Building my dedicated Home Theater - An unfinished saga

[sud98]

Don't know about this PJ, but you should consider both Black Friday and Cyber Monday for any deals especially as its Amazon.com.

PS: 3D is all but dead, personally I'd consider 4K instead. With a good upscaler even 1080p content will look good on it.

Frankly, 3d is just a nice to have. Content in 4k is far too few to make a real difference. Also, the 4k projectors start at 4000 USD, which is roughly 5 times the cost of this. So there is no way I am planning to spend so much on a projector with so little content.

 

[sam9s]

Actually, they have improved a lot in 2040. The dynamic contract has improved significantly as also the input lag and they have added Frame Interpolation which should help in watching sports.

What accessories would you recommend getting from there (if any)?

Yes they might have, but visually it does not make much of a difference. For accessories I got the projector mount, 3D glasses and Batteries for the same when ordered the projector from Amazon.

 

[sud98]

Yes they might have, but visually it does not make much of a difference. For accessories I got the projector mount, 3D glasses and Batteries for the same when ordered the projector from Amazon.

The mount I will buy locally as it might be too much to ask someone to carry and I saw one of the FM get it from SP Road (your Nehru Place eqvt) which was decent

For the 3d glasses, the price difference isnt much I think. I guess you have the Samsung 5100 glasses (now they have launched 5150 in the US). The price in US is 17 USD so nearly 5k INR if you convert. In India, its 6k, so not sure if its worth it.

 

[sam9s]

I guess you have the Samsung 5100 glasses (now they have launched 5150 in the US). The price in US is 17 USD so nearly 5k INR if you convert. In India, its 6k, so not sure if its worth it.

I bought 2 Samsung SSG-5100GB 3D Active Glasses for 20USD. 17USD is expensive for one glass I guess.

 

[ItsMe]

I will not advise to spend on 3D glasses, since its just the initial fancy which will drive you and nothing beyond. Advise to spend on something else, and not much on 3D. I have brought 2 sainsonic 3d glasses from US, but only used them for twice or thrice max till date. Not much fascinated with 3D now due to the hassle of wearing a glass and associated headache

 

[sud98]

This is the room for the basement. Need to make sure on the height.

I plan to setup the screen on the short wall and the projector around 12' which is what projectorcentral.com recommends if I need a 120" screen. But am I being too ambitious, as it would leave not too much space for my front floorstanders as it leaves only 1.5 ft both sides.
Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 2040 Projection Calculator - Throw Distance and Screen Size

Does it make sense to limit to 110" where the width becomes 8' so I have 2' on both sides?

 

[ItsMe]

A 110" will be almost equivalent to a 120" screen, but if you feel there is a need to sacrifice 10" diagonal for convenience, please go ahead. But check whether you can keep your floor standing speakers below the screen bottom, so that you still can achieve the 120" diagonal screen.

 

[sud98]

A 110" will be almost equivalent to a 120" screen, but if you feel there is a need to sacrifice 10" diagonal for convenience, please go ahead. But check whether you can keep your floor standing speakers below the screen bottom, so that you still can achieve the 120" diagonal screen.

The difference is a feet in width between 110 and 120 inch screens. So not much, practically, might even have to do a 100" which was not my original thought as I wanted as large a screen as possible.

The solution of speakers below wont work as they are tower units and are quite tall.

The other part is that the height is not uniform. Its 10 feet for about two feet, then 9 feet for around 10 feet and back to 10 feet post that. So not sure what kind of acoustic treatments I will need.

 

[sam9s]

View attachment 20810

This is the room for the basement. Need to make sure on the height.

I plan to setup the screen on the short wall and the projector around 12' which is what projectorcentral.com recommends if I need a 120" screen. But am I being too ambitious, as it would leave not too much space for my front floorstanders as it leaves only 1.5 ft both sides.
Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 2040 Projection Calculator - Throw Distance and Screen Size

Does it make sense to limit to 110" where the width becomes 8' so I have 2' on both sides?

What is your room width, and which floor stands and projector are you using

 

[sud98]

What is your room width, and which floor stands and projector are you using

Room width is 12 feet. My projector is Epson 2040 and I used the link to calculate the width Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 2040 Projection Calculator - Throw Distance and Screen Size

Floor standers are in the signature - Paradigm Monitor 9.

 

[sud98]

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8SRo782zUzxZzJQVXhCOVd1UGM

These are the 2D designs for the HT room. Any feedback welcome?

From acoustic perspective, I think I would need absorption panels for the ceiling, bass traps at the front corners and possibly diffusors at the first reflection. Not sure if I can afford all three, so may actually optimize with gypsum at the ceiling and only diffusors at the front reflections.

The sofa will be flush with the back wall, I think it will take care of the back wall bass trap. I was think of the rear wall, I can make a shelf with my movie collection as a diffusor, but may not work as it might hit my head when i get up from the sofa.

 

[sam9s]

Room width is 12 feet. My projector is Epson 2040 and I used the link to calculate the width Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 2040 Projection Calculator - Throw Distance and Screen Size

Floor standers are in the signature - Paradigm Monitor 9.

