custom home theatre/entertainment center

[Xylob the Destroyer]

my current home theatre/entertainment center is a mish mash conglomeration of crap....
a kitchen table, a microwave cart, an old headboard, and two separate assemblies of InterMetro wire shelving -- http://www.metro.com/.
all of this, along with 2 filing cabinets and a rather large desk are shoe-horned into our apartment's "master bedroom".

within the next few months, I will be purchasing a house (no more leasing - YAY!!), and will be dedicating one room specifically to being a home theatre (most likely a basement room).
I plan on building an 'entertainment center' specifically for the components and media that I have and/or plan on eventually getting.
the stuff you buy at department stores is total crap and would never support my 300+ lb. television anyway -- but sometimes this stuff has some groovy innovations/features.
I plan on basically building 2 "pillars" or "columns" for each side of the television with a "roof" going over the TV to support the center channel speaker.
these columns will house: receiver, DVD player, VCR, cable box, at least 7 gaming consoles, HTPC, PC monitor, keyboard/mouse, and who knows what other components in the future, along with storage for games and controllers.

what features does your current entertainment center lack?
did I leave something important out?
is there something that every entertainment center unit should have, but they never do?
I'm looking for creative and useful input on how to make sure that after I've invested my money (and most importantly my TIME) into building this thing, I don't hate it or wish that I hadn't forgotten to put something in.
what would your perfect entertainment furniture have?

TIA!!

[BJ_M]

proper wiring channels and power distro built in - and hidden ..

a IR blaster built in and hidden in the millwork

cooling considerations

[Doramius]

Just remember this:

Audio usually runs DC voltage. The farther away from the source, the weaker the signal and you may need a booster near the speaker or a decent amp at your HTC.

If you plan on running any video through the walls or between rooms, keep the lines a distance apart or if running together make sure they are shielded & loose or they may modulate together and give crappy signal.


Thus being said, make sure there are proper areas where you can mount rear & surround speakers and that there is a sopot to feed wire through to make it less noticeable. I recently opened up my ceiling and ran wires through the beams. I also built a plywood assembly and ran speaker wires through. Once I put my drywall back in place I put speaker wallplates up and now had a solid area to mount them to.



It'll hold a good weight on it too, so if I had a larger rear/surround speaker, I'm not worried about it pulling through like I would if it were just plain drywall holding the weight.

[Xylob the Destroyer]

wiring channels I thought of
power distro is a good point I hadn't considered though!
cooling will also be a major consideration
what the hell is IR blaster? Infra-Red something or other I'm assuming.... My remote will control any IR device, no matter what. If there's no pre-set code, it can learn the proper signal.
I don't think a booster will be necessary, as this will be built around seating for two (with "additional" seating available for 2 more for gaming).
Speaker wiring will be hidden, but no need for construction. We will be hanging fairly heavy 'curtains' floor to ceiling covering every wall.
I'm afraid the speakers will have to be placed on stands -- they're far to big to mount on brackets.

this is great input -- keep it coming guys!

[Doramius]

Get some thick, but soft rubber to place your sub-woofer on. the rubber will let the heavy bass pass beautifully without causing everything to vibrate. There's also those spongy matt material squares that some daycares use for flooring for kids to play on. Its cheap and can be found at TOYS R US, but does the same job as the rubber would. I Never place any speakes on a solid surface for the similar reason, I either mount solid, have hanging, or lay on a nicely padded surface. (There's nothing more annoying than watching TopGun at someone's house and the HTC is rattling when the afterburner scenes are showing)

[Xylob the Destroyer]

yeh, all my speakers are currently sitting on folded up towels.....
no rattle though!

[BJ_M]

IR blaster - and/or a IR repeater - so you can have your equipment behind closed doors and still operate it ...

http://www.hometech.com/infrared/rcvrs.html

[Xylob the Destroyer]

OK, here is an absolutely horrible rendering of the plan.
I drew this in about 5 minutes with a pencil and a ruler.
scanned it and then "finished" it in MS Paint.
NOT to scale and crappy.
Can somebody recommend a good drawing program?
If only I still had a T-Square and board.....
I want to make a good scale drawing so that I have a decent blue-print to work from.
and don't say AutoCAD -- I need something easy to use that doesn't require a freakin' degree in engineering.

[yoda313]

Get some thick, but soft rubber to place your sub-woofer on. the rubber will let the heavy bass pass beautifully without causing everything to vibrate.

I hadn't thought of that. I have mine sitting on the wood floor. So padding would help make it sound better? I might have to try that.

Sorry for the sidetrack xylob. Just reading something useful. Good luck on your design. Very ambitious.

[BJ_M]

fastcad --

awesome inexpensive - easy to use cad program

http://www.fastcad.com/n-home.html

[BJ_M]

that is a huge center channel !!

