Tommy's HT In-Progress

[JCD]

Tommy wrote:

Your leaving me hangin though on whether or not to get the monster wire

It was in there.. but, I personally don't think you get any improvement from "Monster" wire or interconnects. Others may disagree and maybe they can chime in.

Tommy wrote:

And ya were all in for the projector now. My 8yr old daughter is thrilled, ya would think she is one of you all the way she keeps going on about the projector is going to be better then the plasma.

<Evil Laugh >
All kidding aside, I think you'll be happier with the projector.

Tommy wrote:

Ok, I'll start on screens and projectors with you guys soon enough, I need to figure out what I'm ordering here before I jump on that.

I'm sure you can get some good feedback here..

JCD

[Tommy]

Ok gonna go with the cheaper wire unless anyone speaks up against it. Will use bare wire for the speaker connects and maybe get the screw on banana clips for the receiver end of the wire. I open up an check the sub speaker before ordering the wire for that just in case the connection may be the same as the other speakers.

Guess I really aint got much framing left to do except the decrative columns and recessing the rack cabinet before calling in the electrician. Gonna need him to pre-wire the whole basement is there anything special I need to request for the HT room? Should I have him wire anything like the projector and speakers?

I peeked at that screen link ya gave me, wow different ratios and , more stuff to hurt my head...

[Tommy]

Hey I got home and opened the subwoofer box and the connection on it is the same as the other speakers except theres two sets on this speaker. Now this defintely doesnt look like the subwoofer cable being sold, is this connection normal?

What do I order and how does this get wired?

[JCD]

I tried to find a manual at MTX's website (here), but didn't see one. Was there one included in the box? Also, was there an amp included?

JCD

[Tommy]

JCD wrote:

I tried to find a manual at MTX's website (here), but didn't see one. Was there one included in the box? Also, was there an amp included?

JCD

Amp??? I thought that was the point of the receiver.

[JCD]

Since most subwoofers these days are powered, modern receivers don't generally power the sub.
So the "Sub Out" on the back of your receiver is just a line out, i.e., no amplification. It looks like you'll need some sort of external amp to power the sub.

I'm assuming that there was no manual included with your sub? I would assume MTX may have some solution for your situation already.

N.Dawg (or others) may have some suggestions (or corrections) regarding the above info.


JCD

[Sonnie]

Did I miss something here Tommy? What were your reasons for going all in-wall?

I guess what I'm saying is I can usually see this in a room that is shared... say a great room with a home theater room. The wife don't want speakers sittin' all around, which was my case. That was one of the major reasons for building my HT room... so I could get the goods to produce without having to worry about momma saying anything.

Is momma still talkin' ya down on this stuff?


I agree 100% with Jacen... the receiver won't do suggest for your sub.

[Fincave]

Just a little more to confuse you When I was trying to decide on screen size etc I used this site http://www.projectorcentral.com/proj...ulator-pro.cfm It really was invaluable to me and very easy to use. I remember reading somewhere as well that the screen should be placed so that your direct line of sight is in line with a point about 1/3 from the bottom of the screen, not sure where I read this, nor how true it is! Once you have your projector I would just hang a sheet up, or a piece of board and play around with different screen sizes for a week or more. Once you have found the right size for you then either buy a screen or go DIY. As to connectors, banana plugs are more convenient to use, BUT some people recommend that the best connection is no connector, just bare wire. I tried both and could hear no difference at all.

[Tommy]

JCD wrote:

Since most subwoofers these days are powered, modern receivers don't generally power the sub.
So the "Sub Out" on the back of your receiver is just a line out, i.e., no amplification. It looks like you'll need some sort of external amp to power the sub.

I'm assuming that there was no manual included with your sub? I would assume MTX may have some solution for your situation already.

N.Dawg (or others) may have some suggestions (or corrections) regarding the above info.


JCD

Oh great more components to buy... as I said, I thought that was the purpose of a reciever that it was an amp and processor combined. Assuming there like everything else HT and range from cheap to expensive, how much am I looking at paying for an amp now?

