[HaLLoWeeN SNoB]

Hello friends.


Let me preface my questions by first saying thank you in advance for considering to help a newbie at media room construction.


I have attached a sketch of my basement as well as pictures of what I want to closely duplicate with a few adjustments. I prefer to have the designer of this picture do it but it appears it may be too costly for me. His work is amazing and he is such a nice guy. If I can afford him I would like to. We will see if he can work with me.


Main questions:


I want a stage curtain to shield the stage in front and then manually retract backwards (on both sides) to the final resting place you see in this picture. The challenge is aesthetic consideration for the track, which track to choose, and finding a stage curtain that is both AT as well as looks like a stage curtain.


What projector and screen to use? My ceiling is 8' high and the first and only row of seating is approx. 15' from where the screen would be. I have an underground basement. I am searching for an electric projection screen. The one used below is 110". The area the stage will be is the wall opposite the bar and immediately to your left as you come down the stairs.


Wood. I want a durable hardwood but I am sure using cherry wood like the designer did is costing me more than maybe I need. What woods would look pretty but be less expensive?


The stage below is about 16" high and has pull out drawers. To cut cost I will forgo the drawers and build 8" high as my ceiling is only 8' verses 9' in the pictures below.


Any initial feedback?

 

[dreamer]

Hello friends.


Let me preface my questions by first saying thank you in advance for considering to help a newbie at media room construction.


I have attached a sketch of my basement as well as pictures of what I want to closely duplicate with a few adjustments. I prefer to have the designer of this picture do it but it appears it may be too costly for me. His work is amazing and he is such a nice guy. If I can afford him I would like to. We will see if he can work with me.


Main questions:


I want a stage curtain to shield the stage in front and then manually retract backwards (on both sides) to the final resting place you see in this picture. The challenge is aesthetic consideration for the track, which track to choose, and finding a stage curtain that is both AT as well as looks like a stage curtain.


What projector and screen to use? My ceiling is 8' high and the first and only row of seating is approx. 15' from where the screen would be. I have an underground basement. I am searching for an electric projection screen. The one used below is 110". The area the stage will be is the wall opposite the bar and immediately to your left as you come down the stairs.


Wood. I want a durable hardwood but I am sure using cherry wood like the designer did is costing me more than maybe I need. What woods would look pretty but be less expensive?


The stage below is about 16" high and has pull out drawers. To cut cost I will forgo the drawers and build 8" high as my ceiling is only 8' verses 9' in the pictures below.


Any initial feedback?

Why would you want an electric screen ? Building an AT screen that is a fixed frame is MUCH less expensive than any decent retractable AT screen. With seating at 15', you should be looking for a screen in the 150"+ diagonal range -- essentially 6' tall by 11' wide. That is DIY for $200, but a $1000+ for a retractable AT screen. If you just need to get behind it occasionally, a fixed frame screen is easily taken down or can be mounted on hinges to swing aside like a very wide door.

There are good projector options from $700 to $2500. So how large is your budget ? The new Benq HC1200 seems to be very similar to the $700 Benq W1070, but it is even brighter (important for an AT screen) and has better optics and a better warranty. For $900 it would be a better option for your room than the W1070. If you will be watching in pitch dark, there are projectors in the $2000 range that have better contrast ratios but are dim (according to independent reviews) for a 150"+ screen. That would include the Panny 8000 and the Epson 5030. The Sony 40ES has even better contrast for a bit more than $2000 if you don't mind Sony's quality issues.

 

[HaLLoWeeN SNoB]

Kirk, thanks for the response. So I have two young children (3 and 7) as well as several nieces and nephews all young. We have the holidays at our house and I envision the kids in the basement a lot. I don't want the screen to be exposed to the inevitable crayons, markers, footballs, and dirty little hand prints. Also, I when the stage is being used for performances by the kids, I want the backdrop to be a uniform black curtain and not the screen.


My budget for a projector is approx. $2,000 to $3,000. I also need a complete 7.1 sound system and have just begun researching everything. I think if I could obtain everything (projector, screen, 7.1, and blueray for $7,500 or less I'd be pleased.

 

[zoepup]

Hello friends.


Let me preface my questions by first saying thank you in advance for considering to help a newbie at media room construction.


I have attached a sketch of my basement as well as pictures of what I want to closely duplicate with a few adjustments. I prefer to have the designer of this picture do it but it appears it may be too costly for me. His work is amazing and he is such a nice guy. If I can afford him I would like to. We will see if he can work with me.


Main questions:


I want a stage curtain to shield the stage in front and then manually retract backwards (on both sides) to the final resting place you see in this picture. The challenge is aesthetic consideration for the track, which track to choose, and finding a stage curtain that is both AT as well as looks like a stage curtain.


What projector and screen to use? My ceiling is 8' high and the first and only row of seating is approx. 15' from where the screen would be. I have an underground basement. I am searching for an electric projection screen. The one used below is 110". The area the stage will be is the wall opposite the bar and immediately to your left as you come down the stairs.


Wood. I want a durable hardwood but I am sure using cherry wood like the designer did is costing me more than maybe I need. What woods would look pretty but be less expensive?


The stage below is about 16" high and has pull out drawers. To cut cost I will forgo the drawers and build 8" high as my ceiling is only 8' verses 9' in the pictures below.


Any initial feedback?

For the curtain and track checkout rosebrand.com
They do everything from home theaters all the way up to the huge Broadway curtains. Most places either buy their custom curtains from Rose Brand or at least the fabrics.

Cherry is a solid choice and pricing depends on who you know. I buy my figured cherry and figured maple for about half of what most people do because of a friend who has a house by the lumber mills in upstate NY. In fact I get it cheaper than most get pine. If you look hard and long enough you can find some great wood and decent prices. Take your time.

One more point. I can't tell by the picture but I am not sure that is cherry. It could be stained "cherry". most wood workers would never put anything on cherry besides a good oil based finish to "pop" the wood. Attached is a media console I built in figured cherry with a rubber oil finish. It really comes down to the look you want.