# My converted bedroom theater



## victor-eyd

This is my home theater. It is nothing more than an unused bedroom that was slightly modified during construction so no closet would be inserted. The equipment and bookcase is the section the closet would have been. The room is 13x12x10ft high. The floor is maple (the ends) hardwood and the curtains are ikea.


Enjoy.




















Victor


----------



## bbboza

Very nice man!










Do you have more pics of the actual room layout etc... I want to see the way you set up your rear speakers etc...


Cheers!


----------



## victor-eyd

The room is 12x13x10 high. So its a 13ft distance to the screen from the back wall. The three surrounds are simply mounted on L-brackets and screwed to wall facing up. I'll post more pix soon.


Thanks for your comments


Victor


----------



## victor-eyd

The ceiling and the screen wall are all painted flat black background to minimize reflection.


The painted wall makes it easy when my kids do something like this











Victor


----------



## dizwip

Well done, very resourceful and it looks good too. Pretty neat and it's child-proof, meaning, I would be allowed in there. Good deal.


Dino in NYC


----------



## victor-eyd

Equipment and costs

Projector: Sharp A10x- open box $800

DVD players: Sony 400 disc Cx985v open box holiday return at CC - $175

Toshiba 6 disc from craigslist $25.00

Cyberhome DVD recorder- Xmas gift $0

Samsung T151 OTA HD receiver - giveway $0

Carver TFM15 for transducers $150

Aura transducers $0 remnants

Pioneer 6.1 D810S receiver $200

Yamaha dual 6" powered sub giveway $0

DIY Audio Concepts Speaker system from college system $700


Total costs= $2050


Furniture from Levitz closeout- $300

Rack and tables from Target $150

Artwork $350 (told you it wasn't cheap)


Victor


----------



## swithey

Nice job on the room. I love the DTS/Dolby signs!. Ahh, now you have a place to watch your own demo DVDs


----------



## pawarujie

Sure it does look nice. Nice home theater signage too. How did u do that ?


----------



## victor-eyd




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *pawarujie* /forum/post/0
> 
> 
> Nice home theater signage too. How did u do that ?



I work at a high end picture framing company in SF. I designed the layout and they did the rest.


Victor


----------



## victor-eyd

Update: I removed my Carver TFM-15 amp which was powering my (4) aura bass shakers and replaced it with an old Kenwood a/v receiver sitting in my brother's closet. Initially, I plugged the inputs into CD, thinking now that I had more gain control (aka volume) I could get better responsiveness from the shakers. Yes, there was some but not much more, even when I turned the volume so high I practically shorted the receiver and its goes into protection mode.










Then I changed inputs and plugged the rca jacks into the PHONO input. WOW!! A Huge difference in response! I'm barely above minimum volume and already these shakers are movin!










If you are going down this route and using a stereo receiver to power your shakers, try using the PHONO input and see if the responsiveness of the shakers are better than using TAPE or CD. You'll be quite surprised as I was!










Victor


----------



## JET99

Cheap theaters are the best - no need to spend time worrying about expensive equipment. I've got an AE700u putting up a 96" picture onto 200 dollar Elite matte screen in theater-dark conditions most of the time, using only a small section of a larger room, a cheap rock bottom Dolby 5.1 receiver and some old BOSTON ACOUSTIC speakers - shooting from a shelf distance 11 ft (straight level shot) dead center- avg viewing distance 6 to 8 ft using COMCAST HD and also with a Toshiba HD-DVD


The PQ results are extraordinary


No need to spend much on a theater today


----------



## mutelight

Very nice! I am going to have to tell my friend about that material you used to paint your wall.


----------



## wimpynet

u have a real cine there


----------



## victor-eyd

Some have asked: "Where are the surrounds?"











Well, here they are. They are mounted on L-brackets and pointed up. The lucky part was that the subwoofer was the same thickness, so I was able to hide it back there also.


I have also added another update to my system. My friend was unloading his old tower speakers, of which they were the same Audio Concepts design as the rest of my speaker system, to me for free. I was also having the problem that my center was a little too low soooo-


I killed two birds with one stone and used the main towers as my new left and right, kept the original center but augmented it with another satellite speaker not being used and mounted above the screen. Now I already know about the don'ts of having 2 centers in a ht system, but I've broken enough "established" laws of ht so why stop now










Victor


----------



## victor-eyd

A new addition to my theater, a diy backlit cardboard Darth Vader with a motion-activated voice box. Cost my wife $10 at the local thrift store and practically nothing for putting it together.


