[suniil]

Ok! It's my turn to do something after all the reading experience I gained from this section of AVF

As you see in my Open plan living room thread, I've managed to fill my room with subs-sats-screens-various other av stuff and reached the point where i cannot have any further upgrade. As living room shares with kitchen & dining, never managed to get perfect bass. It has given some nice experience & had opportunity to host a number of AVF members.

Thanks to the interiors, estate agents got a buyer for my house in 2 weeks time after listing in market. Luckily i got a terraced house 6 doors away from my flat. It's a not_so_great_area , but with my budget & very close proximity (20min by bus) to Central london that's the only option for getting a good looking 4 bedroom freehold house.

Arial view [copyright, microsoft maps]

Guys, Wish me goodluck!

Thank you all

[suniil]

Refurbishment plans!

1. Refurbish Living room [top priority ], Kitchen and toilets
2. Network, Satellite, Audio & Video cabling to all rooms
4. Lighting & home security
5. Upgrade / additions of AV gear, if budget allows.

[suniil]

living room as it stands now

[suniil]

So far removed wooden wall panels & started ripping off the plasterboard from ceiling. This is for running necessary cables for downlights, rear speakers, voice & data and future proofing for projector.

[elootos]

Originally Posted by suniil

As living room shares with kitchen & dining, never managed to get perfect bass.

Suniil, I see from your other thread that you have 3(?) SVS subs, and were in a flat!! If only I could convince my other-half that thats the level of bass that we need.

Good luck with the build and and have fun with those subs!

[suniil]

Thanks matey. At one stage i had 4, but now setteled on 2 cylinders. I may offload one once i get PB13 Ultra. It's a nice feeling experience when the sub pushes so much energy [my reference DVD is WOTW & HD Dvds are Matrix / 300]

Originally Posted by elootos

Suniil, I see from your other thread that you have 3(?) SVS subs, and were in a flat!! If only I could convince my other-half that thats the level of bass that we need.

Good luck with the build and and have fun with those subs!

[albriscoe]

Originally Posted by suniil

At one stage i had 4, but now settled on 2 cylinders. I may offload one once i get PB13 Ultra.

Hi sunhill

nice to see your on your way with the install, please keep us fed with loads of pics and let me know if you want to offload that sub as I could be in the market for one if this KEF doesn`t hack it

cheers Allan

[suniil]

Thanks allan.

I'll let you know before placing it in AVF classifieds

Originally Posted by albriscoe

let me know if you want to offload that sub as I could be in the market for one if this KEF doesn`t hack it

[suniil]

Ripped one complete stretch of ceiling and started pulling cables for downlights. I feel bit unlucky after seeing the beams running across the room. I've to drill holes thru' each beam on both sides to run cables.

[inzaman]

You are not messing about and certainly getting stuck in Keep the pictures coming and good luck with the refurb

[suniil]

Plasterboard back in ceiling. Hired a plasterer for half of day to do the plastering jobs. It was a good opportunity to lay cables for projector. I've plans to replace radiator in living room with a vertical chrome one, hope it will heat the room.

Connected the wires to live with a test downlight. All looks fine. No dimmers or fancy stuff, as they are EE fireproof downlights. These are from tlcdirect.co.uk (anything over £15 is free next day delivery)

[suniil]

Anyone knows where we can get modular patch panels, with plug-in tiny modules [F-connection, RJ45, phono jacks]?

I couldn't find any remote controlled switches for EE downlights other than X10 appliance switches (very ugly looking) that makes loud noise while switching off/on

Living room Shopping list:-

a. X10 appliance modules
b. Polished Chrome Wall switches / sockets
c. Polished chrome wall radiator
d. Shielded electric wires that run to AV cabinet (if available?)

[cybrey]

Right ... you asked for it... ( and alternative ideas)

Modular Faceplates..
http://www.avrio.co.uk/acatalog/Face...V_Modules.html
http://www.letsautomate.com/index.cfm?&Nav=Walloutlets&
http://www.ekmpowershop2.com/ekmps/s...AYCAT&catid=47
http://www.euronetwork.co.uk/acatalo...ed_Plates.html
http://www.home-networking-online.co...aAS_2dCRI_2d88
http://www.aca-apex.com/aca%20websit...s/page0025.htm
http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/search/pr...=LS00805&N=411
http://1stopelectrics.com/
http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/MKK3825.html

Remote Control light Switches .. Not sure if these fill your criteria..
http://www.letsautomate.com/index.cf...lightswitches&
http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Ind...art/index.html
http://www.screwfix.com/search.do?_d...R+light+switch
http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Ind...s_5/index.html

The last TLC ones I list are available in a range of colours.

[suniil]

You see, that's why i love AVF. members with helping hands . Even some of our members are coming down in weekends to help me out.

Thanks cybrey, much appreciated

Originally Posted by cybrey

Right ... you asked for it... ( and alternative ideas)

[miceri]

Looking good suniil - I like to see experienced members starting over, gives me a chance to plan my future setup correctly.

Just bought a house to move into next year. I think I will need to do pretty much everything that you are doing in terms of lighting / cabling / connectivity etc. I will be watching with interest.

And of course, helping out when I can!

[suniil]

thanks for your kind words! loads of ideas floating around in this section of AVF, in particular

btw, nice av gear you have!

[cybrey]

Originally Posted by suniil

You see, that's why i love AVF. members with helping hands . Even some of our members are coming down in weekends to help me out.

Thanks cybrey, much appreciated

Np was a cut / paste job from my bookmarks. I spent a long time researching the same sort of questions your asking. In the end I decided against a 'patch panel' purely from the pov that I thought it could potentially degrade the signal.

