Your Suggestions?

The first thing that occurs to me is that fitting that much seating in that space is going to be really tough. Normally, I'm of the school of thought that you should figure out all the details of that sort before you start buying equipment and running cable. In your particular case, I think it might be practical for you to try some things out before you start spending a lot of money or opening walls or anything.


Your expectations are the biggest unknown for me at this point. There's a lot of variation among the ways you could potentially go, balancing number of people, accoustic requirements (especially including sound isolation), and budget - not to mention screen size and aspect (though, for me, that is part of the calculation for number of people).


So, unless you can say with a great deal of certainty where you stand on those three (or four) points, I'd suggest setting up some equipment temporarily and seeing how many chairs you can fit end enjoy sitting in, and what the sound is like (both in that room and the rest of the house). Do you have any of the equipment you plan to use, already?


Others may give you specific recommendations - and that's fine - but your expectations aren't clear to me, and my impression is that some of them (your expectations) may not be realistic.


Fred

Yeh, the seating was one of my main concerns. As im not sure if there is enough room for 2 rows of either 3 or 4 seats. I also agree on the size of the screen. One thing I noticed on the wall where the screen will be located it tapers up, So im going to have to measure so I can get a max size tha im going to be able to use for the screen. I really have no budget forsea but would like to get out as good as possible. I was exspecting to spend 5k + just off initial thoughts. As for Sound isolation, Im not sure about that. The only sound isolation I have done is a studio room and we erected the walls for it So I was able to use special insualtion and such. I know they make Sound Isolating drape style material. I was thinking of hanging this around the room in a Red/Black combo. Maybe there is a better option tho? The only equipment I have ATM is the Optoma HD66. I do agree tho on the seating and that has ben one of my main concerns. Mainly I will have around 12ft room for seating, then the audience needs to be an ample distance from the screen(depending on screen size). One Row wouldnt hurt me, I could deal with 1 row of 4.



Quote:
Originally Posted by 00CivicEx /forum/post/20839110


Yeh, the seating was one of my main concerns. As im not sure if there is enough room for 2 rows of either 3 or 4 seats.

Click to expand...

I have no good feeling for the width required, and I think seat width varies pretty widely from style to style, so I'd say hold off on that until you have done some specific seat research. Whereas, I think two rows may be a problem - depending on screen size - so that's where I'd start --> screen size.

Quote:
Originally Posted by 00CivicEx /forum/post/20839110


I also agree on the size of the screen. One thing I noticed on the wall where the screen will be located it tapers up, So im going to have to measure so I can get a max size that im going to be able to use for the screen.

Click to expand...

Exactly - keep in mind the height you'll want the screen (putting your eyes somwhere near the middle or slightly below the middle of the screen), as well as additional space needed for the border - whether you build a screen or buy one, the projection surface won't go all the way to the corner.

Quote:
Originally Posted by 00CivicEx /forum/post/20839110


As for Sound isolation, Im not sure about that. The only sound isolation I have done is a studio room and we erected the walls for it So I was able to use special insualtion and such. I know they make Sound Isolating drape style material. I was thinking of hanging this around the room in a Red/Black combo. Maybe there is a better option tho?

Click to expand...

I'm not sure what product exactly you're refering to, but make sure it's going to do what you want it to do. It sounds to me like it may be designed to absorb reflected sound. That's something you may want to do as part of sound design within the room, but it won't do anything at all to keep the subwoofer from rattling the walls in the kitchen downstars - that's a whole 'nother ball game. Check out the webpages of a couple forum regulars: Ted White and Ethan Winer . Notice the products they sell do different things entirely - where your priotities lie, you'll have to work out.

Quote:
Originally Posted by 00CivicEx /forum/post/20839110


The only equipment I have ATM is the Optoma HD66.

Click to expand...

That's best, IMO, as it will allow you to see just how big an image the intended screen wall will support. Just find a bed sheet and start screening. Then work out where speakers can go - either in front or behind the screen, depending.

Quote:
Originally Posted by 00CivicEx /forum/post/20839110


Mainly I will have around 12ft room for seating, then the audience needs to be an ample distance from the screen(depending on screen size). One Row wouldnt hurt me, I could deal with 1 row of 4.

Click to expand...

As long as you're flexible there, it leaves room for realistic expectations.


Now maybe someone else will come along and give you a creative idea for how to make the most of the floorspace, but I think in this case, screen size needs to come first.


Fred

I completey agree I need to determine a screen size. In the meantime, I designed a mockup of the room in Google Sketchup. Everything is to exact dimensions including the chairs,There Berkline 45003-47. The screen is exact replica of 119" Diaganol screen. The distance from the screen to the chairs is a little over 5ft. After I added the chairs the relization of how much room there gonna take up comes into effect, an it seems a chair of this style im only gonna be able to fit 3.






Thanks for the help, and I really appreciate your insight!

Where's the 5 ft mark from the screen? At the end of the footrest or at the viewer's eyes?


When most people here describe seating distance, they're talking about to the eyes. (at least that's what I've noticed). 5 feet from a screen would be really close, but it looks like you probably mean to the front of the extended seat (maybe not?). Keep in mind that a 119' diagonal screen is going to be somewhere in the neighborhood of 4 1/2 or 5 feet tall HDTV image. I bet you'll feel uncomfortably close with your eyes closer than about 9 or 10 feet (twice the image height). Maybe not, but you should try it out first, IMO.


The sketchup looks pretty good, and if the distances are right, it could work out to be a nice place to sit for a movie.


Have you looked at traditional theater seating (not home theater, but more commercial)? They're smaller, in both dimensions. Also, a second row sofa might fit more easily because it won't recline, but you'll definitely want a riser if you put a sofa behind theater seats - or you could put a sofa in front, and maybe get a second row in without a riser, but that may be pushing it. Draw it out and weigh your priorities. (that's the fun of it, right?) Zoom in there in sketchup and check the lines of sight, if you can (though you may require more detailed scale drawings to be sure of lines of sight and viewing angles).


Keep poking and moving things around - a solution will appear.


Have you worked out storage for your gear and defined your expectations for sound isolation? Don't forget that a couple hundred watts of electronics and a couple hundred watts of body heat will keep that upstairs space warm in the summer in Mississippi. (I did read that right, didn't I?)