At day










At night


----------



## swithey




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *victor-eyd* /forum/post/0
> 
> 
> A new addition to my theater, a diy backlit cardboard Darth Vader with a motion-activated voice box. Cost my wife $10 at the local thrift store and practically nothing for putting it together.



Victor,


I like the orange glow behind him. What does he say when you walk by him?


----------



## victor-eyd

The usual Vader lines from EP4-6 like:


"Release your anger..."

"You are not a jedi yet"

"Impresive, most impressive"


lines like that


Victor


----------



## victor-eyd

The entrance is sort of a mini lobby with two doors on either side: One to the theater, the other to the my son's room.











Victor


----------



## swithey

Your Backyard screen looks like it is coming along. Is that $10 projector you bought a 4:3 640x480 LCD resolution model?


----------



## victor-eyd

Steve,


It's actually done. The pj is a 800x600 model with really cool features like remote zoom and focus.


Now that I've fired a few movies under the stars I'm seriously considering upgrading to 5.1, if I get one cheap enough


Victor


----------



## swithey




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *victor-eyd* /forum/post/0
> 
> 
> Steve,
> 
> 
> It's actually done. The pj is a 800x600 model with really cool features like remote zoom and focus.
> 
> 
> Now that I've fired a few movies under the stars I'm seriously considering upgrading to 5.1, if I get one cheap enough
> 
> 
> Victor



I was thinking of making one myself once I get the room done. I think it would be fun. The only issue is my backyard slopes a bit so it will be a little more difficult to get a ton of folks in. The nice part is we are retiring a few Sanyo 4:3 1024x768 3000 Lumen LCD projectors with remote zoom at the office. One of these should work out nicely for a backyard theater. All I need to do is find some cheap speakers and a sub. Craigslist sounds like a great source.


BTW -- how did the bass sound in the open air? Could you still hear it or did you need to crank it to get some response. Did any of your neighbors complain?


----------



## victor-eyd

The bass add fullness to the sound. You'd be very surprised just how much better a sub, even my puny 6" sony htib orphan powered by a 45 sub amp from partsexpress, will do to any outdoor system. My nearest neighbor is about 50' away and he can't hear it the reference volume we set it at, which isn't very loud to begin with.


No need to crank the bass, just balance it with the rest of the system and you're all set.


The XGA should be a great pj for outdoor use. Warning: If you set it up now and your outdoors are very warm at night, don't be surprised enjoying it as much (if not more) as your indoor (when its done) ht.


Its a terrific experience watching a movie outdoors. Enjoy!!


Check out the other setups at backyardtheater and see which app might work for you. You don't need to spend a lot to get a lot.


Victor


----------



## yobo

kick a_s_s!!!!!!


----------



## Tarheel72

How did you decide the color for the screen and why did you not paint the walls a darker color? 18% gray for instance?


----------



## victor-eyd




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *Tarheel72* /forum/post/0
> 
> 
> How did you decide the color for the screen and why did you not paint the walls a darker color? 18% gray for instance?



The screen color was based on research on diy screens forum. As to the walls, they are a personal preference and I wanted a room color scheme that integrated with the rest of the house in terms of color and decor.


Victor


----------



## victor-eyd

Here is my latest addition to my theater. Framers refer to this as a sandwich frame. It is primarily 2 pieces of large plexi with screws all around to secure the pcs together. Another 2 small pieces of plexi is used on the back to hold up the frame to the wall. To frame a poster, simply tape the corners of the back of each poster and center on the rear plexi. Then place the front plexi and screw in place.


It cost me about $150 dollars at my local plexi fabricator to make.











I like that it has a very thin profile, so it clears the door knob when opening or closing. Also, at a future point I can backlight this poster quite easily.


Victor


----------



## orphaze

I really like the plaques. That kind of stuff adds a nice touch.


----------



## Wytchone

Nice & all for $2000!


----------



## victor-eyd

This is the end of this theater. Stay tuned for its ht makeover conversion which will hopefully be completed by Thanksgiving 2008 or earlier.


Thanks for looking.


