BenSand

HELP A Concealed Projector Project

Hi,
I tried posting this in the home theater construction section and got only a couple of replies. Im hoping someone reading this thread might be able to help out with this.Thanks in advance..

I want to build a home theater. But my wife does not want to see any of the equipment and wiress etc in the room. I told her that there are ways of hidding the equipment and that I would try to hide the projector as well. So, now I am running around trying to find any information that may be around that would help a do-it yourself guy like me conceal a projector and still follow the laws/codes etc.

My setup is this.
I have two options.
1. cut into one wall and try and place the projector between two studs.Would need to build some ventilation.
2. Build a box/frame and bolt it to the vaulted ceilings we have. The cover or box I would build would surround the projector so it would need to be vented etc.

Now from what I have seen there are codes to follow etc.
But I havent been able to find a step by step guide on how someone like me could go out about doing this.

Anyone know of any guides or books etc?

actually considered other options like a coffee table piece and building a closet space etc to get around having to put it in the ceilieng.

But this option seems to be the best so far.
You see we have a vaulted ceiling that starts at about 7Ft at the walls. I am figuring if I build a wood plank to go in between the two beams at about 8 ro 9ft up on the vaulted ceiling part then I should have a good spot. Then I can build some type of wood covering etc. I did look into an electric lift but those will add up to a couple grand to this. I would rather have the projector stationary and hidden in this box with a hole for the lens to poke out.
I did read some instructions on the electric lifts and saw that the NEC codes require some type of Plenum pieces/wiring in order to put that type of equipment into a wall or ceiling. So maybe there are equipment/ kits for putting projectors into walls and ceilings out there. Im hoping that these kits might have the metal cases that will be regulation in order to put the projetor into it.
Anyone heard of that?

Also I am choosing the JVC Pro DLA AX21 projector. And the distance will be about 26 feet from the screen and the screen will be about 150" diag.

Thanks
Ben

Brian-K-Owens

I am building a new home right now, and I have the same problem; the wife does not want to see any of my "crap".

If you decide not to mount the projector from the ceiling (that would be my first choice), here is what I did:
I have a cabinet in the back of the room with pocket doors that open and slide back into the cabinet for the projector and the rest of my equipment. I will have a small 4" grille on the side of the cabinet toward the rear with a fan to keep air circulating. I designed the house myself, so my cabinet is built into a wall so that it is flush with the back wall of the room, but maybe you could find something your wife likes that could sit in the back of the room. The only disadvantage I see for you is that my cabinet goes all the way up to the top of the 9 ft wall in my living room, so I can mount the projector upside down and perfectly level, so no keystone correction is required. I do not know about other projectors, but mine distorts the picture a little if I use keystone correction.

You might also post this over at www.avsforum.com

And while you are there, checkout the Home Theater PC (HTPC) section. It is a must for this type of setup!!! For around $600, you can build the PC, and the picture quality will be 10X better than standalone DVD Players!

Brian

Brian Owens

BenSand

Thanks Brian...

The problem with putting a cabinet here is that there is a big sliding glass door. Its unfortunate but its smack dab in the middle where the projector needs to go. Thats why my only choice is to put it up in the ceiling somehow. Using a table cabinet wont work either because of the room design and the way people would walk into the room would most likly interrupt the projector. Another problem like I mentioned before is that we have vaulted ceilings.. So when I put some type of box system together for this it will be connected to the beams there.
I have been searching the net for anything on this and I cant find a thing. I see that projector lifts have some type of metal conduit type box and ive been just looking to see if I can find those at least .. and nothing so far...


Ben