Building Dedicated Hometheater in terrace

[rainbowsong2000]

Dear All,

I dropped the idea of upgrading my AV gears for now and planned to build a dedicated HT room on my terrace. As of now iam using one of my bedroom as a dedicated HT but we are in need of that room. So changed my thought to buod a dedicated HT room in my terrace. Ifs going to be approx 13 feet width X 20 feet length. Now, i will hit back our forum to get more advice towards dos and donts of dedicated HT room starting with the following, kindly provide your vsluable thoughts and advice:

1. Where to keep the AV gears? Front stage or in Back
2. What is the optimal height of room.
3. How many electrical points we need.

The work starts next week…

Thanks All
Dina

 

[rainbowsong2000]

Some more advices please. Already I have the AV Gears so, mostly I will spend on selecting the right Projector Screen. I guess 150 Inch screen can fit in 13 inch Width. As of now I have 16:9 screen and seeing lot of videos about 2.35:1 screens.

1. Mostly my usage is watching movies and videos of Youtube. So, is it ok to go for 2.35:1 screen, what are the advantages and disadvantages
2. Is AT screen advisable, if I go for AT screen can I place the subwoofers also behind the screen ? if yes, i have to sacrifice around 3 to 4 feet of length... is it ok ?
3. Do we need a window in the HT room? If yes, where i can put the windows Side or rear of the room. If we go without windows, will it arrest the fungal problem in Rainey season.

@sriram_shol @RajithKumar @vinothkumar @k-pad @ankitbhargava @liverpool_for_life @Love4sound and other experts

Please provide your thoughts..

 

[hpdinesh]

It's good that you are considering a dedicated new room in your terrace. But before you start the work, check the feasibility of constructing a room adjacent to water tank since I see a pipeline next to where you are planning to build.

• I would prefer to keep the AV gears at the back as the 150-inch AT screen would look better if its little below to avoid neck pain and also a clean look at the front makes movie watching experience immersive. And yes, you can keep the subwoofer behind the screen if you prefer but that will reduce the depth/length of the room.
• No idea about the height of the room but I feel 10ft should be enough if you consider the false ceiling option with treatment.
• Electrical points are never enough for our long list of AV gears If you can get a separate line, even better. At least have enough 16A sockets at all 4 sides of the wall. You never know where you wanna keep your subwoofer if you are planning to get 4.
• You can keep a window with removable panel. so that you can use it whenever required but you cant build a window again.

And Good luck with your HT

 

[RajithKumar]

Planning of Room ,listening positions and Speakers positions ,placement area for Amps and also room acoustic is great way to start an dedicated HT room. Request to do an simple hand sketch / sketchup with room dimensions and speaker position will help for further advice.
Decide no .of rows of seat followed by speaker layout .
My suggestion is to have 9.4.6 provison ( Front wides to be considered) should be given in the layout with option of adding speakers in the future.
If budget permits go for LCR with baffle walls and AT screen.
2.35 screen will be good provided you should have panaromic lens or an video processor to take advantage of that.

 

[rainbowsong2000]

Planning of Room ,listening positions and Speakers positions ,placement area for Amps and also room acoustic is great way to start an dedicated HT room. Request to do an simple hand sketch / sketchup with room dimensions and speaker position will help for further advice.
Decide no .of rows of seat followed by speaker layout .
My suggestion is to have 9.4.6 provison ( Front wides to be considered) should be given in the layout with option of adding speakers in the future.
If budget permits go for LCR with baffle walls and AT screen.
2.35 screen will be good provided you should have panaromic lens or an video processor to take advantage of that.

Thanks Ji. I will try to get the sketch.

 

[ankitbhargava]

Some more advices please. Already I have the AV Gears so, mostly I will spend on selecting the right Projector Screen. I guess 150 Inch screen can fit in 13 inch Width. As of now I have 16:9 screen and seeing lot of videos about 2.35:1 screens.

1. Mostly my usage is watching movies and videos of Youtube. So, is it ok to go for 2.35:1 screen, what are the advantages and disadvantages
2. Is AT screen advisable, if I go for AT screen can I place the subwoofers also behind the screen ? if yes, i have to sacrifice around 3 to 4 feet of length... is it ok ?
3. Do we need a window in the HT room? If yes, where i can put the windows Side or rear of the room. If we go without windows, will it arrest the fungal problem in Rainey season.