Victor


----------



## srev




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *victor-eyd* /forum/post/7752716
> 
> 
> Now I already know about the don'ts of having 2 centers in a ht system, but I've broken enough "established" laws of ht so why stop now



So glad you said that! If it's working and you're digging it, it's perfect!


----------



## adambomb6

cool


----------



## adambomb6

really cool


----------



## victor-eyd

A new addition. And it only costs me $20.00 to make (Prices of the laserdiscs extra).











Victor


----------



## toppy23

haha love the Vader 'glow'


----------



## victor-eyd

More additional art-


These are my versions of a certain type of poster art called a mounted frame. Simply explained, the poster is spray glued onto 5/16 mdf hardboard and a clear film is placed on top to protect the poster paper from damage. I don't have access to the film but similar mdf hardboard can be found at home depot. I simply measured the poster size and cut the hardboard to fit. I then painted the edges black and spray glued the poster onto the mdf.


If you get the poster mounted like this online, expect to pay upwards of a $100 for the process, not including the poster. For me, the total cost was about $20 for both mdf panels and 5 or so for glue.


Front










Back










Victor


----------



## victor-eyd

More renovation- next up, the stormtrooper


From the back










From the front










It new home, the lobby










Closeup


----------



## victor-eyd

My next project...its fairly self-explanatory (once done) and yes, fully functional with the a/v system











Victor


----------



## victor-eyd

Done and almost ready to be placed on the coffee table










It will integrate with the existing theater as the portable unit has a/v ins and outs for ful connectivity.


Top view










Victor


----------



## victor-eyd

Parking lot resurfaced to allow more vehicles











Victor


----------



## victor-eyd

90% Done


Before










After










Before










After










Before










After










Before










After


----------



## aaron.d

this is one of the coolest, most attainable home cinemas I have ever seen.

While some home theaters are amazing from a design and layout standpoint, with amazing gear to boot, they often represent a VERY substantial monetary investment.


Yours on the other hand, strikes me as much more of a labour of love. It fully appeals to the hacker in me, its well thought out. While I obviously cant speak for pricing, it's clear that dollars take a back seat to ingenuity. This is a theater any one of us could have in our spare bedrooms, and it's the extra work that makes it priceless.


----------



## Raymond Leggs




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *victor-eyd* /forum/post/7752716
> 
> 
> Some have asked: "Where are the surrounds?"
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Well, here they are. They are mounted on L-brackets and pointed up. The lucky part was that the subwoofer was the same thickness, so I was able to hide it back there also.
> 
> 
> I have also added another update to my system. My friend was unloading his old tower speakers, of which they were the same Audio Concepts design as the rest of my speaker system, to me for free. I was also having the problem that my center was a little too low soooo-
> 
> 
> I killed two birds with one stone and used the main towers as my new left and right, kept the original center but augmented it with another satellite speaker not being used and mounted above the screen. Now I already know about the don'ts of having 2 centers in a ht system, but I've broken enough "established" laws of ht so why stop now
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Victor



I Like breaking the "established" rules of HT and 2-channel audio as well, especially regarding speakers. Most "audio obsessed" People say that a tower or large speaker that costs under $200.00 cannot sound good, but I would say that is just a biased statement from someone who bought one large cheap pair of speakers and get "burned" without trying other similar types of speakers within that price range before making a blanket statement.


I also will point out that most people say avoid HTIB and say there is no good HTIB with decent speakers and that is an outright lie. Look at the Onkyo HTIB's and the Higher end HTIB speaker packages from Paradigm, HSU,Klipsch and elite audio. call them "sh*tty" and you have serious issues.


Hell I am getting a used Lagre RCA HTIB from 2002 which has a Huge All metal receiver which weighs nearly 30 LBS if it is still there it sounds good enough for me and it has been there for a while.


I don't NEED HDMI and all that junk so why bother. I am happy with digital coax and TOSLINK.


I might put the big passive sub in my closet so I'll have a magic door that opens without me touching it. (the doorknob already doesnt catch) Plus the closet will act like an extra enclosure which will "boost" the bass around

+3Db!!










Now all I need is a good comfortable seat besides a battered metal folding chair.


I can't wait for my upgraded HT. (this forum and hobby has made me mentally Ill)


----------



## Cyrano

Victor, That's a really good use of a 12X13 foot space. Great HT.


----------



## victor-eyd

Well, I finally got off my butt and finished my theater. I wish I could say I'm 100% complete- but I'm not.


