Thread: Design for TV/Home Theatre

Pete
You should find several in the Pics section.
Wongo made a good size unit out of blue gum.
Most seem to be variations on a theme - Long and Low.

I recently made a small version to fit a room. It is about 1800mm long.
The doors have smokey coloured perspex to partially hide the electrics.
You could easily make the drawers into shelves to fit more equipment.

I have seen the front covered in fabric to match a wall. Coloured mesh is another option.

Scally

Thank you very much for your reply. The smokey semi-transparent doors work well. I like the style in general terms but haven't yet seen one which allows for the centre speaker directly under the screen. If the speaker is too low, one loses the projection from it; if it is off centre, it sounds odd. I am not sure about the sound reproduction and projection if the speaker is housed closely in another enclosure.

My guess is that if the enclosure is open front and back then the speaker's performance should be untrammelled. But is that right??

Regards

"I like the style in general terms but haven't yet seen one which allows for the centre speaker directly under the screen."

Just design one that does!

Do you already have the center speaker? In the "ideal world" the center speaker's sound really needs to come from the center of the screen, in large cinema's quite often the speaker is behind the screen!
Using a solid screen this cant be done but a good way to get around this is to have 2 center speakers one each side of the screen(or top&bottom), both are wired off the single center channel of the amp in mono.
You'll still need to maintain the correct ohm load to the amp, typically you'd use 2 16ohm speakers wired in parallel to achieve an 8 ohm load.

Originally Posted by Harry72

Just design one that does!

Do you already have the center speaker?

Thanks Harry,

Yes I have the centre speaker and wasn't thinking of two. I thought that more than a couple of people woud have looked at this before me. (I've always been one to go through a revolving door on someone else's push.)

I have played with a few designs and unless I make it quite large, the centre speaker squeezes side space etc.

Thank you for the response - I'll keep at it.

Regards

Hey Pete,

I designed my own, bit late now to take a pic (dont know how to transfer the pic) but will take one Friday. (Get the kids to transfer it. ) I built it with centre speaker, one above, two side speakers and four internal shelves (dvd, foxtel, amp and set top box) housed behind doors and entire unit to suit our sound system. All cut out of M.D.F and coated in two pac. Overall looks great ond cop heaps of comments about it!

Jason.

Like ex-chippie, I designed my own, even though we don't have an LCD or plasma screen yet.

The centre speaker is right under the screen, sits behind a door with speaker cloth in it, 2 speakers either side of the screen, again behind doors with speaker cloth. Sub-woofer is behind lowest centre door, which hinges down, again behind speaker cloth. Tall cupboard doors under speaker doors slide out on full extension rails, side mounted on one side.

All the electronic bits and pieces behind lead-light, courtesy SWMBO.

Everything sprayed in satin 2-pack to match our decor, but could easily be in timber.

Hey Pete,

Kids are home now, pics of the entertainment unit as previously mentioned.

Hope they help, Jason.

Big Shed and ex-chippie,

Thank you for posting the pictures and sorry about the delay in responding - I have been otherwise occupied for a couple of days.

I think there is soemthing of each design I could use - more of the low-line approach from Jason but including the speaker cloth doors. I had thought of locating the sub-woofer separately as its location isn't as critical, but now I am rethinking that. I not certain whether its installation in a cabinet is likely to be an issue for vibration. Have you noticed any issue with that Big Shed?

Regards

Actually the location of the sub woofer is critical to get best performance.

If you Google "AVS forums" you will find a huge forum site dedicated to home theatre. One forum is called audio theory, another sub woofers. If you spend some time there you find out heaps about speaker placement and performance.

Check it out, you can lose lots of hours there.

Dan

Hey ex chippie

I am new to this site and was looking to see if I could find a plan to build an entertainment unit.
I just happened to come across and like the look of the unit that you built.
I was wondering if it would be possible for me to obtain a copy of your design/plan of the unit that you built in order for me to do something similar.
I would also like some advice on what type of timber I should use for such a wonderful piece of furniture, I was considering using a hardwood (eg Tasmanian Oak) your suggestions on this would also be greatly appreciated.

Regards

Pete D

Here is another one and good luck.

http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...3&d=1183782989

http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...5&d=1183782989

http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...6&d=1183782989

For a real neat look, consider having the equipment inside the cabinet, with an Infra Red extender linking all the equipment.
www.xantech.com
http://www.dtvforum.info/lofiversion...hp/t35709.html

Scally,
Are these pictures of the entertainment unit you built? If so, its exactly what I've been looking for. Could I be so bold as to ask for the plans? I am looking at making one out of spotted gum.
Cheers
Steffy

Its called a perfated screen we had one where I use to work...