And you are correct, there was no manual just instructions on how to mount it to the wall.

If NDawg was local I think I'd just hire him to come do the work at this point...

[Tommy]

Sonnie wrote:

Did I miss something here Tommy? What were your reasons for going all in-wall?

I guess what I'm saying is I can usually see this in a room that is shared... say a great room with a home theater room. The wife don't want speakers sittin' all around, which was my case. That was one of the major reasons for building my HT room... so I could get the goods to produce without having to worry about momma saying anything.

Is momma still talkin' ya down on this stuff?


I agree 100% with Jacen... the receiver won't do suggest for your sub.

Actually I can't blame this on the wife, although I'm sure she agree's with me on it. Not sure if its the military in me or what but I cant stand the sight of the speakers sitting all around the room. I understand if someone doesnt have a way to hide them but dont see why if building the room not using the opportunity to hide the speakers.

And yes I do want nice sound but cant picture the in-wall speakers degrading the sound that much and I'm definetly not as fantical about the acoustics as everyone else, I just want everything to work.

[Tommy]

Fincave wrote:

Just a little more to confuse you When I was trying to decide on screen size etc I used this site http://www.projectorcentral.com/proj...ulator-pro.cfm It really was invaluable to me and very easy to use. I remember reading somewhere as well that the screen should be placed so that your direct line of sight is in line with a point about 1/3 from the bottom of the screen, not sure where I read this, nor how true it is! Once you have your projector I would just hang a sheet up, or a piece of board and play around with different screen sizes for a week or more. Once you have found the right size for you then either buy a screen or go DIY. As to connectors, banana plugs are more convenient to use, BUT some people recommend that the best connection is no connector, just bare wire. I tried both and could hear no difference at all.

To take another step backwards again... Ok this goes back to more what I was originally thinking that the screen size should be around 60-65 inches for a plasma.

Everyone talked me into a projector system and said I the screen size will more likely be up around 110".

The room is 20' long with the projector going somewhere around 12' from the front as Sonnie suggested. Putting that into the link you provide suggests a screen size of 65-69" (diagnal).

If the projector system is gonna be around same size as the plasma tv I think I'd rather change my mind again and go back to a plasma. One of the main reasons for choosing the projector over plasma was the bigger picture it would provide.

[Fincave]

Hi,

What projector do you have in mind, I can then have a look at the calculator page. Also bear in mind that the various sliders on the page can be adjusted and using the zoom on the projector you will get a bigger picture. My projector is about 3.5m (11ft) from the screen and the screen is about 100", measured diagonally.

[Fincave]

Just had a quick look at the calculation page. Using the Sanyo Z4 as projector and a throw distance of 12ft it gives screen size as 106" diagonal with zoom set at 1.79

[Tommy]

Work Update

Last night I fixed up the soffits in the ht room and went an put 2.5" sheetrock screws in all the joints of the 2x2's along with the existing nails. It feels much more stable now.

I still have the soffits outside the HT room to do but its amazing how the HT room has all my attention and I keep neglecting the rest of the basement that is also getting finished.

I put up four coulmns in the HT room as described yesterday, two on each side wall. Still havent decided on whether or not to put them on the back wall till I decide it the component rack should go in that one corner or not.

The slim 5 rack came yesterday but I havent even opened the box yet. At this point I picture I'm still gonna have to frame the recessed enclosure for the rack anyway so at the point why would I need to put the shelving system into the enclosure rather then just screwing wood shelves into it, so I may see about sending that back.

Bloggin a Rant:

Ok I'll have to admit I'm just completely frustated with the project at this point. I researched everything, selected my price range for each part of the project and selected products by recommendations on the web in those price ranges.

I've already spent 5 grand on building materials, speakers, shelf, & the receiver.

At this point I dont know if what I ordered was good or not, not sure if I can send it all back for a refund, finding out that I have more stuff to order then I thought I did. Not sure if money has been wasted and how much more is needed etc...

