My (new) Cinema Room!

Donnacha · 04-09-2008, 9:50 PM

Link to new HC thread New Home Cinema - Extension

UPDATED PICS IN POST 11

Well,

after all the years I have been getting great information (not to mention gear from the classifieds) from these forums, I thought I post a few pics of the cinema room in my new house.

I used to have a little cinema in the loft in my old house, which restricted me to a 6 foot screen and a futon for a chair.

Well now that I've taken over one of the bedrooms in the new house, this is what I've come up with.

I've also included a quick snap of the setup in the lounge.

Equipment is:
Hitachi PJ-TX300 projector, Yamaha HTR-5540RDS amp, HTPC with freesat, bluray and hddvd, Toshiba HD-A1, Kef KHT2005 speakers, Paradigm PDR-10 sub, 92" Dalite screen, Humax freeview PVR 9200 , Pioneer DV535, Archos AV605, Creative Zen Micro, Xbox 360, Xbox (w/XBMC), 2 x Harmony 785 remote, Toshiba 32" LCD, F&H Bluray player.

Donnacha · 04-09-2008, 9:53 PM

....anyone with advice on how to post pics better!!!?

SeedyR · 04-09-2008, 9:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donnacha

....anyone with advice on how to post pics better!!!?

Host them yourself, then post links.

Image shack, flickr etc

MitsiTurbo · 05-09-2008, 8:08 AM

Looks cracking mate. Would love to be able to have a dedicated room!

Can I ask what colour is on the main walls of the lounge? I have a similar brown on my feature wall but have yet to find a good match for the rest of the room

Donnacha · 05-09-2008, 8:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MitsiTurbo

Looks cracking mate. Would love to be able to have a dedicated room!

Can I ask what colour is on the main walls of the lounge? I have a similar brown on my feature wall but have yet to find a good match for the rest of the room

thank you for that - the dedicated room is great for now. First baby on the way in Jan

If we have anymore then I may have to give up the room!!!

As for the colours - in the cinema room its Cocoa Bean by Crown Paints. In the lounge walls are Natural Hessian by Dulux and the feature wall is Espresso by Dulux. Its a paint designed for a feature wall.

I'll try to post better quality pics!

v CJ v · 05-09-2008, 10:02 AM

Tidy looking set up, love the wall colours.

Some members are lazy at clicking image links (as am I) edit your first post, and add the image URL within the Image tags [IMG] IMAGE URL HERE [/IMG]

Like this

Donnacha · 05-09-2008, 11:18 AM

fantastic - thanks for that! I'll do that to the rest - cheers!!

Pics now sorted on first post - now that I have it sussed I'll try something more hi-res next time!

weyland-yutani · 05-09-2008, 2:49 PM

pics seem to have disappeared.

Spinke · 05-09-2008, 3:02 PM

You need to get the pictures hosted somewhere if you would like to display them in the first post, else you're stuck with the attachment method. The way you've done it now won't work I'm afraid.

Donnacha · 05-09-2008, 3:20 PM

oh - I can see them, should that be possible!!

Right I'll have to sort out tonight!

Hopefully now sorted!!

Donnacha · 03-12-2009, 10:22 PM

UPDATE. I've updated the furniture...added sofabed and new cabinets for the AV gear, as well as getting rid of the standalone bookshelves to move all the media to the back of the room. Here's the newer setup

Screen up. New cabinets from Ikea (besta range). Also got a 22" TV for casual gaming, TV and the media centre without the need for the projector

Here's the new sofa. It folds down into a sofabed, which comes in handy for extra guests. I think most would rather sleep in this room now!! You can see the built wardrobes behind have had the doors removed and it now makes a great storage space as well as projector shelf:

Media Centre PC:

Yamaha Amp:

Screen down:

Side wall with shelves - plan to get rid of them and get some nice canvas prints up at some stage:

The Bluray & HD-DVD collection:

I'll try to get some screenshots up at some stage as well

I think it looks much better now!!

lukeyy · 04-12-2009, 10:22 AM

Very nice, liking the Dolby Digital Sign aswell

Can I ask where you got the blinds?

Phill1978 · 04-12-2009, 11:12 AM

i have the same monitor and speaker

nice setup m8, i also have a pj but not in the same room as the monitor and speakers

Donnacha · 04-12-2009, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lukeyy

Very nice, liking the Dolby Digital Sign aswell

Can I ask where you got the blinds?

Thank you. The blinds were already in the house when I moved in. They are custom made to fit exactly into the window as its an unusal size! I have no idea where the previous owners go them from, but they look nice, however don't necessarily blackout the room during the day. With the screen down it darkens the room plenty enough for daytime viewing!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phill1978

i have the same monitor and speaker

nice setup m8, i also have a pj but not in the same room as the monitor and speakers

Thank you. Speakers are good. With a 10 month old across the hall, I don't get a chance to turn 'em up anymore, unfortunately!! ...ah the good old days of window shaking bass!

sloany1979 · 04-12-2009, 12:09 PM

Looks really nice but one thing. Some of the shelves look to be bowing quite badly so I would reinforce them by either doubling up on the shelves or screwing some wood too the underside of the shelves.

Donnacha · 04-12-2009, 3:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sloany1979

Looks really nice but one thing. Some of the shelves look to be bowing quite badly so I would reinforce them by either doubling up on the shelves or screwing some wood too the underside of the shelves.

