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How do you shop for a hometheater installer ?

post #1 of 35
10/8/09 at 8:11pm
Thread Starter 
What would be the strategeryâ„¢ , I guess is my question.
Based on a brief exchange with this outfit I learned that most - if not all - of my hardware will have to be special-ordered.
Which is another way of saying - full fucking retail $$$$
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post #2 of 35
10/8/09 at 8:29pm
Why not try the forums? I'm sure ppl are desperate for business right now.
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post #3 of 35
10/8/09 at 9:30pm
Look for recommendations on the AVS Forum and also look for ISF (Imaging Science Foundation) trained installers.
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post #4 of 35
10/8/09 at 9:35pm
Thread Starter 
My situation is somewhat peculiar in the following way.
I've got a crew working on site already. Whom I pay a salary.
So there's no fucking around here.
Now suppose I brought over a separate bunch of builders for the purpose of surveying a half-done basement so as to conslult me on what sorta general hometheater layout/gear that would work given my particular case.
Therein lie two problems right there:
1. I'm gonna have to pay full MSRP fo the hardware which would have to be special ordered.
2. Meet whatever generous labor rate they command as I'm not into cutting corners.
When I could source the exact same gear from out-of-state and save thousands of $$$$ in total.
Plus, I've got builders @ my disposal already whose paygrade I'm comfortable with.
Basically, what I'm trying to figure out is what kinda unique - if any - know-how do these hometheater installers possess that can't be replicated by conventional builders.
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post #5 of 35
10/8/09 at 9:51pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Christofuh View Post
My situation is somewhat peculiar in the following way.
I've got a crew working on site already. Whom I pay a salary.
So there's no fucking around here.
Now suppose I brought over a separate bunch of builders for the purpose of surveying a half-done basement so as to conslult me on what sorta general hometheater layout/gear that would work given my particular case.
Therein lie two problems right there:
1. I'm gonna have to pay full MSRP fo the hardware which would have to be special ordered.
2. Meet whatever generous labor rate they command as I'm not into cutting corners.
When I could source the exact same gear from out-of-state and save thousands of $$$$ in total.
Plus, I've got builders @ my disposal already whose paygrade I'm comfortable with.
Basically, what I'm trying to figure out is what kinda unique - if any - know-how do these hometheater installers possess that can't be replicated by conventional builders.

Are you doing a real home theater with a projector and 100"+ screen and everything? The HT guys can do shit like install screens with automatic masking (to black out the parts of the screen not being used for the movie). They can also help you identify ideal screen size for the viewing distance, do things like speaker placements and room treatments based on actual measurements. They'll calibrate stuff for you so that your viewing experience is optimal. They'll do home automation for you if you want it. They'll have experience in making it look like a real theater if you want that too.

A lot of this stuff could be done on your own if you're willing to do your own research. The only thing that would be kinda hard to do really well is the actual building part and the screen masking. There's nothing to stop you from bringing in a guy to consult on certain aspects of it and then going and finding your own gear and having your current builders take care of the rest.
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post #6 of 35
10/9/09 at 12:30am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Christofuh View Post
My situation is somewhat peculiar in the following way.
I've got a crew working on site already. Whom I pay a salary.
So there's no fucking around here.
Now suppose I brought over a separate bunch of builders for the purpose of surveying a half-done basement so as to conslult me on what sorta general hometheater layout/gear that would work given my particular case.
Therein lie two problems right there:
1. I'm gonna have to pay full MSRP fo the hardware which would have to be special ordered.
2. Meet whatever generous labor rate they command as I'm not into cutting corners.
When I could source the exact same gear from out-of-state and save thousands of $$$$ in total.
Plus, I've got builders @ my disposal already whose paygrade I'm comfortable with.
Basically, what I'm trying to figure out is what kinda unique - if any - know-how do these hometheater installers possess that can't be replicated by conventional builders.

