[playrider]

Hi,
I have a property maintenance business and one of my customers was talking about having a 'home cimena' in the kid's playroom and asked if i could do it.
How could i refuse ! A decent budget and a chance of repeat work but one problem, just 12 days from start to finish while they are on holiday and only 3 days notice till start of project to sort and source the hardware etc.
After many, many hours on here and the help of James from Weybridge Audio i was ready to start yesterday.
The hardware chosen was...
Jvc Dla Hd350 projector in white with vogel mount
Denon Avr2310 av Amp
Pioneer Bdp320 bluray player
3 Monitor Audio R250's in white for the front
Monitor Audio R90's in white for the rear
Monitor Audio R370 Sub in white
Qed silverline cabling
The main problem i have is that he does not want a screen just a white wall to project onto which i am going to use the dulux light and space for
Then just as he was boarding the plane yesterday i got a text saying he wanted the front speakers recessed into the wall (solid brick and block) which isnt a problem except for i couldnt speak to him till late yesterday hence wasting most the day
I am also looking for a harmony type remote with a ir extender (if correct) so macros can be set up and can be used without opening the cupboard the amp etc will be in.
I will try and update often but as you can imagine time is not on my side.
Den...

[conan]

Good luck with that, nothing like a challenge

[Dave_Gregory]

I wish you all the luck as it seems that your client doesnt really know what he wants, so in my book that leaves too much scope for when he comes home and its not how he imagined it.

Hopefully I am wrong and he will be so impressed that he even invites you to the opening night

Did you question why not to use a screen as this can be recessed into the ceiling or via a bulk head so out of the way when not being used and then brought down via the harmony?

good luck and if poss try and post some pictures of how it goes and what he thinks when he gets back.

Dave

[Liam @ Prog AV]

You should probably consider taking the speakers back and replacing them with in-wall speakers... I would certaibly want to echo Dave's comments, there is a lot of scope here for the client to come back and say "I don't like that one". I get it all the time, over-stressed customers say something like "just do what you think is best" and want to give the impression that they're all cool with whatever and they have far bigger things on their mind. Come final fit everything is wrong and it's suddenly all your fault for making the choices!!!! I would tread somewhat carefully in making sure client approves everything

[playrider]

thanks for your comments,
I agree that an electric screen tucked behind a pelmit and operated by the harmony is the way to go but he said if he wants to see the image on the wall firstly then if not happy will go down that route (which is fine by me as extra £££'s labour).
With regards to the monitor audio r250's, i am building 3 recesses into the wall for them to sit in with a gap of 10mm all the way round, will this affect the sound at all, he just wanted them flush so the kids dont mess around with them too much.
Also with the harmony one, can i get an ir extender for it so the cupboard with the equipment in can stay closed.
Im now on day 4 and its still not looking good, sparky's been in to do the lighting and couldnt access from above so now have a ceiling to skim over too.
The odds are not in my favour...

[Liam @ Prog AV]

RF control should be fine. Programming Harmony remotes is always fun though (I really hate their software!!).

The speakers should be fine. In an ideal world you treat the recess with some damping material to stop resonances from the hollow itself, but I imagine your customer probably isn't going to be that bothered (plus it's difficult to do it without it looking stupid!!).

You should post daily photos to show the progress of an install. I keep meaning to do it when we get interesting jobs but they tend to be stretched out over a few months rather than taking a room from scratch and getting it done in one fell swoop

[M.D. Klapwijk]

I know that my floor-standers sound very different when placed closer to the wall, so I can't imagine why recessing shouldn't affect how they sound...

[Smurfin]

Originally Posted by Liam @ Prog AV

RF control should be fine. Programming Harmony remotes is always fun though (I really hate their software!!).

You need the Harmony 1000 or 1100 for that. Last time I checked there was no extender for the harmony one, although I believe one is going to be released?

[playrider]

Ok...Now on day 5
The 3 recesses have now been knocked out and plasterboared, sparky's run all the cable for the downlights and the projector bracket has been bolted to the rsg
Im still unsure how to get the denon amp, pioneer bluray player,sky hd and the wii to wrk in a cupboard with a harmony one,will the powermids work if so which ones.
in tommorrow for more cable chasing (can't wait )

[Smurfin]

Keene electronics will solve your problem (IR extender), although there are several wires involved

[sahara_desert]

You're crazy man only 6 days left ,well god luck i think you really need it

[playrider]

Ok 4 day's left...Not looking good but still do-able

Still stuck on which pyramid extender to get if anyone can send a link to the acual model then that would be great or would it be best to change the harmony one for the 1000 or 1001.

