Welcome to my home theater. Located in the basement of my home, the overall room dimensions are approximately 13' W X 20' L X 8' H.

The ceiling tiles are Cinetile Black Matte by ACP. The tiles are fiberglass with a laminated matte face. The grids (which were originally white) are covered in GridMAX black matte covers, also by ACP.

The seating is La-Z-Boy Matinee.

The front wall is covered in black velvet sheeting from the Buffalo Felt Company. The screen is a 2.35:1 aspect ratio 125" Carada Criterion with 1.4 gain Brilliant White Fabric.

The projector is a Panasonic AE-7000u 1080p 3-D LCD. In addition to outstanding 3-D, the projector provides 6 different lens memory slots that can store and recall zoom, focus, and vertical shift settings. I have each programmed for a different aspect ratio.

Some of the AE7000u's functions are only accessible discretely via its RS-232 interface. To work around this, I have an Industrologic IR232 converter sitting on top of the projector and programmed to translate certain IR codes into RS-232 equivalents.

I have each lens memory programmed as a discrete soft button on my Harmony One remote. (The 16:9 setting is used for both 1.33:1 and 1.78:1 content.)

The front sound stage consists of a pair of Paradigm Studio 20s v.5 and a Paradigm CC-590 v.5 center.

Paradigm Studio 20s v.5

Paradigm Studio CC-590 v.5

The subwoofers are a pair of 15" Rythmik Audio Direct Servo F15s.

They are fed by a Yamaha RX-Z11 receiver, which features true stereo subwoofer outputs. LFE content is sent to both subs, but rolled-off bass from all other speakers is directed to the left or right sub as dictated by the given audio mix.

Each subwoofer is on its own AC power circuit, and each is protected by its own in-wall Panamax MIW-POWER-PRO outlet which provides surge protection and noise filtration. (The main breaker box also includes a whole-house surge protector.)

The side surrounds are Paradigm ADP-590s v.5.

The rear surrounds are Paradigm Studio 10s v.5 and are located on the media shelves at the rear of the room.

The Yamaha RX-Z11 receiver provides two front and two rear "presence" channels that recreate the sound fields of different musical and theatrical venues. The presence speakers are located in the four upper corners of the room and are Paradigm Atoms v.2.

I built the Mission-style AV cabinet myself from Red Oak.

A Buffalo Electronics IR-350 IR Repeater in one of the ceiling tiles relays all IR commands to a Buffalo Electronics IR-100 IR Controller, which dispatches the commands to the AV components via emitters attached to their faceplates.

The audio centerpiece is the Yamaha RX-Z11 receiver, providing 11.2 dedicated channels of audio output: 7 discrete audio channels, 2 front and 2 rear presence channels, and true stereo subwoofers.

The RX-Z11 provides 40 different sound field programs. Accessing the programs via the Yamaha remote is cumbersome, requiring multiple button presses. The Harmony One allows me to set up discrete soft buttons for instant access to each individual sound field.

The OPPO BDP-93 handles all of my CDs, DVDs, and Blu-rays.

I don't watch Laserdiscs very often anymore, but there are some I simply can't part with. When I'm feeling old-school, I fire up the trusty Pioneer DVL-909.

All audio and video equipment is protected by a Panamax MX5102, which provides voltage monitoring, surge protection, and noise filtration, as well as battery backup for the projector.

In order to interface the projector with the Panamax MX5102 and its battery backup, a Panamax MIW-POWERKIT-PRO is employed. The projector is plugged into a ceiling outlet which is wired directly to a wall inlet behind the equipment rack.

The inlet is in turn plugged into the Panamax MX5102, providing surge protection, noise filtration, and battery backup to the projector. Additionally, the MX5102 features programmable IR outputs, which I have configured to send a discrete shut down command to the projector in the event of a power outage.

The media cabinet at the rear of the room holds much (but not all) of my CD, SACD, DVD and Blu-ray collections. Overflow (and Laserdiscs) are in another room.

Situated behind the equipment rack is a 5-gang wallplate providing jacks for 11 pairs of speakers, 2 subwoofers, 2 HDMI connections, the main IR receiver/repeater, and the emergency IR projector shutdown interface.