@sriram_shol @RajithKumar @vinothkumar @k-pad @ankitbhargava @liverpool_for_life @Love4sound and other experts

Please provide your thoughts..

Great stuff
looking forward to the "journey"
20X14 is an amazing size for HT and you would have opportunity for 9.4.6 in future.

The equipment/ Gear could be behind screen or back or Room, either way. Depends upon what all you are putting up in space (few rows, bar etc.) so may be a wholistic approach of what all needs to fit into HT room might give a better perspective.

Go for even larger screen if the space planning allows that (without staring neck), don't worry about sitting closer to screen than generally "prescribed", immersive experience takes some compromises.

 

[rainbowsong2000]

Great stuff
looking forward to the "journey"
20X14 is an amazing size for HT and you would have opportunity for 9.4.6 in future.

The equipment/ Gear could be behind screen or back or Room, either way. Depends upon what all you are putting up in space (few rows, bar etc.) so may be a wholistic approach of what all needs to fit into HT room might give a better perspective.

Go for even larger screen if the space planning allows that (without staring neck), don't worry about sitting closer to screen than generally "prescribed", immersive experience takes some compromises

Thanks a lot Ankit!!!

The masonry work started today. finally, I can achieve 14 width x 21.25 Length and Height need to decide 10', 9.75 or 9, whichever gives best acoustic experience with this width i can achieve 165" of 16:9 Ratio too, but not sure how the Epson tw9400 will result in brightness.

I referred this tool for the room dimension:

amroc - THE Room Mode Calculator

HTML5 room mode calculator. Read and hear the tune of axial, tangential and oblique modes. Scientific sources included.

amcoustics.com

Thanks @RajithKumar and @Tuhin Lavania for some tips on materials to use.

Will keep update the progression....

 

[rainbowsong2000]

It's good that you are considering a dedicated new room in your terrace. But before you start the work, check the feasibility of constructing a room adjacent to water tank since I see a pipeline next to where you are planning to build.

• I would prefer to keep the AV gears at the back as the 150-inch AT screen would look better if its little below to avoid neck pain and also a clean look at the front makes movie watching experience immersive. And yes, you can keep the subwoofer behind the screen if you prefer but that will reduce the depth/length of the room.
• No idea about the height of the room but I feel 10ft should be enough if you consider the false ceiling option with treatment.
• Electrical points are never enough for our long list of AV gears If you can get a separate line, even better. At least have enough 16A sockets at all 4 sides of the wall. You never know where you wanna keep your subwoofer if you are planning to get 4.
• You can keep a window with removable panel. so that you can use it whenever required but you cant build a window again.

And Good luck with your HT

Thanks Dinesh... you have achieved the best with your room thanks for hosting me last week !

 

[girishtd8262]

Thanks a lot Ankit!!!

The masonry work started today. finally, I can achieve 14 width x 21.25 Length and Height need to decide 10', 9.75 or 9, whichever gives best acoustic experience with this width i can achieve 165" of 16:9 Ratio too, but not sure how the Epson tw9400 will result in brightness.

I referred this tool for the room dimension:

amroc - THE Room Mode Calculator

HTML5 room mode calculator. Read and hear the tune of axial, tangential and oblique modes. Scientific sources included.

amcoustics.com

Thanks @RajithKumar and @Tuhin Lavania for some tips on materials to use.

Will keep update the progression....

With 14 ft width max you can achieve is 150" only if you accomodate LCR on back of screen . otherwise you have to limit to 135"
Epson 9400 does well with brightness as it is a dedicated room.
Epson 9400

 

[rainbowsong2000]

With 14 ft width max you can achieve is 150" only if you accomodate LCR on back of screen . otherwise you have to limit to 135"
Epson 9400 does well with brightness as it is a dedicated room.
Epson 9400

Thanks Girish! the plan is to have AT screen and pushing the speakers behind it. with the audio advice designer and Epson throw distance calculator, think I can achieve 165".... lets see.

https://www.audioadvice.com/home-theater-design#designer

Epson Projector Throw Distance Simulator

 

[girishtd8262]

Thanks Girish! the plan is to have AT screen and pushing the speakers behind it. with the audio advice designer and Epson throw distance calculator, think I can achieve 165".... lets see.

https://www.audioadvice.com/home-theater-design#designer

Epson Projector Throw Distance Simulator

The projector will focus for more than 165 but with width 14 ft 150 is max possible.before buying the screen please do measure the size.

