[Semisentient]

Finally got around to finishing the basement which will include a multipurpose gym/theatre area. This is it's story.

I used to have a nice theatre room first with CRT projector and curved screen, then with a digital projector and a large high power screen. Ended up moving to a cottage for a while so had no room for such a setup. Now we are back in a regular house and it's time for a new theatre. Last year I decided to get in shape (lost 80lbs in 5 months) and started strength training. I wanted a gym and a theatre but didn't want to breakup the area so figured a multipurposed room was the way to go.

The contractor is almost done his part then it's up to me to finish. This entails paint, installing doors, trim and flooring.

I still have the 12' wide (159" diagonal) Dalite high power screen from my old room, but it's too big. I just had delivered a 120" motorized tab tensioned screen. I plan to put an 85" LCD behind the screen so could not go with a fixed projector screen.

The projector, receiver etc. will probably go in my workshop, just gotta make sure the enclosure is dust proof.

Soundwise I am going with a 5.2.2 setup.

Here is the layout:

More to come!

 

[Semisentient]

Some pics of the process.

Early in the build. The rack would only fit by using space between the joists. It's currently out being shortened by 5" which should give me an inch or so to spare under the drywall.

I had originally planned to work the waste stack into a fireplace surround. I then realized if I could get it pushed into the wall I would have a nice spot for a screen. It doesn't hurt that having the stack moved was much cheaper than getting a fireplace put in!

Ran some conduit (2" central vacuum pipe) for cables. Originally I was going to have the receiver in a unit under the screen and TV. I ran conduit for the HMDI cable to the TV and to the projector. I have since second guessed this plan. The receiver will now be in an adjoining room with the projector so the conduit will run HMDI to the TV and speaker wire. I ran all the the speakers to under the screen so now I have to get them all to the other room. Of course this was decided after drywall was put up, so I gotta make due.

Waste stack moved, framing done, getting ready for drywall.

Walls and ceiling primed. I planned everything around having the seating between the two posts. The screen will end up being butted up to the bulkhead on the right side. It will probably be off center by a few inches. I forgot to take into account that the case on a tab tensioned screen is a bit wide to accommodate the tensioning mechanism. It bugs me a bit now, but I doubt it will be noticeable.

Access to the conduit. The port on the bottom left (ha, looks smaller in the pic, but that's because I haven't cut the vapour barrier back) goes to the port above which will be behind the TV. The port on the right goes to both the ceiling and room behind the seating. There is an unconnected wire behind the wall going from the outlet box behind the tv, up the wall and into the ceiling to power the motorized screen. I didn't know if I was going to wall or ceiling mount so this allows the flexibility to decide later.

This is the wall behind the seating. I ran conduit to here for the projector. The conduit also continued on to my workshop on the other side of the wall. I didn't know if I was going to ceiling or shelf mount the projector, so I just placed an outlet on the upper wall. Looks like the projector will now go into the adjacent room which is my workshop. I actually finished that room myself. The contractor had to take a few weeks off my project so I was able to look at what they were doing and got that room done. A long time ago I made a pair of speakers and that got me into woodworking. My shop has a CNC machine, laser cutter and other fun stuff. One of my first projects once the main room is done will be a mini MAME arcade game that will be hung on the wall to the right of the door to my shop. I'm thinking of putting the game cabinet on a hinge hiding a rack for the A/V equipment.

Put up the screen today. Then took it down. Everything seemed to be in good working order. The size (120" diagonal) seems to be just about right.

 

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[OJ Bartley]

Lol, I love the name, Semisentient. I think a lot of us can relate to that for various reasons. Things are coming together very nicely so far, and I'll bookmark this thread to follow along!