All of the AV wallplates are Leviton Acenti. The in-wall speaker cables and all AV interconnects are from Blue Jeans Cables. Speaker cables are terminated with GLS locking banana plugs.

Lighting is controlled via a pair of INSTEON SwitchLinc Dimmers. The front lights (wall sconces) are controlled by one switch, and the rear lights (ceiling eyeball cans) by the other. An INSTEON IRLinc Receiver converts IR commands from my Harmony One to the INSTEON protocol.

The lights can be controlled via the wall switch or the Harmony One remote. The front and rear lights can be controlled independently or in tandem.

The wall sconces are Possini Euro Deco from Lamps Plus.

Blade Runner

How The West Was Won

Planet Earth

Gallery rating:

(5.0) (139 ratings) Show ratings

Gallery rating:

(5.0) (139 ratings) Hide ratings

Member		Dec 12, 2012 18:58:35
Member		Nov 17, 2012 17:37:39
Member		Sep 27, 2012 16:12:50
Member		Aug 13, 2012 20:55:39
Member		Jul 23, 2012 15:42:36
Member		May 05, 2012 13:56:04
Member		Mar 27, 2012 14:55:35
Member		Feb 08, 2012 23:13:53
Member		Feb 03, 2012 01:19:02
Member		Jan 12, 2012 23:34:13
Member		Dec 10, 2011 07:14:12
Member		Oct 30, 2011 11:35:08
Member		Oct 23, 2011 19:05:07
Member		Sep 27, 2011 17:15:32
Member		Aug 26, 2011 15:17:06
Member		Aug 21, 2011 21:26:02
Member		Jul 25, 2011 21:17:29
Member		Jul 21, 2011 23:44:07
Member		Jul 08, 2011 16:42:40
Member		Jun 25, 2011 19:04:35
Member		Jun 23, 2011 18:42:34
Member		Jun 19, 2011 10:51:20
Member		Jun 19, 2011 02:17:25
Member		Jun 19, 2011 00:00:25
Member		Jun 08, 2011 00:10:30
Member		May 31, 2011 13:00:58
Member		May 31, 2011 11:13:35
Member		May 29, 2011 05:11:17
Member		May 28, 2011 23:36:43
Member		May 27, 2011 22:36:23
Member		May 27, 2011 12:47:12
Member		May 24, 2011 17:08:08
Member		May 19, 2011 21:08:24
Member		May 06, 2011 11:22:38
Member		May 03, 2011 20:08:28
Member		Apr 23, 2011 19:26:27
Member		Apr 11, 2011 16:40:25
Member		Apr 08, 2011 01:43:42
Member		Mar 30, 2011 19:47:08
Member		Mar 24, 2011 16:35:31
Member		Mar 23, 2011 08:57:47
Member		Mar 21, 2011 21:53:36
Member		Mar 14, 2011 04:23:26
Member		Mar 12, 2011 13:55:25
Member		Mar 11, 2011 13:40:27
Member		Mar 11, 2011 11:44:31
Member		Mar 11, 2011 01:13:12
Member		Mar 11, 2011 00:07:49
Member		Mar 10, 2011 20:02:17
Member		Mar 07, 2011 22:30:03
Member		Mar 07, 2011 17:36:03
Member		Mar 04, 2011 15:20:51
Member		Mar 04, 2011 12:39:53
Member		Mar 03, 2011 16:09:25
Member		Mar 03, 2011 12:01:39
Member		Mar 03, 2011 01:43:07