I haven't made my mind up yet about the lighting control. The Lutron ( at 120 quid for a dual dimmer) are way too expensive but do do mood lighting, the cheap Tlc ones are a good price at 20.00 quid ish but you can't setup mood lighting with them.

[suniil]

My downlights are EE, so noway to use dimmers with that, including TLC varlight ones. I've ordered some appliance modules from letsautomate.com.

I also have the same line of thinking that any wall sockets for AV will degrade quality, but patch panel for RJ45, F connectors etc.

btw, nice progress in your thread , how good is that sound proofing material? have you tested with some serious bass stuffs?

Originally Posted by cybrey

I haven't made my mind up yet about the lighting control. The Lutron ( at 120 quid for a dual dimmer) are way too expensive but do do mood lighting, the cheap Tlc ones are a good price at 20.00 quid ish but you can't setup mood lighting with them.

[chelsea.tone]

Hi Suniil, looking good so far loved your 1st thread, is it easier doing this the 2nd time? All those subs lol it must boom like a looking forward to seeing the progress and completion. Nice 1

Tony

[suniil]

Thanks tony, It's is easier for me for AV side of things because i've gone thru the process once. But the courage i got to do DIY refurbishment is nothing but this section of AVF. Several threads are very detailed in every aspect.

take the eg. pelmet around projector screen, with average DIY skills and following how other memers done the job, we can recreate the same without much trouble.

btw, i've replayed the scenes "darla tap the tank" - finding nemo, "lightning scene" - war of the worlds, countless number of times just to listen the bass!

Originally Posted by chelsea.tone

Hi Suniil, looking good so far loved your 1st thread, is it easier doing this the 2nd time? All those subs lol it must boom like a looking forward to seeing the progress and completion. Nice 1

Tony

[albriscoe]

Hi sunill

have a look at GET lighting control, http://www.getplc.com/ its similar to rako and lutron but cheaper . My son Gary has it installed at home and it looks very good and excellent quality

things at your place seem to be happening quickly so don`t forget the pics will you

cheers Allan

[suniil]

Thanks allan, will look into that. not got chance to see your latest updates, hope you have good time with your m&ks and onkyo!

Now pic time. plumber came in to run pipe for vertical radiator. friday night & today whole day i was busy with removing wood flooring. Floor boards were nailed down to battons [plumber mentioned usually he see screws], he helped me to remove floor boards. Good chance to wire rear speakers, co-axial for subwoofers, couple of Cat5e.

Originally Posted by albriscoe

Hi sunill

have a look at GET lighting control, http://www.getplc.com/ its similar to rako and lutron but cheaper . My son Gary has it installed at home and it looks very good and excellent quality

things at your place seem to be happening quickly so don`t forget the pics will you

cheers Allan

[miceri]

Stick some conduit down there whilst your at it. Good if you forget something now, you can just push it through later.

Good progress, like the vertical radiator idea.

[suniil]

Thanks for the reminder, I do forget the important bits!

Just ordered a Vertical radiator from Inspired Heating. They promised me to deliver before friday, so that i can get my hands dirty on weekend again.

Now I'm focusing only to finish living room, audio, video, data & voice cabling otherwise i've to live disconnected life @ home until we finish the work.

Got the broadband up and running after 6 days of moving in (from BT master socket). I've never got luck in more than 2 meg in the past, but my new ISP is amazingly good. Now i get 7meg with BE value. I may upgrade to BE unlimited, it is just £4 extra for 24meg unlimited with 1 static IP.

Originally Posted by miceri

Stick some conduit down there whilst your at it. Good if you forget something now, you can just push it through later.

Good progress, like the vertical radiator idea.

[suniil]

found out a duct running from ground floor till second floor and then to loft, which is life saving to run cables across the floors.

[suniil]

my BE broadband speed touched the maximum today, when i isolated and ran cat5e till an extended NTE5 Socket with filtered faceplate.

will update the master socket photos later


Cable hell - started CAT5E & satellite cabling today. hopefully by weekend i can complete this [second floor]

[First Floor]

[dunks517]

mmmmmm cabling, good luck and make sure you label all cables. I did and the labels fell off in the cold/wet because the house wasn't watertight at the time! luckily it was black for Coax and a blue Cat5e & grey Cat5e to each room!

[suniil]

learn a lesson everyday! TBH i forgot that, but not too late. thanks

Originally Posted by dunks517

mmmmmm cabling, good luck and make sure you label all cables. I did and the labels fell off in the cold/wet because the house wasn't watertight at the time! luckily it was black for Coax and a blue Cat5e & grey Cat5e to each room!

[cybrey]

Originally Posted by suniil

btw, nice progress in your thread , how good is that sound proofing material? have you tested with some serious bass stuffs?

Thankyou its been in a long road ( started back in July), I'm waiting for the plasterer to turn as we speak so we should see some progress.

The soundproofing is good, the door to the lounge is bad. So although the sound doesn't travel up through the ceiling particularly it does travel through the lounge door and up the stairs. When I have a bit more time I'll probably replace the MDF door with something a little more substanial which I suspect will make a big difference.

Originally Posted by suniil

found out a duct running from ground floor till second floor and then to loft, which is life saving to run cables across the floors.

You lucky <beeeeeeeep>, I wish I could find one of those

[suniil]

few updates:-

got the plumber today (evening) to do the rest of piping for radiator, I hope he will complete it tonight. also took the delivery of modular patch panel, snap-in F-connectors, cat5e faceplates, crimp tool & some X10 modules (i may return it and get GET-PLC stuff as allen recommended, if budget permits) etc