Fisher Theater Rebuild

**Bruce Fisher** · **08-08-09, 08:16 AM**

Made some good progress this week (wife/kids out of town

)

Received my Elemental Designs A5-350 sub. Wow - what a beast. Words can't describe how much better everything sounds with it. I expected a big improvement for movies, but not as much with music (since I already had a sub in use). Wow - adds such depth to music - awesome. (that's just temporary speaker setup so I can listen to music while working...)

Also added some behind the screen lighting (not for when watching movies, but general lighting). Went to IKEA and bought their Dioder sticks. Those things are awesome. Settled on the blue but I can change them at a click of a button to red, green, purple, white, etc. (I know the right one is crooked, they are just set in place until I finish insulating the wall).

Finished insulating the wall. Today will be covering the front two sections with the black material. I'm amazed at the blue image of the Dioder lighting... the area already covered is like a black hole. Awesome stuff. Definitely need to consider adding sound panels with this material on my ceiling!

Getting close. After finishing the black covering up front, I need to put the covering black wood trim (borders), mount screen and projector, and trim out the wiring in the theater closet. Hopefully 1-2 days and I'll be able to test some video!

**Prof.** · **08-08-09, 08:43 PM**

Nice looking sub Bruce..and obviously sounds nice as well..

What are Dioder sticks..I've never heard of them.?

**Bruce Fisher** · **08-09-09, 09:20 AM**

Here's a link to the Dioder sticks. About $50 for 4 sticks (I used 3 boxes ($150)). What is cool is they can plug right into themselves to make them longer, or use their extensions to move them away. They are LEDs so they use hardly any electricity and stay nice and cool. And they can change colors by pushing the button - no more rewiring work to change the look

You can see in the first attachment the connection wires (at top and bottom). And then the second picture is with the room lights off, just the Dioders on.

I'll have these lights plugged into my UPB network (automates the lighting in the house) so I can remotely turn them on/off at any time without having to get up.

Finished the front wall last night - looks better than I hoped! (rare!) Today is a big day, move the front speakers in place, finish the wiring (infrared, networking, etc), and then mount the screen and test it!

**Prof.** · **08-09-09, 08:19 PM**

Well ya live and learn.!!

I just looked up our Ikea catalogue and sure enough, we have the same units here!..only our pack of four costs $99.00!!
Still, handy to know..and I might look further into that a bit later..Thanks for the info..

The front wall is taking shape nicely..

**Bruce Fisher** · **08-10-09, 09:58 AM**

Yesterday was a big day... installed the speakers, the screen, the projector, the infrared system, and the networking needed for my SageTV system (centralized media storage played through extenders).

I didn't have time (or energy) to calibrate it or anything. I watched a standard DVD movie (The Matrix) just to listen and see how it worked. Awesome... picture is great, sound is amazing. Need more time to finish it (pj needs leveling, the anamorphic lens will be here soon, audio and video need calibration, install the bluray player, etc) but my first impression was VERY positive

I need to start learning REW

Sorry about my pictures being crooked - must be my head (the screen is perfectly level)

Also my lights didn't work out exactly as planned. I'll need to move the top ones behind the screen braces - they were so bright that it lit up the screen, not the speakers.

And... I need to clean up the room. Lots of tools and discarded boxes laying around it! Major progress though - I need a vacation now

**ScruffyHT** · **08-11-09, 01:50 AM**

Quote:

Bruce Fisher wrote:

I'll have these lights plugged into my UPB network (automates the lighting in the house) so I can remotely turn them on/off at any time without having to get up.

I have been looking at UPB for lighting automation for the theater ... I want to control 4 zones via remote so what upb units do you suggest ?

**Bruce Fisher** · **08-14-09, 11:22 AM**

Quote:

ScruffyHT wrote:

I have been looking at UPB for lighting automation for the theater ... I want to control 4 zones via remote so what upb units do you suggest ?

So many options it's hard to know. I have an automation controller (HVPro) that is my hub. You can use UPB switches if they are hardwired lights, or use lighting modules for plug in lamps. I also use 8 button controllers for local room controls. Lots of options

**dradius** · **08-14-09, 12:45 PM**

Your build is looking great. I hadn't heard of the dioder sticks either, so that's good to know. Your a5-350 looks a little different than mine. I guess they've changed them a little bit. Looks like a great theater and I'm sure you're going to enjoy it.

**Bruce Fisher** · **08-14-09, 01:19 PM**

Quote:

dradius wrote:

Your a5-350 looks a little different than mine. I guess they've changed them a little bit.

Probably because mine is laying on it's side

It was too tall to leave under the screen standing up. ED said this won't be a problem. I haven't played with it's location yet... just dropped it there. I'll be experimenting with other locations this weekend (hopefully).

**dradius** · **08-14-09, 02:52 PM**

yeah, that thing is a beast

I run mine on its side as well and it works fine. in fact i like the sound better than down firing. i'm pretty sure my ports are on the same side as the amp, not the driver.

**Bruce Fisher** · **09-16-09, 10:43 AM**

Adding some pictures of the above drop-ceiling insulation (someone PM'd me about it)

QuietBatt is the grey insulation material
MLV is the heavy black layer on top

The third picture is where my projector is (needed a special bracket due to the drop ceiling being so far below the joists).

