AV & Media Room Design 
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Posted by Robert Green on June 16, 2007, 3:54 pm
Please log in for more thread options enough, especially when Father Time means less agility and willingness to move around on one's knees or in tight spaces. My next house will need a whole room devoted to PC's, DVD players, etc, etc. Since I'm going to be moving soon, I would like to be more proactive in designing a whole house AV system than in the past, when things just sort of grew together as I acquired them. I envision starting from scratch. About the only specification I know about in advance is that it will have to be a "wheel-friendly" house like a rancher, preferably with a basement, but not necessarily. While I realize the end design will be very closely coupled to the space available, there are certain concerns that are universal. For me, the primary concern is good access. Has anyone turned a large-walk in closet into an AV media room? Was it large enough to allow swing-out or roll out equipment racks? I was also thinking that large "frames" like doors made out of pegboard could divide a room in half so that I could swing them open and access the back panels of the AV gear and provide storage for cables, adapters and other gear. A normal bedroom split in half would work, with the second half of the room a place for an exercise bike or something that could be easily moved to one side of the room to allow a panel to swing open. The biggest problem I see is that a room that had good access to the front and back of the equipment stack would really have to have two doors. Another consideration for me is that my dad (who helps with setting up on occasion) is in a powerchair, and although it's got a pretty narrow turning circle, it needs room. My dad's chair and my new Roomba's gotten me thinking about how important unimpeded access for wheeled devices will be in my future. I'll have to measure the height, but I think the wheelchair arms are I hate the idea of having to give up a whole bedroom-sized room for AV gear but there seems to have been a never-ending parade of new formats and advances that overloaded the garden variety stereo "console" a long, long time ago. I've got CCTV and other AV related gear dispersed throughout the house and when I move I'd like to centralize them. I'll be looking at houses today and I thought I'd pick everyone's brain as to how best design an accessible AV center. Any input would be appreciated. -- Bobby G. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Posted by Oren on June 16, 2007, 4:09 pm
Please log in for more thread options Consider a "Server Rack"; used in network closets. This site** has a three step click and buy (only a pointer link). **Server Racks Online's rack configurator lets you "Click & Design" server racks from leading manufacturers. Build a rack to your specific requirements, and we'll ship the rack you designed! http://www.server-rack-online.com/ -- Oren ..through the use of electrical or duct tape, achieve the configuration in the photo.. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Posted by Robert Green on July 31, 2007, 6:36 am
Please log in for more thread options
<stuff snipped (sorry I've been so late in replying!) >
>> I'll be looking at houses today and I thought I'd pick everyone's brain
as
>>to how best design an accessible AV center.
>> >>Any input would be appreciated. >
> Consider a "Server Rack"; used in network closets. > > This site** has a three step click and buy (only a pointer link). > > **Server Racks Online's rack configurator lets you "Click & Design" > server racks from leading manufacturers. Build a rack to your specific > requirements, and we'll ship the rack you designed! > > http://www.server-rack-online.com/ Thanks, Oren. Since asking that question here and elsewhere, I've come up with a DIY approach with double slotted heavy duty shelving that I think will serve my needs. I'm going to put the "servers" - by which I mean PC's, DVD jukeboxes, etc. in the basement. I've decided to put all of the equipment in an "island" configuration the way some kitchens are designed. That way, there should be "wheel around" access to all the components. This design appealed to me because all the wires could be routed to conduits and wouldn't be lying on the floor where they would interfere with powerchair wheels. Since I've gotten a few floor cleaning bots, cords on the floor are a real show-stopper. The issue I am facing now is the length limits on all the new cable schemes like HDMI and USB. If the server room is just below the living room, I'll be able to route the HDMI and USB cables directly. The plan is to have very little "artifact" in the living room. Right now I envision a remote control, an external single disk DVD player - perhaps even a "slot load" drive that can be built into the wall or into some furniture. With PC based music and video servers, it should be possible to operate nearly everything remotely. The upstairs DVD player could be used to play rental DVDs and disks friends bring over. After fussing with a number of DVD and Tivo-like stand-alone recorders I've given up on them and will build my own video server. Thanks for your input, -- Bobby G. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Posted by Abe on June 16, 2007, 5:35 pm
