Sub780lime Home Theater - New House, New TV

[sub780lime]

Okay, heres what we are working with now.

New TV, new console table, bookshelves, Fronts, center (temporarly on the floor until I get a shelf up), DVR, Receiver, HD DVD Player, DVD Player, 360 and Wii hidden behind the outside cabinets of the console table.

Close up with Center speaker hanging (in regular lighting, you cannot see the wires, they blend perfectly because they are painted the same color as the wall. Couldnt really represent this with my camera)


Full Entertainment Center View


Seating arrangement (4 across) and Rears.


Subwoofer (best placement I currently have with my sub cable)


New Onxyo Receiver


TV: Samsung HLT5687S 56" Slim LED Engine 1080p DLP HDTV
Receiver: Onkyo TX-SR605 7.1 HDMI with 1080p passthrough
Fronts: Polk Floorstanding Speakers (Monitor 50)
Center: JBL Venue Series Voice Center Channel 5-Inch 2-Way Dual Speaker
Surrounds: B&W LM1 Leisure Monitors
Subwoofer:Yamaha YST-SW215 8" Digital Pro Series Subwoofer (Black)

DVD Player: Toshiba Upconverting DVD Player to 1080i with Memory Card Reader. (HDMI)(HDMI)
HD-DVD Player: Xbox 360 Attachment HD-DVD Drive. (Component)(Optical)
DVR: Time Warner 80hour HD-DVR (HDMI)(HDMI)

Additional Equipment:

Nintendo Wii (Component)
Ipod Stereo Dock (RCA)


I will try my best to get some pictures of the setup and the TV in Action.

[ganthc]

What are your connections in all of this? HDMI, component? Looking forward to seeing the pictures!

[sub780lime]

I updated the inputs for video and audio

I took some pictures...I am going to take a few more tonight of the TV in action and then I will post them.

[ganthc]

Just curious, since you don't have the hdmi receiver, wouldn't it be easier to have hdmi connections only for your dvd player, and dvr to your TV, and then use one optical out cable from your TV to your receiver? I guess that depends on the number of hdmi slots your TV has...

[chlngr1970]

That makes sence, g...I thought of that till I remembered I needed the HDMI for the multichannel...

j

[ganthc]

Originally Posted by chlngr1970

That makes sence, g...I thought of that till I remembered I needed the HDMI for the multichannel...

j

Getting a switch helps too. I had one until I bought my hdmi receiver, and it really helped.

[sub780lime]

yeah, it definitely would help because I have 3 HDMI inputs, and only 2 Components. As you can tell by my list, I have 1 HDMI used, and 3 Components. That means i switch back and forth when I use my 360 or Wii.

What you say makes sense, except that my DVR does not have HDMI.

[sub780lime]

I have finally posted a few images. I don't yet have anything of the TV in action, but I will get those up soon.

[ganthc]

Nice furniture, and the TV looks great! I guess you are going to probably get a cherrywood type shelf for your center channel at some point, so it can be on the wall instead of the floor. I like the couch though.

[sub780lime]

Originally Posted by ganthc

Nice furniture, and the TV looks great! I guess you are going to probably get a cherrywood type shelf for your center channel at some point, so it can be on the wall instead of the floor. I like the couch though.

Thats the plan. I also forgot to mention the paint job we did to the niche right before we got the new furniture and TV

[sub780lime]

i have been toying with an idea for the theater, but the wife isnt too hot on it. You see the wall to the right of the Media Niche. There is a entrance way right next to it that leads to our front room. Also if you look at the picture of the couch, on the right side, just to the right of the rear is my kitchen. You can see how their is light on the ground right there. That is because our sliding glass door to our courtyard is right there.

Okay, now to my idea. I was thinking about putting a runner in the ceiling between the wall to the left of the Niche all the way to right behind my rear speaker. In the runner i would place some thick drape curtains, like at a theater. So what do you think? I think it would seem very theatery and also cut out on the light.

[Iguana Man]

Great looking setup Sub'. That couch is nice man.

I'd move your LM1's up (I have the same ones and same color!).

As far as the moving curtain goes....hmmm...what's it gonna look like when it's all bunched up in its retracted mode? I dunno. I'd probably consider some curtains or blinds for the glass sliding door which is allowing the light spill before doing the curtain on a rail thing.

[bembol]

Originally Posted by Iguana Man

Great looking setup Sub'. That couch is nice man.

Definitely, the HDTV looks sweet and that Leather looks very comfortable...congrats!


I see I made the right choice, I'm painting my room Dark Red today...Ralph Lauren paint too.

[rixrex]

I like the black set, that's a smart move. Nothing more distracting than silver border around the screen reflecting whatever light you use in the room.

