building an HT from scratch

[pimpedout97x 4]

here's the dimensions of the wall the screen is going on. theres no windows at all, its above my garage. its sound deadened real good, etc. we just never got equipment for it. its pre wired for 7.1 surround, an outlet, etc on the ceiling where the projector will go, etc.

we will be getting theater seats (nothing big) but its just a small little HT.

want a nice screen, whatever the biggest 16:9 screen we can fit on that wall. i know at least a 100" will fit, possible 110-120" at the most.

recomend me a projector as well. my dad wants a 1080p, but at the same time, dont need anything thats top line. i think hes looking for something in the 1200-1500 ish range. its not gonna be used daily, but when we use it, he wants a nice picture.

sound, not sure on budget, but id rather build a nice 7.1 setup, than buying a pre made one.

give me ideas there. (reciever, speakers, sub/amp etc)

ill get some pics of the actual room and post them in an hour or so, but until then, here is a diagram of the wall the screen will be on, and the dimenisons, in inches.

[JimJ 11]

I'd rather go with a separate preamp/processor and power amplifier...I'd check Audiogon.

[///M5 2,833]

How big is the room? Having 7.1 at home is usually pretty worthless.

[95Honda 486]

I'd rather go with a separate preamp/processor and power amplifier...I'd check Audiogon.

X2

Also, look into the gear from Outlaw, real good bang for the buck, probably the best deal in HT right now.

You can get some of thier processors that have all rca and XLR balanced outputs so running the pro audio amp for the sub is super easy.

You can't go wrong with a Partsexpress, Madisound or a Zalytron kit for your speakers. Also look into Zaphaudio for some designs.

As for the sub(s), you have so many awesome options out there these days you are in really good shape. Look into some of the Dayton, Soundsplinter or Exodus drivers.

I would definetly look into seperates though, don't buy a reciever. If you go used you can do so much more for the same amount of money...

[pimpedout97x 4]

ill measure the room in a few, but its wired for 7.1 and thats what he wants...lol

also, the front 2 channels arent on the wall, the wires are by the base boards, so the fronts need to be towers. the side and rear speakers are mounted on the top of the walls, close to the ceiling.

[ABXX49 20]

I built a subwoofer for my HT over the summer. I'm using a Dayton Reference HF 15" in a 5.5^3 box. I covered it in an oak formica with a Bash 500w plate amp. After it was all said and done I think I got away with just over $500 in it, and it really booms in my house.

Edited November 2, 2008 by abxx

[///M5 2,833]

ill measure the room in a few, but its wired for 7.1 and thats what he wants...lol

also, the front 2 channels arent on the wall, the wires are by the base boards, so the fronts need to be towers. the side and rear speakers are mounted on the top of the walls, close to the ceiling.

Doing things first and thinking second must run in the family. If he wants to throw away the money at the 7.1 no need to stop him I guess.

Some idea of budget is required.

[pimpedout97x 4]

LMAO

how come 7.1 is pointless (i can explain it to my dad when he asks why)

also, im gonna start with the easiest things first (IMO)

the projector, and even easier, the screen.

we were going to order one, but trying to find the biggest screen to fit within the angled ceiling, is hard. then he mentioned painting the wall...

we were gonna smooth it and paint a screen, but then i saw a DIY write up, this guy made a frame from like 1x2's, and then stretched the white "blackout" curtain material over it. i think its the same material the alot of the actual projector screens use.

i think that would work the best, i can build it the biggest to fit, and cover it in this material. in total, itll be maybe 35$ in materials.

my only question is, how do you know you have the right height and length of the screen, to keep it within the 16:9 ratio and not have it thrown off (for instance, if its 44" high, how wide would it be?)

also, i edited the top pic. there is 2 outlets along the bottom, i added them in so you can see the max dimensions for the screen.

[pimpedout97x 4]

i found the info here, ill make the screen tomorow.

http://www.projectorreviews.com/advice/scr...ulatescreen.php

[pimpedout97x 4]

got the screen planned out. ill build it tomorow.

124" viewing area, 108" wide, 60.75" height (give or take a few tenths on the height)

theres about 1" from the corners of the screen, to the angled ceiling. im not gonna build a boarder on the screen. after its installed, we can put a small boarder around it. i think its gonna come out very nice.

[pimpedout97x 4]

would 1 or 2 of these subs work? http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.c...tnumber=295-468

[pimpedout97x 4]

what i got done in about 30 minutes.

still have a lottttttttttt of bracing to do.

i cant find the material i need locally that is wide enough. its all 54" wide (i knew i wouldnt find anything locally) so im going to have to order it in 72" width online i guess. my width is 60.75".......

[pimpedout97x 4]

[Robert_J 0]

A few things:

1. What are you going to use for a border? You need to recalculate the size when you add your border because it can't just be 1" or 2" all the way around and still keep an exact 16x9 aspect ratio.

2. You need to set all of your braces back just a hair. I used L and T braces from Lowes and set them back the thicknes of a very tiny washer. Otherwise they will touch the back of the screen and it won't be perfectly smooth.

3. How are you going to hang it? I used a French cleat system. It allowed me to adjust the screen side to side to center it exactly.