[Xylob the Destroyer]

yes, I have 6 matching -- 32" tall by 18.5" wide.
200W input capability
15" woofer, 6" mid, 3" tweets
absolutely beautiful sound

in addition to these, I have two 12" powered subs

unfortunately, they're not shielded, so I'm a little concerned about the center's proximity to the monitor
currently it's situated in about the same place as in the pic, but about 9 inches higher
so far no problems tho -- it's been there almost a year now.

thanks for the link, i'll check it out.

[yoda313]

unfortunately, they're not shielded, so I'm a little concerned about the center's proximity to the monitor

Is there any kind of addition you can buy to protect the monitior??? Some kind of additional shielding for speakers?

[ZAPPER]

Not pimping any products, but I like TurboCad. Here are a couple of samples of some projects I have built. The JPEGs don't do them justice and I think that the only photos I have would need to be found and then scanned. I would recomend going modular and adjustable in your final build.

Post your room size, component sizes, wants and taste and lets make it skull session to see what designs we can come up with.

[Xylob the Destroyer]

oy vey!
FastCAD is far from easy to use...
hell, the user's manual is over 500 pages (and incredibly dry - I'd almost fallen asleep by the 6th page)!
I meant easy to use for the average idiot.
Thank god I didn't have to pay for it (EVERY software company should offer trial periods!).

modular and adjustable for sure
I can't post room dimensions, because we haven't bought a house yet.
most of the components are 17" wide (various heights and depths), but my wireless keyboard is just a shade over 19" wide
the PC is just over 21" deep, 8" wide, and 21.5" high (Antec SOHO server).

I'll check into TurboCAD.
what about one of the many programs offered by Corel?
thanks for all the help guys!

[ZAPPER]

To be honest, I don't know what an easy CAD program would be. I do have an old one called "easycad" but never messed with it too much. I also have "QuickCad" by autodesk but I don't like it, I just use it to open the occassional autocad file. I even have a thousand dollar version of autocad and it scares me. The only reason that I am pimping TurboCad is that Version 7 came with a pretty good video tutorial and I got to see a dude work in it before. I would assume that the new versions come with some kind of tutorial too, I'll look around and see what is out there. It would seem to be a wate to buy a Cad program for just one project, but once you find one that you like it will get used.

[Xylob the Destroyer]

yeh, i'm just looking for a simple to use drawing proggy that I can use to make a "3D" perspective line drawing to scale.
not necessarily a CAD system.
I'm an accountant -- not an engineer. I haven't even touched any drafting tools in about 20 years, and those were the real thing, not software.

[SquirrelDip]

I've known a few people to have had good luck with Microsoft Visio - but I've never used it myself (I'm an Engineer, not an accountant ). Personally, I've only ever used AutoCAD or Microstation.

Visio can draw to scale and is simple to use - but may still be overpriced for what you're wanting...

[ZAPPER]

Search for "free turbocad" and let the fun begin! Most versions will do 3-D, but that is waaaay over my head. I just do line drawings that I can print out on paper. Plan, elevations, thru sections and some details. I don't need to do 3-D walk thrus.

I have seen hard copies of the CDs in the bargin bins for under $40. I really don't know all of their versions but would suggest a Pro version. I don't know how locked up a trial version is either. You may get dizzy just trying to figure out the first one to try, but believe me, any version after 6.5 (my first trial) is capible of drawing anything you can think of 2-D or 3-D.

I use the program to figure out what radius will fit where and plot it out on a grid that can be transfered to to the floor in the real world. Kind of like a computerized compass and straight edge. And since I don't have any formal CAD training I tend to use it as a computerized drafting board. If any real cad operator ever watched me work in it they would think that I was retarded, but hey, that is wht happens when you are self taught!

[Xylob the Destroyer]

I'll check it out.
or maybe try to find a T-Square and some triangles...
these programs are all pretty daunting and definitely not for noobs

[ZAPPER]

If you like drafting with a pencil, you will love drawing in a cad program. Any cad program. The percision, being able to manipulate the drawing, the drawing aids, being able to print nice crisp copies, change scales and colors. I would reccomend that everyone at least have some version just for the fun of having one. But again, If I had not actually seen someone using it, I probally would have never figured any of it out. And I know that the way that I use it is not what would be considered the normal conventions.

If you blow all that money on games and entertainments, I would say spend a little time and money on a cad program and call it entertainment too! I would reccomend finding someone around you that uses a cad program and get them to get you started. Unfortunatly most people that are real good are using the big bad and expencive Autocad.

I read a review about AutoCad once that said it was the most intimidating program out there. What other program greets you with a blank black screen?

[ZAPPER]

After looking at your drawing (it prints out pretty good) am I to assume that the thing in the center is your big screen? And is it already on its own stand?

It looks like you are on the right track and are able to get er done. Traditionally the doors are the hardest thing to make if you do anything other than a slab, but you can order custom doors to fit or build to fit premade doors. I like the Euro hinges by Grass or Blum and Accuride drawer slides but there are other manufactures out there too. A neat trick that I have seen is building door frames and then covering them with like a black speaker cover fabric. Heat, sound and IR can pass right thru the fabric and it is a clean look for little effort. I would say to test the IR on your fabric before you go hog wild with it.

