The HT is about 90% complete (in my mind)! This PLOG tracks the final touches, including...

• Creating a "muffler" chamber for my remote blower to reduce fan/air noise - DONE!
• Replacing the silly ZoomPlayer splash screen - DONE!
• Building an audio/HTPC rack that reduces HTPC noise and hum - DONE!
• Rebuild center channel speaker to improve imaging/sound - DONE!
• Upgrading my BO cloth screen to something brighter - DONE!
• Upgrading the HTPC receiver to a Sony ES - IN PROGRESS!
• Relocate the "movie" external HD to further reduce drive noise
• Configuring a master remote control for HTPC, receiver, LCD, and X10?
• Revisiting the 22" triplet
• Installing sound absorbing foam in HTPC closet
• Building a filter/fan for the HTPC Sony ES receiver
• Exploring audio improvements: rear surrounds
• Whatever else I think of along the way

Creating a "muffler" chamber for my remote blower to reduce fan/air noise

So I gave up on trying to slow down my micro-hood fan with dimmers and ceiling fan switches. They'd only burn out my fan motor. I found a smaller bath fan (50cfm) for only 13$ at HD, so I figured I'd give it a whirl. I installed the fan facing my insulation material (batting from Joann's) and built a small muffler chamber, and filled it with the same batting. I also replaced as much of my 3" foil venting running from the blower box to my PJ with standard vinyl rain gutters. I slapped the blower box back into place and...

SWEET! It runs SUPER quiet - just a little louder than my Dell HTPC! And the PJ still stays cool...

- fan on and PJ bulb off = 55F at lcd panel
- fan on and PJ bulb on = 60F at lcd panel

But, now that the PJ is quieter, I can hear my external HD fans humming away I guess that's next on the list?

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From my experience the hardest thing to keep quiet during movies is kids. If you figure that one out let me know!

Excellent work on the rest of your setup though!

LOL! So true. Maybe that's why they sell such large popcorn containers at the movie theaters?


Thanks. I appreciate that. BTW - Waiting for more pics of your super clean build!

Replacing the silly ZoomPlayer splash screen

OK - I'm sick as a dog and too tired to build anything, but I did manage to find a few calibration test images as well as the QuickGamma app. I ran through the basic adjustments and am happy with the results. I was a little bored and realized I had never changed the silly Zoomplayer splash - which doesn't even match my WXGA panel aspect ratio - so I flipped through some of my old graphics and came up with this. LOL! My poor family...

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Building an audio/HTPC rack that reduces HTPC noise and hum

So it's been a while since I've touched the HT. I guess my Summer home projects have kept me way too busy! I did manage to piece together a quieter rack - based on standing pole. It contacts the closet wall less than my previous shelf, which really reduces noise from the HTPC/external HD's - and it still leaves space for a hamper below

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Rebuild center channel speaker to improve imaging/sound

I took a few hours yesterday to finally rebuild my center channel speaker. It's been bugging me for a while. The Polk speaker components are ok, but the "box" was too small and it sounded "tinny". The new box is a bit larger and it's located ABOVE the screen. Since my left/right speakers remain BELOW the screen, the new setup seems to create better imaging.

Next up - painting with pearl?

Upgrading my BO cloth screen to something brighter

So I've decided to paint my BO cloth screen rather than resurfacing it with 4x8 panels until I understand what I'm getting myself into. Resurfacing would also involve beefing up my screen mounts so I'll have to revisit this. I have a feeling I'll be painting for awhile

Paints
Basically, I created a white base with Kilz primer covered with Behr UPW 4850. The remaining top coats are experiments using the "pearl coat" (1q Behr Poly 780 + 2oz Folkart Pearlizing Medium) and adding various other pearl and metallic silver paints until I'm happy with the brightness AND my blacks. Each day I'd try a little more this or that and test it out that night.

Application
I ended up hand brushing all coats. I started with a roller, but found it far to difficult as the unsupported areas of BOC didn't provide enough resistance to take paint from the roller evenly. As long as I worked quickly and finished with long strokes in the same direction (horizontal), it seemed to work ok. Once I resurface with panels, I'll be able to use a roller

Results
Pretty good improvement over my original BOC. Overall, I'm pleased and quite surprised how I can tinker with my brightness, colors, and blacks in this process. Next time around, I'd like to push the limits of hotspotting and maybe improve my blacks even more.

Upgrading my receiver to a Sony ES

11.13.2008
Arrrrgh! So I finally got an old Sony DA50ES receiver from my buddy in great condition! I installed the monster (vertically with power supply on top) and got everything hooked up - only to spend the next 48 hours trying to get DolbyDigital via the digital coax input. I tried all my audio decoders to get SPDIF passthrough with DD but I'm not sure my old Audigy card can actually output more than 2 channel PCM. I confirmed the receiver is not the issue by hooking up my DVD player on same coax input (it sounded great BTW).

My old receiver (a Philips) SEEMED to be decoding "digital input" just fine, but then again, it was a cheap receiver Could I really have been THAT drunk EVERY time I watched a movie?

I started shopping for a new sound card, but it looks like I'll have to spend some money Based on buyer reviews, a lot of the cheaper sound cards falsely state SPDIF passthru capabilities...

Arrrgh!