My new floating AV wall with 65 incher and motorised mount - NOW COMPLETE PICS WITHIN

alitech

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PROJECT COMPLETE, SCROLL DOWN FOR PICS OF FINISHED AV WALL!

Just uploaded a video of how the LED strips look on the feature wall.




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Guys, I just bought a new property and have moved in. Got it painted and all before I moved in, only regretting it now as there is quite a bit I have realised I will need to do here. I will share some of the ideas here to get some ideas and inspiration from you fine folks. The flat is a recent conversion and everything is pretty new, just a shame I want to change a few things around.

I really want the AV wall to be the main focus of the my living room. I really want to outshine my previous very feeble attempts. I am no DIY’er and really bad at all this stuff. I am following “big man 83s”lead and getting a DIY manual, but I am in a hurry to get all this done so might want to go to some professionals if someone can do this for a “very reasonable price”.

The wall in question is this one.

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Existing gear:

  • HTPC
  • SKY+ HD
  • PS3
  • Marantz NR1601 3D ready 7.1 slimline amp
  • B&W MT20 Speaker set
  • Microsoft Lifecam Studio
  • Logitech Dinovo
  • Logitech Harmony something something
New gear (yet to purchase):

  • SAMSUNG UE65ES8000 65 inch 3D LED tv
  • Speaker Cables that are safe to go in the walls
  • Squeezebox
  • Level Mount Full Motion Motorized Cantilever Mount - DC65MCL
  • Rope lights (dimmable via remote)
  • Drop lights for the av shelf where the AV gear goes (dimmable via remote)
  • Drop Lights to go on the top of the floating shelf

Measurements of the full wall:

Height: 259 cm
Width: 237 cm

And a couple of unimportant measurements.

Distance from wall to edge of window (left): 104.5 cm
Distance from wall to edge of pillar (right): 69 cm

Regarding the gear, I am uncertain if the Samsung 65 3D LED will be a worthwhile investment as I have heard the SD is terrible. Can anyone recommend a better TV at 65 inch with some sort of automatic upscaling of SD video. Not fussed about smart functions, I have an HTPC for that. I can also consider upgrading the amp with auto upscaling, any ideas welcome.

Also, I could not find any motorised mounts for 65 inch teles in the UK. The one listed above is the only one I could find but you can only purchase it in the USA. Could get it shipped over if its my only choice, but I will then have to sort out powering it up with some transformer that I have no clue about yet. Can anyone let me know where I can get something like this locally? I really want a bellows type that extends out before swivelling and tilting so there is clearance on all sides.

Id like the motorised mount as the TV wall will be situated in the corner area of a large open plan room / kitchen area. The motorised mount will help with viewing from kitchen area and the way we intend to lay out the sofa so when we have guests etc, I could swivel 20 to the right and tilt about 10 degrees for a perfect viewing angle for a sofa full of people. It’s a corner sofa, will take some pics when it arrives to show what I mean.


What I want to accomplish:

I am thinking of a “floating wall with rope lights” idea that a lot of you have already implemented along with a purpose built AV shelf that is part of the floating wall, as in not an off the shelf av rack, but something built as part of the wall.

I want to wall mount the B&W front, left and centre around the TV on the floating wall and have my rears suspended from the ceiling and pointing downwards.

Somewhere in the middle of the ceiling here is where the speakers will go. I am also happy to place them on the sides and have them pointing to the central listening position if ceiling suspenders prove to be tricky.

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For networking, I am happy to use a powerline adapter thing for the time being until 802.11 AC becomes mainstream, too much effort in Cat 6e wiring around the house at this point, its all brand new and done up already.

Here is a Zexel 4 port powerline adapter that I have already purchased that will provide network to the HTPC, Sky, PS3 and Squeezebox. Have 2 other single port ones that can go near the sky router and my multifunction printer in my bedroom wardrobe.

ZyXEL 500 Mbps 4-Port Powerline Gigabit Switch: Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessories

I have picked up some ideas from the forum that I will share (credit to everyone who have contributed these custom builds, amazing work guys).
This build from “groove” here is amazing

http://www.avforums.com/forums/home...1-grooves-new-lounge-floating-wall-build.html

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I really like the floating wall that he has created, very clean and soft on the eyes. Only thing that I would want to change on here is the AV units at the bottom and have something built as part of the floating wall.

Something like what “big man 83” has created here

http://www.avforums.com/forums/memb...r-changed-anything-other-than-light-bulb.html

IMG_5217.JPG


This setup obviously doesn’t have a floating shelf, but I like the way the AV rack is built as part of the wall. I like this idea because it will take care of all the wires that I usually need to deal with. They can go right under the shelf which is removable according to big man. He can pull it straight out.

