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Plasma Project

Well first it has been a lot more expensive than I planned. I will break down the costs below. Second, I have plaster walls that made everything difficult and I have been out of the DIY stuff for a bit and was more than a bit rusty. Running the wires was a chore and everything had to be rerun.

I was pretty certain I would be able to use the existing speaker wires using the old surround runs as the new runs for the mains and only having to run a center channel wire from the rear to the front. But moving the components from the front of the room to the rear proved to be a pain. The old surround wires were not long enough to use as the new mains. The old holes where I ran the wires previously were so tight (tolerances) I had a hard time running the wires through them and the old Original Monster Cable that I had run had gotten gummy and made it difficult to pull the new (Monster XP I got on sale at BB).

I still cant get my sub to work, I pulled the receiver/ processor out and got out the manuals and I still cant figure out why the sub is getting no signal.

Honestly, just almost nothing went right and there were snags, hiccups, and headaches at nearly every phase. And, again it became much more costly than I anticipated.

Costs:

New Display (budgeted $1500) $1890
Mounting brackets junction boxes cables etc. and gas money for my buddy $300
New mantle $325
New AV cabinet $129
New speaker wire and Q locks $120
Monster power center (old power bar would not fit in new cabinet $100

Total $2864

I know I am forgetting some things so I will update costs as they come to mind. I am also having to use an HDMI switch and an Oppo DVD player with HDMI out that I have borrowed from my buddy Scott and it isn't as user friendly as I would like.
I am probably going to have to buy a new receiver with HDMI switching and HDMI pass through before I am happy with it. That will add another fair chunk to the price.
 
Also, my buddy Scott has made 4 trips at around 40 miles one way and he was instrumental in getting this done. We probably have 20 hours in the job and what I gave him for his gas and time was not nearly enough.
 
You are still ahead of the game......

Paying someone to do all of the work would have cost you more, and at least You know where the issues are. If someone else did the work, you wouldn't know where maybe they took short cuts.

Be Proud!

:music-rockout: :music-rockout:
 
Oh, I am totally good with it Heeman, just one of those deals you know, most home improvement projects turn out to be harder and more expensive than they probably should have.

It is a SUPER CLEAN install and when it is done it will be nice. I AM VERY HAPPY!!!
 
Your project turned out very nice Randy!!! Why is it you abhor your fireplace? I really like the brass door enclosure on yours! Ours has a screen in front of the opening, it was here when we bought the house. I would really like to replace it to fit our taste.
 
Randy said:
And now the old TV is gone. out in the garage. Almost done, just have a few things to tidy up. Have to get my audio issues lined out and get my sub working.

Click to expand...


Ah.....aren't you forgetting something?? Doesn't your centre channel need to be in the centre??!! :teasing-neener: Just bustin your balls Randy!! Looks good, I wish I had half your skills!! :(
Mike
 
Babs, when I bought the house in 2000 the most obvious place to put the HT system was on that wall, along the short wall of the living room, and that damned fireplace was right in the middle of it. I struggled for another location, but that was always the best place. I tried to put it on the other short wall of the living room but then the seating would have been with the back of the couch to the fireplace which would have looked like dog doo aesthetically. I thought about putting the HT on the long wall but a window on one side and the room configuration just would not allow it.

Going back to the old S&V forum days, the guys and I debated this ad nauseum, I had pictures and diagrams and such, but to no avail. The wall where the fireplace is located was the prime spot. So, I placed an ad, my signature LOL, on the old S&V forum asking if anybody wanted to buy a fireplace? and put a picture of my poor ole Sony sitting off the side of the fireplace as my avatar.

Mike, I moved the CC to the center of the hearth but it is off center for the room and seating. This room still gives me fits.
 
Actually doing this has caused me some acoustical issues. Before the left main and center channel were about 4 foot further to the left than they are now and because of the furniture being right in front of them, it kinda provided an absorber, now the sound is mush more live and open and I think I have more echo.

This room has a pretty good slap echo issue anyway so now I gotta take a serious look at the room if this is going to become my primary spot.
 
Randy said:
Actually doing this has caused me some acoustical issues. Before the left main and center channel were about 4 foot further to the left than they are now and because of the furniture being right in front of them, it kinda provided an absorber, now the sound is mush more live and open and I think I have more echo.
Click to expand...

Maybe Razz still has his extra sofa arm that he can send you. :angelic-green:
 
I don't get the reference Botch, but I do notice the giant spoon you are stirring it with? LMAO
 
I think you may have joined after that happened. Razz (I think it was Razz) had a sofa that one end covered part of his DynAudio, and he had it trimmed/reupholstered to open up the path, so to speak).
 
LMAO, I was probably here, not sure. I may have just missed it.

Well, I guess there was a time when I stayed over at the old place before coming over here. I was a little slow getting over here.
 
I like it, may not be the optimum thing for a home system but nothing like having a beer in front of a fire with the wife when it's cold out...... Can usually lead to better things. Lol.
 
Looks good Randy! Are the bolts to the mount, mounted into the brick? Any worries about heat transference?
 
No the four main screws are into toggles through the plaster and two lag bolts into a stud.

No heat transfer cuz the fireplace does not get used.
 
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