Home Theater Build

[Stonewall]

Re: Home Theater Build

Costco had a good deal on a universal remote. The one I have I don't like all that much as the screen is not programmable enough. I think I would have spent more and got one with a colour screen that shows more buttons so it will be a bit more straight forward.

[Smarty39]

Re: Home Theater Build

I currently have a Harmony 900 and it is awesome! There isn't really anything it doesn't do. I'm keeping that one for my new family room but am looking at the new 1100 (touch screen) for the theater room...I just don't know if I'll be able to run the HTPC off of it.

[RobG]

Re: Home Theater Build

Do you run more than just a HTPC? Like a Bluray?

[RSS]

Re: Home Theater Build

I know my HTPC case was on the compatable list with the new Harmony as it has a remote for it already.

Was the Blu-ray question for me?

If so my Blu-ray player is part of my HTPC as it has a DVD/Blu-ray player in it.

[Smarty39]

Re: Home Theater Build

If so my Blu-ray player is part of my HTPC as it has a DVD/Blu-ray player in it.

Exactly what I'll be doing...

[RONDAL]

Re: Home Theater Build

i have my blu-ray built into my HTPC, it works fabulously, but i too wouldn't mind a remote for it.

[RobG]

Re: Home Theater Build

I'm a fan of the all in one HTPC, No sense in having six things that one can do.

If your trying to control multiple items, like a cable box, blu-ray, an amp and a TV, then the harmony is a good choice.

For my HTPC I picked up a Gyration Remote, you wave the remote around like a Wii remote to control the mouse.

[RONDAL]

Re: Home Theater Build

i should add, i use a mouse for my HTPC, i find it much quicker to locate movies/shows/music, so "setting it up" is a real snap, and once it's going its not a big deal

[RSS]

Re: Home Theater Build

Update:

Finally Finished painting my custom rack one week late but it turned out alright.

Bought some angle Aluminum and cut it to size got our machinist to drill holes every 2". Got the truck shop guys to bend and weld me a lid and base add some ruberized rock guard paint and you've got your self a custom sized rack for under $100 and some beer.

Wood shelves are on my list to pick up this weekend.


Picked these shelf holders up at home depot for $3 ish.


Thanks Jebus it fits! unlike the stupid couch.


Need another piece of foam to finish my window black out. It will have drapes over top in the end but this will give me total light blocking.


Lutron light dimmers that will be compatable with the Harmony 1100 that i plan on getting. Sitting on top of the mini fridge i picked up a couple weekends ago.


This weekends plans is to pick up the wood for the shelves in the rack and cut them to fit.

Screen and projector mount have a rrived in Calgary so i will need to pick those up next week.

Projector delivery date is March 8th and its killing me stupid snow storms in the US.

[RSS]

Re: Home Theater Build

Also still looking for a sub anybody have some suggestions must be smaller than 2' square and must not cost a bazillion dollars.

[EmJay]

Re: Home Theater Build

Also still looking for a sub anybody have some suggestions must be smaller than 2' square and must not cost a bazillion dollars.

Ugh I just wrote up a decently sized post and it said I needed to login once I clicked submit reply ... haha let's give this another go.

For subwoofers I would strongly recommend staying away from main stream shops such as Future Shop and Best Buy. Over the past couple of years quite a few internet direct shops started releasing some great products and offering a lot more bang for the buck over what you would receive from one of the local shops. A few of the companies that I would recommend taking a look into are svs, hsu and elemental designs. They have a wide range of products ranging from $200 all the way up to $3000.

I would personally recommend SVS as they have a distributor in Canada (SVS is originally from the states) so you wouldn't have to worry about customs. The other two I would recommend sending a request for a quote to make sure once shipping and customs are included the price of the sub still falls within your budge.

www.svssound.com
www.sonicboomaudio.com <- Canadian distributor for svs

http://www.edesignaudio.com/index.php?cPath=2 <- elemental designs

http://www.hsuresearch.com/ <- hsu

Also if anything catches your eye, a good place to read up on user reviews and just general knowledge for anything subwoofer related I would recommend checking out the Subwoofers, Bass and Transducers subforum at avsforum.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=113

Good luck!

[RSS]

Re: Home Theater Build

I was wondering if you where from the avsforum as those where similar to the suggestions i read there. But your last line confirmed it its a good informative forum i find a lot of good stuff there.

thanks

[Kordain]

Re: Home Theater Build

Anybody have some thoughts on the Harmony Universal Remotes? Debating on getting one so the wife won't have to ask me every time to set up a movie and such.

bit late but none the less,

I have the harmony 700 remote and its great, i have 6 devices in it i think and never have any problems with it. I even set up a couple of macros in it to automate my old modded xbox and they worka treat. deffo worth getting one. The higher up versions your jsut paying for nicey nicey stuff like touch screens etc.

[Stonewall]

Re: Home Theater Build

http://www.usbgeek.com/prod_detail.php?prod_id=1219
This looks like a good alternative to the mouse/keyboard combo.

[RSS]

Re: Home Theater Build

Fired up the HTPC last night for the first time don't mind Windows 7 so far. So many choices for software to run i think my brain melted. Each part of my computer seems to have come with software that would like to do everything.

Windows media center
WinTV7
IMedian / IMon
Blu-ray something something

Downloaded the new drivers for the case / VFD seems alright so far no problems yet.