Do you have a central area for your Home Theater Components?

[Kelemvor]

We're rearranging our basement and I was thinking about putting in some sort of media rack type thing to house all of our electronic equipment. It would mainly have the Tuner, DVD Player, VCR, CD Player, etc all in one area that was in a closet or something and not taking up space by the TV.

Just wondering how many other people have a setup like this or if you just have your components right by the TV they are hooked up to.

I guess having them separate could mean I could eventually get some splitters and such to have them play to multiple TVs but I don't know that I have a need for that right now. I'd be doing this just to keep the clutter down so the TV can be on a stand by itself and not have the other stuff there too.

 

[sdifox]

I have a big rack for the components. IF you are going to build like in wall shelf units, keep in mind cable space and cooling requirements

This really depends on your layout, better design it now before you start framing.

 

[pennylane]

I have the receiver separate from the rest so it stays cool. It's under the TV (the TV has no stand... just a mini-coffee table that's top of cinder blocks to elevate it to a good height---I'm in college, give me a break).

If you're like me and you mess around with the back of the receiver fairly often, it's good to have the space to be able to get in there and mess around. And please please please be mindful of the cooling requirements of the devices.

The rest of my stuff is pretty DIY because I don't have fancy resources, so it probably won't help you much. They're all close to the TV, between my front left and front right speakers.

On the left side is my DVD player, with the cable box on top of it (the cable box needs ventilation).

On the right is my xbox and PS2.

 

[Kelemvor]

I wouldn't be really building a rack, would just possibly be putting some shelves in a closet that's already there or something like that so no framing and such needed. Just have to figure out the best place to put them. Cabling should be nice since it's a standard drop ceiling so I can run that cables anywhere I'd like.

 

[MustISO]

I have an audio rack near the TV.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Stand at the side of the room (projector behind the seating)

 

[sdifox]

putting it in the closet would require you to leave the door open or you can't control the components with remote. Yes, there are remote extenders, but given the lack of depth, you can't control all of your components with one extender. Also you still need to stick the dvd in somehow. My rack is at the side of the room, projector at middle of room.

 

[funboy6942]

I have all my stuff right next to me by my recliner on a coffee table. I used to do the traditional thing placing the stuff in the front of the room but it is a hassle for me now with my problems, plus the cords dont really reach to all players. Now that it is all by the seats, all cords reach (we play games and movies for family nights), and its all within a arms reach so no need for remotes and use of batteries.

 

[royaldank]

I'm in the process of setting this up. I'm installing a new plasma on the wall in the living room. Cables and stuff will be run behind it to a laundry room. No visible cords or cables. I've got an RF relay that will take care of the remotes.

Walking an extra 10 feet to insert a DVD is no big deal for me. I'm running extra cables for all the inputs, so adding components will be pretty painless. Just hook it up to an available set of cables.

One thing that I was late realizing is that the 360 and PS2/3 both have proprietary cables so I had to buy another set of each of those. I wont be gaming much (if at all) on this set, but I wanted to option just in case.

 

[sdifox]

Originally posted by: royaldank
I'm in the process of setting this up. I'm installing a new plasma on the wall in the living room. Cables and stuff will be run behind it to a laundry room. No visible cords or cables. I've got an RF relay that will take care of the remotes.

Walking an extra 10 feet to insert a DVD is no big deal for me. I'm running extra cables for all the inputs, so adding components will be pretty painless. Just hook it up to an available set of cables.

One thing that I was late realizing is that the 360 and PS2/3 both have proprietary cables so I had to buy another set of each of those. I wont be gaming much (if at all) on this set, but I wanted to option just in case.

why do you have to buy another set? just hook up the cable from the game console to your receiver. Unless the cable is not long enough, then you get cable that is male on one end and female in the other, or use a gender changer.

Hopefully you got enough breathing room for that plasma. Heat dissipation is paramount.

 

[royaldank]

I need another set because I'm routing them through the wall to another room. Thus, if I bring a console upstairs and put it on the plasma, I can't run the cables through the walls (not a straight shot). That would be until I get a video switching receiver a year or two from now and go more high tech, possibly with a media room dishing out everything around the house.

Now that I'm thinking again, I suppose there might be extenders for the cables? Run regular components to the inputs, but have a male to male adapter on the ends? Not sure those exist at this point, but I'll check on it this weekend. I'm still about 2 or 3 weeks from hanging it and doing the work. Doing the recommended 100 hours of break in before having my buddy calibrate it with his fancy machines. At that point, I'll run the cables, repair the walls, hang the plasma on a wall mount, and be good to go. We are set to paint a few weeks after finishing.

 

[Quasmo]

http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/Quasmo/HTPCTable003.jpg

Mine

 

[sdifox]

Originally posted by: royaldank
I need another set because I'm routing them through the wall to another room. Thus, if I bring a console upstairs and put it on the plasma, I can't run the cables through the walls (not a straight shot). That would be until I get a video switching receiver a year or two from now and go more high tech, possibly with a media room dishing out everything around the house.

Now that I'm thinking again, I suppose there might be extenders for the cables? Run regular components to the inputs, but have a male to male adapter on the ends? Not sure those exist at this point, but I'll check on it this weekend. I'm still about 2 or 3 weeks from hanging it and doing the work. Doing the recommended 100 hours of break in before having my buddy calibrate it with his fancy machines. At that point, I'll run the cables, repair the walls, hang the plasma on a wall mount, and be good to go. We are set to paint a few weeks after finishing.

Huh? Your plasma is upstairs, but your sound system is downstairs? so why not just hook up the console to the plasma directly? I am getting confused. I thought it was all going in the same room?




Component coupler if you want to use that. If you can, install in-wall fire rated cables and terminate on a wall plate with female jacks.

http://www.monoprice.com/products/produ...040107&p_id=3002&seq=1&format=2&style=

 

[markgm]

All of the electronics are under the stairs, projector above the seats, in the wall wiring FTW.