Mark's Home Cinema Bedroom

mark_curd · 01-11-2008, 1:42 PM

Ok so I think its time to start posting up some pictures of my bedroom cinema build. Thanks too all on here for the inspiration, I don't think I would have started it if there was not so many of you building all tho's lovely setups!

I'm currently living at home with my mum at the moment and hoping to move out with the girlfriend mid next year. I didn't want to go to elaborate so I stuck with a simple floating wall design and pan to pop a rope light behind to give a nice glow.

This was my setup prior to starting the build.

Samsung M87 40" HD LCD
Sony 2ch Basic Amp
Xbox 360 Elite
Nad T533 DVD Player
Mac Mini HTPC
Focal 706 Chorus Speakers

And this is now as it currently stands.

Samsung M87 40" HD LCD
Denon AVR-2809 AV Amp
Samsung P1500 Blu-ray
Mac Mini HTPC
Black Kef 9000 Fronts
Focal 706 Chorus Surrounds

I managed to picked up a brand new harmony 885 for £35

So no need to have the masses of remotes.

Just waiting for this months paycheck and can go and collect some of the bits I paid a deposit for. Another Black Kef 9000 for center channel and a Rel R305 Sub. I plan to sell the 706's and replace them with 2 Kef 6000 and use these as surrounds.

I'm replacing most of the cables with decent ones as time goes on. My first upgrade was the HDMI cables, I went from £10 cheapies and replaced them with Tech+Link CR, Noticed a big difference in picture quality despite people saying not to waste the money.

In addition to the above setup I have replace the old stand with an Ateca Monaco 125. This stand unlike most of the other glass unit I have seen offers solid side sections as oppose to open sides, this helps keep all the cables hidden.

The Denon just fits, although it looks like there is no room for air to circulate I assure you there is. The last thing I want to do overheat the thing. There is a good 3" at the top, the stand has an open back and the top glass floats on 5 legs meaning there is about an inch of opens space all around the top.

Still loads to finish off, hang new doors, skirting, painting, lights, finish off the cables as they look an eyesore, just placed my order for the monofilament expandable braid that I plan to use as cable management. Will post up when it arrives.

Ok enough blabin on, here are some pictures.

All comments welcome good or bad

mark_curd · 01-11-2008, 1:44 PM

Sephiroth0000 · 01-11-2008, 1:49 PM

Dude you have so just given me idea's. Looks pukka though!

MitsiTurbo · 02-11-2008, 8:24 PM

Mark, looks great fella. Are you doing the rope light round the floating wall? Also, what filler did you use and how did you sand it? Im in the process of doing mine and struggling to get it as smooth as yours looks!

mark_curd · 03-11-2008, 7:08 AM

Yes going to be putting one round the edge, got it here just need to get it up!

I used an equivalent to P38, pretty much the same stuff. Its a bit of a pain to sand but got there in the end, I used P80 grit paper and used a rubbing block.

wingnut121 · 03-11-2008, 8:24 PM

sweet stuff mate.

Sephiroth0000 · 07-11-2008, 1:53 PM

How difficult did you find all this to do may I ask? Im so sick of how mine looks at the moment!

mark_curd · 07-11-2008, 8:39 PM

To be real honest I didn't find it that hard at all as I enjoy doing this sort of thing

The only thing thats a pain is the sanding! It took one day and 2 nights to get it to the stage it is. I started on a thursday, spent the day (actually about 7 hours) doing the frame and mounted the boards and first coat of filler.
Next day went to work got home about 6 and done a few hours that night, sanded the filler and put on another coat, sanded this and put a coat of primer on the boards. The next day I put on a coats of white paint before I went to work, ready so I could come home and paint the main color. And after 2 coat it was finished that night.

I have still been doing some with it in the evenings. This little lot turned up so I have started on the cable management

Here's one of the hdmi cables done, I'm just doing some more as I speak now.

Hallsy · 08-11-2008, 12:15 AM

Looks very nice mate, a great improvement on before.

I take it the last pics show some heat shrink and braiding? Any reason why you are adding extra braid to the HDMI cables?

mark_curd · 08-11-2008, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hallsy

Looks very nice mate, a great improvement on before.

