# First of Many



## wombat286 (Aug 31, 2012)

As I promised in my introduction post many questions would follow and here are the first.

A little background, in the next few weeks the GF and I will be breaking ground on a new house with a full unfinished basement to do what we wish with:bigsmile:
Part of the plan is to put in a home theater. After some discussion between us we feel we would like an entertainment area. Movie watching will likely comprise 75% or more of its use but from time to time we would like to watch a ball game with friends and family.
AVR and speakers I have to do 7.1, AVR might be upgraded at a later time for 7.2 or 9.2.

1st, can an open concept be incorporated into a home theater and still do acoustical treatments effectively. 

2nd, light will be controlled for movies but would like to have some lighting during games and such. What screen would you think, white or grey. GF wants movies to pop so I’m thinking white. Don’t want game day to be washed out so I’m thinking grey. Any suggestions.

3rd, I’ve been thinking of my budget and the Epson 8350 seems to fit it. Thinking I would rather buy a screen. I do believe I am too picky to try and paint one. Just think I would drive myself insane trying to get perfection. If I buy a screen then I’ve got what I’ve got. Been looking at Elite 2.35:1 screen. What are the thoughts on the above PJ and screen for my intended purpose?

Thanks Guys & and I haven't even thought of all the questions I need to ask so feel free to suggest some.


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## phillihp23 (Mar 14, 2012)

Visual Apex a sponser of HTS link on top has the following deal and others....
$1,536..................................... 
Epson 8350
100" Fixed Frame Screen
•HDMI v1.4 - 35ft
•Dust Cover
•Universal Projector Mount 
•IR Repeater
•Universal Remote
•WOW Calibration Disc


for about $100 more you can increase the screen size to 135"



I bought my Pani PT-AE7000U and 100" screen from them. Very customer friendly company.


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## ALMFamily (Oct 19, 2011)

wombat286 said:


> As I promised in my introduction post many questions would follow and here are the first.
> 
> A little background, in the next few weeks the GF and I will be breaking ground on a new house with a full unfinished basement to do what we wish with:bigsmile:
> Part of the plan is to put in a home theater. After some discussion between us we feel we would like an entertainment area. Movie watching will likely comprise 75% or more of its use but from time to time we would like to watch a ball game with friends and family.
> ...


1. It can, but the biggest issue you will find with an open plan is the ability to fill it. If you are looking for that solid THWUMP! from your subs, you will defintely need multiple subs to accomplish that. Treatments will not help fill the space, they help tame reflections and room modes. I am not sure how big the space is, but have you considered putting in double doors that could be opened when you want to entertain?

2. I am thinking a N8 or N9 screen here, but it would be better to ask the experts - post that question in the general screen question forum - Harp and Mech will be able to help you there.

3. It is a good projector IMO - it was on my short list when I was shopping. The combo listed in the post above is a good one to look at - and I know that Mech has the Elite Cinegray screen so it can't be bad either.

Questions:

1. What are you thinking for a room size?
2. Do you want to sound isolate the room?
3. How much DIY are you planning to do?

As you said, there are more questions but this is a good place to start. :bigsmile:


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## rab-byte (Feb 1, 2011)

The epson projector is great and will allow for a great picture. As for screen material/color there are good options out there. If you're looking for uber performance then you may want to look into a black diamond screen from Screen Innovations. It will black out the room better then any other material I've seen. Also you will have a very strong picture with that material even when the lights are on. It's not available in an acoustically transparent option so your speakers would have to be located around the screen as opposed to behind them. 

If the room will always be blacked out and you don't mind having enough light reflecting around the room then a white/grey screen is fine, and you'll have the option of AT screens, so your front speakers can be mounted behind the picture. 

Some questions people will want to know:

Room demintions, including ceiling hight? 
Seating distance from screen?
Light sources in the room, entry ways (ie floor plan)

Are you wanting floor standing speakers, wall-mounted/in-wall, or in-ceiling speakers?

Is your equipment going to be hidden or exposed, in another room, in the corner in a piece of furniture or a rack, or sitting under your screen in the front of the room?


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## wombat286 (Aug 31, 2012)

That pacakage is what got me to looking at the Epson, I would likely bump up the screen size to 
120" if it would fit in my area.

I'm sure I'll spend a lot of time in the screen forum also.

Room modes and reflections are what bother me with the open concept idea. I guess I'll have to come up with a room layout before I start fretting to much with that.

I really don't see this project getting off it's feet until next summer or so. No telling how much I'll confuse myself by then.



> 1. What are you thinking for a room size?