As you can see here, very pleasing look with drop lights and genius way of hiding all those cables under the shelf.

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I am really not good at using 3d tools like sketch up etc, but I will try. Meanwhile, here is a rough MS Paint drawing without any measurements. Getting on those youtube sketch up tutorials now.

With this design, I am thinking about the a future upgrade of speakers, will probably like to get some tallboy speakers on the sides on top of the high gloss shelf.

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Now, I have a couple of challenges. The whole flat is brand new so I really don’t want to overly mess up the side walls which may require me to paint the walls all over again. Patching the paintwork should be fine and preferable. Really referring to the satellite speakers that I want to put on the ceiling.
My speakers are B&W MT20. They will have to be wall mounted and will show around the tv.

The other challenge is that I we have just had the wall on the left done up with a purple wall paper from Laura Ashley. You can view that here:

Pussy Willow Grape Floral Wallpaper at LAURA ASHLEY

Now I really will need to have the floating wall in a colour that compliments the wall paper so that it doesn’t detract attention either way. Just to neutralise the colours. Something like whats listed on Laura Ashley here

Water Based Paint, Pale Twine at LAURA ASHLEY.

Plus, I have all the lightings in all my rooms in cool white so everything looks extremely white in 14watt Mega man cool white bulbs. Might even consider getting the same wallpaper on the floating wall, not sure about that yet though.

I could make the floating wall a complementary colour that Laura Ashley do that would match the wall paper colour scheme and keep the background white.. and also get some pale purple rope lights as well. Need to think about this one some more as well. I think Groove used some rope lights from TLC. I found purple rope lights that would be perfect. Just will need to think about how to dim them.

So what’s forming in my head on the aesthetic and colour scheme is to keep the whole set up clean white with some pale colour to complement the wall paper. The wall to be pale purple, background to be white, the shelf in the bottom to be brilliant white in high gloss. The top of the shelf to extend over to the sides with drop lights in the central space where I plan to put all my kit. All kit will be black obviously, including the TV so I really do hope it all goes together.

Can you guys offer advice on what I may be over doing, or doing wrong or if the colours wont work? All advice appreciated.
 
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Very quiet here...

I was hoping for some responses to my ideas.
 
Can't help with the build i'm afraid as I'm looking and learning myself, I've been a long time user of the B&W M1 speakers that I'm sure are part of the MT20 package and I love them tbh, so much so that I want to keep them when I rebuild my system this year.

So consider this a free bump :)

Hope it all goes to plan......i'll be watching ;)
 
Hi, Just looking around for ideas for wall mounting my plasma in the kitchen.
Yours is the first thread I have looked at and I thought I would wish you good luck. You look like you are giving things a lot of thought and that is what gets good results.
Your ideas look good to me. I am hoping to learn a few things about networks and lighting. It is good to see what ideas you can pick up. I am doing nothing fancy just plasma wall mount and maybe some sort of floating shelf for some sky box and stuff.
Good luck :)
regards stasis.
 
Thanks for your comments guys.

Digitalfailure:
I love the B&W MT 20s as well however I am unsure on how to suspend them from the ceiling. Its something I am trying to figure out as they can only work with their own custom mounts. The other thing is that my TV is going to be flush to the wall, or very close to it as its a thin TV and I will probably have the mount slightly recessed inside the floating wall to increase the flush effect.

now since the TV is going to be flush and will only extend if I choose to, the speakers (they way they will be mounted) will stick out about 8 inches from the floating wall. This "might" look weird. I am not entirely sure they will look nice in this setup. Have a look at this post where this guy wall mounted these. http://www.avforums.com/forums/av-a...-onkyo-875-owners-thread-108.html#post7184582

However, I love these speakers and the sound from them. My set is about 4 years old, yet I dont want to get rid of them.

Stasis:

Thanks for your kind comments. I am giving things a lot of thought as I want this to be perfect. I just have a few challenges to overcome. Watch this space.
 
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Just looking at some bespoke capentry in the London area on google, some very good results in the image search.

Managed to find something close to what I was thinking the AV shelf would look like in terms of finish.

Custom Carpentry - Bespoke Fitted Furniture



This cabinet has a good lighting effect inside, but its not drop lights. The other thing if, i would like it to be a cavity throughout without any doors etc. The bottom bit can hollow for all the wiring stuff.

