Updated:
08-Dez-06
Build your own Home Cinema !!
Why a Home Cinema on a high end Tube Audio Side?? I hope I am not the only one, but In my case the passion for Electronics hobby and real lively representation of music, is not limited to music only. A movie is also a very emotional experience, sound and images can drag you in the story totally!! Therefore I always wanted the movies at home to be as realistic and close to the real thing (the real cinema...) as possible; Just like I want to have life reproduction of music with my stereo, eh? OK, I think I succeeded here and as I think I am not alone, I like to share this as well with all other DIY's...... Please note: this is not a HIGH END Home Cinema, but with relative simple and "medium" quality parts and equipment, I have tried to come as close as possible to the authentical atmosphere and sensation, you have in your local cinema, all with a reasonable budget... The only thing missing....... is the lady serving popcorn and ice creambars .....!! (applicants??)
This will not be a high tech part, just sit back and go trough the pictures below. It will show you the solution I opted for. What were my reasons to do it this way ??
# You need a real dark room; otherwise the light coming from the screen will be falling back on it, reflected by the walls and sealing, blurring the image, making it less colorful and bright (I know, because before I built this, I used to project in the same room with all white walls and sealing)
# I wanted speaker units with identical sound print, otherwise sounds (specially human voices) will be different as its source moves from (for example) from left through the center to the right....
# When the room is visually empty (all equipment is out of sight, above your head), you have no distraction at all. It really works, you dive under in the movie 100% !!
OK, I made some planning first. I'm lucky to have a large basement, 1 meter under the ground, so no problems with the neighbors when I play loudly.... I think the drawings speak for itself...
First pictures where it all starts. I already used this basement as a Home Cinema before, but as described, it lacked a brilliant image, sound was a mix of all kind of "left over" loudspeakers and the atmosphere, was.... yes, like sitting in the basement !!! not so cozy, eh?
Firstly I set up the banner framework, to cover the projections screen and the curtains. These banners also hold the loudspeakers and filter components...
The only chassis which needs an enclosure is the 8" ETON, Look at the simple, but still rigid construction...
At the left, the
construction to hold the board with all equipment, located directly above the sofa's
At the right the first impression how it looks from a spectators view...
Sigrid (from
Holland) was helping with the black curtains.... Her husband Marcel with all the
constructing... (thanks guys, pffff)
At the right the set of loudspeakers, pre wired, ready to be built in....
Some technical stuff.... at last.... Because of the loud sound (effects) the minimum requirement here is a 12dB Filter. I used ETON Units for their neutral sound and the SEAS KT27F for the combination of reasonable price (40 Euro), low Fc and high efficiency. No big deal, no rocket science....
Click on the picture for a full Size Drawing !!
In the mean time
every thing was painted mat black, speakers were built in, filters connected and
spotlights on!
Only thing still missing, the projection screen and the new black carpet....
Erik is helping to put up the screen and fix it tightly to the front frame, we do not want any daylight to get through round the edges, won't we??
Lets have a look at the final result !!!!!
This is where you enter the cinema, All DVD's and video games at the left, The entrance through the curtains at the right...
Below we continue with a view from the screen side. Clearly recognize the sofa's and the equipment:
# Philips 3 Mio
pixel XVGA projector 750 Lumen
# Pioneer Dolby/DTS digital 5.1 5x 100 Watt amplifier
# Thommessen SW2.5 225 Watt Subwoofer amplifier
# Subwoofer, closed 500 liter cornerbox with Visaton 400 bass
# A so called Bass Shaker at the back of the sofa (very nice earthquakes......)
# Ninento Game machine
# Sony Playstation 2
# Philips DVD player (reads ALL formats)
# Connection to 2 digital satellite receivers (nice to watch soccer and Formula 1 racing
!!)
And finally, the
view from the spectators side................ ready for the adventure !!!!
(PS: this picture has NO
tricks, REAL shot from the "Gladiator" while playing...)
No surprise, I spend a "few" hours every week in my basement, eh ????
Happy Building, listening and VIEWING !!!!
Doede Douma
IMPORTANT: The information provided on this page is intended as guide for DIY activities and therefore free to copy and or publish. If any one wishes to use any of the information from my WEB site, please make sure to refer and footnote to my URL Link as source! Doede Douma