So what I did was build a platform and raised my equipment stand. That way, the lowest panel is just above the arm rest. I'll be keeping my ps3 here for now but I'll probably put on the top shelf and reserve the space for more junk. I used a mad catz multi-platform component dongle so I can plug in my 360 at a later point for 100" Halo-ing. Also, because of the limited a/v inputs of the Pioneer I had to jury rig a setup system where i could utilize S-video and digital audio for the dvd player and dvd recorder but components on the same inputs for ps3 and hdtv. Believe it or not, it works- just a little clunky on the interface level.


Anyways, here's some photos of the update:




















PS3 via component (downscaled to 576p)

bluray movie download



















ps3 games





































For now, I'm very happy with the setup


Victor


----------



## victor-eyd

Xbox 360 now online. Downscaled to 576p from 1080i. Halo looks real good!


----------



## Sherardp

very well done, lots of nice touches too. Very creative as well.


----------



## victor-eyd

More fun


Little Big Planet




























Death Race- 480p upscaled to 1080i and displayed on 576p. However the math it looks great on the screen!


----------



## victor-eyd

And the one part that will make this projector a part of this theater for a long long time to come- note hrs used after 4 years! And when I bought it, it already had 750hrs!!


----------



## Aaron Gilbert

Victor,


Wow, that is truly impressive! And I thought I had a fair amount of DD/DTS plaques.







Your room really shows a lot of creativity and is very professionally done. I love the mini drive-in theater with all the little cars. Your movie posters are just excellent, and all the little details like the popcorn cartons, candy dispensers, and stand up action figures really add wonderfully to the whole theater feel. I think yours is one of the best theaters I've seen on here in that regard. Great job, man!!


----------



## victor-eyd

One thing that was lost when I transfered photo hosting were my plaque frames.


Well, here they are. Basically I used either the gold plastic dts/dolby digital plaques or the dts/dolby posters (I don't know if you get either of them anymore) and had my old company, a very good framer in SF, transform them into more finished works of art. They look great (at least to me) and really add to the room's appeal.






































Victor


----------



## victor-eyd

More upgrades-


Finally cleaned up the room! Added so far an area rug that was formerly in the living room (really buttoned up the bass response!), reinforced the shelves and added a clock.


You may not notice it but this room currently has six projectors: one for main viewing, one for backyard, one for backup to backyard, and three for holiday projection
























































Victor


----------



## wse




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *victor-eyd* /forum/post/16795912
> 
> 
> More upgrades-
> 
> 
> Finally cleaned up the room! Added so far an area rug that was formerly in the living room (really buttoned up the bass response!), reinforced the shelves and added a clock. Victor



Nice small theater, a bit too much stuff for my taste. I like the fact that you painted the wall black. You get maximum brightness and no reflection.


I am looking to do the same but Black won't work so I am looking at dark navy blue










The room size is 12 x 13 x 9, I am thinking of putting the speakers in the ceiling and in the front wall to minimize floor space.


I like the idea of the sub behind the seat.


----------



## victor-eyd

Yeah, it feels a little cluttered because sadly, it beginning to get cluttered. I'd probably replace the shelves with a credenza of some kind but budget won't allow that right now. I'd also like to streamline the a/v junk since the ps3 has a new home with my 61" 720p lcd and blu-ray was meant to be seen on hd screens, not 576p xga resolution.


Still as gaming rooms go its awesome for 100" halo or soon-to-be MW2


Victor


----------



## Esco5710

NICE AZZ SET UP!!!!!!!! I'm feeling the drive-in theatre too!!! Pretty Creative!


----------



## victor-eyd

Well, I got rid of my A10x and looking for another projector. My budget is pretty limited right now so I am either considering a crt pj (if I can deal with the space/size issues), a diy (same problems) or another business pj (possibly the Epson EX70)


I have an Eiki LC-X999 that I'll put in place until I make a final decision....


----------



## victor-eyd

Wow, no sooner than its gone then I find a great deal on a Sharp XV Z2000 720p projector- for only $399 for a refurb special on tiger with free shipping!


Its got everything I need- dual component inputs, native 720p, even better zoom lens than my old pj and its still a Sharp so I'm really happy with this! New pics to be up soon!