I'm wide open haven't done anything on that side. I'll have post running the length of the basement down the middle every 8'. So by looking at the house plans I'll end up with two 15' x 40' bowling lanes. If I try do go between them room would be 15' x as long as I want. If I went the other way post would have to be incoporated into my plan.



> 2. Do you want to sound isolate the room?


Not a big deal as the GF and I will be the only ones to worry about.



> 3. How much DIY are you planning to do?


I would say 90% or better would be done by me and family members.

I don't need the thump to shake the foundation but I do like and want it. That's why I see another sub in the future. I see this whole porject as a starting place upgrades to come as funds allow. Doesn't bother me to stay a year or so behind the latest and greatest to try and save money. I think I've got a pretty good speaker foundation. I do believe an AVR upgrade will be needed.


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## wombat286 (Aug 31, 2012)

rab-byte, to answer a few of your questions. I think I'm sold on the Epson 8350 looks like it will do for me for the time being. That black diamond screen is out of my budget. I see this as being and evolutionary type thing. I want to get the room right and equipment can be upgraded over time. Not looking for acoustically transparent screen I would like the front line up to be seen.

Ceiling height will be a minimum of 8' according to the builder but if I want to spend the $$$$ I can get 9' not sure if I'm going to do that yet. Room size is undetermined, minimum will be 15' wide length can be what I want it to be. 
Seating distance and light sources can all be as I need them to be. On the lighting, I plan on total light control for movies but would like to have some light when watching sports so people can move around.

Front speakers will be towers, surrounds will be wall mounted. 

I plan on building a rake system for equipment in the back of the room. I like looking and the stuff.

I know I'm vague on room size and lighting and other items but at this point I don't even know what all I don't know. 

I appreciate all the comments, suggestions. The questions you guys are asking are great help to me so I can determine what it is I finally want to end up with.

Thanks


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## rab-byte (Feb 1, 2011)

Cool
If you haven't yet read through some other people's room build threads to get some ideas. 

I always recommend running two cat-6 to your projector as opposed to HDMI only because you probably won't be able to rerun the lines later and this will provide you with a means to upgrade if the need arises. 

Also give some consideration to putting the projector on battery backup, just incase; bulbs are expensive.


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## wombat286 (Aug 31, 2012)

Oh been reading for a couple of years. Now that I am getting close to doing something I can't remember all that I have been reading.

This is how little I know about what I'm doing, what is the Cat-6 for. I see it mentioned alot


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## Wayne A. Pflughaupt (Apr 13, 2006)

wombat286 said:


> Room modes and reflections are what bother me with the open concept idea.


In my experience, and from what I have seen from others over the years, modes and reflections are actually _less_ of an issue in open floor plans than with normal rectangular rooms. 

Traditional, smallish dedicated HT rooms with shoe-box dimensions typically have a dead zone or “bass hole” in the dead center of the room, and bass energy increases as you move from that point towards any boundary. This makes it difficult to get uniform bass response to all the seats – i.e., bass will be louder in some seats than in others. By contrast, the large dimensions of an open floor plan results in more even bass distribution throughout the room: Bass generally sounds more consistent for most seating locations, except those that might be near or against a wall.

Likewise, the irregular boundaries of open floor plans tends to diminish the severity of room modes. Modes are caused by parallel boundaries, so the more irregular the room is, the better. 

The same goes with reflections - irregular boundaries are better for dispersion of the upper frequencies than shoe-box rooms. Things like cathedral ceilings are generally a benefit to room acoustics.

Regards, 
Wayne


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## phillihp23 (Mar 14, 2012)

Wayne A. Pflughaupt said:


> Things like cathedral ceilings are generally a benefit to room acoustics.
> 
> Regards,
> Wayne


I had for some reason thought the opposite. But it makes sense when you think about it. I guess the assumption was not to have catheral ceiling due to seeing so many people install drop down ceilings.
I guess why they do that is for recessed lighting etc. I feel better about my ceilings being recessed now. :R


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## phillihp23 (Mar 14, 2012)

rab-byte said:


> Cool
> Also give some consideration to putting the projector on battery backup, just incase; bulbs are expensive.


You can always have a special surge protector installed in the top spot of your circuit box also. Instead of installing surge protectors on all your equipment. This will protect anything plugged in an outlet in the house from spikes or surges from outside the house from going in.


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## rab-byte (Feb 1, 2011)

phillihp23 said:


> You can always have a special surge protector installed in the top spot of your circuit box also. Instead of installing surge protectors on all your equipment. This will protect anything plugged in an outlet in the house from spikes or surges from outside the house from going in.


This is true but I'm recommending battery backup so in the case of an outage the bulb will have time to properly cool.


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