Hoser59's living room HT

[Hoser59]

Originally Posted by forsberg21

Wow, you already have 158 hours on it!!!??? I am slacking big time...I have had my pj for almost 3 months with a total of only 54 hours on it!

I've been off work for the last week and the rest of this week, but my wife has been working 13 hour days so I'm running out of things to do. It's also been pretty cold outside lately and I'm a huge winter wimp I watched three movies yesterday and have put in quite a bit of time gaming as well. I was surprised how much time was on it, I think I need to start using my TV again

[Fors*]

Originally Posted by Hoser59

I've been off work for the last week and the rest of this week, but my wife has been working 13 hour days so I'm running out of things to do. It's also been pretty cold outside lately and I'm a huge winter wimp I watched three movies yesterday and have put in quite a bit of time gaming as well. I was surprised how much time was on it, I think I need to start using my TV again

I don't play video games at all. I still use my TV for about 95% of all viewing. My problem is lack of quality time to really use my HT properly. With a 9 month old and 4 yr old always around, I get very few opportunities of when the family or kids are gone for at least 2 hours so I can slip in a blu and turn up the audio. I will not watch a movie on the screen unless I can completely turn up the audio and watch the movie the way it is intended to be! So, this is why I only have 54 hours on it......

[Hoser59]

I'm the same way, I want everything to be perfect, I just happen to have a lot more free time at the moment

[talstarone]

Sorry to Hear your Problem was related to your AVReceiver.
But what Better Way to Spend a Tax Return.

And with the Receivers That Are Available Today(With Amazing Features at Great Prices)I Truly Dont Think there Is a Better Time To Invest in an AV Receiver.

So Many Good Performing Brands Offering Quality Video and Sound Reproduction,makes it Buyers Market.

If you have a Dealer Near By Denon,Marantz,and Pioneer Elite are Great Choices and receive both good reviews by the websites and magazines and good recommendations from their owners.

And for budgetary factors the Two Top of the Line Standard Pioneer AV Receivers the 9 and 10 models are Quality Products at a Great Price.It gives you more then you would expect at the price.But it also has some trade-offs in order to maintain that lower price.

All Really Offer Good Quality in Construction and Sound Quality.
They use better internal components now in lower priced models then they did in Models twice the price just a year or two ago.

So,if you have the Money To Invest in a Receiver that can grow with you.Get one with Full Pre-Outs,so you can add external amplifiers and upgraded Surround proccessors.

This allows you to increase the amount of Power Produced and the Quality and Detail embedded in that Sound with a Good Quality External Amp(or Amps).

And also if a new Surround Mode were developed or you wanted a higher grade surround processor capable of more settings(or more importantly more detail,clarity,and quality of the Movies Audio Track being re-produced)

Then Pre-Outs are a Feature that doesn't directly have a impact on a Receivers Quality.
It just helps make sure you dont find your AV Receiver obsolete or unable to be upgraded over time.So,it provides an avenue of allowing you to upgrade your system without having to get rid of components.

But the Best advice is always go out and audition the different Receivers in your price range and with the features you need and want.
That will be the ultimate judge of what you do choose as your Next AV Receiver(what I consider to be the Brains and Heart of a Home Theater System).

But Your System Turned Out Amazing.The Audio End of your HT is Already a Great Asset to your System.With the Polk Audio Monitor 70's and Center Channel(along with Quality Surrounds).

The Projector and Screen gave your Home Theater a Giant Leap in its Performance on the Video End.
The TV you have was a wonderful Model and provided a Quality Image.But it cant compare to the Much larger Image your Hi Quality Projector and 16:9 Screen Provide.And not only is the Image Larger its just as sharp or even Sharper with Better Contrast and Overall Picture Quality.

And adding these Two Sections together have delivered you an Amazing Transformation from your first set of Posts.
And what you have Now is a System that will stop any guest dead in their tracks,as a sense of awe just overcomes them.

So,CONGRATULATIONS ON GETTING ALL YOU HAD WANTED AND PLANNED FOR.And Thank You For Sharing This Journey and Venture with all of us(thru your Thread and Posts)
Its Been Exciting and Most Enjoyable to see the Excitement and Overall Thrill you have experienced in Making Your Home Theater Dream Come True.