Originally I didnt have the builder finish the basement because I though he was price gouging for it, now I'm regretting just not having it done. I've been the same about the HT room worried if I hired a professional that he would over charge and I would get more for my money if I did it myself. Although it would be great to always know that I did it myself.

At this point I need to consider if I should hire someone to come and finish everything. I feel lost with the equipment and what exactly I need and worried I might spend a ton of money just to wind up having to redo it all.

Ok no real need to comment on this but figured I would add it for others to see if they reach the same point as me during there projects.

End Rant

[Tommy]

Fincave wrote:

Hi,

What projector do you have in mind, I can then have a look at the calculator page. Also bear in mind that the various sliders on the page can be adjusted and using the zoom on the projector you will get a bigger picture. My projector is about 3.5m (11ft) from the screen and the screen is about 100", measured diagonally.

Thanks bro, ummm no clue about what type of projector I want yet... havent even got that far yet. When I do, I'll let you guys know what I can afford and take your recommendations on it. But basically I know we were budgeting around 7k for the plasma so that should be enough for the projector and screen, right?

Right now i'm still stuck on audio. How to wire the surround and where to put the rack and what components I need etc...

[Fincave]

7K!!! You can definitely get a projector for that price. I have the Z3 which set me back about 1200$ and it has come down in price since then. My DIY screen probably cost 120$ and that included me buying some tools and also having the MDF board cut to size.

[Tommy]

Trying to finish the framming for the room

Riser:

As another subject jump though, I'd also like to ask advice about the riser. Can I frame my riser now before the walls are sheet rocked and then sheet rock around it?

The riser would be from wall to wall so if I frame it now that bottom part of the wall will not be sheet rocked but the risers will be insulated and carpted etc...

I got the feeling I should wait till after the walls are sheet rocked but I'd also like to get it done now so all the framing for the room would be completed (beside the rack and door). Also it would be open and in place for any wiring that needs to be done when the electrician comes in.

Door:

Ok I still need to frame a door into the room. I left a 33" wide spot for it right at the front of the right wall (as you face the screen) but if can be changed if necessary. I know I need some type of solid door and I have seen at least one post somewhere suggesting that masonite type of door but I saw the masonite doors at home depot and although solid, they seem rather thin. Is there a recommended type of door to look for besides this?

[JCD]

The amp you'd need can be relatively inexpensive -- you might even be able to go with a Pro Audio amp (as opposed to a regular home audio amp). They're generally noisier, but since you can put this pretty much anywhere you want, the noise factor should be a problem. If you go the Pro Audio route, you can get this for only $100

Another alternative would be a plate amp. Plate amps are super cheap too. This one is only $128.

I think both of those amps have enough power for those speakers. Maybe someone else can comment. They're not super high quality amps -- but I would think they're totally fine for sub duties.

With either amp, your wiring I think should be pretty straightforward:

sub out from your reciever to the amp to the speakers which would be wired like this.

All that being said, I'd still contact MTX to get their suggestion. The brand seems to be geared for professional installers, so that might be why the documentation is a little light.

As for the construction questions -- that's DEFINITELY out of my league. Poinding nails I can do -- actually knowing what the I'm doing I don't.

JCD

[Tommy]

JCD wrote:

The amp you'd need can be relatively inexpensive -- you might even be able to go with a Pro Audio amp (as opposed to a regular home audio amp). They're generally noisier, but since you can put this pretty much anywhere you want, the noise factor should be a problem. If you go the Pro Audio route, you can get this for only $100

Another alternative would be a plate amp. Plate amps are super cheap too. This one is only $128.

I think both of those amps have enough power for those speakers. Maybe someone else can comment. They're not super high quality amps -- but I would think they're totally fine for sub duties.

With either amp, your wiring I think should be pretty straightforward:

sub out from your reciever to the amp to the speakers which would be wired like this.

All that being said, I'd still contact MTX to get their suggestion. The brand seems to be geared for professional installers, so that might be why the documentation is a little light.

