As some of you may know we have a shop attached to the house.. As Katrina isn't well enough to run a decent coffee or similar shop full time, we've decided to turn it into a 'Manroom'... i.e it will contain my PC, HiFi, a HD projector (approx 100" screen size), a Pool table, card table, dartboard and of course a beer fridge/bar..

Before I can get to all the sexy stuff above I need someone to help prepare the place;

• Skim the walls and roof.
• Help remove the 6 strip lights and put something decent in (spots etc for the pool table, card area and viewing area).
• Help with Electrics..
• Prepare the floor for some tough wearing carpet...
• Price up some decent windows and a door for the shop front.. Decent security and to keep the noise out and replace the old stuff there now.

The main point of the room will be for the projector and HiFi.. (films, gaming etc)... so I'll be speaking to Si and Dave to get some decent surround stuff and cabling put in...

I'll be cleaning it out this Thursday / Friday so I'd like to ask if anyone can either do or reccomend someone to help prepare the walls and ceiling once it's emptied...

Of course I'll be paying, so no freebies needed.. but I'd like a decent job doing as I'll most likely be painting the walls so as to project the image on to; so it needs to be flawless. The floor will also need carpeting with a hard wearing carpet... so again..

I'm aware of a few older members' having skills in some areas, but as I haven't spoken to a few for quite a while I don't want to impose.... But if anyone has the skills to pop down in the next month or so to help me with a guide price, then please let me know on here (PM if you wish) and I'll be in touch once it's emptied and ready..

I haven't got thousands to throw at this, so if anyone has some contacts for some kit or ideas for the room then I'll be happy to listen....
Your ideas (serious ones: ie no room for a pole......) will be especially welcome...

Once done, I'll hold a room warming party

 

My mates a plasterer Alan i could give him a ring mate if you want , and drop me the postcode , and he'll bob over n give you a price....

 

Cheers buddy....

 

If you want a quality surround amp, steam in whilst the last few Yamaha RXV1800's are around. RRP £1000, can be had for £560ish and is well worth every penny. For £400 you can get the Onkyo 606 which has similar spec, but is not as good and has reputed reliability issues. Both have all the new HD audio formats, and multiple HDMI inputs for current and future video content.

 

If you need a hand cleaning it out, gimme a shout and I'll pop round

 

hi Alan, i'm a plasterer and would be happy to call and give you a quote for skimming yer 'manroom' out , and i don't live too far away either, Middlestown.

 

ditto

 

My Onkyo amp is simply brilliant, can't fault it at all and it was much cheaper than the 606, but then after thinking about it, listening to them side by side on the same speakers and considering the benefits the 506 does everything I need it to do and very well too...

Exceptional-AV.co.uk : : Specialists in Onkyo's award winning Hifi and home theatre systems
got mine for £200 from Richer Sounds Leeds after a discount + extra years warranty...
Al, come have a ganders at this before you go mad speding some wonga, I've got a pair of mission rear surrounds you can have v-cheap if ya like too.
Sticky's mate did my plastering and a top job, good price and can recormend also...



Dzzzzzz

 

On a singular experience then your purchase was either brilliant, 'cos it didn't break down and did what you wanted/expected it to; or not ! My comments about Onkyo amps are based on several days of reading up on AVF and there are underlying doubts about the reliability of Onkyo, whereas very few people have had bad experiences with Yamaha over many years. I'm sure your amp is brilliant, and I do hope it continues to be so, but I was commenting on a more overall viewpoint than just your experience Daz. As Al says, the main priority in the room is the PJ and audio set-up, so he may not want to go 'budget', preferring to invest in mid-high end which I know Al has a penchant for.

 

Al has a penchant, I thought he'd been on the biffidus digestivan last time I saw him.

I did read a few threads on avforums, but they're anecdotal and as Onkyo are selling probably 5-1 more Amps, then I suppose there more likely to have a higher failure reporting rate, although saying that I've not read anything that says there are unreliable as a fact...
It was the best amp at that price by a fair margin, so an informed buy.
my Yam worked for years but it was £900, they Onkyo cost me £200 and it does more, is more powerful and sounds better... Its got a two or three year warranty, I think...
err no cost me £10 for a 5 year warranty, remember now so it was £210..

I'm happy anyhow... would be nice to have got a expensive one but tbh I just couldn't tell the difference sibe by side even..
Good point hough Dave, and I appreciate your knowledge on these things also as you're almost always pretty well up on this stuff...

 

Si, Rich... cheers boys.. appreciated I'll let you know if and when I need anything...

Phil... Likewise... I'll be in touch too once the place is empty.

Dazza & Dave..

Ta boys.. always happy to have a great debate with you two... and always willing to listen to both your valid, experienced and valued input..

Dave... I've been looking at the Onkyo's and will be looking a little more carefully over the coming weeks, so yours and Daz's input will be invaluable.... Unfortunately this time the room budget has to take precedence over the extra I probably would have spent on the system.

