Joe's Home theater thread

[ixlegitballinxl]

So I've come to terms with the fact, that I'm a HOME THEATER JUNKY at this point! I figured I'd start a thread to share my progress and new toys,
( considering i make them fairly often )and how they work. Not only to share, but to get feedback and opinions on "what to do next" or what to change.

I've really enjoyed reading other members personal threads in regards to their upgrades/excitement. I hope you enjoy mine!



Edit: 1/04/09
So I've been on vacation since Dec 20th, and I've had a lot of spare time... so enjoy the latest updates LOL

Latest Updates:

I took a small video of how awesome the Harmony 1000 is, and why everyone should buy one!!

Video shows how the 1000, with a touch of one button, sets everything up to watch a blu ray movie

-Sony Lcd on
-Onkyo power on
-Sony bd550 power on
-Switch tv to hdmi3 source
-Switch Onkyo to Game/Tv source
-Turn lights off

Once everything is turned on, another press of one button, everything turns off, and lights turn back on.

Enjoy

__________________________________________________ ___________________________________

My Current setup pics are up on the HT gallery

Also, if anybody has any questions about how to install a tv wall mount, IR light switches, banana plugs, or anything in general, feel free to ask. I'm pretty savvy with most things home theater related.

[ixlegitballinxl]

January 08


I decided to upgrade to 1080p-idge. I sold my beastly 65 inch Toshiba rear 1080i projection tv and a 1080i 32" philips lcd and took the money and bought myself a Sony lcd off Amazon. I never had a SS system until January LOL.

hkts 11 with onkyo 605, atlantic speaker stands, Bell'O 73 inch tv stand ( too much damn money )



( LOL @ using dvd cases to sit my center channel on :X ) and a very young blu ray collection



March 2008

and then there was Klipsch ( and a somewhat bigger blu collection )
don't know what i was thinking with the lamps/dvd racks so close to the speakers :X



I went by a friends house one day in June, and saw his tv hanging on the wall, and i thought man, that looks a heck of alot better then sitting on stand.

So in June, I bought a wall mount from amazon ( 55 shipped ) and had installed it in under 20 minutes




I saw a few people on this forum with LED lights behind their tv, so i decided to grab some

Ikea lights 49.99 ( 4 individual led strips with 6ft cord on each light ) 6 colors that you change from a button on the central hub. ( I decided to hook "The Clapper" up to the lights so i could turn on/off when needed))



After the speaker upgrade, i decided to upgrade my receiver and sub. I replaced the 605 with an 805, and replaced the hkts 11 series 10 inch ( weak ) sub, for an hsu 12 inch woofer. My first choice on a new sub was a mfw-15 from av123, but due to slow-delayed-frustrating waste of 3 months, i went with HSU, great company and great quality.



After unhooking all the speaker wire from the 605 back to the 805 i decided to get banana plugs to make this process easier in the future, plus i was bored



I also learned, LABEL YOUR SPEAKER WIRE BEFORE UNHOOKING FROM ONE RECEIVER TO ANOTHER!
You do not want to figure out what speaker wire goes to which speaker, trust me, i learned the hard way

GLS banana plugs: $48 bucks shipped for 20 of them



Wire management: Phillips wire covers that I picked up from walmart for $20 bucks ( Paintable )
Back piece sticks to wall via screws, or the double sided tape that is already attached. Comes with 4 sections ( front and back equaling 8 pieces total ). They are 1ft each



Over at avsforum, i saw a thread about bass shakers ( $40 bucks each and $80 bucks for the 200 watt Insignia amp to run them), so i picked up a second amp, and 2 aura pro bass shakers. Very cool effect, especially on video games ( cod4, fight night, etc ). Makes your seat cushions/couch vibrate when the frequency is low enough. Second amp is needed so you can control the volume/sensitivity on the shakers without effecting the volume on all speakers. Example; You wouldn't want to feel your seats vibrating from the bass in a persons voice.