Member		Mar 02, 2011 14:26:51
Member		Feb 28, 2011 20:04:39
Member		Feb 23, 2011 20:33:24
Member		Feb 23, 2011 00:22:51
Member		Feb 20, 2011 02:36:27
Member		Feb 20, 2011 00:50:42
Member		Feb 19, 2011 16:05:23
Member		Feb 19, 2011 15:27:33
Member		Feb 19, 2011 08:58:47
Member		Feb 19, 2011 08:41:42
Member		Feb 19, 2011 03:34:01
Member		Feb 19, 2011 00:11:11
Member		Feb 18, 2011 23:24:05
Member		Feb 10, 2011 16:42:53
Member		Jan 28, 2011 09:55:32
Member		Jan 28, 2011 08:06:31
Member		Jan 27, 2011 08:59:24
Member		Dec 16, 2010 13:18:05
Member		Dec 16, 2010 07:02:54
Member		Dec 15, 2010 17:11:43
Member		Dec 05, 2010 07:59:40
Member		Nov 29, 2010 19:45:01
Member		Oct 20, 2010 22:36:43
Member		Oct 18, 2010 18:11:54
Member		Aug 19, 2010 15:39:27
Member		Aug 04, 2010 21:57:15
Member		Aug 03, 2010 18:21:07
Member		Aug 01, 2010 15:22:23
Member		Aug 01, 2010 12:48:59
Member		Jul 07, 2010 15:08:51
Member		Jun 24, 2010 12:02:26
Member		Jun 08, 2010 19:23:17
Member		Jun 07, 2010 23:36:22
Member		May 18, 2010 02:27:11
Member		Apr 28, 2010 02:59:27
Member		Apr 24, 2010 22:43:16
Member		Apr 13, 2010 20:28:28
Member		Mar 31, 2010 20:21:00
Member		Mar 28, 2010 06:05:06
Member		Mar 28, 2010 03:01:58
Member		Mar 26, 2010 11:07:29
Member		Mar 25, 2010 13:58:10
Member		Mar 24, 2010 15:02:57
Member		Mar 19, 2010 20:36:29
Member		Mar 17, 2010 22:05:30
Member		Mar 16, 2010 09:28:34
Member		Mar 14, 2010 18:42:17
Member		Mar 14, 2010 13:17:36
Member		Mar 13, 2010 14:22:24
Member		Mar 12, 2010 16:07:15
Member		Mar 12, 2010 15:56:15
Member		Mar 12, 2010 15:55:28
Member		Mar 12, 2010 15:12:18
Member		Mar 11, 2010 19:39:54
Member		Mar 11, 2010 11:07:15
Member		Mar 10, 2010 09:08:51
Member		Mar 09, 2010 23:54:14
Member		Mar 08, 2010 20:43:56
Member		Mar 08, 2010 18:57:57
Member		Mar 08, 2010 09:47:10
Member		Mar 07, 2010 10:52:03
Member		Mar 06, 2010 06:49:04
Member		Mar 05, 2010 15:00:31
Member		Mar 05, 2010 14:20:15
Member		Mar 05, 2010 12:43:56
Member		Mar 05, 2010 11:59:16
Member		Mar 05, 2010 11:44:13
Member		Mar 05, 2010 09:46:50
Member		Mar 05, 2010 03:45:40
Member		Mar 05, 2010 00:24:36
Member		Mar 05, 2010 00:11:19
Member		Mar 04, 2010 22:01:58
Member		Mar 04, 2010 21:45:25
Member		Mar 04, 2010 21:29:29
Member		Mar 04, 2010 21:22:07
Member		Mar 04, 2010 20:52:01
Member		Mar 04, 2010 20:43:55
Member		Mar 04, 2010 20:40:46
Member		Mar 04, 2010 20:39:55
Member		Mar 04, 2010 20:36:09
Member		Mar 04, 2010 20:21:53
Member		Mar 04, 2010 20:13:59
Member		Mar 04, 2010 20:05:05