May You Enjoy Each And Every Blu-Ray You Load Into Your BD Player.And Watch the Hi Quality,Large Image from your Projector.Along with the Amazing Sound,that makes you feel you are Actually Inside of the Movie,instead of just watching from a Distance.

JOB WELL DONE Hoser !!!!

[Hoser59]

talstarone,

I'm always blown away by the time, effort and thought you put into your comments on this forum. I appreciate all the advice and kind words you've given me. When it comes time to replace my receiver I am definitely going to go with one that has pre-outs. I had always planned to add some external amplification when I moved into a house and could really crank the sound up.

[talstarone]

Happy New Years,Hoser!

Enjoy Your Awesome New System and Projector in 2010,My Friend!

[Hoser59]

Originally Posted by talstarone

Happy New Years,Hoser!

Enjoy Your Awesome New System and Projector in 2010,My Friend!

To you as well!

[Hoser59]

I reorganized and consolidated my gallery to show a chronological history on my theater and it's upgrades. I figure it will keep all the comments and ratings in one spot. I have a few more new things on order and I plan on taking a complete new set of photos in the next couple of weeks to show how things sit now.

[Beta Man]

Originally Posted by Fors*

I don't play video games at all. I still use my TV for about 95% of all viewing. My problem is lack of quality time to really use my HT properly. With a 9 month old and 4 yr old always around, I get very few opportunities of when the family or kids are gone for at least 2 hours so I can slip in a blu and turn up the audio. I will not watch a movie on the screen unless I can completely turn up the audio and watch the movie the way it is intended to be! So, this is why I only have 54 hours on it......

I haven't watched a movie on my projector in almost 2 months now......... Bought a new sofa and everything...... I am trying to convince the wife to watch a movie tonight with me........

A 2 year old, and a 2 month old will wreak havoc on your "movie time" we've found it more convenient to watch movies in the living room since we don't have to wait for the 2 year old to be completely asleep since he can't hear what's going on in there........

I have begun playing a video game though..... but I do so on the T.V. since I can't get a strong enough internet signal to the theater room........ plus I'd hate to rack up the hours on the bulb playing a game.......

Just 5 minutes ago, the wife was coming up with excuses to not watch a movie............. we've just got so much to do!

[Hoser59]

I think not having the set up in a dedicated room allows us to use it alot more. We live in a fairly small two bedroom condo so in the evening the living room is where we always are. If we don't have anything else going on and there is nothing good on the tube we will pop in a movie or sometimes a game. It's pretty quick to pull down the screen and fire up the projector so we probably end up watching 3 or 4 movies a week.

[Fors*]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

I haven't watched a movie on my projector in almost 2 months now......... Bought a new sofa and everything...... I am trying to convince the wife to watch a movie tonight with me........

A 2 year old, and a 2 month old will wreak havoc on your "movie time" we've found it more convenient to watch movies in the living room since we don't have to wait for the 2 year old to be completely asleep since he can't hear what's going on in there........

I have begun playing a video game though..... but I do so on the T.V. since I can't get a strong enough internet signal to the theater room........ plus I'd hate to rack up the hours on the bulb playing a game.......

Just 5 minutes ago, the wife was coming up with excuses to not watch a movie............. we've just got so much to do!

This sounds like a page out of my life Beta....I'm in the exact same boat and do the exaxt same thing with movie watching because of my 4 year old and 10 month old. There is a light at the end of the tunnel somewhere....I'm taking one day at a time until I get there!

[Beta Man]

I decided to watch a film without the wife last night..........popped in "fight club
" fell asleep mid-way through

[Hoser59]

Beta and Fors, you guys might not get to use your rooms much now, but I imagine that as your kids get older that will all change. Your kids are going to be very popular when they reach school age and word gets around that their fathers have a theater in the house. I can see you both hosting many after school movie parties in those rooms (closely supervised of course).