All cabling is now done and tested jvc 350 today just to check the cables and is all good infact bloody great even on a wall with plaster patches on it, also got a white power lead to match the pj

After tomorrow the walls and ceiling will be preped and the ceiling painted ready for the lights to be finished.

Also the recesses are as good as ready for painting

[Liam @ Prog AV]

Looking good! I think the better solution is going to be a remote with a wireless sender. Those pyramid things are not too reliable. You would want to be using Xantech, or Speakercrafts OEM of Xantech etc for ultra reliable remote forwarding. I have used the Keene and found it quite wobbly, the IP addressable things are quite cool but the straight extenders were flaky as I remember. Perhaps they have improved the design in the last couple years. Either way spending money on remote extension is not far off the price of getting a Harmony 895 or similar with extender. Neater solution IMO.

[waxdart]

Originally Posted by Liam @ Prog AV

No you don't have an LED TV, you have an LCD TV with some LEDs lighting it.....

If you took the front out and just watched the LED back light Local Dimming you could say you had an LED tv then Might not be very HD. But there is nothing on the TV anyway so could be more interesting for a while.

//

This project looks great so far. I wonder if the Mrs will let me drill out chunks of wall?? Hmmmm - maybe no.

more pics soon please.

[Liam @ Prog AV]

Originally Posted by waxdart

If you took the front out and just watched the LED back light Local Dimming you could say you had an LED tv then Might not be very HD. But there is nothing on the TV anyway so could be more interesting for a while.

Nah all you would have then is some LED lights!!!! I've got them in the brakelights of my car LOL!

[playrider]

2 Day's Left....
Had a great couple of days and got loads done. Celings ready for downlights tomorrow, walls all done including the screen wall using dulux absolute white just got to gloss the skirtings and the av cupboard and install all the gear...

Here are the pics as of this evening and will post more tomorrow when the pj and speakers are in

Also the sky hd box turned up yesterday and the dish was moved today

Looking forward to tomorrow

[Smurfin]

That will make the naysayers eat their words See, it can be done!

[Dave_Gregory]

looking good and I have my fingers crossed for you

Dave

[playrider]

Ok D-Day 4 pm tomorrow.....And im Knackered
Got the pj up and all but one speaker in, denon amp, sky hd and blu-ray all in, pictures, mirror and curtains up.
Just need to touch up, gloss skirting and bits and pieces so should be as good as done except sorting ir extender out.
More pics included

[jagdeepp]

Brilliant work!

However please remember.. Rome wasn't built in a day..... it took 12! Sorry hope that wasn't too cheap!

Looking forward to the next batch of pics.

[playrider]

Ok..Times up and bar a few hours finishing off its done..
And the result....Amazing (their words not mine)
Got a couple of extras to do, hiding the sub in the cabinet if poss (have posted this question in the Sub section and adding an ipod dock etc
Now its done i dont know why i was so stressed

[Smurfin]

Excellent job, just a shame they didn't want to go for a proper screen, a projector like that is wasted on a wall. Must admit the finish of everything looks excellent though, and the "all white" look is superb

[MarkP80]

I've been watching this with interest, and I have to say, getting all that done in 12 days is remarkable (well, certainly compared to how quickly i get things done!)

I just hope MrsMarkP doesn't see what you achieved in that short time! Congrats on a great job and thanks for sharing it.

MarkP

[playrider]

Thanks for the comments ... As it was my first 'proper' install im well chuffed with the result and i agree a screen would be so much better but they are more than happy with the result and ive been paid up

[playrider]

I now have ordered the harmony 1100 remote with rf extender and that should finish the job off nicely...And treated myself to a lg 50 ps8000, ps3 and denon 1910 amp just need some speakers now...

[jagdeepp]

Good timing! Great job!

Only thing missing as stated above is the screen. In fact, absent the projector fired up one would walk into the room and question why those speakers have been placed like that on a plain wall. Firing up the projector answers that of course but having a fixed screen would so complete the project. For me, whilst its a job very very well done it misses out that va va voom absent a screen.

Wish i had your timing though. As Mark says above, my 12 days become 12 months.

[Dave_Gregory]

Great work and I am glad the customer is pleased with the results and I hope that you get some good referalls from this although you just know that they will all expect it to be done in 12 days now ...