[RowdenCO]

Still waiting to move into new build Redrow Home & I should have the keys 27th Nov and its about bloody time.

And so in the mean time I've been sat here viewing the forum, while planning and plotting my own setup. I've seen some excellent stuff & only hope I can come up with something just as good as the quality of the work from AV Happy & Albriscoe, these guys really do pay attention to detail.

I've finally managed to setup a test rig so that 1 Xbox360 & 1 PS3 can be connected to 2 Televisions in different rooms, saving me from disconnecting cables or moving consoles, just cus SWMBO is watching Holby City on the main one. Just need to save the cash so another forum member I've been communicating with can make me up a proper one.

Im thinking of taking the floating wall idea in another direction & once I begin building it I'll upload pics and explain the idea. I wanna get in there first before I share the idea.

Pics are of main house, the dedicated adult lounge room (the kids have their own lounge they share with us adults) & finally SWMBO, my own personal NHS nurse to patch me up from all the DIY mishaps I may run into.

[RowdenCO]

No comments on the current setup.... Well its not really a setup as most has been boxed and now it's just fiddles.

[spocksbeard]

Hi Rowden, good luck with the move!

Just wondering, how do you get the xbox on two TVs? Is it through a reciever or is it more simple than that?

[RowdenCO]

Much more simpler than an expensive receiver.

The Consoles are plugged into a 4 into 1 component cable.
4 in 1 Component Cable for PS3, PS2, Wii & Xbox 360 - buy online from Blue Unplugged

On the back of the 37" TV where the component plugs I've used 3 of these connectors.
Gold-Plated 2-into-1 Phono Adaptor : Phono Adaptors : Maplin

I could have used 5 of these connectors and split the sound, but didn't bother as both xbox and PS3 are connected 5.1 Dolby in living room.

From there a component cable is then run to the 2nd TV (Once I've moved this cable will be going through a wall). The xbox is able to display on both monitors at the same time, with no visible degradation in the picture quality, this even works for games. This is more of a side effect as it wasn't what I was trying to achieve.

The PS3 only displays on one monitor at a time, and will only display on my main tv if the green connection (the one that carries sync information from PS3 to displays) is disconnected from the little TV (I plan to put a simple switch here to solve this). If I wanna use the little TV the main TV can either be off or using another input, but If I select component I get a picture on neither screen.

Xbox & PS3 controllers work through walls (I tested) and my lounge and study will be next to each other so its a short run. This solution works for me, and switching one little switch when I move rooms is no big deal.

I hope this makes sense.

[albriscoe]

really looking forward to you moving in and gettings things sorted

give us a shout as and when

[signs]

That's a great idea about the xbox running off two Tv's (think i would just get another for the sake of £150 tho )

Good luck with it ,and nice to see you have got the Mrs fitted out in the right kit

[RowdenCO]

I thought about that, but then I'd need a second PS3 aswell and then one console will have games saves on it the other wont and I'll be continually swapping hard-drives about.

The PS3 also has the PlayTV module so it does all my Freeview recording and this way I can also access this from either room. Trying to keep track of which console recorded what I cannot be arsed with, so all in centralised was the only way to keep me happy :-)

Plus this way in the evenings when SWMBO is watching crap on TV, I've got a reason to visit her cus I'll need to change a disk.

[RowdenCO]

Got to visit the house today, nothing's really moved on since last week, but I'm told the move in date is still the Nov 27th. Found out where the Aerials ports are and I'm annoying they are on the wrong side of the living room. My study next door has an Aerial port near by so I've decided to take a cable from there and run it through the same module system im using to put component & RJ45 through the wall. A quick trip to wickes and attached is what im gonna use.

There are no plans to install Sky or Virgin Media, just good olde freeview. We had sky a year ago and got rid after realising weren't watching the stuff we were paying for and in the southwest we get a very good SD signal.

Lounge will contain

Main TV, PS3, Xbox360 & Wireless Surround System all on a custom AV unit designed and built by me.

Study will house:

Smaller LCD, Computer & a component feed from the PS3 and Xbox360 in the lounge.

[alz2605]

Congrats on the new house! Nothing like the excitement of planning a new set up to house all your kit in. Oh and I suppose living in a new home with your partner may add to the excitement too

Thanks for confirming that the console controllers work through walls. I've been toying with idea of moving my consoles and sky box into the dining room and feed the TV in the lounge with them. My aim would be to cut down on the noise and heat generated by them.

All the best with your project and I'm intrigued to see your take on the floating wall!

