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New baby & Home Theater - Suggestions, Comments? (1 Viewer)

Derek Bang

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Apr 11, 2000
Messages
72
My wife and I are expecting our first child any day now. I'm a big HT buff and love cranking up DVDs whenever I can. However, I realize that will be pretty difficult once the baby arrives. Has anyone dealt much with this (not new babies necessarily, but how to enjoy your HT setup with a baby in the house and not cause too much trouble)? If so, please share any stories, comments, or suggestions. Thanks!
 

Carlo_M

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Oct 31, 1997
Messages
13,385
Well if you've got an RPTV, make sure its got that protective glare screen on it. Yes, true HQ picture requires the removal of said screen (usually done by HT buffs or ISF techs) but if you have a child or pets or any potential of having your lenticular screen touched, definitely KEEP THE PROTECTIVE SCREEN ON.
Also, loud noises can't be good for the little one, so you may just have to deal with being below reference level for a little while.
 

Bill Catherall

Screenwriter
Joined
Aug 1, 1997
Messages
1,560
My wife and I have an agreement that I can play the movies as loud as I want, but if the kids wake up then I have to deal with it (while she sits back and laughs at me). But if it's a movie she's not into then she goes about her business and still gives me the "it's too loud" routine. It's a battle you'll never win until you can build that sound proof room.
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Bill
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Chris Beveridge

Second Unit
Joined
Jul 3, 1998
Messages
349
My daughter is now 19 months, and thankfully, we've never really had any trouble - and for the first 12 months her crib was RIGHT NEXT to the right speaker. Seriously. We were living with my parents for a year to save money for a house, so we had the home theater HDTV speakers and all gear in the bedroom with us, since we had only one real room to ourselves. The crib was placed along the same wall, so you'd have gear rack/speaker/tv/speaker/crib
Nary a peep, though we did turn things down enough and used subtitles for a lot of stuff. Or she slept on the bed while we watched movies.
But since being in the house, it's only gotten better. Things are at a reasonable volume, I save loud movies for the time before she goest to bed, so we tend to watch films around 6 pm or so. She's grown into the good little HT nut I knew she would be. She can use tivo properly at this age, meaning she starts recording shows and she can playback her shows, which is bloody amazing. She knows remotes are daddy's toys, and when she plays with them and screws something up, she has to give me the remote right away.
She doesn't like the black screen when changing inputs. It upsets her. We had an amusing incident this weekend where she was playing with the camcorder remote (camcorder off and in another room) and was insisting that the remote should work on the TV, so she's standing in front of it and pushing the buttons. Nothing happens, so she raises it higher for the IR sensor to see it.
She is definitely my child.
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Chris Beveridge
Webmaster, www.animeondvd.com
Animation and stories for those who like to think outside of the Disney box
 

Ryan Wright

Screenwriter
Joined
Jul 30, 2000
Messages
1,875
My daughter is almost 5 now, but even when she was a baby, nothing could wake her up. She sleeps through everything.
I have the loudness issue with my wife, not my daughter. She thinks I play everything too loud - music, movies, heck she even thinks I talk too loud. :) Just last night she was telling me to turn the volume down on some music I was listening to...
My next house, I'm getting a sound-proof HT room.
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-Ryan (http://www.ryanwright.com )
Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes.
That way, when you do criticize them, you'll be a mile away and you'll have their shoes.
 

Derek Bang

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Apr 11, 2000
Messages
72
These stories/experiences are great. Please keep them coming.
Ryan - I hope the baby sleeps through everything as well. I saw you live in the Tri-Cities, which is where my parents live (Richland). I bet you are stoked that there is a Best Buy there now. I've actually been able to get my dad turned on to HT, and now he's HD-ready and loving DVD. Anyways, thanks for the input.
Carlo - My RPTV thankfully does have the protective covering. I new the baby was in the plans, so I didn't take it off the 40H80 when I was doing my calibrations. Good point, though!
Chris - Sounds like you have a bright daughter! I hope our new baby digs home electronics too. Gives me an excuse to buy more (yeah honey, it's for the baby, uh huh). That actually did work when I bought the Ultimate Toy Box...
Bill - I'm sure I'll have the same deal with my wife. In anticipation, she set up the motorized swing right by my recliner in our HT room...
 