As for the construction questions -- that's DEFINITELY out of my league. Poinding nails I can do -- actually knowing what the I'm doing I don't.

JCD

Thanks bro. Well a few hundred I'm not worried about (thousands is another story) more worried if I got the wrong receiver or something since I thought it was supposed to have an amp built in.

Completly confuse about how to wire it but not worried about that at the moment, still just trying to figure out what I need to buy and order.

As you can see the MTX site is a bit off as far as the manuals, there not there for all models and the ones that are there just show how to attach it to the wall but nothing about the wiring.

I did email them yesterday and I'm still waiting on a response.

[JCD]

Tommy wrote:

Thanks bro. Well a few hundred I'm not worried about (thousands is another story) more worried if I got the wrong receiver or something since I thought it was supposed to have an amp built in.

Completly confuse about how to wire it but not worried about that at the moment, still just trying to figure out what I need to buy and order.

As you can see the MTX site is a bit off as far as the manuals, there not there for all models and the ones that are there just show how to attach it to the wall but nothing about the wiring.

I did email them yesterday and I'm still waiting on a response.

No prob..

As for the amp, I'd like to see if anyone else has some alternatives. I haven't actually used either amp, so I can't confirm good or poor performance.

As for the wiring, when it comes time, I'm sure we can help out with better, more explicit instructions -- it may depend on the amp you get though.

Oh, and the receiver is totally fine. I'm sure there may be some, but I can't think of any receivers that power the sub line out.

JCD

[Sonnie]

I know of an sub manufacturer that uses this amp as an option in their subs. It's in the same area that Jacen listed the one he referred to at Parts Express. I think they'll be the least expensive place to buy it. It cost $298 but it's a little more power and has a pretty good design.



Going back to the projector... as Fincave later pointed out, you will be more than fine with a 100" screen with a Z4 hung at 12' back... or for that matter, most similar projectors in that range. His suggestion of projecting the image onto a sheet (or a white unpainted wall) to start with will help you decide how big you want it. I did the same thing. I hung the projector, left the front wall unpainted and decided I liked the 97" diagonal screen for the distance I was sitting. Some will like 110" and some will like 84"... it's all up to what you want. But I believe you'll want more than 60-65" in that room.

[Tommy]

Everyone here is so great!!!

Ok I'm a bit better now that I made a little progress at least. I talked it over with Sonnie and decided to jump ahead and put the riser in before sheet rocking the walls. So tonights progress report is about the riser installation.

I decided to use 2x10's for the frame and figured I would need 20 boards at 8' long. Home Depot had them for $7.50 for the regular ones and $12 for the treated ones. At almost double the price per board for the treated boards I decided to be cheap and get the regular ones (I'm sure that will probly come back to bite me in the a$$ in the future.) So another $150 spent on wood for the day...

Installation was easy and a nice tight fit. It seems weighted well and its also nailed to the surrounding walls. Still considering putting some floor plate boards in and power nailing it to the floor too. Any thoughts if that is needed or not?

I've seen different things on the web about what to put as the floor for the riser as far as one or two sheets of 3/4 plywood. What do you guys suggest as far as that goes?

I'll ask later but will need to know what wiring I'll need to do to the riser. For now what I have left to do as far as framing

- the plywood floor for the riser
- put the door in
- frame for the equipment rack
- frame a recessed dvd rack

Oh and still gotta frame a bunch of soffits in the rest of the basement. After that I guess its time to call an electrician. Havent decided yet if I should do the sheet rock or have someone else do it.

NDawg suggested I send the sub back, not sure what the return policy is or not but I'm gonna send it back if I can.

I'll finish off tonight with a few pic's of the new riser. It does eliminate my thoughts of putting the equipment rack in that back corner though. After seeing the space with the riser and the low ceiling there, I think thats being designated the kiddie corner of the room...

I'll have to measure everything out on the front wall as far as screen size, plus the in-wall speakers on the sides and see whats left over and if theres even enough space left at that point to put the equipment rack there.

[Tommy]

[Tommy]

[Tommy]