Dimensions of custom A/V rack?

[Aharami]

I will be building an A/V rack under my stairs approx in the section marked in red. wires will be going up to the ceiling to my (future) projector

I will be moving around the two studs in question to make room for a box that will house all my AV equipment. I'm thinking of making the box 2' deep, but I'm not sure how wide or tall to make the box. The only AV equipment I'll have initially will be a receiver, cable box, blu-ray player, my WDTV Live / or maybe a HTPC. But I'd also like to leave room for future upgrades (amps/PS3/XBOX/etc).

I'm thinking 2 columns, 4 rows each with slide out trays. Make each row 20"x8"x2' (WxHxD) thus making the entire box around 40"x32"x2' (WxHxD). The front of the A/V rack will have a swing out glass door with a magnetic latch attachment.

Just to give you an idea, this is what I envision my basement to be eventually

What do you think about the rack and also about my speaker/projector placement, or overall general plans? I'm not sure about the seating now. I might do two rows of 2 seats with a riser, but my ceiling height is 7'...so not sure about the riser. Projector will either be a Panny 4000U or Epson 8500UB, and will be ceiling mounted. I'm still debating sub-woofer placement.

 

[vi edit]

I'm doing one of these for networking & "true" rack mounted equipment
http://www.customavrack.com/Category/319-kendall-howard-v-line-wall-mount-racks.aspx

And then next to it I've got a framed up space that's about 20" wide by 30" tall and about 20" deep. In the back of the framing I'll mount a couple of the "quick track" rail systems from rubbermaid that are $4 a piece at Home Depot. The snap in shelf hangers are about $2 a piece. You can get black laminate shelving for them for about $3 each. I don't see a lot of value in the sliding shelves, especially if you have good access from the back.

With the rail system I use, I've got good flexibility in shelf height. Fixing it to 8" might be too tight, if not impossible with the size of some receivers and amps.

 

[Aharami]

that's a good idea about the adjustable height shelves. I dunno what the quick track rail system looks like. I'll check it out on my way back home. Can you provide a picture of your framing, vi?

 

[Exterous]

I'm doing one of these for networking & "true" rack mounted equipment
http://www.customavrack.com/Category/319-kendall-howard-v-line-wall-mount-racks.aspx

And then next to it I've got a framed up space that's about 20" wide by 30" tall and about 20" deep. In the back of the framing I'll mount a couple of the "quick track" rail systems from rubbermaid that are $4 a piece at Home Depot. The snap in shelf hangers are about $2 a piece. You can get black laminate shelving for them for about $3 each. I don't see a lot of value in the sliding shelves, especially if you have good access from the back.

With the rail system I use, I've got good flexibility in shelf height. Fixing it to 8" might be too tight, if not impossible with the size of some receivers and amps.

I will be doing almost the exact same thing. I got a great idea for the fronts that I fully intend to shamlessly borrow from this thread:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=990179

(the description starts at post #12)

Mine will also be 20" deep but I think the framed out space is 3 or 4' tall. Thats for a cable box, blu ray, power center, receiver, HTPC and Server with room to add more if need be.

I've got a 48 port switch that I will probably be lazy and just mount off to the side on some plywood

 

[Exterous]

Here is a picture of my rack's stud framing. Basically I made it very similar to a window frame:

 

[vi edit]

Here's the twin track I'm talking about:
http://www.homedepot.com/Decor-Shelv...atalogId=10053

You can get them in 4' height too.

Here's my built-in stub out. (with bonus shot of my butt!)
http://cid-e46bb480e134a82a.photos.live.com/self.aspx/house/Wiring/IMG^_4568.JPG

Network rack is stubbed in to the right of it. The Rubbermaid track rails will run on the 2x4's I have on the back side of the framed in area on the left.

 

[Aharami]

great info. Thanks guys. And awesome link Exterous, although I doubt I can make mine look THAT good!

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

I only have one suggestion. If possible, you may want to move the rack location over a bit so you can raise it off of the floor a couple of feet, particularly if your basement is prone to water intrusion.

 

[Aharami]

I only have one suggestion. If possible, you may want to move the rack location over a bit so you can raise it off of the floor a couple of feet, particularly if your basement is prone to water intrusion.

that's a good suggestion, but I already got that covered. I have a pretty dry basement since it's a walkout basement (my property sits on a slope and the rear half of the basement walls are exposed). But I already laid down platon moisture barrier and 3/4" OSB subfloor on top of that. 2x4 framing will bring up the rack another couple inches. So the lowest component will be sitting atleast 3-4" above the concrete floor.

I could move it over to the left more, thus lifting it a couple feet, but that would mean that I have to use longer than a 25' HDMI cable to the projector. Already got a 25' cable :\

 

[sdifox]

never mind, wrong tab/thread.

 

[slashbinslashbash]

IMO you've got a great-looking setup there. Be sure to leave some provision for accessing the back of the cabinet. Personally I would get a longer HDMI cable so I could raise the cabinet up to waist/eye level -- 3 to 6 feet, and put it in the back wall. That way if you ever have to do a lot of connection work you are not stuck on your hands and knees bending under the stairs the whole time.

You've got a pretty big room, so you might want to go with 2 subs. One front right corner, one rear left corner. Or one on each side wall.