My dedicated HT room plan - Request your inputs/suggestions

[m.a.sara]

Hi friends,

We are going to construct our dream home in a small site (30x40 sqft) in a few months. Currently under planning stage with our engineer.

Being a AV enthusiast, I would like to go for a dedicated HT room (not a big though.It measures 11x17ft - Hometheater/bed room in the attached draft plan diagram).

I would start using this room only after 2 yrs (after i've some cash to spend for projector. until then i'l use living room as temporary HT if i buy any AV components in between <so far i don't have any components and will start buying slowly from 2011 once i start living in our new home )

As construction is not yet started, i would like your inputs on below points.

1. You can see couple of places for windows in the plan (W1's). I know, best is to avoid windows(vinay will stress here) but I need to have atleast 1 as this room could also be used as a bed room in the future with minimal furniture in them (may be after 9-10 years by my daughter who is a yr old now )

I have heard i could use some special type of windows that are hard enough to withstand the sub so it does'nt break. And I could use thick curtains to cover it up. Also I would be going for aesthetics treatment for this room when I start using this (ie after getting a PJ).

Any better ideas here? please suggest.

2. Room size cannot be increased due to limitations (it can be increased to 11x20 ft but we've to compromise on the master bedroom. wifey said strict no to this

So with this dimension, I may get atleast 14-15ft distance away from the PJ screen. I read from other sites that this distance is very good for 100" screen and good for 120" screen. Any comments here?

Would love to hear back from all the experts here. (also have many more queries like how to take of wiring points etc - this is too early to ask them now. first focusing only on the layout)

Rg,
Saravanan

 

[vinay]

Hello Saravanan ,

Welcome to the world of dedicated home theatre room.

The room length is fair but with more of it shall mean great. To have a bedroom in this room is not a good idea by any standards.

It is your good luck that you can tailor make the room. The power of without window's can not be expressed in words.

There are acoustic glasses available but even a standard window glass is fine as no way the sub can damage it. There are acoustic curtains in the market.

If your wife is a movie freak, she will surely give in for the additional feet, as every feet increase matters a lot.

I think the screen size should not be over 90 inches but there are members who are having bigger screens they are comfortable with it, so this becomes a matter of choice.

It is great that you are there with the layout, the right way to go about it.

As you are aware that there are members in Bangalore, who have made a dedicated entertainment room, they too will be of great help to you.

V.

 

[m.a.sara]

To have a bedroom in this room is not a good idea by any standards.
V.

Vinay,
is this for acoustic reason? or is it to keep HT as a HT only room aesthetically?

I was thinking to put a single cot and a readymade wardrobe in this room, - but no one will be using it. With these couple of furniture in this room, I thought acoustics will still be taken care when acoustic treatment is done in this room. But still i could find other ways to them out.

and yes I am also planning to visit some bangalore members(pls expect a request from me soon to see their set up and learn some thing that will help me while construction happens.

Rg,
Saravanan

 

[santhosh]

Saravanan, you are lucky to be able to plan even before you begin construction. Vinay has already pointed you in the right direction. Try and get atleast two more feet on the width to make it 13 x 17 with a height of 10 feet. If you can still make changes, build the Home Theater in your basement. This way, you can control structural vibrations caused by Low Frequency especially blast scenes while watching movies can sometimes be felt in other parts of the home although they are not heard.

If you use it as a bedroom also, then it would not be a dedicated Home Theater right? If you can avoid it, please make alternate arrangements for the bedroom and wardrobe.

Don't worry about windows, they will not break, but they will vibrate if not treated well. But these can be taken care of. But again, if you can avoid, please do.

and yes I am also planning to visit some bangalore members(pls expect a request from me soon to see their set up and learn some thing that will help me while construction happens.

I have built a dedicated Home Theater room. So, inviting you to visit my home and check out my Home Theater. Vinay is right, even I learnt a lot by visiting two Home Theaters in Bangalore before I started. No amount of reading online or speaking to anyone will equal a real time visit. It will help answering many questions in your head.