Questions from a guy who blew through his budget on new home (1 Viewer)

[Wingfan13]

When I say a guy who blew through his budget I mean my wife. We are building a new home. It is almost done and I originally planned on hiring a company to setup the home theater. Now that we (she) blew way past our budget I am thinking about doing it myself. I know close to nothing about home theater. I do know that I care much more about picture quality than sound. I dont see myself ever watching movies with the house shaking from the volume being up so loud. I guess I care about the quality of the sound but it will never be turned up very loud (if that helps at all).

I dont even know where to begin. The room is 19' 4" from front to back. It is 15' wide. The builder already wired the room for 7.1 and all the plugs and holes are in the ceiling for speakers and a projector. The one thing I have to deal with is blacking out the window where the screen will go. I found this site http://www.snaptint.com/product.php?productid=16161 to apply film to the window to do that. It is a window on the front of the house so I couldn't delete it without it looking strange. Anyone else ever have to setup a screen in front of a window ?

So knowing that I care more about the picture and less about sound I am looking for some recommendations for equipment. How big of a screen do I need with that size room ? What projector and equipment do I need ? I also dont always want to be watching TV in the dark. I have heard there are some screens that are better with more light. The light would only be coming from the can lights in the room with the windows blacked out.

Sorry for all the questions and I really appreciate the help. Like I said I am new to all of this and would appreciate some guidance.

 

[schan1269]

This sounds like a nightmare situation...A room with a window...for a projector. Pictures would help...as the only suggestion I got...is a canon(Not brand...as in a light canon).Budget?

 

[FoxyMulder]

You can buy material to black out the window, darken your ceilings and side walls too, doing all three will help immensely, white ceilings really destroy your contrast, but as Sam says it's all down to your budget, there are some screens out there that retain contrast better than others, not cheap though. How tall is it from floor to ceiling. ?

I did set up my screen in front of a window in a dedicated room, i basically started with curtains, then i used simple black bin bags followed up by layers of black sheets, it totally eliminates any light getting into the room and it was cheap to do, but i didn't need the window again, the room is a black pit after covering the walls and ceiling, that helps a lot with projection systems.

 

[Wingfan13]

This sounds like a nightmare situation...A room with a window...for a projector.Pictures would help...as the only suggestion I got...is a canon(Not brand...as in a light canon).Budget?

I guess my budget is 5K. When I was talking to the home theater company during building he seemed to think blacking the windows out would work fine. I dont know what other option I have. The window is there and i have to deal with it.

 

[Wingfan13]

You can buy material to black out the window, darken your ceilings and side walls too, doing all three will help immensely, white ceilings really destroy your contrast, but as Sam says it's all down to your budget, there are some screens out there that retain contrast better than others, not cheap though.

Yeah, I planned on painting the walls and ceiling a dark color to cut down on any light.

 

[FoxyMulder]

Yeah i added to my post since i have done this myself, is the 5K for the projector and screen only or for the AV receiver and speakers also. ?

 

[Wingfan13]

I was hoping to be around 5K total but if I have to I would go up to 8. I am pretty sure they are 12 foot ceilings.

 

[FoxyMulder]

I was hoping to be around 5K total but if I have to I would go up to 8. I am pretty sure they are 12 foot ceilings.

Maybe a 120 inch screen then, as for the projector, depends on what would make you happy, are ultimate black levels important to you, is 3D important, would blowing out dust blobs be an annoyance to you, you can pick up some decent receivers cheaply, speakers packages too but i would spend a good $800 on a subwoofer, maybe an HSU or SVS one.

 

[schan1269]

$8K is easier. Are planning an enormous makeover of the room...or plan to keep use of the window?The Black Diamond 1.4 would be where I'd start if you plan on rolling up the screen and have the window useful.Otherwise...that would be the last choice if doing a total repurposing.

 

[Al.Anderson]

... but i would spend a good $800 on a subwoofer, maybe an HSU or SVS one.

Since he said, "I dont see myself ever watching movies with the house shaking from the volume being up so loud.", I think he can skimp on the sub. Not normally the priority around here, but it matches his specs.

Plus, he can easily add a sub if he changes his mind later. Heck, with his specs I might just skip buying a sub altogether and see how I like it (assuming decent speakers).

 

[FoxyMulder]

Since he said, "I dont see myself ever watching movies with the house shaking from the volume being up so loud.", I think he can skimp on the sub. Not normally the priority around here, but it matches his specs.

Plus, he can easily add a sub if he changes his mind later. Heck, with his specs I might just skip buying a sub altogether and see how I like it (assuming decent speakers).

Subwoofers are not simply about shaking the house, they help immensely with sound quality and take the strain off your AV Receiver, they do not have to be played at extreme volumes, i also would avoid a Black Diamond 1.4 screen, they have issues with shimmering, a better option and indeed a cheaper one would be a Draper Frame Vision VelTex ReAct 2.1.

 

[Wingfan13]

$8K is easier. Are planning an enormous makeover of the room...or plan to keep use of the window?The Black Diamond 1.4 would be where I'd start if you plan on rolling up the screen and have the window useful.Otherwise...that would be the last choice if doing a total repurposing.

I dont plan on ever using the window and was picturing a fixed screen. The only reason the window is there is for looks on the outside front of the house.

 

[Wingfan13]

When I said "shaking the house" I just meant that the volume will never really be up very loud. i watch mostly sports and play some video games. I watch an occasional movie but again, the volume wont be blasted.

 

[schan1269]

Especially if he goes with an AT screen and buys three KEF Q700 for front channel...Meaning...three of those would not need a sub...per se.

 

[FoxyMulder]

If he goes AT then it's gotta be Seymour, they make the best ones, i still think a subwoofer makes sense, it helps take the load off your AV Receiver.

 

[Wingfan13]

AT ?

 

[FoxyMulder]

AT ?

Acoustically transparent, it means you can place your speakers behind the screen and get the centre channel at ear height.

 

[Wingfan13]

Acoustically transparent, it means you can place your speakers behind the screen and get the centre channel at ear height.

I believe the window is 4 feet wide so the screen would be right in front of it. I am not sure if there would be room on either side of the screen for speakers but I have no idea.

 

[FoxyMulder]

I believe the window is 4 feet wide so the screen would be right in front of it. I am not sure if there would be room on either side of the screen for speakers but I have no idea.

It might be possible to move the screen a little forward of the window since it's over 19 feet long, can i ask what you value in picture quality, will you be calibrating the projector, do you like inky blacks or can you live with good blacks and good 3D, indeed is 3D important, do you want a projector that perhaps is good at most things, if it's the latter then i'd consider the Sony HW55 projector, a good all rounder. If 3D is extremely important then it's gotta be a DLP but you do sacrifice some black levels.

 

[Al.Anderson]

Especially if he goes with an AT screen and buys three KEF Q700 for front channel...Meaning...three of those would not need a sub...per se.

Exactly! Three good front towers and you're pretty much set. Taking the load off your amp isn't as important when you're not cranking it and therefore not stressing the amp anyway.