord out of the extra set of speaker cables in the wall. All hooked up AND......... nothing...

Now is where the fun comes in, I am a electrician so I broke out some of my tools. Turns out the output from the Wii into the sensor bar is 12V dc, at the bar itself I was only getting 8.5V dc. 2 things played against me on this, the 40' between the Wii and the Bar, and the weak output from the Wii. I started planning on getting a relay, and a external transformer to get me the 12V at the sensor bar. As I was crawiling out from behind the rack for the day I just happened to notice the output triggers on the back of my AVR..

I didnt know what the rating of the Wii output was so I wasnt sure if the output of the AVR was going to be better or not so I just hooked it up to test. VOILA

12V at the other end of the cable. I reconnected everything back together programmed the output trigger to come on when source was set to the Wii.

I love it when it all works out.

 

[RTROSE]

Very nice work, and the equipment looks good in that shiny new rack. Very clean looking. I too made the majority of my cables. I'm getting pretty good at making F and RCA connectors. It is nice to have the stuff to make a 40' cable or a 8" cable. In a pinch I have made a couple of cables for friends too. Comes in handy.


Regards,


RTROSE