[aramb]

I just purchased a new home and that means I get to build a new home theater. This will be the first time I have built the theater in a basement and I would appreciate any suggestions on how I might lay this out the most logically. As you can see from the pictures, I do not have the luxury of 9' ceilings in the basement like many of you have. In fact, there is only about 7' of height where the HVAC trunk and beam traverse the basement. Please look at the pictures and if any of you fellow AVSers have some good ideas, feel free to post!

The area here with the windows and sliding glass door will be made into a bar/entertaining area. My thought was to use the "darker" end of the basement for the theater.

Thanks for your ideas.

AramB

 

[Johnsteph10]

It looks like a nice open space.


What are the other dimensions? That will dictate where you can put your screen wall, chairs, etc.


At least it seems they ran most of the pipes along the sides where you can soffit them in rather than having to move them/have them moved.


It is exciting when you can start with such a clean slate.


There are a LOT of great build threads here -- read some of them first to get an idea of the process.

 

[aramb]

Here is a quick and dirty floorplan with dimensions. I agree that it is a large space, however, I am finding that the lower ceilings due to the I-beam and HVAC ductwork will limit the possibilities. My previous home theaters have been in homes that did not have basements, but very high ceilings (9' minimum), so this will require thinking things out differently than I have in the past.

 

[Stew4msu]

Well, you've got lots of options.


I'd probably plan on putting a screen on the biggest wall (42'), centered between the stairway and the first set of windows.


I'd build a riser from the stairs to the windows along the 29' wall. I'd probably permanently cover that first set of windows.


You could extend the stairs to create an entrance area (and move the door to where you're standing in the pic) or you could build a little equiment area there (where you're standing).


You could still use the other end of the room (sliding door, other windows) for a nice wet bar/entertainment area.

 

[aluminumangel]

It is a tricky space. that I-beam and HVAC ducting makes ceiling mounting a projector a challenge, going by Stew's suggestion. But now looking at the other pics, that might be the best place and Stew's idea seems the most practical. Yeah, those windows on the 12' edge may have to be covered and a wall extended across to close off the 13' x 13' area.

 

[smakovits]

well, if that beam is 13' fromthe wall you could be lucky and in at 12' and have a 110" screen, maybe slightly more, but if you want bigger than that, well...although if you need to build a giant sofit around that stuff you could plan it with enough backing to hold the projector, the arent that heavy that you should need an actual joist, just a thought.

 

[ScruffyHT]

I would go lenghtwise and avoid that beam altogether ... that room is long enough to put the theater in and have a room at the back for games/gym etc ... you would also save the window on the left and have space for another room


The theater could possibly be wider than 13' because it looks like that beam is over a bit and not in line with the jog in the back wall



I moved the stairs in this pic as it did not look like there was room for the furnace/water heater in your drawing

you can remove the door at the base of the stairs if you close in the furnace room with a door


maybe provide exact measurements to the beam, stairs, furnace/hwt


Entrance to the theater could be from the side wall

 

[aramb]

Thanks for the ideas. If I were to follow Scruffy's ideas, how would you recommend enclosing/hiding the HVAC trunk so that it is not imposing too much on the look of the ceiling lines? I was planning on either a 92" or 100" 16:9 screen. I haven't thought about 2.35:1 yet, but I would like to have the opportunity to do that at some point in the future.


AramB

 

[aramb]

Another idea, is to put the screen on the 29-foot wall and terrace the seating as well as the ceiling to hide the HVAC and the I-beam. Then I could probably put an even larger width screen for 2.35:1. I have a long-throw projector (Sim HT300E) so that should not be a problem. Thoughts?


AramB

 

[ScruffyHT]



Quote:
Originally Posted by aramb /forum/post/15406373


Thanks for the ideas. If I were to follow Scruffy's ideas, how would you recommend enclosing/hiding the HVAC trunk so that it is not imposing too much on the look of the ceiling lines? I was planning on either a 92" or 100" 16:9 screen. I haven't thought about 2.35:1 yet, but I would like to have the opportunity to do that at some point in the future.