**Prof.** · **09-16-09, 07:16 PM**

Hey Bruce,

I must have missed one of your earlier posts..

The front wall looks great and the screen looks excellent., nice size too.

Any further word on the Anamorphic lens.?

**Bruce Fisher** · **09-17-09, 08:55 PM**

I went with the HTB (Home Theater Brothers) lens (they have since changed their name I believe). I am very happy with it!

They created a new mount for it - so it's attached to my projector (nice!) and I use it 100% of the time. 16:9 material gets converted to 4:3 and then stretched back to 16:9... and 2:35 gets put in letterbox mode.

Image is outstanding. I can see minor imperfections in the outsides of the image... but that only shows up on static and test screens. A moving image just looks amazing!

I still need to tweak the alignment - just a bit tipped down - but overall it's been a great investment. The full screen image of movies just blows people away... especially with the sound come from behind the screen. Amazing!

I set up REW and a BFD this weekend and tested my sub, relocated it, and calibrated the BFD. Very cool! This image is the last one taken but I have cleaned up the dip at 40hz (caused by a filter I put in and have since removed

) Also lowered the peak around 52 hz (guess I need a new picture!)

**dradius** · **09-18-09, 08:23 AM**

The insulation looks nice. The price of the QuietBatt looks like it could add up quickly. How does it sound? Oh and I double checked and my A5-350 is definitely different than yours. Ports are on same side as the amp.

**Bruce Fisher** · **09-18-09, 09:33 AM**

Yeah, QuietBatt adds up quickly - I covered my theater ceiling and office ceiling with it (and MLV too). Seems to me it cost me like $900 for QB, but it was worth it to me (about double what pink would have cost in my estimates)... I didn't want to deal with the fiberglass and I believe it's a better solution. I can't measure the difference... but to me it seems great so that's all that matters!

The MLV was about the same price as QB iirc.

The Emo sub is great - but yeah - I think they had 2 versions (I don't know which is considered "new", but mine is front firing, not down firing). I have moved my sub - it's now on my side wall in front of my couch (moved it there not due to sound but to reduce the distraction from the light reflected off the screen). On the side wall, I had it pointed straight into the room, but when I ran REW determined that it was better pointing forward (towards the screen on the front wall, away from the viewers). Thankfully when I ran REW, I tested it under the screen and it was good - but the side wall was even better - it actually worked out right for me once! LOL

I need to take and post more pictures... made lots of little improvements. Best part is every time I watch something, both my wife and I comment how great everything looks and sounds!

**dradius** · **09-18-09, 09:59 AM**

Well thats all that matters! As long as you and the wife are happy. You've got a very nice setup and I'm sure it sounds/looks just as good as you say, if not better.
Placement definitely can make a big difference! My sub is less than two years old, but I guess it is the older version. I've always preferred it on its side vs. down firing. Since they changed the design, I guess I wasn't the only one to notice this.

**Prof.** · **09-18-09, 08:40 PM**

Quote:

Bruce Fisher wrote:

I went with the HTB (Home Theater Brothers) lens (they have since changed their name I believe). I am very happy with it!

They created a new mount for it - so it's attached to my projector (nice!) and I use it 100% of the time. 16:9 material gets converted to 4:3 and then stretched back to 16:9... and 2:35 gets put in letterbox mode.

Image is outstanding. I can see minor imperfections in the outsides of the image... but that only shows up on static and test screens. A moving image just looks amazing!

I still need to tweak the alignment - just a bit tipped down - but overall it's been a great investment. The full screen image of movies just blows people away... especially with the sound come from behind the screen. Amazing!

It looks a very neat set up Bruce..

Most people can't really appreciate how good anamorphic projection is, until they see it for themselves..
Now that you've seen it for yourself, you can understand what all the hype is about..
Even using a relatively cheap lens...it's still mind blowing, and the image really sucks you into it..

We have a famous car race over here called the Bathurst 500..where V8 Supercars race up and down a mountain and around a twisting track at very high speed..
They have cameras inside the cars, showing the track ahead..
Watching this on a Scope screen has left me feeling car sick on more than one occasion..

This is the sort of realism you get with anamorphic projection..

I'm sure you'll have many hours of enjoyment re-watching all your movies!..

Bruce, it would be much appreciated if you would post pics of your theatre (when it's finished) in the Anamorphic forum..

**Bruce Fisher** · **09-19-09, 11:25 AM**

Here are some more pictures... still WIP (work in process).

1st pic show the alignment grid (dvd is 16:9) - not too bad. Can see a bit of issue in the outer edges but really not bad

and then 2nd image is anamorphic - same camera position. What a difference...

Some of the room pictures you can see what we're doing. The bar in the back still needs a bar top on it. The table with a cloth on it will be replaced with some cabinets soon. And waiting for our curtains to arrive to cover the big door outside and window. And waiting for the interior door (next week) to seperate the rooms (used a solid wood door - thing is really heavy - it's actually an exterior door)

I am still planning on adding black sound panels on the ceiling (especially up front near the screen).

But we're making progress

And I'll be happy to post in the anamorphic forum when we finish

**Prof.** · **09-19-09, 08:15 PM**

Very nice shots..and there looks to be minimal CA which is surprisingly good for a low cost lens..

It looks like you're on the home stretch..

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