Home Theater

[Parker]

Originally Posted by StirCrazy

I second the idea of a black out curtian, if your watching TV, playing games and such the only real time your going to look at the tank is during a comercial.. plus any ambiant light spill over affects the quality although it may not stand out as much. I used to turn off my MH and actinics when I watched tv in the evenings..

Steve

Not true, I can spend up to two hours watching the tank while watching TV, when my wife insists that sit with her and watch some chick flick or some bad reality TV - IE: Bachlor, Dancing Crap, Idol.

[Delphinus]

The curtain was something I was thinking of actually myself were I ever to turn my basement into a theatre room (the plan isn't initially but you never know for down the road). I was thinking I'd be tempted on a curtain not only for the sake of darkening the room but also on account that I regularly watch movies and TV and stuff well into the wee hours and I find that room activity can startle the fish. Basically they need their sleep too. So pulling the curtain allows them to remain on whatever daytime/nighttime cycle they're on and not be influenced at all by the flashing screen and so on. I dunno, maybe it's not a big deal but that's sort of why I was asking. Lets you do whatever, lets them do whatever. I was even consider installing some curtains into my tank room so if I'm working on something at 2am (seems to be the only time I get some days), I can do so with the lights on full bore and I'm not freaking the fish out..

I dunno.. just a thought.

[Delphinus]

PS. I think unless you're watching HD television I think the odds are pretty good you won't be watching much regular television on a 10' screen. I find anything above 46" or thereabouts to be pretty pixelated and fuzzy for regular TV. I can't imagine the brutal waste of technology that watching Bachelor or Dancing or whatever on a screen like that would entail. Brutal!

[Parker]

Originally Posted by Delphinus

PS. I think unless you're watching HD television I think the odds are pretty good you won't be watching much regular television on a 10' screen. I find anything above 46" or thereabouts to be pretty pixelated and fuzzy for regular TV. I can't imagine the brutal waste of technology that watching Bachelor or Dancing or whatever on a screen like that would entail. Brutal!

We only have one TV in the house, the rear projection unit that's being replaced by the front projector. We are planning on adding a second TV to the upstairs living room at some point in the next year. All of my TV viewing will be on the projector.

Cable was upgraded from standard cable to one of the HD packages last week, my new cable box will be installed on Friday I watched cable TV on it last night for the better part of a couple of hours, it was fine. These new projectors do a lot to minimize the ablility to see the pixel structure. I can't see it on mine until I get around 4/5 feet from the screen. My seating is at 16' right now.

[Delphinus]

Kewl.

So are you still thinking screen or maybe that screen projector paint you can put on walls?

[Parker]

Originally Posted by Delphinus

Kewl.

So are you still thinking screen or maybe that screen projector paint you can put on walls?

I'll be using an acoustically transparent screen from SeymourAV. The front three speakers will be behind the screen so you can't see them.

[Pescador]

Nice job it's looking great.
I used this DIY Theater paint kit it worked great but you have to really, really prep your wall first. I thought I would give it a try before spending big bucks on a screen and I'm still happy with it.
You have to pick the formula based on contrast ratio and how bright the room will be.
With the Panny projector we could watch with all the room lights on no problem but we usually have them dimmed.
We debated curtains for the tank as well but ended up timing sunset to when we usually watch movies. The screen doesn't face directly towards the tank so it's not that bright and there's a moonlight cycle in the tank as well.
The fish are all tucked away in there beds anyway except the puffer and I have never seen him sleeping.
This Telus Optik TV made a huge difference in watching standard def on the projector its much better. But I find after watching HD I don't really look at what's on the other channels after awhile.

[Parker]

My new toy, I built the frame out of 1x4, covered it in velvet and attached the screen material to the back.

I threw some speakers on the floor so I could play some Call of Duty on the xbox! That was fun.