Thanks - I know what you mean! I don't think they'll collapse

They looked like that before I put anything on them! Ideally I could rip the whole thing out an but in this really smart looking storage system, but as it was bedroom, in the future I may have to give it up if the family got any bigger.....god forbid !

Lennyz · 04-12-2009, 9:20 PM

Looks great Donnacha!

I think the new shelving for your AV gear works really well in there. Nice and clean looking....my gosh that sub squeaks in there as well at the side doesn't it, brilliant.

How are you finding the media pc? I presume you use it for all your dvd and hd viewing. Does it run everything smoothly?

Paul

Donnacha · 04-12-2009, 9:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lennyz

Looks great Donnacha!

I think the new shelving for your AV gear works really well in there. Nice and clean looking....my gosh that sub squeaks in there as well at the side doesn't it, brilliant.

How are you finding the media pc? I presume you use it for all your dvd and hd viewing. Does it run everything smoothly?

Paul

Thanks Lennyz

the sub is as snug as a bug ! I did actually make sure that the cabinets would leave room for the sub and are almost the same height, so it looks seamless.

The media centre...where to begin? I've had one for years that I used for DVD and Freeview TV. It all worked smoothly. Then HD and bluray came along! Its been a nightmare! But suffice to say it now plays Blurays, HD DVDs, DVDs, Freeview, Freesat (for BBC HD & ITV HD) and music via the MediaPortal front-end. It wasn't easy, ...its not 100% stable, maybe 99%, but it has some real advantages over having multiple standalone boxes. For example, one video connection to my projector, one audio connection to the amp, the ability to record HD TV channels, one remote to control them all, the ability to rip DVDs and HD media to the harddrive etc.

Have you worked out what you're going to do with your room yet?

Donnacha · 07-12-2009, 12:04 AM

For theodotcom who PM'd me earlier today - here's a picture of the feature wall in the lounge. The paint is Espresso by Dulux.

Hope this helps you to make a decision?

theodotcom · 07-12-2009, 12:15 PM

Thanks for that mate.

alz2605 · 07-12-2009, 7:25 PM

Thats a totally fantastic room and set up Donacha

Lennyz · 07-12-2009, 8:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donnacha

Thanks Lennyz

the sub is as snug as a bug ! I did actually make sure that the cabinets would leave room for the sub and are almost the same height, so it looks seamless.

The media centre...where to begin? I've had one for years that I used for DVD and Freeview TV. It all worked smoothly. Then HD and bluray came along! Its been a nightmare! But suffice to say it now plays Blurays, HD DVDs, DVDs, Freeview, Freesat (for BBC HD & ITV HD) and music via the MediaPortal front-end. It wasn't easy, ...its not 100% stable, maybe 99%, but it has some real advantages over having multiple standalone boxes. For example, one video connection to my projector, one audio connection to the amp, the ability to record HD TV channels, one remote to control them all, the ability to rip DVDs and HD media to the harddrive etc.

Have you worked out what you're going to do with your room yet?

Hi Donnacha, yes the sub does look seamless in fact I didn't notice it at first! Works well mate.

I imagine a media centre pc is not for the faint hearted, I can imagine me fiddling around for twenty minutes when I want to watch a bluray or dvd and my wife saying why can't we just use the normal player, why does it have to be complicated everytime we just want to watch a film...

I have had this in the past when I tried to show films off my pc in another room. I am trying to use a wireless mouse on the plasma but the range isn't quite long enough but it will work if I hold my tongue out just! But having said that if it was in the same room and I found time to configure it then maybe it would prove a good solution. The storage of films on a hard drive and having them all ready to go from one source does appeal.

As far as my room goes, I am pretty set on using what is currently my boys' playroom as a dedicated room as seeing your room and others of a similar size makes me realise it will work fine, but at the moment and probably for the next few years it will have to remain a playroom. I have two boys, one 8 and the other 17 months so it is only fair they get to keep the playroom for the time being, however, I will be doing major work to my lounge probably next year funds permitting. I may put a projector in there, at the moment I have my ageing plasma but I am sitting a fair way away from it and my eyes are not getting any sharper.

How do you find your kef eggs Donnacha? I am tyring to talk my bro into getting a set.

Paul

Donnacha · 08-12-2009, 7:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alz2605

Thats a totally fantastic room and set up Donacha

Thank you very much - very kind of you to say

Lennyz, as you say the media centre is not for the faint hearted! Luckily I enjoy all the hassle and tweaking that goes with it, but at times I've pulled my hair out and hard to start from scratch many times! here have been times when we've sat down to watch a movie and for some unknown reason it would BSOD or just stop midway through a film! Its much more stable now.

The KEFs are nice. I haven't really compared them to anything else to know how they stack up and they were a bit of a blind buy! I was told not to get the sub that came with the package at the time, so opted for the paradigm that came with a good reputation. Its a shame these days with all these blockbusting bluray soundtracks that I don't get the full use out of the speakers because of a 10month old baby....I keep offering to send the mrs and baby away for the weekend

But the look great, sound good and are nice a small to fit in any size room.

I half suspect that my cinema will become a playroom as well in the not too distant future...just need to get the young lad "trained" in respecting and appreciating AV !