dedicated building for home theater

[scott]

if you could build the 'ultimate' home theater, just the structure no equipment, how would you design it? the only factor to consider in this is i would like to use a rear projector, most likely dlp, and have a screen about 4 1/2 feet tall by 8 feet long. seating 2 -10 people. i'm thinking 10 foot ceilings, 17 foot wide, and around 22-24 foot deep. cost of the structure is not a problem. i just need to know where to start. thanks, scott.

[bpape]

Well, I think you're working a little backward IMO. Start with knowing how many people you want to seat. From there, identify where the optimal seating locations are for those people keeping them in good acoustical positions and away from walls - and in a place where they can get good surround field. Those things will drive the room dimensions.

Now, based on the dimensions and seating positions, you can determine what the appropriate sized screen is - which drives where the PJ goes. I wish I had $1 for every time someone tells me they have to have a 10' screen and then play %$*& trying to get good sound at a decent seating distance. If you're 8' from a 100" screen or 11' from a 120" screen, the perceived field of vision is the same - other than just bragging rights to a big screen.

Also, you need to consider if you're going to do a perf screen or not as that will drive where the front speakers go and how far forward from the real wall the screen needs to be.

Bryan

[Sonnie]

Since you are asking about design and haven't actually started construction, I'm gonna move this to Home Theater Design.

There are some formulas available for room size that might help you decide on the size, if you have the freedom to build any size you so desire. A few that I've seen posted here:

Height x Width x Length
1 x 1.28 x 1.54
1 x 1.26 x 1.59
1 x 1.4 x 1.9
1 x 1.6 x 2.33

10H X 16W X 23.3D would be pretty close to what you are considering, which is using the 1 x 1.6 x 2.33 formula.

The Room Mode Calculator might be of some help too.

This Viewing Distance Calculator may also be useful.

Any particular reason why you would use a rear projection instead of a front projection system?

[scott]

okay...again 2-10 people. 2 rows of seating back row on riser. i would like to know how to build the walls for optimum performance. (walls straight....walls angled... multiple wall angles/kinda zig-zag pattern)? just your ideas if you could build your own from scratch . i understand that seating distance and screen type/size plays a major part of the overall size of the building. so give your ideas, please. i would also like suggestions for equipment, but feel one topic at a time. unless of course the design of the theater is or should be designed around the equipment.

[scott]

sonnie....could you tell me the best of the two? i still working on all the tech. stuff. i love, and i mean love watching movies i want the best possible picture and sound(within a reasonable budget...haha).

[Sonnie]

Well I've got a 65" Toshiba Widescreen, although it's not the latest model, and a Sanyo Z4 front projector. Personally the Z4 is my favorite and it has a gorgeous picture. The Z4 cost me almost a $1000 less than the Toshiba. Both are nice, but the Z4 with the 97" diagonal screen is awesome... and it's on a painted sheetrock wall.

The Z5 is only running about $1600 right now... not sure if that's with a free bulb or not, but it seems they were offering the extra bulb, which is about $350-400 when you need one. You would be hard pressed to find a big screen with any size for that price.

The thing with front projectors is you can get a bigger picture. At about 10-12 feet, a 97" diagonal screen is perfect for us. Not too big and not too small. I don't think I could stand any bigger.

[bpape]

5 people wide in a 16' wide room is going to be pretty tough and still keep walkways and keep seats away from the walls. Figure about 40" width per person x 5 people = 200" + about 30" walkway on each side - so about 19' + wide.

To me, if you have the luxury, a 10' ceiling is a great start - or even higher.

The ratios are nice if you can - but don't sacrifice other things just to get to one of them. They'll help keep you out of major axial modal issues - but there are still tangentials and oblique modes (4 and 6 surfaces involved) that exist in every room.

I'd think maybe something like 12' high x 19' wide x 29' long would be an excellent space giving you plenty of room for movement, distance from boundaries, and a good surround experience for everyone.

Bryan

[scott]

thanks sonnie that's why i'm here. i'm still researching the building itself. i was thinking 'rear projection' as 'behind where i am sitting'!

and thanks bpape. my blue prints are getting bigger!

[Sonnie]

Bryan has a good point on the size there... I like his suggestion as to the dimensions.

[Sonnie]

scott wrote:

i was thinking 'rear projection' as 'behind where i am sitting'!

Okay... so you meant front projection.. I think.

Front projection may or may not be positioned to the rear of you. Mine is right above my head. Generally when we see "rear projection" mentioned we think RPTV... as in the convention style bigscreen TVs that project the image on the rear of a screen.

[Mitch G]

Also, you might want to consider making the structure non-square/rectangular to help with room effects like nulls, etc.
I think I saw one post that indicated something like a trapezoidal footprint would be the way to go. I would add a slanted ceiling as well, I think.

But, for the record, I have no idea what I'm talking about. But, it does seem like odd shaped rooms are easier to treat/equalize.



Mitch

[scott]

i have been researching designs on several sites all evening. i like the size bryon suggested, i'm thinking maybe a flat ceiling about 10 foot out from screen and then start raising it about 1 1/2 foot in equal increments the rest of the length of the building. i was thinking a pentagonal shape for the walls, but several sites say the rectangle is easier to remedy the acoustics. but if i want the 'run of the mill' theater i would just buy a kit! with more research and the kind folks on this forum, i will succeed !

keep the ideals coming, thanks