Another site which I am really liking right now

Living Room Furniture | Fitted Living Room Furniture | Gloss Living Room Furniture by London Furniture Ltd. | Bespoke Furniture London
 
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Idea gathering stage still, for completeness, just want to add that the TV wall mount, whichever I choose, will be recessed slightly in the floating wall like what groove has done here, before and after pics of the mount outside and slightly recessed.

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My TV is A LOT slimmer though so will look better I hope.

This is to give the most flush-est look to the TV on the wall.
 
This is what i intend to do when i have saved enough!

This is what i have currently - expect in white - its nice to hide stuff in the cupboards! Plus you wont believe how much you can get in there :D

Where did my pics go
 
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noterms, the mods removed them, you can link to the pics but not have them within your post as an image. Rule number 9 !!
 
A few updates.

The Zixel 500MB power line Ethernet plug is out. I have just had the flooring redone and now have Ethernet cables laid under the flooring to the tele. So I now have full Gigabit speed going to all the current and future equipment in the TV wall. Managed to get a good quality Cat 6A cable from the bay so that faster speeds are already supported and will only have to change the switches at both ends.

I have another sketch I can show you guys, still rough but shows what I envisioned for the floating wall.

Ali.jpg



And here are all the measurements:

wall.png


As I am in a hurry to get this done and dont have time to learn any DIY (bad decision I know, but I really dont have the time), I have hired a bespoke furniture company to build this for me and the sketches are done by them.

They have been able to understand EXACTLY what I want to do and they are building the sketches to take in each and every detail.

I will be using my old Sony Bravia 46W2000 on the wall right now, but the wall is being built around a 65 inch Samsung EU65F8000 which is due to be released this year. THe current Samsung 65s have a mother load of issues so more than happy to wait as I will need to save up for it anyways.
 
The bottom unit is full high gloss. LED strip lights are going around the wall and inside the cabinet to glow on top of the AV equipment. I have been told that they will be able to put in a IR hand gesture on off switch for the LED strip lights somewhere on the shelf so its not prominent.

All the wiring and messy bits will go under the middle bit of the cabinet behind a removable plinth. You can see the plinth at the bottom there.

Now in terms of the colour and design of the floating wall. I am not having it spray painted, i don't think I will like the look. I have had the go ahead from the Mrs for some creative freedom with the design on the wall as long as it compliments the wallpaper on the left so I have decided to go with a custom wallpaper design.

I found a website that do just that. Have a look at Murals Wallpapers

I didn't know what I wanted until I saw that they offer a bespoke service by printing wallpapers from stock photos off shutterstock. PRESTO, my hunt started for the perfect stock photo to go on the wall as a wallpaper. I had a few options which I run past the Mrs again and we both decided on one. It was a vector image so we could change the colours to match the wallpaper. I sent them a sample of the wallpaper for colour matching too and they have done an excellent job. The purple boxes are colour matched by doing a few print runs by them, excellent service I must add.

I have only just placed the order 2 mins ago with them. Delivery time is about 4 days I believe so I will update everyone when it comes through.

ali%20naqui%20-%20Colour%20Match.jpg


This photo will emphasize the TV in the middle pretty well and will be the only unorthodox design effort which sets it apart from the rest of the contemporary decor in my flat.

I opted for the slightly expensive option which I can wipe clean if the need arises.
 
I guess this is no longer a DIY project as I am too chicken.

Another update:

I finally settled for a manual (non motorised mount) as I just cannot find one that is

1. Slim
2. Lightweight
3. TILT AND SWIVEL
4. Bellows type that extends forward from the middle as opposed to one side make it off center.
5. 3 custom positions and a home position via remote

etc etc

I have gone for Sanus VLF311-B2
 
Could I please ask one of the mods to move this into the Gallery section as it is no longer a DIY project?
 
And another sketch with the wallpaper on it.

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Flooring changed too

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I am happy to present my brand new AV wall !!

Finished it a couple of weeks ago but only got around to taking some pictures.

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HELLO TV WALL.


Love it. Wish I could do something's like that in mine. Love the modern blocks. I wish my wall gave me the option.

White speakers would of made this even better IMHO.

I'm biased towards white however if you look
At my setup you'll understand.
 
noterms said:
Lol every opportunity you point to your thread

I'm just a big fan of white setups. We have to stick together.

That tv wall is amazing IMHO.

I know from my pics its hard to judge size. I'm using a 60", and your tv looks small in pics so I know you have a nice big sofa and room etc so it all fits together rather than looking like the tv is overpowering. Well done.
 
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Have to say that's a great set up.

Clean and simple...!
Bet all the hard work was worth it in the end.
A+
 

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