"Infrastructure" for Home Cinema setup?

[dlockers]

Hi folks,

I am constructing a 3.5x6m garden room. One of the 3.5m walls is dedicated to TV. I am not a mega audiophile, but I may be in the fullness of time as priorities shift . I am at the first fix stage of electrics. Is there anything I should do specifically to prep for a proper amp/speaker setup with regard to terminating speaker wires in the walls or ceilings etc?

I don't want to go OTT but the cost of getting some termination points in now is probably under 50 quid, vs. retrofitting later, or god forbid, trailing cables/trunking.

Thanks!

 

[hornetstinger]

Enough wall mounted speaker terminals for a speaker in the future, plan ahead, ie 9.4.4 or something like that.
Enough power sockets on the wall, dedicated line. Nearby power socket, and RCA/XLR cable runs for future extra subwoofers. Cabloin

Projector mount/cabling.

inwall or in floor trunking for video cables, as HDMI standards change HDMI cables go out of date so you want to replace them easily

What sort of system are you aiming for? 5.1, 5.1.2, 5.2.2, 7.1, 7.1.2, 7.2.4?

 

[dlockers]

Enough wall mounted speaker terminals for a speaker in the future, plan ahead, ie 9.4.4 or something like that.
Enough power sockets on the wall, dedicated line. Nearby power socket, and RCA/XLR cable runs for future extra subwoofers. Cabloin

Projector mount/cabling.

inwall or in floor trunking for video cables, as HDMI standards change HDMI cables go out of date so you want to replace them easily

What sort of system are you aiming for? 5.1, 5.1.2, 5.2.2, 7.1, 7.1.2, 7.2.4?

I'll need to do a bit more research, but probably 5.1. The space isn't big enough to totally subsume as a cinema room (it is a home office really).

Thanks for the checklist, helpful!

 

[Sinbad2000]

Ceiling speaker wiring for Atmos

 

[jaybee]

If you have the space/thickness (will check back into your outbuilding thread soon) then I always say where possible to run nice thick/wide/deep trunking to everything. Leave some cheap cable/string in the ducts for each run you do, so you can re-pull other stuff through in the future. I've left some of the individual strands of cat5 in some of my ducting for this very reason. Just an idea.

 

[dlockers]

If you have the space/thickness (will check back into your outbuilding thread soon) then I always say where possible to run nice thick/wide/deep trunking to everything. Leave some cheap cable/string in the ducts for each run you do, so you can re-pull other stuff through in the future. I've left some of the individual strands of cat5 in some of my ducting for this very reason. Just an idea.

It's a good shout - but isn't speaker just speaker wire? Without getting into Monster Cable shenanigans? At least that's how I remember car audio!

 

[jaybee]

Yeah I'm just saying when I've channelled out walls and stuff, as much as I try to think of everything that will ever need to go in there like 2 x Cat 6, 3 x HDMIs, power, etc.... as said above, HDMI cables go out of date and/or even break. I always seem to need to do re-pulls years down the line.

 

[dlockers]

Yeah I'm just saying when I've channelled out walls and stuff, as much as I try to think of everything that will ever need to go in there like 2 x Cat 6, 3 x HDMIs, power, etc.... as said above, HDMI cables go out of date and/or even break. I always seem to need to do re-pulls years down the line.

Yeah makes sense - although for my CAT6, I am fully committed to that standard never improving . HDMI for sure though.

I am not sure about wall mounting the TV yet, as I may have a bunch of retro consoles and bits, meaning a TV stand is a requirement no matter what. Although maybe I will wall mount it and run a trunk...hmmm. Too much brain power for a Monday!

 

[hornetstinger]

Good idea to have demo of a few systems, see if you want some floor, on wall or in wall speakers. ie you may want MTM bookshelves for LCR but because of room limitations, on wall/inwall for side/surrounds.

Could be worthwhile looking at 5.1.2 in smaller room, with in ceiling or heights.

 

[GIBURROWS]

Hi folks,

I am constructing a 3.5x6m garden room. One of the 3.5m walls is dedicated to TV. I am not a mega audiophile, but I may be in the fullness of time as priorities shift . I am at the first fix stage of electrics. Is there anything I should do specifically to prep for a proper amp/speaker setup with regard to terminating speaker wires in the walls or ceilings etc?

I don't want to go OTT but the cost of getting some termination points in now is probably under 50 quid, vs. retrofitting later, or god forbid, trailing cables/trunking.

Thanks!

Make up a fake company and print receipts for all the stuff you buy at a cost your other half won't flip out over!

 

[Ayahuasca]

plan ahead, ie 9.4.4 or something like that.

Don't forget your port plugs OP!

 

[Buffman]

At the rear I'd make sure to drop some 6mm cable or similar in for future rears if 5.1. At the front you might be OK dependent on what media unit you have.

Can pick up the terminations on a junction e.g. Below or a brushed plate

 

[dlockers]

That's very smart...makes me wish I'd asked the Q before I did the living room, lol.

 

[hornetstinger]

Have a look here at some speaker options.

Dolby Atmos Speaker Setup Guides

Browse our wide-range of Dolby Atmos speaker step-by-step setup guides to find the best speaker placement and configuration for your home theater.

www.dolby.com

 

[dlockers]

3.1.2 looks simplest to achieve - the rear of the sofa essentially lands on a 3m bifold door. Am I massively compromised if I do that?

 

[Buffman]

3.1.2 looks simplest to achieve - the rear of the sofa essentially lands on a 3m bifold door. Am I massively compromised if I do that?

You'd probably be better with a good 2.1 set up in that case imo.