|
The New Living Room
|
| :: NEC 50XM5 50-inch plasma HDTV :: DirecTV HD receiver :: Pioneer DV-563A universal DVD player :: Sonance iPort FS2 iPod docking station :: Denon AVR-3805 7.1-channel A/V receiver :: Three Sonance 623T in-wall speakers :: Three Sonance 623TR ceiling speakers :: Sonance Son of Sub subwoofer :: Gefen EXTHDMI-441 4 x 1 HDMI switcher :: Furman Elite 15-PF linear filtering AC power conditioner/surge protector :: Electrograph ELENEC-SM fixed plasma mount |
The Art of Compromise
Several considerations went into the decisions my wife and I made about the project. Since I was working with a limited budget, I had to use as much of my existing gear as possible. Also, those limitations meant the home theater room in the basement would be a longer-term project, since I'll be doing all the framing, drywalling, and flooring myself. I promised my wife that the new family room, which is separated from the kitchen only by a large center island with seating, would have a clean, uncluttered appearance, so I couldn't use the large freestanding speakers and bulky rear-projection HDTV that dominated our old living room. Instead, I decided to go with a wall-mounted plasma display and in-wall and ceiling speakers. Since I knew I'd eventually have a first-rate home theater and listening room in the basement, I was willing to have a more modestly performing A/V system in the main living area than I was accustomed to.
I decided on Sonance speakers for the living room — specifically, Symphony 623T in-walls ($225 each) for the left, right, and center channels, and three 623TR ceiling models ($225 each) for the surrounds. The heart of the system is my now-several-years-old Denon AVR-3805 7.1-channel receiver, wired in a 6.1-channel configuration. To add some low-end oomph, I got Sonance's Son of Sub powered subwoofer ($360), a very affordable 75-watt model with a front-firing 10-inch driver that mates well with the other speakers.
Initially, I'd envisioned a 42-inch plasma HDTV on the living-room wall. But Weiner convinced me that 42 inches would be too small for the room, particularly since we'd be watching TV from the kitchen island as well as from the living-room sofa. Fortunately, by the time I was ready to buy the TV, plasma prices had dropped considerably. So, after looking at several models, I settled on a 50-inch NEC high-def monitor ($3,799) because of its picture quality, natural colors, and excellent built-in video processing.
|
New Master Bedroom
|
| :: NEC 42XM4 42-inch plasma HDTV :: DirecTV HD satellite receiver :: Sony DVD player :: Zvox 315 speaker system :: Belkin PureAV HDTV power conditioner PFHD /surge protector :: Electrograph ELENEC-SM fixed plasma mount |
At the time of the installation, I was getting my satellite programming, via one HD receiver and one standard-def receiver/DVR, from Dish Network. But I decided to switch to DirecTV (even though I had to pay Dish a $100 early-cancellation fee) because of price, customer service, and signal quality. When I called Dish to upgrade, I was told they could supply only two HD receivers (I needed three) and that there was a $200 up-front fee for each one. I asked what would happen when Dish migrates to receivers that support MPEG-4 decoding in a few months and was told I'd have to get new boxes and pay additional fees. (After I canceled, Dish called to tell me I'd received incorrect information and offered a break on the programming. But by then, the dishes had been pulled off my roof.)
With DirecTV, I got three HD receivers for an up-front fee of $100 and a $4.95-per-month charge per box along with three months of free premium programming. I also checked out Verizon's new FiOS fiber-optic TV service but was put off by the $9.95-per-box monthly rental charge and by anecdotal information that the boxes run extremely hot.
The Hole-in-the-Wall Gang
Mounting the speakers went pretty smoothly. The installers had made cardboard speaker templates and mounted them to the studs and ceiling joists so the drywallers would know where to pull the wires through the plasterboard. But I wish I'd ordered the speakers earlier, since they come with very accurate mounting templates that would have allowed the drywall crew to cut exact openings for them. Instead, once I determined there were no electrical wires directly behind the ceiling dry wall, I used the included cut-out templates to cut the three holes in the ceiling with a drywall saw, then connected the speaker wires and installed the speakers using the spring-loaded clamps.
Using the plastic paint inserts that came with the speakers, I was able to paint the front speaker trim while they were mounted in the wall, although I did remove the grilles — and the cloth batting inside them — beforehand. Thankfully, the installers had reminded me to cut a stud and to frame the opening so the center-channel speaker could be mounted horizontally. With all the holes cut properly, the speakers installed quickly, with spring-mounted clamps holding them in place against the drywall.
I next connected all the components, which sit atop an antique Chinese bench below the TV. My budget wasn't the only reason I stuck with my current Denon receiver. Since the new HDMI 1.3 connection specification was still being finalized as we went to press, receivers that have it won't be available until later this fall. HDMI 1.3 — which will be used by newer HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc players — supports the new Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD Master Audio lossless multichannel audio formats. Since I plan to get a Blu-ray player later this year, there's no way I'm buying a new receiver without HDMI 1.3.
But the AVR-3805 doesn't have DVI or HDMI inputs or outputs, let alone HDMI switching. As a result, I connected the DirecTV HD satellite receiver and a Pioneer DV-563A universal DVD player so I can do component-video switching through the Denon. Knowing I'll eventually be adding a Blu-ray player, I got an HDMI switcher, which lets me connect the satellite receiver and the DVD player to the NEC's single DVI input. Weiner recommended Gefen's 4 x 1 unit ($349) for its high-quality construction, bulletproof operation, and ability to be programmed so I can do the switching via a universal remote.