Victor


----------



## mikieson

Super old thread revival FTW..lol


----------



## osofast240sx




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *victor-eyd* /forum/post/7497118
> 
> 
> The ceiling and the screen wall are all painted flat black background to minimize reflection.
> 
> 
> The painted wall makes it easy when my kids do something like this
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Victor



Paint is the best when you have little ones.


----------



## mikieson

I like paint better than fabric. I have yet to see a fabric type screen that doesnt have wrinkles in it to some degree.


----------



## victor-eyd

The changes to my ht is actually two-fold:


1. in the family room on the other side of the laserdisc collage, I just got a another Pioneer receiver VSX 33TX, which I unfortunately ended up burning out the amplifiers. However, all is not lost as I still have two carver amps and the Pioneer has pre-outs, so I'm still in business. I'm not using a center channel so 4 channels of amplification is all i need. I also got a free Celestion (looks like a 8") powered sub so there's my sub out right there.


2. I got a new PS3 slim to replace my burned out 40gb PS3. Walmart couldn't fix it after 3x so they sent me a check for a new one. Yippee! What I intend to do is use the component out of the PS3 to feed it all they way to the ht in the next room. I will also use a toslink to coaxial converter from the the PS3. The hdmi from the PS3 still hooks up to my jvc tv.


3. Clean up all of the wiring and open up the back of the cabinet for more airflow.


Pics to come...


Victor


----------



## Marc Yu

I totally agree with the budget set up. Even though I can afford it, I find it kind of ridiculous to spend more than $2,000 on TV/video entertainment. You have to keep a home theater in perspective from a budgetary point of view. Additionally, the extra touches that don't cost actual money - like the time, love, and effort you've obviously invested into it - really make it part of your home and family. Bravo!


----------



## victor-eyd

Alrighty then- some pics.


Here is the family room theater- got the 61" JVC for a steal on craigslist- $200 with a 4 month old lamp, can't beat that! The Pioneer thx 5.1 was $60, but its more a processor than an actual receiver. Older Carver amps, a friends giveaway ACI tower speakers, and a found Celestion powered sub from an evicted tenant, make up the front. Inwalls from partsexpress make up the ceiling mounted rears. The cabinet was custom made in the Philippines, and the wall panels behind the tv are from cost plus. In all, the setup works real well. I just got a toslink splitter and toslink to coax converter from monoprice for around $20 so I'll (hopefully) finally get discrete audio from my PS3.


Apparently, the toslink output from the tv cannot handle the pcm from the hdmi (PS3), only the digital audio from the hd (cable) feeds. Oh well..





























Some might think having the tv this high would look bad but because our sofas are back far enough the image isn't degraded from our viewing areas. Also, I considered a center channel but because of looks, mounting issues, and the glaring fact that I don't have another amplifier for a fifth channel I came to the conclusion of a being 4.1 system. But because I'm now using the towers to their full extent the sounds just comes off tonally more satisfying.


Victor


----------



## victor-eyd

This is an older picture of the same room - the tv was a hand-me-down 42" rear projection. the sofas and coffee table however are still there











Victor


----------



## victor-eyd

Yippee! Projector has arrived. Gotta get that theater done!


Victor


----------



## victor-eyd

Its finally here- time to unwrap


front










back










finally mounted on the original shelf for a test fire










When I projected it, I noticed that the bottom of the screen image was at the bottom of my 4:3 screen wall, so I may have to raise the shelf so I can have the screen image more centered.


Since the pj has 3x more digital video inputs, I'm going to use it as a one component for my receiver (PS3 and 360), the 2nd component for ota hd, and the dvi input for my dvd player/future bluray player. The composite input (bleh!) will be used from the receiver for non-digital inputs (like my old gamecube or karaoke)


stay tuned...


Victor


----------



## pcweber111

You know the Gamecube can do component video, right? It looks worlds better than with composite. Of course if you don't actually play it that often it might not matter. Just saying.










Awesome job so far keep us informed of the progress.


----------



## victor-eyd




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *pcweber111* /forum/post/18169789
> 
> 
> You know the Gamecube can do component video, right?



The assumption is the gamecube still works







. Besides, any gamecube games i have left is played on the wii in the family room anyways.


Toslink to coax converter just showed up so once the toslink splitter comes in its time to play "move the tv" again


----------



## pcweber111

Ah I see lol. Which Toslink -> Coax adapter did you end up getting? I have one from Audio Authority and it works like a champ.