Comments (108)

Show comments

Comments (108)

Hide comments

kopkiwi  » Jan 07, 2013 10:53 PM

Yes, yes a million times yes. Fantastic set up. Considering the Studio 20s with 590 myself. You like them? Also trying to convince the wife to letting me get the Yammy too.

wes  » Nov 02, 2012 11:50 PM

Superb screen wall to wall my dream very nice indeed

ghostdrknss74  » Sep 27, 2012 04:13 PM

bad ass set up man. really dig it

byali  » Aug 20, 2012 12:28 PM

Great setup +10

mikey  » May 19, 2012 08:54 PM

wow

rkolinski  » May 05, 2012 01:57 PM

My first time checking out your home theater and I just wanted to say that you did an amazing job; 10/10!

sonofagun112  » Mar 10, 2012 05:30 PM

One of the best out there. 10++

ninjafoot  » Feb 28, 2012 05:47 AM

Amazing homecinema, just amazing...

VTO886  » Feb 26, 2012 09:32 AM

Man! I don't know how I missed this theater. You did a great job! The attention to detail is top notch. I didn't know Yamaha kept thr Rex's line going. I remember the rxz1 being a power house! Can't even imagine how the 11 must sound. I like what u did with the harmony as well. For some reason I still can't rate but perfect 10 from me!

Byrdman03  » Feb 08, 2012 11:14 PM

Nice setup! Very Clean look!

bbirali  » Feb 06, 2012 12:54 PM

Thank you JamesN. I really appreciate the time you took to answer my question. I got what i need to know, so i am all set and i am going to go with this projector and 2.35:1 screen. I guess that is the way to see the pictures!!!!

JamesN  » Feb 03, 2012 11:26 AM

@bbirali - Picture quality when zoomed is going to depend on your throw ratio, seating distance, etc. If you sit close and/or have a long throw the zoomed image is going to be softer/blurrier. That's just the nature of the optics. I see no appreciable image degradation in my set up -- my throw is about 13.5 ft and my seats are about 11 ft and 15 ft back. If you view 16:9 or 1.33:1 (or any aspect ratio less than 2.35:1) on a 2.35:1 screen without zooming there of course will be black bars on the sides. That's the way it should be. If this bothers you, there are features that will stretch the image horizontally but not vertically, but I don't advocate altering the original aspect ratio. Similarly. if you use the zoom feature to enlarge 16:9, 1.85:1, etc. content in *both* directions simply to fill the screen, the image will spill out above and below your screen. Again, not something I would advocate. The whole point of Constant Image Height (CIH) is so that 'scope content looks wider and has more visceral impact than non-'scope content. If you stretch or zoom *everything* simply to fill the screen you lose that impact. And I'm not implying 'scope is better -- just different. The impact goes both ways. Dr. Zhivago should feel big and expansive. Casablanca should feel intimate. Both have their own kind of impact.

bbirali  » Feb 03, 2012 09:50 AM

@JamesN : That is awesome, so you are saying that i can change the just the aspect ratio to project the movie to fit the entire 2.35:1 screen. if you don'g mind can you answer one more question, if you just zoom vertically and horizontally, will there be a change in the picture quality? if you watch any program which is in 16:9 (like TV programs), do you see bars on four sides on 2.35:1 screen. can i stretch those programs to fit in the 2.35:1 also?

kopkiwi  » Feb 03, 2012 01:18 AM

Beautiful, absolutely beautiful. Am looking at the Studio 20 and CC490 for a front stage myself.

JamesN  » Feb 02, 2012 05:33 PM

@bbirali - Thank you for the kind comments. The great thing about the AE7000 (and its predecessor, the AE4000), is that you don't need an A-lens to do 'scope. The pj has a motorized zoom that can be used to fill a 2.35:1 screen, and programmable memory settings so that you can save and recall different zoom settings for different aspect ratios.

bbirali  » Feb 02, 2012 12:20 PM

Hey JamesN, Fantastic set up. I am in the process of setting up the projection system in the basement too. I have a quick question about the panasonic projector, will it support 2.35:1 mode automatically even though the pic is in 16:9 format or do i need buy another anamorphic lens infront of it to make the pic bigger to occupy the entire screen. Balaji

pab1219  » Jan 04, 2012 07:43 PM

Stunning.

B.Hulk  » Dec 23, 2011 03:59 PM

I've always been a big fan of your theater room, excellent setup, & thanks for your support, comming from you that mean a great deal...Thanks...B......

xcapoeirax  » Dec 23, 2011 10:41 AM

nice equipment and amazing room design!!! love the colors

nickows  » Dec 10, 2011 07:16 AM

A fantastic room! Well executed, lovely equipment and I'm sure it sounds/looks fantastic.

sonic_debauchery  » Oct 23, 2011 06:39 PM

Excellent theater, lots of attention to detail. The new Panny must be awesome. 10

Bluvette  » Oct 23, 2011 04:51 PM

JamesN, you just keep doing it, outstanding Bro. Love it, the projector and screen shots are beautiful.