RogerB

Second Unit
Joined
Oct 8, 2001
Messages
401
My best advice: Don't let the baby get used to an extra quiet house. Go about your normal activities (well, maybe not reference level movies). Babies can sleep through moderate noise levels - but if you give them a quiet house they will come to expect it.
We're neighbors!
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Andrew W

Supporting Actor
Joined
Jun 19, 2001
Messages
531
Let me strongly agree with RogerB on this one. My daughter is 4 now and she sleeps very well even if we are watching movies downstairs. We've never went overboard with "Quiet, the baby is sleeping, but rather, let her adapt to the enviroment around her. We usually give here about 30 minutes to get off to sleep, but then we can crank it and she will not wake up.
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Andrew in Austin
 

Derek Bang

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Apr 11, 2000
Messages
72
Roger-
1. Thanks for the advice. That's a good thought; I'll have to mention it to the wife.
2. That's one helluva set up you've got there. I believe in the NeoBijou! How do you like the Sony LCD? With the new baby et al, I'm probably 5-10 years from such a set up. I bought a pretty modest home so that my wife could stay home with the baby (at least I've got a loft for my HT set up and I was able to buy some decent equipment before the baby expenses/loss of second income stream...) Well that is great to see another person from the forum living in Fishers. I think it is a great community, and my home value has certainly appreciated nicely.
Thanks again!
 

Neil Joseph

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jan 16, 1998
Messages
8,332
Real Name
Neil Joseph
I would not crank until the whole house shakes. However, I believe that a house should not be ultra quiet either because of a baby. The baby has to be used to lots of ambient noise or he/she will wake up when a pin drops. Play at a reasonable level.
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RogerB

Second Unit
Joined
Oct 8, 2001
Messages
401
Derek,
My wife and I moved to Fishers when we got married in 1990. I worked at USA Group until Slimey Mae bought us last year and I got severed. I used some of my severance pay to build the Neobijou. I really like the Sony VW10HT projector....I still can't believe I have a movie theater in my basement!
Take care, good luck and congratulations on the baby!
Roger
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Alf S

BANNED
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2000
Messages
3,475
Real Name
Alfer
My wife and I just had our baby girl one month ago yesterday, and I have yet to be able to sit down to watch a full episode of any TV show let alone a full length DVD!
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Trust me, you will be WAY to busy feeding, burping, diapering the new one to even consider watching anything. You'll be lucky if you get a few hours of sleep, so when she's napping, so is mommy and daddy... :)
One thing is for sure, grandparents are AWESOME! My parents love taking care of Hannah once in a while to give us a break..they even wanted to take her for the weekend last week! (we didn't want to go tht far just yet)
Good luck!
Alfer
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Dave Morton

Supporting Actor
Joined
Oct 19, 2000
Messages
753
Real Name
Dave
My son is now 10.5 months old and we have the HT in the basement, it's a ranch style house. But I usually play the ht/tv at normal levels and it doesn't seem to bother him. I remember getting the Perfect Storm, which has a ton of bass that really shook the house, and nothing. Of course, when we were going to bed and the hardwood floors creaked, he woke up. Go figure. But do keep some sort of noise going on. It does help. Even when your baby is sleeping during the day, try to keep a radio/music on in the background, not necessarily in the same room. But do go about your business.
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------ Dave ------
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Ryan Wright

Screenwriter
Joined
Jul 30, 2000
Messages
1,875
I bet you are stoked that there is a Best Buy there now.
Actually, the Best Buy has been here for some 3 years now. It was a Future Shop, and when it closed, Best Buy opened in it's place. In fact, that's where I bought my Toshiba 65" RPTV, DVD player & VCR a little over a year ago. We just recently (~6 months ago) got a Circuit City as well, and I've been in there twice. Haven't bought a thing. I already didn't like them over the Divx thing and I like them even less after being in their store.
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-Ryan (http://www.ryanwright.com )
Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes.
That way, when you do criticize them, you'll be a mile away and you'll have their shoes.
 

ShawnF

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Mar 5, 2001
Messages
70
Derek,
My daughter is two months old and I have noticed that the sound from my HT does not bother her too much. In fact, I play music pretty loud to calm her down when she is crying (which is often).
Don't plan on watching a movie from beginning to end in one sitting. I haven't been that fortunate yet. Good luck!
 

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