The last addition to the system was the desktop version of the Sonance iPort ($200), which lets me plug my iPod into the main entertainment system. And since I decided to forego a whole-house audio system, my white Bose iPod SoundDock ($299) supplies the music while I'm cooking in the kitchen.
Hooking up the system was fairly straightforward (the installers labeled all the wires clearly), but there were a few hiccups. For example, when I used the Denon's auto-calibration mode and DM-S305 omnidirectional microphone (which I placed on a tripod roughly where the sofa would be) to set the levels for each speaker, I couldn't get any sound from the surrounds. After checking all the connections and the onscreen setup guide several times, I called Denon and discovered I'd missed the second page of the setup menu, which enabled me to configure the surround sound outputs for my 6.1-channel arrangement.
That did the trick. Once my sofa arrived, I fine-tuned the system using an SPL meter, angling the ceiling speakers' adjustable woofers and tweeters toward the listening area, adjusting the levels of each, and setting the appropriate level for the subwoofer.
Route and About
For the master bedroom, my wife and I splurged on a 42-inch NEC HD plasma monitor ($2,799), which is mounted about 53 inches off the floor on the wall directly across from the bed. While that might seem a bit high, it's actually perfect for watching TV from our bed, which is 34 inches high and 20 feet away from the TV wall.
Zvox's all-in-one powered speaker systems offer surprisingly robust, encompassing sound from a single enclosure, so I knew I wanted one in the bedroom. I chose the Zvox 315, which houses three speakers plus a 5.25-inch woofer in an enclosure the size of an A/V receiver. While the 315 sounds remarkably full — a PhaseCue knob lets you widen the sound field to create virtual surround sound without rear speakers — if the source you're using doesn't have a variable audio output, you have to use the Zvox's rear-mounted volume knob, which means getting up out of bed. So I'm considering replacing the 315 with the new 325, which has better bass response, additional front-panel inputs, and a remote volume control.
I wanted to make sure the new kitchen, living room, and bedroom were wired for Internet and telecommunications access, since my wife (who's a banker) and I both frequently work from home. So the installers ran multiple Cat-5e wires to the new rooms, including "his and her" RG-45 jacks on either side of the bed. They also wired our 2-year-old son Tyler's new bedroom for TV, phone, and Internet.
Although there's really no place we can't conveniently jack into an outlet, I wanted a wireless network so we could work anywhere in the house — or out on the deck — without a telltale trail of cables. Belkin's N1 wireless router system uses the new, higher-bandwidth 802.11n technology, rather than the more common 802.11g, to distribute Internet access around the home (see Wireless to the Nth Degree). The N1 router was installed in the primary demarcation area (the place where the external network and A/V wires connect to the in-home wiring) in the basement, where a Belkin 8-port wired router was already in service.
Second Thoughts
|
Coming Attractions
|
| :: Hitachi 55-inch CRT rear-projection HDTV :: Martin-Logan Quest Z speakers :: DirecTV HD satellite receiver :: Sony DVD player |
I also really underestimated the complexity of wiring the house and constructing the home networks. Without help from Hudson Valley Home Media, I might still be ripping up drywall to rid my TV of 60-cycle hum bars or be up to my ears in Cat-5e cables trying to get the network to work. Installation specialist Paul Delgado and his crew really knew what they were doing. While they put in a solid 5 days to help get my systems up and running (at an average price of $100 per hour; you can do the math), they ultimately saved me a lot of money by helping me avoid costly pitfalls while there was still time to fix them without major reconstruction. And they created a centralized demarcation area way more professional and comprehensive than anything I could have envisioned, let alone installed. While my ego took a bit of a hit when my lack of knowledge about parts of the project was exposed, better my ego than my wallet — especially with a still-unfunded home theater project looming on the horizon.
Wireless to the Nth Degree
Compared to 812.11g, the "n" technology promises both greater speed and longer range. This was important to me because, while I currently subscribe to Verizon's less-expensive FiOS service, I'll soon be upgrading to faster throughput and want the wireless network to be able to handle it. Also, I've long envisioned working from our deck, which overlooks the Hudson River and the Tappan Zee Bridge. So, as soon as they were available, we installed an N1 router in the basement (A), and another one in the bedroom to ensure full coverage throughout the house and property.
Installing the N1 was a snap, thanks to an idiot-proof installation guide and the use of cool, blue-hued graphical icons, rather than LEDs, to indicate the system's status. Performance-wise, the N1 system rocks — just not with my brand-new Dell Duo Core notebook. That's because the computer comes with the smaller ExpressCard slot rather than the standard PC Card slot, and Belkin is still a few months away from offering an ExpressCard version of the receiver. But even using the standard 802.11g wireless built into the notebook (the N1 defaults to "g" if it can't make an "n" connection), the reception is the best I've experienced, with signal strength remaining constant no matter where I roam in the house. And using my older notebook with the N1 PC Card ($99) installed, Internet access is as fast as I've ever experienced it, although performance is apparently well below its theoretical top speed of 300 Mbps. But when the final "n" spec arrives, it's likely the router can be upgraded to full compatibility via firmware tweaks.
After using Belkin's N1 wireless system, I realized that installing the second router upstairs was overkill. Even with that router off, I can work anywhere in the house, even at the outer reaches of the back deck. In fact, that's where I'm currently finishing and e-mailing this article (B), watching rush-hour traffic clog the Tappan Zee Bridge. Just because it's called work doesn't mean it has to feel like work.
Back to Homepage
What's New on S&V