Please log in for more thread options >I've come to the somewhat sad conclusion that a media closet just isn't big
>enough, especially when Father Time means less agility and willingness to >move around on one's knees or in tight spaces. My next house will need a >whole room devoted to PC's, DVD players, etc, etc. > >Since I'm going to be moving soon, I would like to be more proactive in >designing a whole house AV system than in the past, when things just sort of >grew together as I acquired them. I envision starting from scratch. About >the only specification I know about in advance is that it will have to be a >"wheel-friendly" house like a rancher, preferably with a basement, but not >necessarily. >... >Another consideration for me is that my dad (who helps with setting up on >occasion) is in a powerchair, and although it's got a pretty narrow turning >circle, it needs room. My dad's chair and my new Roomba's gotten me >thinking about how important unimpeded access for wheeled devices will be in >my future. I'll have to measure the height, but I think the wheelchair arms >are >... >I'll be looking at houses today and I thought I'd pick everyone's brain as >to how best design an accessible AV center. I hate to say it, because I usually like to design and build stuff myself, but it sure sounds to me like this is the time in life for you where it might be best to consult an A/V design specialist. A good one will take your requirements (space, access, expandability) and create a plan you can follow for the build. If you find a good one, it'll well be worth the few hundred dollars for the consult. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Posted by Abe on June 16, 2007, 5:39 pm
Please log in for more thread options >I hate to say it, because I usually like to design and build stuff
>myself, but it sure sounds to me like this is the time in life for you >where it might be best to consult an A/V design specialist. A good one >will take your requirements (space, access, expandability) and create >a plan you can follow for the build. > >If you find a good one, it'll well be worth the few hundred dollars >for the consult. You might want to look at this site for some getting started info: http://www.conceptron.com/articles/!article_index.html | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
>enough, especially when Father Time means less agility and willingness to
>move around on one's knees or in tight spaces. My next house will need a
>whole room devoted to PC's, DVD players, etc, etc.
>
>Since I'm going to be moving soon, I would like to be more proactive in
>designing a whole house AV system than in the past, when things just sort of
>grew together as I acquired them. I envision starting from scratch. About
>the only specification I know about in advance is that it will have to be a
>"wheel-friendly" house like a rancher, preferably with a basement, but not
>necessarily.
>
>While I realize the end design will be very closely coupled to the space
>available, there are certain concerns that are universal. For me, the
>primary concern is good access. Has anyone turned a large-walk in closet
>into an AV media room? Was it large enough to allow swing-out or roll out
>equipment racks?
>
>I was also thinking that large "frames" like doors made out of pegboard
>could divide a room in half so that I could swing them open and access the
>back panels of the AV gear and provide storage for cables, adapters and
>other gear. A normal bedroom split in half would work, with the second half
>of the room a place for an exercise bike or something that could be easily
>moved to one side of the room to allow a panel to swing open. The biggest
>problem I see is that a room that had good access to the front and back of
>the equipment stack would really have to have two doors.
>
>Another consideration for me is that my dad (who helps with setting up on
>occasion) is in a powerchair, and although it's got a pretty narrow turning
>circle, it needs room. My dad's chair and my new Roomba's gotten me
>thinking about how important unimpeded access for wheeled devices will be in
>my future. I'll have to measure the height, but I think the wheelchair arms
>are
>
>I hate the idea of having to give up a whole bedroom-sized room for AV gear
>but there seems to have been a never-ending parade of new formats and
>advances that overloaded the garden variety stereo "console" a long, long
>time ago. I've got CCTV and other AV related gear dispersed throughout the
>house and when I move I'd like to centralize them.
>
>I'll be looking at houses today and I thought I'd pick everyone's brain as
>to how best design an accessible AV center.
>
>Any input would be appreciated.