[Fors*]

Originally Posted by Hoser59

Beta and Fors, you guys might not get to use your rooms much now, but I imagine that as your kids get older that will all change. Your kids are going to be very popular when they reach school age and word gets around that their fathers have a theater in the house. I can see you both hosting many after school movie parties in those rooms (closely supervised of course).

It will be strange, as my basement HT is not just the only TV in the house, but that is MY room. I don't know how I will trust my daughter or son in that room without me sitting in there with them. I assume it will come in time, but right now I just don't see it.......and don't even remind me about those "girls" sleepovers...I can just hear them now......

[Hoser59]

Originally Posted by Fors*

It will be strange, as my basement HT is not just the only TV in the house, but that is MY room. I don't know how I will trust my daughter or son in that room without me sitting in there with them. I assume it will come in time, but right now I just don't see it.......and don't even remind me about those "girls" sleepovers...I can just hear them now......

Well then maybe you will get to use the theater more when you are hiding down there from the sleep overs!

[Beta Man]

My kids can use my movie-room as soon as they are old enough.......... old enough to figure out how to pick the lock that is!!!!!

Only kidding of course....... all things are replaceable, and kids can be taught to respect things...... their friends I'd worry about though, but then again, I have a LONG time to worry about this stuff!


And trust me...... we have a family with 5 kids on one side of us, and 4 kids on the other side of us....... both with sets of twins....... the fact that "John's House" has a "really big t.v." has already been discovered by them!!!!

[Fors*]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

My kids can use my movie-room as soon as they are old enough.......... old enough to figure out how to pick the lock that is!!!!!

Only kidding of course....... all things are replaceable, and kids can be taught to respect things...... their friends I'd worry about though, but then again, I have a LONG time to worry about this stuff!


And trust me...... we have a family with 5 kids on one side of us, and 4 kids on the other side of us....... both with sets of twins....... the fact that "John's House" has a "really big t.v." has already been discovered by them!!!!

LOL!!! from the sound of your post, I'm not as paranoid as I thought. My daughter for being almost 5 yrs old is actually very good with my stuff, but she is a klutz. My son being a boy and only 10 months old will have to learn not to throw things, unlike what I had to worry about with my daughter.

[Beta Man]

I have so many stuck pixels on my aquos from my son playing catch with people on the t.v. it's not even funny!!!!!!

It was me who dropped an AVR down the stairs, not him........ and it was my wife who ran the car into the side of the porch....not him.......

so damage could come from anywhere

As long as nobody gets hurt......it's all little stuff.......so I don't sweat it.....

[Hoser59]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

so damage could come from anywhere

You said it. I don't have kids but the list of HT things my dogs have destroyed keeps growing. Last on the list was my Harmony One remote which one of them knocked off the arm chair. It landed just right on the hardwood floor to shatter the LCD screen. I might be better off with kids

[Hoser59]

I posted this in the Theater construction forum as well but I thought I would throw it up here and see if I can get any more ideas

Originally Posted by Hoser59

In my quest to turn my living room into a theater without impacting the space beyond my wife's approval I am now looking into what can be done to improve contrast and limit light reflections off the white ceiling from the projector.

Since I am a renter and my wife and/or landlord would probably kill me I cannot paint the ceiling black. I am also hesitant to drill anymore holes in the ceiling that I will later have to repair. Has anyone experimented with or seen someone elses set up that used a temporary ceiling covering that was only brought out when the projector was in use? I am imagining some type of light weight black fabric which could easily be stretched (maybe a lycra or spandex). Maybe with a dowel attached to each end so it could be rolled up and stored somewhere.



I thought that some light weight dowels inserted through a hem at each end and then one side attached to the screen mounts (eye bolts in my case) and another perhaps attached to the projector mount. Obviously I do not want to put much strain on either system.

Any ideas, thoughts, concerns, suggestions? Am I in need of psychological treatment for even considering such a thing? Would the benefits even be worth it??

My wife is leaving on Saturday for 12 days so I am looking for a project

Have the bright lights and HD sound started to make me go crazy or does this seem like a do-able and worth while endevour?

Ps. I finally got all my various switches and splitters to work properly so

This really shows the difference between the 52" TV and the 92" screen