Custom home building and HT/Audio room building are two very different skill sets. Some overlap but very different. HT pros who are good must understand acoustics, sound treatments like Acousti-block, special electrical needs, theater design, specialized audio knowledge, and a rapidly changing landscape of video technologies.
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post #7 of 35
10/9/09 at 12:55am
Thread Starter 
You fellas are correct, I hate to say ! Just flew over to AVS and damn near gagged @ the sheer scope of those kinda projects. Room prep, wiring, setting up sound, setting up picture, tweaking, this, that and on and on. Then the issue of bundling right receiver with the right set of speakers. Another thing that bugs me is having to pay top dollar for gear assembled in countries where the locals do their laundry by the river Didn't a lot of rat bastard Brit makers shift production off-shore ? AFAIK anything under $1500 by Marantz/Denon ain't gonna be coming from Japan these days.
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post #8 of 35
10/9/09 at 11:17am
^Don't worry about Chinese manufacturing. They do a great job in the right factory. B&W and Quad I believe now manufacture there but if the supervision is good and the plant is well managed the Chinese can do fantastic work.
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post #9 of 35
10/13/09 at 12:09am
Thread Starter 
Room is 44x24 bare wall 2 bare wall.
For the video I'd probably get 65" Panny Premier plasma (if I could avoid going the freaking projection route ) and BDP-83 player with Anchor Bay chip.
Accessories as usual are the worst rip-off. Audioquest 1m HDMI cable runs $175. WTF ???
Won't be suprised if it comes from the same factory in China whose $12 cables flooded Amazon.
Speaking of which, they list Pio Elite SC-27 @ 30% OFF. I called one local joint about it, and the guy says - I could come down 10% on mine
So far no idea what to get as far as speakers.
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post #10 of 35
10/13/09 at 12:22am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Christofuh View Post
Room is 44x24 bare wall 2 bare wall. For the video I'd probably get 65" Panny Premier plasma (if I could avoid going the freaking projection route ) and BDP-83 player with Anchor Bay chip. Accessories as usual are the worst rip-off. Audioquest 1m HDMI cable runs $175. WTF ??? Won't be suprised if it comes from the same factory in China whose $12 cables flooded Amazon. Speaking of which, they list Pio Elite SC-27 @ 30% OFF. I called one local joint about it, and the guy says - I could come down 10% on mine So far no idea what to get as far as speakers.
I like premium cables and even I think HDMI cable pricing is a ripoff. I saw a test that said Belkin's gold series is just as good as anything. If it was analog I could understand a bit more but HDMI is a digital signal.
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post #11 of 35
10/13/09 at 12:31am
Thread Starter 
What are your thoughts on PSB and Paradigm speakers ?
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post #12 of 35
10/13/09 at 1:31am
can someone pm me a link to this AVS forum? Thanks
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post #13 of 35
10/13/09 at 10:38am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Christofuh View Post
Room is 44x24 bare wall 2 bare wall.
For the video I'd probably get 65" Panny Premier plasma (if I could avoid going the freaking projection route ) and BDP-83 player with Anchor Bay chip.
Accessories as usual are the worst rip-off. Audioquest 1m HDMI cable runs $175. WTF ???
Won't be suprised if it comes from the same factory in China whose $12 cables flooded Amazon.
Speaking of which, they list Pio Elite SC-27 @ 30% OFF. I called one local joint about it, and the guy says - I could come down 10% on mine
So far no idea what to get as far as speakers.

65" is too small! Get a projector.
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post #14 of 35
10/13/09 at 11:47am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Christofuh View Post
What are your thoughts on PSB and Paradigm speakers ?

Both good brands. Good value for the dollar. If you can do Paradigm Signature then that is best but I don't know how much budget you have.

My other general advice is to make sure you have good acoustics. If you get that right then everything will sound better...almost everything.
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post #15 of 35
10/15/09 at 8:35pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Artisan Fan View Post
but I don't know how much budget you have


Thank you for the Q
I used to have a fairly respectable budget set aside for HT.
Key words: used to...
Then a month ago I was informed that "we needed" an indoor self-cleaning pool with retractable cover and all the rest of it.
Figure an easy $50K right there.
Now I'm told "we also need" a musical fountain in the driveway which announces a visitor pulled up to the front door by playing a bit from La Traviata (or whatever the fuck).
Now take a guess which fund will be tapped into for those projects ?
So now I'm reduced to chasing bargains on Pio Elite and Paradigm Signature gear.
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