----------



## mikieson

AWESOME..Nice to see you got the projector. Im sure you will totally enjoy it!! Have fun...OH yea, if you get a Wii it plays all GC games.


----------



## victor-eyd

Well, initial testing on the video were a success. The 360 plays just fine, the PS3 in the other room simply requires me to change from hdmi to component and so the only things I'm waiting for right now is the toslink splitter from monoprice and then I can finally do my digital audio hookup.


I've also had to reinforce the shelf with toggle bolts so its real secure now. I may have to make a cover for all of the wiring since its somewhat unsightly now.











The new wall screen will probably in white, since I'm now dlp and don't really need the crutch of a grey screen for contrast assist. it looks like I'm moving from 100" to 120" now.


Victor


----------



## GTarrant

What length wall is your projector on, the 12 or 13th? I am looking to do something similar with a 11 by 12 foot room and wanted to see how your getting 120" screen. Thanks.


----------



## victor-eyd

13ft deep but just under 12ft throw. The sharp has a great short throw lens so getting 120" isn't a problem from that distance.


Victor


----------



## victor-eyd

Yeah! Success!


Using the monoprice toslink splitter and the toslink to coax converter (also from monoprice) I am now able to watch and hear the PS3 in either the family room or the ht in full 720p/1080i and 5.1 audio.


All I have to do prior to shutting down the projector or the tv is to change the display settings to either hdmi or component out on the PS3. If I forget all I have to do is disconnect the component out and it defaults to the hdmi output of the tv. But the more important function is that the digital out can now service two rooms without having to physically move the PS3. And since the controllers are bluetooth, I can easily control even with a solid wall between the family room and the theater.


Bliss at last... and cost me only around $20 for the feature!


Victor


----------



## victor-eyd

Looking around my garage, I've found an unused gallon of kilz bright white flat latex. White is where I'm going since I don't need the grey to boost contrast for this dlp projector and free is cheaper than buying.


Victor


----------



## victor-eyd

First coat of kilz and the results are spectacular! Two more coats and this screen is done. I measured a super 118" of video heaven, a nearly 20% increase in screen size from my previous screen.


All pics are from the 360

Halo 3




























MW2



















So much detail that I could never get from my previous XGA pj. The contrast of the dlp just makes everything sooo much better than before!


Victor


----------



## victor-eyd

Painting finally done and images are beautiful, to say the least. Even my wife commented that going white resulted in a better picture over the gray


SD DVD Area 88 on Yamakawa dvd player



















PS3 Menu





































Victor


----------



## victor-eyd

Oh, here's the screen all finished. I accessorized the lower part for photo purposes only LOL.











Victor


----------



## victor-eyd

A couple of changes. I got a pair of these from a closing circuit city for $5 each so I'm going to wire them with the xbox and ps3 so both the tv and projector can get 1080i from either console. Hope it works











Victor


----------



## victor-eyd

Well, a couple of interesting things- the toslink splitter stinks. It's a passive device and probably uses mirrors (or similar) to split the signal to two outputs but after just one night of movie watching I can't get to work properly anymore so out it goes.


The toslink to coax converter, though, works great so what I did was to feed the coax out of the converter into the Calrad video splitter (it has a plug for coaxial digital audio) and I tapped into two outputs- one to the home theater receiver and the other into the family room receiver. Now I have a more stable digital audio signal to both rooms.


I can also use the video splitter for a later time if I want to have a projector in the family room. Stay tuned...


Victor


----------



## victor-eyd

Well, it looks like the distribution amps are both dead. I got power but the light does not turn on nor do I get any outputs on any of the connections. Well, it least they were only $5 each. If the signal continues to degraded I'll have to consider drilling a hole through the rooms as the component cable is fairly long or get a powered switcher


Victor


----------



## victor-eyd

So I finally caught Avatar on blu over the weekend. Totally awesome on 118" screen. The clarity and resolution were top notch and a completely immersive experience.


Only going 1080p would make it a lot better than what I have now- but thats a choice I'll make when 1080p pjs fall below $500 (and they will) . But for now, its great!