So a couple months passed, and i got bored again...so i decided i need a universal remote to control everything. Amazon had a good deal on the 1000, $320 shipped, plus a $100 Mail in Rebate. So i Jumped on it






Due to line of sight on IR equipment, you almost need the rf extender to go with it ( i needed 2 of which ran me $80 bucks each. This gives you the ability to be anywhere in your house and control anything on the network due to RF instead of IR. ( Very hard to explain this, if you are considering grabbing one of these, send a pm for specific questions) The remote sends out a RF signal to the base unit. The base unit then sends out a IR signal via a wire that is covering the sensor on whatever device you are controlling.


Rf extender Base unit





This is what you put over the IR sensor on whatever gear you want to control via RF




Then I start thinking, i just spent all this money on a remote, WHAT ELSE CAN I CONTROL WITH IT???????



Lutron IR Maestro in wall light dimmer ( $40 bucks at home depot). I picked up 2 of them. Installing was very easy. ( Less then 10 minutes per unit ) Positive, negative, and ground wire. If you need help on how to install, let me know. The main reason why i bought the Rf extender was for these lights. I did not want to have to get up from the couch, point the remote at the wall switch for the lights to turn off/on. With the Rf, i could be outside my place, and turn the lights on/off. These light dimmers are my most "awe shocking" response that I get when I have guests over. I highly recommend them.

Example of how RF is turned into IR. Left side of the pic is the IR censors. ( i have them taped to the side of my fish tank )




Total list of items controlled by the 1000;

Sony Ps3 via bluwave remote ( usb dongle )
Sony bdp 550
2 light switch dimmers
TV
Onkyo Receiver
Dvd player
Archos mp3 player
Insignia bass shaker amp
Oppo Hdmi switcher


As If you can't tell by my decor/ color scheme, yes i live with a woman lol. Compromise, i get my electronics, she gets w/e colors/decor she wants. I wanted heavier curtains, she picked the color




Potpourri balls in the middle of my HT ROOM! LOL



Glamour magazines mixed in with my HT Mags:

[JasonR]

I love what you have done!! Did you wall mount yourself? I want to, but am worried because I am dealing with plaster.

[ixlegitballinxl]

yea, i installed the mount, i had a buddy come over to help me lift the tv up though lol

Plaster?

do you have wood framing walls behind your tv? or concrete block?


Edit: I just looked at your ht pics, based on that ac vent to the top right of the wall, im assuming you have wood studs there no?

[JasonR]

I am not sure? The house is 100 years old???

[ixlegitballinxl]

the wall that your tv is against, im assuming that wall is shared with another room, you should have wood studs my friend


2x4 wood studs run every 16 inches throughout a wall

That's how your drywall is mounted to the wall

walls are either metal framed or wood framed ( Since your house is older, it would have to be wood) outer exterior walls are block with fern strips used to attach drywall ( unless 2 story then your dealing with plywood)

[Silo5]

Originally Posted by ixlegitballinxl

Also, if anybody has any questions about how to install a tv wall mount, IR light switches, banana plugs, or anything in general, feel free to ask. I'm pretty savvy with most things home theater related.

Nice set up! I also have the Onkyo 805 and I am looking to upgrade my speakers. I'm looking at the Klipsch speakers and I noticed you had the RF-52s (5.0). How do they handle with the 805? I was concerned about the wattage of those, but I really don't listen at excessive levels. Just curious what you think and how they perform.

[ixlegitballinxl]

my living room is 10x15, the rf52's have no issues outputting great sound from the 805.

[Midnightsailor]

Nice setup!

[ixlegitballinxl]

thanks, working on my bedroom setup now

[ixlegitballinxl]

the samsung 1500 arrived today... based on the review thread on here, i'm not really excited about it

the price was right ( 3.95 ) , so i can't complain

my 750 sammy will be here tmro!!!

little upsetting...the tv arrived in orlando last thurs...but due to new trucks coming in? they couldn't deliver until tmro

I could of picked it up, but it would void out amazon's white glove warranty