Back in the 80s when all the big rear projector TVs had wood cabinets (not so bad), they also has silver frames around the screen panel! Somebody's idea of faux extravagance. I painted it flat black, and it looked swell.

You definitely need to do something about blocking outside light if you watch anything during the daytime to reduce glare, etc, on the screen. I have found that hotel/motel draperies work great and can be found at an outlet that sells excess commercial items of this type, if you have one near you. Good luck on that.

Sometimes, when the seating area is right against the rear speakers, as yours is, it works to tilt the speakers outward and upward to get the best rear sound balance. If you sit in the center it's okay as is, but if you have to sit near one side, that speaker is overpowering. Basically, you reflect the sound off the upper corner area and create the effect of distance you need for a bit better sound balance on the rear speakers. Just an idea that you can try out. If it doesn't work for you, you're not out anything.

[sub780lime]

Originally Posted by Iguana Man

Great looking setup Sub'. That couch is nice man.

I'd move your LM1's up (I have the same ones and same color!).

As far as the moving curtain goes....hmmm...what's it gonna look like when it's all bunched up in its retracted mode? I dunno. I'd probably consider some curtains or blinds for the glass sliding door which is allowing the light spill before doing the curtain on a rail thing.

I will try and get the floorplan and draw it in. When they were open i would install that thick theater rope that you usually see curtains tied off with and tied them off. i think that will add to the affect.

Originally Posted by bembol

Definitely, the HDTV looks sweet and that Leather looks very comfortable...congrats!


I see I made the right choice, I'm painting my room Dark Red today...Ralph Lauren paint too.

Yeah, mine looks almost black when it starts getting dark.

Originally Posted by rixrex

Sometimes, when the seating area is right against the rear speakers, as yours is, it works to tilt the speakers outward and upward to get the best rear sound balance. If you sit in the center it's okay as is, but if you have to sit near one side, that speaker is overpowering. Basically, you reflect the sound off the upper corner area and create the effect of distance you need for a bit better sound balance on the rear speakers. Just an idea that you can try out. If it doesn't work for you, you're not out anything.

Interesting idea. I will try that.

[sub780lime]

Updated with new hook ups and receiver. Pictures have not been updated. Center is now floating above TV too.

[zepherman]

Too cool. Everything already looks pretty darn good as it is in the current pix. I'll bet the center speaker now being above your TV looks cool as hell. Looking forward to the new photos. BTW very nice looking setup!


Seth

[sub780lime]

Updated with Photo of center speaker and the receiver. If I can workout a picture of the center in normal lighting I will try to. I want you to see how seamless it blends.

[zepherman]

Originally Posted by sub780lime

Updated with Photo of center speaker and the receiver. If I can workout a picture of the center in normal lighting I will try to. I want you to see how seamless it blends.

I like the way it looks! And you're right it is seamless.

[sub780lime]

Again, new pictures will be coming soon now that I have put up a 6.1 system.

[Iguana Man]

Originally Posted by sub780lime

Again, new pictures will be coming soon now that I have put up a 6.1 system.

I'd probably go against the 6.1 and stick with the 5.1. I assume the rear center is gonna be above your seating, and since your seating is up against the wall....hmmmm.....I dunno man. Honestly, I'd get those rears working to your advantage first. They have tremendous flexability given their swivel base. Have you at least moved them up or done what Rixrex sugested first?

Just my 2 cents dude!

[sub780lime]

Actually, I did move them up some and it made a difference, but I listed to Episode III last night with 6.1 and loved it. Not sure what the disadvantage is. I moved my couch away from the wall just a bit and I will be in the market for a in-the-wall speaker.

[Iguana Man]

Originally Posted by sub780lime

Actually, I did move them up some and it made a difference, but I listed to Episode III last night with 6.1 and loved it. Not sure what the disadvantage is. I moved my couch away from the wall just a bit and I will be in the market for a in-the-wall speaker.

Wait, you don't have the rear center yet so you matrixed the rears to simulate 6.1? Am I drunk already? Damn!

[sub780lime]

I do have the rear setup. I pulled my Polks out of the closet and put them back in the surround spot, then I put one my B&W's up as the Surround-Back (6th channel). I wont keep it this way. I would prefer to still have my B&W's on the side, but the polk is too thick to be on the wall so for now it is this. It wont be long. The wife has approved me buying an in-wall or much thinner new speaker.

And yes, you are drunk, but that wasn't the problem this time.

[Iguana Man]

Originally Posted by sub780lime

And yes, you are drunk, but that wasn't the problem this time.

Oh that's so sweet. Really.

Tom has a new friend:

Spoiler (Highlight or Triple Click to Read):

Bitch!

[sub780lime]

Originally Posted by Iguana Man

Oh that's so sweet. Really.

Tom has a new friend:

Spoiler (Highlight or Triple Click to Read):

Yeah, I get to join in the fun