[RowdenCO]

Thanks, the only thing I can say about the console and wireless is test first!

My parents live in a new build townhouse as well, so I did a little test at theirs. A console in the centre of the house was able to be controlled from any room in the house.

Bonus today is that there is a stack pipe, middle of the house top to bottom boxed in. Perfect for running Cat6 for my gigabit network, with it all converging on my study.

[alz2605]

Originally Posted by RowdenCO

... the original set became property of the insurance company & I bought it as salvage £5.00

No wonder our insurance premiums are so high

[RowdenCO]

on with the packing.... consoles all packed and ready to go

Finished the design for the desk to go in my study , its half AV related. AKA the gaming room. Let me know what you think, good and bad. Consoles wont be in the room, but there will be feeds.

This will be the first project, the AV unit for the lounge is a bit bigger & complicated & so will take longer so this ones first.

[RowdenCO]

Ok, so we've been in the house two months & Ive stared at the blank walls for inspiration and now I'm finally settled on the layout of the living room and what I'm gonna do.

The work starts this weekend coming. Attached is a picture of the now (The TV isn't like that permanently it was me testing the height i wanted to install it at) Watched TV on it this evening and this is my personal preference.

Also attached is a very simple 5 minute paint mock up of what I'm looking to achieve. Its basically a floating wall. Its gonna be a dark non reflective purple, which will be Dulux colour matched to the curtains in the room just out of shot. The idea is completely floating, with all wires chased into the wall, appearing again behind the cabinet. The cabinet will house HTPC converted laptop (near silent, inaudible to my human hearing) and the surround amp. PS3 too noisy and is in the other room, but will be wired to this TV (wireless controllers are brilliant)

The TV itself is a 37 inch, however the bracket im putting in is an upto 60" one, for upgrade in a a year possibly.

[RowdenCO]

One note above I put a plan for the desk I was looking to build. That plan was for a wire free design. Once I started looking at what I had and what I needed it became apparent hiding wires was not gonna work, so it ended up practicality over minimalistic. Here is the final result.

[RowdenCO]

TV wall mounted... yay, its taken ages to get going due to funds, but now I've got more jobs to do than I've got time.

Low Profile Fixed Wall Mount for Large LCD and Plasma TVs : Home Entertainment : Maplin
This was the wall mount I used. Its basic, and perfect if you want a fix screen (no tilting) and also will fit a 60" screen.

All cables ordered :-) arrival in next few days.
www.kenable.co.uk
Cannot recommend these guys more, they brilliant and I've used them for the past 2 years.

Conduit fitted (no cables in it yet)

Next job is the battons that the floating wall will rest on. There are just gonna be the two. Above and Below the screen. On this the 9mm MDF will be mounted. As its only a flat surface and not carrying any heavy weight i've gone for medium thickness. This will be a one piece cut 90cm High, 220cm Width, with a hole cut for the TV to fit through.

Room is a mess atm, o well.

[RowdenCO]

mockup

[cram]

Think the conduit is going to let down the appearance a little tbh

[RowdenCO]

The conduit is gonna be painted the same colour as the wall it sits in front of, and hopefully blend a little. I'm working on SWMBO to let me channel out the wall.... but for now its a neccesary evil.

[cram]

Appreciate that you may have constraints to work with but the attraction of floating walls is that you can't see cables and that they appear to float. This kind of anchors it and spoils the effect. Given that you're nailing stuff to the walls anyway don't see that cutting a channel or two is really adding that much to the "damage". Good luck with your negotiations.

Oh and that room *needs* a bigger tele

[RowdenCO]

I know it needs a bigger tele, I wish I had a bigger tele, however its considered good parenting to feed and clothe the children first (so I'm told). I'm saving at the moment and will hopefully have it by xmas. The bracket is in there ready to take a bigger TV, but for now my little 37" one is doing its job.

I'm tempted to send the missus away with kids to see her sister down south and while shes gone channel the cables. If she notices the missing conduit, i could tell her its wireless.

[RowdenCO]

The MDF board is cut

Did a test run with it balancing on the bracket. Jobs to do.

Cut the 4 battons the board will sit on.
Drill wall and attach battons.
Make holes for speaker cables in the board.
Extend the TV's powercable so it can be hidden.
Attach speakers
Watch a film

Me and the missus are still looking at the paint colours.

[RowdenCO]

Board attached and speakers wired in

Just the power cable to extend and hide then, I think a rest is in order. The missus would like the living room back a while before I start the paint job.