4. Will you be sitting on the floor when watching the movie? Because it looks like the screen bottom is less than a foot from the floor. Divide the screen into 3 equal parts with 2 horizontal lines. Your eyes should be the same height as the bottom line. Also, you want to make sure your head doesn't get in the way of the projector. It would suck to have head shadows on the screen all of the time. And it gets tiring slouching down in the seat.

5. Painting. You can still paint the wall. There are some great formulas on the web that will give you increased gain and better blacks. I built my screen so I can remove the border to paint it. If I don't like it, I replace the fabric for $10 and start over.

6. Projector mounting. Have you decided on a projector and mount? Will it have enough adjustment from side to side if it isn't perfectly centered on the screen? How much keystone adjustment does it have?

-Robert

[pimpedout97x 4]

A few things:

1. What are you going to use for a border? You need to recalculate the size when you add your border because it can't just be 1" or 2" all the way around and still keep an exact 16x9 aspect ratio.

2. You need to set all of your braces back just a hair. I used L and T braces from Lowes and set them back the thicknes of a very tiny washer. Otherwise they will touch the back of the screen and it won't be perfectly smooth.

3. How are you going to hang it? I used a French cleat system. It allowed me to adjust the screen side to side to center it exactly.

4. Will you be sitting on the floor when watching the movie? Because it looks like the screen bottom is less than a foot from the floor. Divide the screen into 3 equal parts with 2 horizontal lines. Your eyes should be the same height as the bottom line. Also, you want to make sure your head doesn't get in the way of the projector. It would suck to have head shadows on the screen all of the time. And it gets tiring slouching down in the seat.

5. Painting. You can still paint the wall. There are some great formulas on the web that will give you increased gain and better blacks. I built my screen so I can remove the border to paint it. If I don't like it, I replace the fabric for $10 and start over.

6. Projector mounting. Have you decided on a projector and mount? Will it have enough adjustment from side to side if it isn't perfectly centered on the screen? How much keystone adjustment does it have?

-Robert

1. im doing a boarder around that screen, so the 108 x 60.75" screen that im building now, will stay 108 x 60.75"

2. im putting a sheet of 1/4" over the whole thing, so the screen material has a flat surface to sit on.

3. not sure yet how im going to hang it.

4. the projector will be on the ceiling, so nothing will block it. we arent sure what we're using for seats, but itll work out.

5. ive already started, so unless this screen doesnt look good when finished, ill try the paint method. i think this will work though.

6. not yet. its all pre-wired though, the projector is going to be hanging from the ceiling, dead center with the wall the screen will be on.

[Robert_J 0]

would 1 or 2 of these subs work? http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.c...tnumber=295-468

Those are very capable subs but it all depends on your design and your goals.

-Robert

[Robert_J 0]

Here is my screen while still in frame mode. I was test hanging it. I've got a decent sized wingspan to give you an idea of the size.

This pic has a good shot of the border made from door casing painted flat black.

In this one you can see the decorative corner I used on the border. I wanted something a little better than a 45 degree corner.

[seanbw 1]

http://www.goosystems.com/ i've heard has good products if u don't want to hang a screen.

edit: i've used the mitsu hc1600 and hc3000u without trouble for projectors. i prefer the black reproduction of DLP over lcd and lcos personally. what's the budget for projector, you can spend upwards of a quarter million on a good runco if you really want to.

Edited November 3, 2008 by caligreen

[pimpedout97x 4]

im just gonna screw some 1x2s into the studs, and hang it that way.

where the side speakers will go, if we do 7.1....ill prally just leave those capped off, and run 5.1 only.

rear channels

even got the theater lights

[Robert_J 0]

where the side speakers will go, if we do 7.1....ill probably just leave those capped off, and run 5.1 only.

Those are way too close to the screen. They should be even with the first row of seats or slightly behind. The Dolby site has a bunch of great diagrams for speaker placement.

-Robert

[///M5 2,833]

IMO that room is way too small for 7.1, way.

[pimpedout97x 4]

we are going to run 5.1

its just wired for 7.1....

its actually not even wired right. the guy that wired it messed up, and my dad didnt notice it until i pointed it out. he didnt run wires for the center channel or the sub.

we'll just have to run them and hide them somehow.

[///M5 2,833]

lol, the dude forgot the center channel? HT 101.

[95Honda 486]

Looks like you already have some Partsexpress kits...

[nickeveready 0]

LMAO

how come 7.1 is pointless (i can explain it to my dad when he asks why)

also, im gonna start with the easiest things first (IMO)

the projector, and even easier, the screen.

we were going to order one, but trying to find the biggest screen to fit within the angled ceiling, is hard. then he mentioned painting the wall...

we were gonna smooth it and paint a screen, but then i saw a DIY write up, this guy made a frame from like 1x2's, and then stretched the white "blackout" curtain material over it. i think its the same material the alot of the actual projector screens use.

i think that would work the best, i can build it the biggest to fit, and cover it in this material. in total, itll be maybe 35$ in materials.

my only question is, how do you know you have the right height and length of the screen, to keep it within the 16:9 ratio and not have it thrown off (for instance, if its 44" high, how wide would it be?)

also, i edited the top pic. there is 2 outlets along the bottom, i added them in so you can see the max dimensions for the screen.

i know your're doing 5.1, but to answer your question there's very limited content available in 7.1