Taking photos with a 5mp Kodak set to night shots with 2sec timer (no flash). It doesn't convey what I see but its good enough for now.










































































THX trailer at the end of the film


----------



## victor-eyd

New upgrades are afoot! I recently recovered a 3.3ghz desktop from the dumpster of all places and got busy converting it into a poor man's htpc. Bought a 512mb video card, a sound card with 5.1 toslink output, and a blu ray rom drive. I also bought a WD TV Live which I'll place in my bedroom upstairs. I'm goint to use a powerline connection between the two units so the intent will be to rip my blurays into the htpc, convert them to mkv rips, and either play them on the theater or stream them to my bedroom tv.


Total cost of this project is around $250 so well worth the effort, imo.


Victor


----------



## victor-eyd

Some updates:


For starters, I ended up with a Brite-view 5005HD media player. It was a steal on their website for a refurb model but you couldn't tell by looking at it. I also scored a 4 port powerline ethernet from Sharp for $30 at Frys, so I'll hookup the brite view, xbox 360, ps3, and Wii to it. I'm moving the emachines pc up to the office where the other side of the sharp powerline will connect to.


Now for the bad news- even after all the upgrades to the pc it still won't play bluray smoothly. Most likely cause- its too slow a machine. Oh well, since the whole conversion of bluray to mkv was so painfully slow and i could never get the subtitiles to work properly so its all dvd rips from here. At least on the PS3 it will upscale them on my jvc tv. As to the projector, I'll have to see how it looks on the brite view and/or xbox 360, but I'm pretty sure I'll be happy with the result.


Victor


----------



## BillFree

Following your HT room project has been a real lesson for me. You have opened so many ideas to make the room enjoyable. I am confused on the Kilz bright white coats of paint. The screen display is excellent but the rest of the wall is black? I'm not a painter but if I painted my wall white even with the lights off that area around screen would be light. Appreciate your comments.


----------



## victor-eyd

Billfree,


Thank you for the comments. The Kilz is simply white primer. I spread a few coats over my old gray screen and I like the look so much I didn't bother with a final coat of regular white from Behr, lowes, or wherever.


As to the black wall, its my border around the screen. Just like a black border around a fixed wall screen or even a pulldown, its just to frame the projected image to the white part of the screen. My border just happens to extend to the walls.


Victor


----------



## victor-eyd

Nothing slows progress slower than a game. And there's no better time waster right now than trying to finish campaign on Halo Reach.






































It looks dark because the camera settings were not optimized for night viewing. Much brighter in real life.


----------



## victor-eyd

Success! I loaded this media player on my single-cpu 2.2 gHz and it streams beautifully. I can even get subtitles which I really needed for my wife's hearing issues. Its free and I can easily access music, video, and photo files with ease!

http://ps3mediaserver.org/forum/ 


I haven't tried streaming bluray yet (I doubt it will be successful given my pc and streaming hardware) but at the very least, I can play dvd movies without having to burn a disc. Once I get a 2TB drive I'll dump my whole library into that and kiss my 400dvd player goodbye!


Victor


----------



## victor-eyd

Well, its time to expand the experience. The next logical step is to set up a/v in the backyard. I'll post pics shortly on how I got to nearly being finished with it.


Victor


----------



## victor-eyd

Thanks for the comments. As to watching on 118" white vs 100" grey, white is definitely more satisfying. Better blacks, not to mention with a 720p image HD is so much better than my old A10x at 576p.


As to usage, its come down to this : Halo 4 player and fps gaming exclusively on the theater (Can't wait for BF3!). All other media- movies, ps3, tv- on the jvc in the family room.


The outdoor setup is still in limbo. I'm currently undergoing a major redesign of placement of the above ground pool and the trellis and deck that finding the right setup for the outdoor theater might be a little tricky. I have these at home:











Don't bother with the white panels- they only go up to 165"









Its the unpainted ones I want in the back- 200+" of 16:9 goodness. Problem is that the throw from the house to the desired location is too short (around 20ft) and none of my pjs can go bigger unless I move further back. I may have to build a lumenlab (I have all the parts, btw) to make all this happen.


As to audio, its all set up-


Subwoofer










and multiple speakers on my trellis posts










All of the audio components were either giveaways or super cheap, like this craigslist $25 speaker distribution, which I mounted in wood trim to keep it from getting wet



















Basically, I copied the format of downtown disney- multiple outdoor monitors with a sub to fill out the sound, all broadcasting in simple stereo. Its clean, cheap, and works great!