Mine is also 12 feet and I also almost have the same projector 2030. YOur speakers combined width is 1.2 Feet, so keeping a margin and taking the combined width as 1.5 feet, you can easily go with 130" screen (same as mine). For 130" screen the width would be 113" which is 9.4 feet. Subtracting that from 12 feet (room width) you get 2.6 feet, and all you need is 1.5 feet with both speakers, you will still be left 6" at both ends ..... this is same configuration as mine ...

 

[realactivex]

Mine is also 12 feet and I also almost have the same projector 2030. YOur speakers combined width is 1.2 Feet, so keeping a margin and taking the combined width as 1.5 feet, you can easily go with 130" screen (same as mine). For 130" screen the width would be 113" which is 9.4 feet. Subtracting that from 12 feet (room width) you get 2.6 feet, and all you need is 1.5 feet with both speakers, you will still be left 6" at both ends ..... this is same configuration as mine ...

And what about the width of the black bars on the side of the screen? would that also be included in this 9.4 feet?

 

[sud98]

Mine is also 12 feet and I also almost have the same projector 2030. YOur speakers combined width is 1.2 Feet, so keeping a margin and taking the combined width as 1.5 feet, you can easily go with 130" screen (same as mine). For 130" screen the width would be 113" which is 9.4 feet. Subtracting that from 12 feet (room width) you get 2.6 feet, and all you need is 1.5 feet with both speakers, you will still be left 6" at both ends ..... this is same configuration as mine ...

Even when you were building I had doubts on how you will manage such a big screen. I will stick to 120". As even FM santhosh has the same screen for the same width. Adding two inch on both sides for the frame. I think the people sitting in the corners will have their vision blocked plus like to keep a bit more distance for the speakers to the side wall.

Any suggestions on the acoustics? The quotes are far too expensive, so not sure if I can go for any of them.

 

[sam9s]

And what about the width of the black bars on the side of the screen? would that also be included in this 9.4 feet?

You are still left with 6" at both sides. the border or frame as you might say will not be more than 2",(mine is not) so adding for both ends it comes to 4". You are still left with 2" for both ends. It fits perfectly. Check out the below snap, look carefully it all fits perfectly.

 

[sam9s]

Even when you were building I had doubts on how you will manage such a big screen. I will stick to 120". As even FM santhosh has the same screen for the same width. Adding two inch on both sides for the frame. I think the people sitting in the corners will have their vision blocked plus like to keep a bit more distance for the speakers to the side wall.

Any suggestions on the acoustics? The quotes are far too expensive, so not sure if I can go for any of them.

How many people are you going to fit, in a 12 feet room. Not more than 3 in one row, and no way the vision gets blocked ..... Get a bigger screen, well, atleast of you have a viewing distance of ateast 13 feet. My head when I sit on my recliner is at around 13 feet and the screen looks gorgeous ..... anything less than 13 feet I might go for 120"

 

[sud98]

How many people are you going to fit, in a 12 feet room. Not more than 3 in one row, and no way the vision gets blocked ..... Get a bigger screen, well, atleast of you have a viewing distance of ateast 13 feet. My head when I sit on my recliner is at around 13 feet and the screen looks gorgeous ..... anything less than 13 feet I might go for 120"

Thanks. You are right, There will be a three seater sofa that I am looking at. So i will stick to 120".

I plan to keep my equipment rack below the screen which is around 2.5 ft in height and a centre speaker (9") on it. So roughly 3.5 ft from bottom.

The 120" will require 5' screen height, so will have around 2' space at the top. Hopefully that should be enough.

 

[sud98]

Thanks. You are right, There will be a three seater sofa that I am looking at. So i will stick to 120".

I plan to keep my equipment rack below the screen which is around 2.5 ft in height and a centre speaker (9") on it. So roughly 3.5 ft from bottom.

The 120" will require 5' screen height, so will have around 2' space at the top. Hopefully that should be enough.

The rack is 1.5 ft and so will be 2.5 ft with speaker. The screen for 120" will be 5' in height and with masking around 5.5 ft. So leaves only about a feet of practical space at the ceiling. Will that do?

 

[rajesh srinivas]

You are still left with 6" at both sides. the border or frame as you might say will not be more than 2",(mine is not) so adding for both ends it comes to 4". You are still left with 2" for both ends. It fits perfectly. Check out the below snap, look carefully it all fits perfectly.

hi sam,nice ht build of yours,one question you have used thermocol for ceiling
dont they vibrate with low freq...

2.what type of material you have used for wall carpet and thickness.

thanks
r/s.

 

[sud98]

I was looking for projector screen material. Going by different online reviews, I narrowed down to Carl's Flexiwhite screen.

For the 144" dia the price comes to 69 USD, once rolled into tube its another 20 USD. However, shipping to India is around 130 USD. Plus there would be custom duties so would come to around 220 USD - ~15000 INR.

Besides these, I will need the black felt tape which costs another 30 USD.

SO is this worth paying so much or buying it locally.