I tend to overbuild things (a byproduct of weighing 285 lbs) but double thickness on shelves is peace of mind. At least put a thickened edge band or lip on the shelves. I usually double up the material with the two best sides out and then put a solid edging front and back so that the shelves are interchangeable. Adjustable shelving is always a good idea but the best way is still open for debate. Pegs and holes and metal tracks with their custom clips are the norm, but I kind of hate seeing the unused portion of the systems on high end jobs. I would guess that pegs and hole is the lesser of the two evils because you can cut down on the numbers and locations and add then at will. I would almost suggest that threaded pegs be used if your system is gonna have alot of the thumping and bumping bass. (It would be a bitch if a peg vibrated out and a shelf decided to tip)

Building the unit 24 to 36" off of the back wall is great for wire access! I have actually done more of these than units with backs. Either put a door from another room leading to the area or crawl thru one of the base section openings to get there. The thing is keeping the unit from racking, built ins can be anchored to the building structure so that backs aren't as important, but free standing units almost always need a good back (at least in portions) to stop racking.

I have never given heat too much thought because the backs are often open, but a few well placed muffin fans might not be a bad idea.

I just build the cases I don't do the wiring. I have seen a clever and hardcore guy cut off all of the OME power wires and splice longer wires on to the equipment and terminate them in one location. Everything was cabled in wire loom and routed along the backs of the shelves and verticals (another reason the use thicker shelving materials.

Consider your power consumptiom and provide the needed household wiring to the unit. (most folks just use a couple of power strips plugged into the same outlet but two seperata 20 amp circuits is probablly more in line with what is needed) All of my equipment is coalfired, so I have no clue as to what the demands of modern equipment are.

[Xylob the Destroyer]

i give up....
i honestly and truly believe that there is a great conspiracy among software developers.

The goal? To make people who dare to use the "Help" files in any give program to go completely and utterly insane within 5 minutes.
To scream obscenities until their throats bleed and to pull out all their hair by the fistful.

Never have I found a program with a truly useful and worthwhile "Help" file....
They're all useless and the complete total opposite of "Help".

Anyway, it looks like I'll be busting my hump using ruler, pencil, and paper to make my final plans for this project.

[BJ_M]

easy cad (or fast cad by the same company) are super easy to use

[Xylob the Destroyer]

I got FastCAD and the 500+ page user manual was more than a bit daunting
not to mention technical
I played around with it for about an hour and still hadn't managed to create a square...

[TooLFooL]

a think sheet of steel plate will shield your speaker...!
you may want to consider a smaller, shielded center speaker.

[Xylob the Destroyer]

you can't shield a speaker.
'shielded' center channel speakers have a different type of magnet and a different magnet configuration than "normal" speakers.
there is no "shield" in the speaker's box or case
steel is magnetic and will not block or alter a magnetic field.
aluminum is not magnetic and will not block or alter a magnetic field.
(i've looked into this quite a bit already )

[ZAPPER]

Sorry to here about your luck with the cad program (I swear that 15 minutes with someone showing you is worth the whole damn manual) I can't find my easycad disk to help walk you thru it (it may have been a download or I may have just thought that I had a copy, oops) I got about a dozen different cad programs and can really only half way work with Turbocad. I swear that I ain't pimping it and after looking at their site the other night I am a little pissed with them. They used to have a plain old free version, no time limit or locked functions, but I can't find it, only a coulpe of dead links. I am also kind of pissed that they don't seem to be selling any of the older versions, a couple of years ago you could order any version that they had. Another thing that kind of pisses me off is that the trial is only 15 days, I mean WTF? Is that 15 days of actual use or 15 days from download to lock?

Well you might want to try the free trial and if you like it just look around for an older cheaper version online or in the bargin bins. I mean I don't think that the core program changes all that much. A dot is a dot and a line is a line. From what I know you would have to be pretty hardcore to need any of the so called new and improved features that keep comming out with each new version. I got versions 6 thru 8 by using the "Limited time special upgrade deals" but until you get into the 3-D rendering engines and other stuff that is way over my head, you don't need anything bigger and badder than like 7 Pro.


You could look around for plans to get some ideas about features in your entertainment center, and the Sunday flyers for furniture are good places to look for pretty pictures. (just don't let the Ole lady start to pick out the Eathan Allen stuff or you are gonna go broke!)

[Doramius]

What gauge cable are you using for your speakers?

I doubt you'll have any problems, but ground loop filters might be something worth purchasing. It helps remove 'noise' because of all the cabling & work you're using with those sizes of speakers. I've had problems with cable modulation in the past and this is an easy fix for it.

[Xylob the Destroyer]

it's a braided flat speaker cable -- I can't remember the guage equivelant, but it's damn big. Almost too big for the terminals on the back of the speakers!