I take it the last pics show some heat shrink and braiding? Any reason why you are adding extra braid to the HDMI cables?

Thanks

The extra braid is being put on all the cables that I have (power cables too). I was at my local dealer a few weeks back and they had a hifi setup that was using the chord signature range of cable, these have the same type of braiding round them. They was also using braided power leads along with some others too. I have been looking for a neat way to keep all the cables in order for a while now and this by far is the neatest I have seen. I have used other methods in the past but have never been too happy with the results. The braiding will also give some protection to the cable specially behind the wall area. Although it's a fiddley process, I'm hoping the result will be worth it.

Hallsy · 08-11-2008, 10:33 AM

Ah right, one of my HDMI cables has a plastic braid on.

So you are also using it to neaten up cables that are multi cable rather than singular?

I must admit, I'm not sure how a plastic braid will offer any type of shielding, but I'm sure it will add to the robustness of the cable. In general for shielding you'd use a steel braid tied to ground.

Anyway, lovely looking setup all the same. I'm so tempted by a nice shiny new black amp, but with mine hidden away asthetics don't really come into it. Having something new does though!!

mark_curd · 08-11-2008, 10:49 AM

The hdmi cables do have the original grey plastic braid on them, just I'm a fussy bugger and want it all in keeping. The braid is not going to make a blind bit of difference to shielding the cables it's purely cosmetic.

All cables are going to be individually braided then zip tied together.

Hallsy · 08-11-2008, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mark_curd

The hdmi cables do have the original grey plastic braid on them, just I'm a fussy bugger and want it all in keeping. The braid is not going to make a blind bit of difference to shielding the cables it's purely cosmetic.

All cables are going to be individually braided then zip tied together.

Ah right, yeah, from what I gather HDMI cables have an internal braid anyway, or a foil, or both!

mark_curd · 08-11-2008, 2:06 PM

Ok so here are a few more updated pictures. Most of the cables are now all done with the exception of the cat5 as I want to pick up a half meter one not use a 3m. Power and signal cables have been spaced apart to reduce interference (not that I am getting any)

Here is some of what I started with. I already done a few the other night.

One by one it start to take shape. I won't be using the 6way extension soon just waiting for my sparky mate to put be in 4x 2 gang sockets.

Hallsy · 08-11-2008, 4:20 PM

Neatly done

I have neatend mine up a few times and used cable ties, but I've found on the odd occasion where I want to disconnect one piece of kit, or change a cable/connection it's annoying having to cut them off and re-do them!!

owenw · 09-11-2008, 5:04 PM

Hi Mark,

Fantastic and very neat job you've done!

Can i ask where you got the braided sleeving? I presume it is flexible enough to fit over HDMI plugs etc?

mark_curd · 09-11-2008, 5:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by owenw

Hi Mark,

Fantastic and very neat job you've done!

Can i ask where you got the braided sleeving? I presume it is flexible enough to fit over HDMI plugs etc?

Thanks

The braided sleeving and heatshrink came from here. Black Expandable Sleeving & Heatshrink. Top guy sent me a sample pack of all sizes of braid & heatshrink available for a small some of £3

This meant I could try out what best fitted the cables. I order 3 sizes in total but only used 2 of them on the av install the other was for the pc. I used an 8mm & 12mm both expanded big enuf to go over the plugs.

Wolfmother · 04-07-2009, 3:42 PM

Hello Mark

I will be attempting a similar job soon. except, instead of a floating wall it will be full. In my own mind I know how i am going to tackle this project. except i still can't decide on floor standing speakers or what you have done, and have them adjacent to the TV. Which i think makes your project look very cool indeed.

mark_curd · 31-07-2009, 9:14 PM

If I was to do again which I might be very soon as I'm moving out of the parent into my own house then I would have the distance between the speakers and the tv panel bigger to give a wider non cramped feel to the setup.

When are you doing your build? as in the new house I too want to do a full wall build not just a floating one but recess the tv and speakers and equipment into a stud wall and chimney breast.

I would be very interested to see progress pictures