A projector will be the wrong side of £500... and that's probably going second hand too. I'm starting the R&D now on that. The Onkyo as Daz says appears to be the better bet at the price I need to look at.

So I'll be using some tried and tested kit to start me off as I need to get the room dec'd out, new windows...and some furnishings etc... I'd rather start small and build up once the room is finished. You;re right though... I will be moving higher end once the place is setup..

There's a lot to get to get it how I'd like. Blackout blinds, decent projection wall, some decent speakers back and front (only got the standard LG surrounds that came with a fairly low budget surround sound DVD that I got with the TV and don't use). I've got a cheapish Phillips 1080 DVD that will get hooked up in the early stages with the Kef's on the front channel and the LG's elsewhere.

A decent pool table is £500... So there's a couple of grand with the trunking, cabling and getting the room prepped..etc...

Looking forward to it though!!

 

If you just want an amp to get you going you can have my old Pioneer VSX811. DD-EX and DTS-ES through 7.1. No HDMI or HD upscaling, but I only used it for audio, sending video direct to the TV.



Pioneer VSX-D811-S - Well worth buying! - Pioneer VSX-D811S 7.1 Channels Receiver - Epinions.com

Pioneer VSX-D811

IIRC it also has 7 channel line input allowing you to connect a BD player via analogue phono's and let the player do the DTHD/DTSMA decoding and effectively use the Pio just as a power amp.

 

Also, might be worth a troll around the AVF for sale section. Often some good kit as those geeks upgrade furiously.

 

Cheers mate. I'll need HD capabilities though as I'll be getting a 1080 projector to go with the Phillips... Otherwise very tempted!

I've saved AVF in my faves and I'm in there now lurking for info on PJ's (see, started already.. )

 

If memory serves (it would be a bloody miracle!) the best 'surface' for a projector to work on is not white, but a reflective silver colour. Apparently it's supposed to help reflect the image better. Now it just so happens that I have some surplus stock of white backed etch glass vinyl knocking about from a Tescos job which should do the trick, and will easily be big enough for your whopper. Let me know when everything is in place and I'll pop round with some samples and see if there's any significant difference between it and a plain white wall.

...and if you need a hand shifting / clearing / whatever, you only have to ask. Van at your disposal too.

 

man room

So wish I could have one of these....
I'll give a hand if I get chance but tied up with project NURSERY at the moment

 

Quality. Thanks mate. there's a paint called 'Black Widow' that's supposed to be the next best thing to a proper projector screen (A motorised 100" screen is about £90...). Off Grey with Aluminium flecks to reflect the light. Not sure if your vinyl has similar properties, but the testing and trying will be brilliant... Especially with a Stella or 6.... Appreciate the van use too mate... Though I'll probably need a Transit sized jobby over 2 or 3 trips.. Sean's off as I need to sieve some useful (i.e Katrina vetted) stuff from the crap... but I'll definitley be in touch with you all if I need the hands...

Si.. you'll be best placed to see how this progresses... keep me on my toes knowing you'll be popping by every now and again...

 

Oh, and don't forget the availability of canvas prints of Alps photos, car photos, Kiera Knightly, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera...

 

A Stella or 6? So you're going for a sofa bed too then?

 

Al, as I said, you don't need to run the video through the Pio amp. Feed whatever res from whatever source you want direct to whatever video device you choose, but route the audio through the Pio. That's how I had it before my recent upgrade. As I also said, if my memory serves me correctly, if you want to benefit from the new HD audio formats on Bluray, then you'd just route the video to the PJ via HDMI or Component, but send the audio to the Pio via 6/8 (5.1/7.1) phono leads, already decoded and separated by the player.

I also have a very good DVD player going spare which can play SACD and DVD-Audio if you wanted to have a play with those formats.

 

Definately, especially if there is beer flowing

 

This is on my To Do list of Furnishings... the T20 print is sidelined, so any extra spesh Alps prints will be too..


A sofa bed? An absolute necessity.....

We are scarliy on the same wavelength my Son...

Dave... Ah... so if the PJ accepts a direct HDMI feed, then the Amp can deal with the Audio... I was looking for the amp to do it all... seems there may be no need... PM me the price for both please chap...I have a few SACD disks I've not been able to play. Elena Mcevoy being one and a Pink Floyd disk or two.... I don't see the point of Full THX mashings at the mo.. especially if funds are going to be tight...

Saying all that, I'll have to check my budget after the room's been prepped and fitted with the lights and windows...I'll always go for the best I can afford..

 

There will of course be an admission fee.

 

If Keira is there then you can have everything I own for one night, no restrictions

 

If Keira is here mate.. I'm afraid you don't own enough.. **



**Disclaimer... apart from the gorgeous Helen of course...

 

How much am I bid

 

Oi, back of the queue.

 

 

Not without good reason...

 

Face





Yes alan you tell em'


If their is anything I can do at all let me know matey, even if it's just laughs and moral support