JamesN  » Sep 18, 2011 08:58 PM

@senam - Thanks for visiting! There are two heating/cooling vents in the ceiling near the front of the room and one return vent in the rear. The vent grates are matte black so they are fairly invisible. You can barely make them out in a few of the pics if you look REALLY hard. I got them from a place called Signature Hardware.

senam  » Sep 18, 2011 08:22 PM

Love your setup! Just curious about the ventilation though. This seems like a fairly closed room. Do you have a hidden AC vent somewhere?

lswope00  » Sep 05, 2011 11:51 PM

Very nice setup! Those subs look great

nailz74  » Aug 29, 2011 02:21 PM

Very nice, sir

ldgibson76  » Aug 26, 2011 04:24 PM

I agree with djflex. You have a beautiful setup. The Paradigm Signature package is very sweet. The Yamaha RX-Z11 is one the last of the uber AVR's. One of the few AVR's that can be considered a power amp with a pre-amp section, opposed to a pre-amp with an amplifier section. Your theater is beautifully configured with an attractive color scheme and outstanding attention to detail. Congrats.

djflex40  » Aug 26, 2011 03:17 PM

how the hell did I miss this gallery,,awesome taste perfect 10.....

Bluvette  » Aug 21, 2011 09:25 PM

James I was looking at your theater again (like I do often) it is just perfect. I also discovered that I never rated it (dopey me). 10+++++

YodasFootPowder  » Jul 25, 2011 09:17 PM

Amazong! Love the speakers and love how much you customized the Harmony, especially for quick access to all the different aspect ratios. A+

kevon27  » Jul 21, 2011 11:44 PM

My word man, your setup is super sweet.

lDlisturb3d  » Jun 23, 2011 06:42 PM

LOVE IT. You have one Clean Projector HT....

Crow  » Jun 19, 2011 03:08 AM

Beautiful HT! Well designed, congratulations.

beyond 1000  » Jun 19, 2011 02:19 AM

Should have rated it a 1 but by accident I rated your system a 5. Just having fun here. Did you win a lottery? This theatre is tops. Absolutely stunning what you did. Very nice.

de Rookie  » Jun 08, 2011 12:11 AM

Amazing setup. I love everything about it, especially the Paradigms and the Rythmik

Baqx  » May 29, 2011 05:11 AM

Beautiful!

veromozart  » May 28, 2011 11:36 PM

Very nice home theater. I would love to have it. Cheers!

Reference_head  » May 27, 2011 10:36 PM

Perfect room and set up nice job

Starmartyr  » May 27, 2011 12:47 PM

I love this room! It's so nicely done. Makes me think I should have torn out all my drywall and done it properly like this! Great job down to the last detail.

Vanorge  » Apr 23, 2011 07:27 PM

beautifully done. I can aspire to have something like this one day

LOTR07  » Apr 11, 2011 04:41 PM

Awesome set up and gear......love the room....

ddgtr  » Mar 30, 2011 07:50 PM

James, You have one beautiful setup, every little detail is covered. Your gear is awesome, starting with the Yamaha and ending with the Pio laserdisc player... Have you looked at other PJ's before settling on the Panny?

rsmooth301  » Mar 23, 2011 11:08 PM

Very nice setup, love the way you took the time to make everything nice and clean.

Scarriere  » Mar 21, 2011 09:54 PM

Insanely awesome!

DragonSarc  » Mar 11, 2011 01:14 AM

HT looks sweet, thinkin of getting the same receiver - 10 all the way!!!

rpatt  » Mar 11, 2011 12:10 AM

Very nice. Tastefully done.

JamesN  » Mar 10, 2011 08:15 PM

Thanks to all! @hamilton02 - if you want to see REAL cable management, you need to check out ZIPPO's gallery.

hamilton02  » Mar 10, 2011 08:02 PM

Best cable management and coolest outlets ive seen yet. Amazing room

veromozart  » Mar 08, 2011 05:54 AM

nice paradigms!

bz1080p  » Mar 07, 2011 10:31 PM

You have assembled a fantastic HT! Everything about it shows careful planning and a job well done.

	Sin City   $19.99 $4.99
	The Terminator   $19.99 $7.96
	The Last Stand   $39.99 $14.99

Best Blu-ray Movie Deals »