Victor


----------



## victor-eyd

The next step in the evolution of my theaters is upgrading the media playback devices.


I didn't want to spend top dollar, but still wanted to play all of the formats, including the very popular but not always available mkv playback option. To that end I found this place for my family room system. I really can't complain regarding the price especially that it a WD and it plays mkv. I load b-rad custom firmware and while it sorta looks better, I really don't think i gained anything since I only use the external hd option to playback my files- customizing the background screen and other stuff looks like too much work for me.

http://www.centrix-intl.com/details.asp?productid=9408 


I had to buy a switcher as my jvc only had one hdmi input and currently, a ps3 was using it. This little guy is excellent- quality is maintained on both sources and the price you really can't argue with. Just buy enough extra hdmi cable to reach the free shipping threshold and you're set- which is what I did.

http://www.amazon.com/Ultra-High-Per...1543525&sr=1-1 


As to my theater media player, I got this one:

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...3ORDER-_-Deals 


Once I read the reviews from both tiger and amazon it was clear that this was nothing more than a rebadged argosy hv335t (but $30 less than the argosy), and that it would be allowable to use the argosy updates to make it current. The instructions were simple enough and voila! I had the latest software update for my media player- courtesy of argosy.


Victor


----------



## victor-eyd




> Quote:
> Originally Posted by *DavidK442* /forum/post/20234088
> 
> 
> Thanks for the update. Did I miss something in your thread? You have JVC in the family room?



See post #62.


61" JVC tv craigslist special!


----------



## victor-eyd

Well, changes are afoot in the backyard. Out goes the above ground pool and in comes a real inground pool. A new 4 post trellis goes in the patio area so I have to completely redesign the audio for the outside.


----------



## victor-eyd

Here comes the pool! I've been able to save my 5 post trellis so I'll bulk that up to match my new trellis


Pictures to follow-


Victor


----------



## pcweber111

Hey nice updates! You've done some cool stuff, definitely keep us updated.


----------



## victor-eyd

What to do, what to do....


The pj bulb died a few weeks ago. I don't want a Chiense knockoff, they seem on to only last about 6 months, and the oem is frightfully expensive, about $400. Yikes!


So let's look at the alternatives-

Junk the projector and bet a new one (with a cheaper bulb replacement)- about $400 from tiger

Buy a new bulb - also about $400

Other (???)- $0-$200


Budgets are tight in the household right now but ebay has yielded some interesting buys and possibilities..


If it works, i'll be back in business and then some so stay tuned...


Victor


----------



## pokekevin

I like it! especially the vadar decor! Have you gotten the WD TV player for your mkv? I would say go all the way and get a htpc! If you dont want to build your own you could always get a dell zino or one from assassin (well respected member here)


-Kevin


----------



## victor-eyd

I actually gave my wdtv for a viewsonic vmp71 in the family room. I know what htpc's are capable of, but I like the ease of use with my kids and the power consumption of a media player better than a pc.


Thanks for looking


Victor


----------



## dagr8est

Pretty epic! I'm jealous now.


----------



## victor-eyd

Yay! Ebay to the rescue. Someone parted with a similar projector that was inoperative for some reason but it had a new oem lamp (normally $400 new!). And the price was right also-$100 for both the projector and lamp. So once again, my theater is back up and running just in time for football season!


Although it kinda sucks that in about 1.5 years, I burned through the first lamp already (killed itself right at the 2000hr mark). Even had it on eco the whole time. Well, I can start looking again next year so another deal like this one. But until then, game on!


As to the "dead" projector, we'll see if we can frankenstein it... Stay tuned


Victor


----------



## spherific

Your theater looks amazing.


----------



## victor-eyd

Well, over the weekend I finally got my "dead" projector and guess what, its not dead, actually far from it. Even the lamp inside it is still in good condition. So now instead of reviving it I'm just going to wrap it up and store till later when the primary pj in my theater dies.


So in short, I have two oem lamps (one of them brand new) and a backup projector for parts or even to give away if so needed. All for about $120 so deals are still out there, you just have to do due research and diligence and things will pay off.


Now there's still the matter of my sons using the theater for gaming. I have to strongly consider my basic building skills and try to fashion a lumenlab-style 720p pj ( I have all the parts) so when they do play, they won't burn up the projector lamp.


Victor


----------

