Projector Ceiling Mounted - Cabinet to reduce noise - Ideas/Advice?

[Riggs]

Hi All,

Hoping someone here can advise me on the best method to do this:

I have a ceiling mounted projector (Sanyo) that is far too loud as it sits right above my head - I've tried buying a box and screwing it into the ceiling but unfortunately it overheated and cut out (was still too loud in any case!) so now I'm looking for a better alternative.

The back of the projector is about 20cm from the back wall. The ceiling has the curved coving so that will probably add some grief if I have to take the DIY route. My current idea is to buy some plasterboard (1.2m long and 60cm deep) and make an enclosure - cutting the corners so they fit flush with the coving. The base will be plasterboard as well and the front will be partial plasterboard with a glass centre so I can use the remote control. I have no idea if using glass infront of the lens would distort the image though? Then lining the inside with appropriate sound proofing material (don't know what the what the best material is for this though?) - however, would i still need to cut out a hole for airflow and wouldn't doing this just allow all the noise out?

I'd also like to be able to take the whole enclose down easily for when I move and access to the loft is rather limited/difficult. I don't mind drilling screw holes into the walls/ceiling as plaster can cover them up when I move.

Any ideas or is there a company out there in the UK that sells this kind of requirement?

Thanks for any responses!
Steve

[Riggs]

I was going to rig up something like this to the ceiling horizontally...

http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav/na...=1156047926202

Take out the shelving section and put a 4-way in there for power.

If the top comes off easily it would give me access and there'd be plenty of airflow?

[waf-tastic]

Originally Posted by Riggs

I was going to rig up something like this to the ceiling horizontally...

http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav/na...=1156047926202

Take out the shelving section and put a 4-way in there for power.

If the top comes off easily it would give me access and there'd be plenty of airflow?

I've just had a look on Google and came across this. Not sure if your room is able to take this, but has some info about overheating etc. There are lots of ideas if you search for 'projector hush box'.

Hope this helps.

[Riggs]

Thanks waf-tastic - had a feeling it was going to take some serious DIY.
Unfortunately- there's my bed underneath the projector so whatever I build is going to have to be ceiling only as I can't lose any wall space.

At the moment I'm going towards building a 'box in a box' ceiling case out of plasterboard with soundinsulation inbetween the two layers of plasterboard if you get my meaning. I'll have to attach it to the ceiling itself where lies the problem as it'll have to attach to the joist's. Nasty and difficult job to get to!

I'll probably then cut a couple of holes and attach standard 8cm computer fans in the ceiling holes - one to blow air in and the other to take it out - thus ciruculating it - just have no idea about how to get power to these fans as i think they're 12v DC?

The only alternative I've thought of is making a 'hangman' type shelf - so a side profile would actually look like the game itself and the legs would go underneath the bed - the top would be arched to support the weight - the only difficulty would be getting the height adjustable so i could get it to touch the ceiling perfectly... going to make a couple of drawings and post them to see you what you guys think.

Also, do you know if put glass infront of the lens distorts the image?

Cheers
Steve

[waf-tastic]

Just looked on the forums and saw this thread. He has a ceiling box (i.e. no full cabinet) with cooling fans.

Not sure about the glass in front of the lens, however it might be better to keep it open as I'm always cleaning mine to get dust off!

I guess a standard 12v adaptor would do or a laptop power supply? Also, may want bigger fans if you have the space as they give equivalent flow with less rpm so these are quieter too.

[andyturner28]

Dynamat would be a good idea for sound deadening material. It is used a lot in car installs and just sticks onto the inside.

I think that puting glass in front of the lens would cause some kind of distortion. Best person to ask about this would be Gary lightfoot as i beleave he had issues with a glass lens filter for his PJ. Cant remember which thread it was though.

I am considering making a hush box for mine one day with an air inlet at the bottom and exhaust at the top, and was thinking of cutting 2 holes through the outside walls in the loft and using cooker hood extractor hoses like the ones you can get from B&Q. I am then thinking of mounting a 120mm PC fan to each wall vent which will be powered off the PJ's 12 volt trigger.
But then i have fairly easy access to my loft space.

Andy.

[Riggs]

Thanks for all the posts guys - much appreciated... been spending my time designing my hush box...

Just a few questions if you guys can help:

1. Where can i get quiet 120mm fans from that plug into wall sockets - ideally where i can run multiple fans from? I couldn't find anything on maplins website.

2. Does anyone know how much B&Q / Homebase charge for cutting plasterboard and wood to dimensions?

3. Whats a good spray in sound deadner - obviously it's going to need to be a heavy mass spray as i think the more the mass the less sound gets through?

4. The Sanyo projector i have has the fan outlet at the back and was planning to have the 120mm fan in the ceiling above this area to punch the hot air out and another fan in the ceiling at the front to push cold air in - would this be enough?

Cheers for any replies.
Steve

[andyturner28]

I am not sure weather B&Q or Homebase cut it for you. I could be wrong though.
This is going to prove that i watch way too much Discovery Channel but how about using the spray on foam that the building trade use to insulate outer stud walls and loft spaces. I am not sure what it is called but it is a good sound deadener as well as a replacement for vapour barriers. Try Jewsons or any other builders merchants.

I am sure Maplins do a power inverter that allows you to run 12volt equipement from a 240volt supply. They do the opposite, so you can run 240volt stuff from a car battery so i am sure it works the other way round.

If you can get into your loft space at all how about running a vent from the eves. That would be much easyer than cutting a hole in the wall like i previousely suggested. The problem with having the inlet from the ceiling is that it is often a lot hotter in the loft than the rest of the house due to all the insulation. Also if the exhaust is going into the loft as well it is very likely that the inlet will just suck in the hot air from the exhaust and just circulate it.

Andy.

[waf-tastic]

Some B & Q stores do cutting - the one in Castleford has a big cutting jig - talk through your plan first though to get the least cuts! I used them to cut the shelves for my flexy rack from an 8' x 4' MDF board (the guy even gave me some offcuts for free :-)


You get a certain number of cuts for free then its either 1 or 2 pounds per cut (can't remember off the top of my head...)

[andyturner28]

I assume it is only the megastores that do it then as i had to got to my local and tiny B&Q on the way home from work today and they don't do it.

Andy.

[Riggs]

If you look at the B&Q/Homebase websites it tells you which sites do the cutting - best call beforehand though to confirm.

I got the pieces to the infrastructure of the unit cut today at B&Q. first 4 cuts free - 50p there after. total cost £8.98.

They won't cut plasterboard so it's going to have to be MDF on the outsides - which is fine.

Will be taking pictures and dimensions as I go along so if anyones interested they can make the same thing...

[loonatic]

I made a hush box type affair for my Marantz S4.

It's not too noisy to start with but due to it be mounted directly above my head it was still too noisy for me.

So I built a hush box lined with acoustic foam with a 120mm fan pulling the hot air into the loft space above. The fan is controlled bu the PJs second 12v trigger...the other controls the screen.

Made from 12mm MDF and painted the same colour as the ceiling it blends in nicely and now the PJ is as good as silent.

Cheers, Lee