My brother's ht width is 14 ft .he has installed 135" screen with 2 ft leet left on either side to accommodate speakers.
Go for 10 ft height
Bigger the screen size better will be immersive effect.

 

[Subbu68]

Keep your municipality away - tax and penalty for extra and unauthorized construction if you have not taken plan approvals

 

[rainbowsong2000]

Keep your municipality away - tax and penalty for extra and unauthorized construction if you have not taken plan approvals

Thanks Subbu. Already the approval is there

 

[hpdinesh]

Thanks Dinesh... you have achieved the best with your room thanks for hosting me last week !

It's my pleasure ji. Good that you are set.

 

[fLUX]

Based on the mistakes/learning in my journey so far some inputs
I) Any furniture unit you intend to place in the room make it modular as your thought process may change in future and a fixed furniture will cause more hindrance
ii) Leave room in the planning for acoustic treatment, helps a lot (corner bass traps, absorption units). Can use absorption unit with movie prints / art to further improve room ambience
iii) Subwoofer might not sound the best in the places you have slotted them to be in, since you are starting fresh might be worth keeping a few open spots
iv) Keeping the speaker system along the shorter wall would help you achieve a more optimum seating distance and bigger projector throw ( guess you have already decided on this path)
v) Commission a nice Servo stabilizer and /or Online UPS for the room to protect your gear

 

[Bharadwaj Bunga]

The masonry work started today. finally, I can achieve 14 width x 21.25 Length and Height need to decide 10', 9.75 or 9, whichever gives best acoustic experience

Can you elaborate on how are you building the structure? Roofing? Which materials are being used for wall construction?

 

[rainbowsong2000]

Based on the mistakes/learning in my journey so far some inputs
I) Any furniture unit you intend to place in the room make it modular as your thought process may change in future and a fixed furniture will cause more hindrance

No furnitures ji just room for theater

ii) Leave room in the planning for acoustic treatment, helps a lot (corner bass traps, absorption units). Can use absorption unit with movie prints / art to further improve room ambience

Yes, thats the plan will move some if my existing panels made of rockwool to this room

iii) Subwoofer might not sound the best in the places you have slotted them to be in, since you are starting fresh might be worth keeping a few open spots

Yes, plan is to go for quad sub which will mostly eliminate the placement issues

iv) Keeping the speaker system along the shorter wall would help you achieve a more optimum seating distance and bigger projector throw ( guess you have already decided on this path)

Yes, the speakers will go behind the AT screen at 14’ wide

v) Commission a nice Servo stabilizer and /or Online UPS for the room to protect your gear

Already have 3 kva servo will use the same

 

[rainbowsong2000]

Can you elaborate on how are you building the structure? Roofing? Which materials are being used for wall construction?

No fancy materials ji ..just m sand, solid bricks didn’t go for AAC coz iam not confident whether my Mason is skilled for it

 

[ajuvignesh]

You need to read THX’s or Dolby’s documents about installing the screen. IIRC, when viewing the screen, the eye level should be 1/3 from the bottom of the screen. You should also calculate the inclination of your couch too. This will decide the room height.
Please read THX’s docs.
I would recommend AT screen for more immersion with LCR behind the screen. You can put your sub behind the screen or wherever it sounds the best.
Talking about the scope aspect ratio, please check if it can accommodate IMAX Enhanced as well.
All the best ji

 

[rainbowsong2000]

You need to read THX’s or Dolby’s documents about installing the screen. IIRC, when viewing the screen, the eye level should be 1/3 from the bottom of the screen. You should also calculate the inclination of your couch too. This will decide the room height.
Please read THX’s docs.
I would recommend AT screen for more immersion with LCR behind the screen. You can put your sub behind the screen or wherever it sounds the best.
Talking about the scope aspect ratio, please check if it can accommodate IMAX Enhanced as well.
All the best ji

Thanks Aju!!!