AramB

You could build soffits running the length of the room on both sides to hide the HVAC and the pipes on the opposite side

 

[ScruffyHT]



Quote:
Originally Posted by aramb /forum/post/15406410


Another idea, is to put the screen on the 29-foot wall and terrace the seating as well as the ceiling to hide the HVAC and the I-beam. Then I could probably put an even larger width screen for 2.35:1. I have a long-throw projector (Sim HT300E) so that should not be a problem. Thoughts?


AramB

If you put the screen on the 29' wall then the projector will be hanging pretty low to shoot under the HVAC trunk line


What will you do about the window if you use that wall for the screen ?

 

[aramb]

Yes... either way it is a problem. The HVAC trunk is pretty wide. If I were to build soffits of equal width (for aesthetic reasons) it would leave very little room between them... I may as well make the entire ceiling level at 7'3". That limits the height of my screen, which limits the overall size of the screen.


Perhaps re-routing the HVAC is an option. I am not sure what is involved in moving that trunk. Does anyone have experience with this?


AramB

 

[ScruffyHT]

There was a " contest " of sorts to design a screen wall for a guy here called Logan ( you may have seen him referenced here quite a bit ) - hopefully your build does not go as slow as his

anyway he has a similar situation with a HVAC line and this was one of the solutions ... I am sure he wont mind if you " borrow " the design

so having a trunk line running down one side is not all bad

you also have a beam on the other side of that trunk line so if you would like to see if it can be moved then maybe check with a HVAC contractor and see

 

[ScruffyHT]

That is a AT ( acoustically transparent ) screen ... you could maximize the width of the screen doing it this way because the speakers will be behind the screen


If you go this route then you can DIY the screen ... if you goto the 2:35.1 screen forum you will get lots of ideas to do this and for very little coin too


as to aspect ratios that all depends on what you will watch most often in the theater - if it's movies then go 2.35:1 - if it's sports then 16:9

 

[Tedd]

I redid the HVAC trunk and once the drywall was back up and primered, I can say it was simply the best money I have spent in the room. I avoided the one wide soffit but still am stuck with a 7' 1" ceiling. I'd would avoid the 7' 3" ceiling and take the single wide soffit design like Logan's.

 

[CptnRandy]

You can check out my construction photos - we moved the main HVAC trunk and it was completely worth it. In fact, the contractor basically called it a wash - the headache of working around it in the theater vs. the cost of moving it to the other side of the wall.


Randy

 

[aramb]

Thanks for all the great ideas. There is hope for me yet!


AramB

 

[aramb]

This is why I love this forum so much... If you look around long enough, you will eventually find something that is perfect for your situation. I borrowed this picture from the Fog Valley Cinema (I hope they don't mind). They have a similar layout to mine including an HVAC trunk and a beam in nearly the same spot as my basement. I love the arched area with the projector tucked away in there.

 

[BIGmouthinDC]



Quote:
Originally Posted by ScruffyHT /forum/post/15409497


There was a " contest " of sorts to design a screen wall for a guy here called Logan ( you may have seen him referenced here quite a bit ) - hopefully your build does not go as slow as his

anyway he has a similar situation with a HVAC line and this was one of the solutions ... I am sure he wont mind if you " borrow " the design


so having a trunk line running down one side is not all bad

you also have a beam on the other side of that trunk line so if you would like to see if it can be moved then maybe check with a HVAC contractor and see

Here is the original thread and lots of discussion on what to do with the big elephant in the room.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...ht=logans+hero

 

[warrenP]

I'd vote for moving the HVAC to the other side of the beam. You already have lots of flex duct, so that will help out greatly. Your flex is all parallel to your joists and your plumbing looks to be all up in the "corner", so you would end with a nice open space with the HVAC moved.


If you can't move both the supply and return main to the other side of your beam, you could look at moving one of them. Or, you could move one to the opposite side of the room, along the concrete wall, giving you roughly the same space needed on either side.


Have fun!