Contracting Opportunity

audioferret · « **on:** 4 Apr 2006, 03:13 pm »

Greetings,

I have an interestng opportunity that I need help with. I am in the National Guard and have been asked to help automate our classroom.

Our building has a large classroom that needs to be turned into a muti-media system. The room seats 157 people in 14 rows. Each row consists of a countertop-style desk with chairs attached beneath it, each capable of independant rotation. The front of the classroom is about 60' wide and the rear is about 90' wide. The front is flat while the rear has a convex shape to aid in acoustics. The ceiling begins at 10' in the front and elevates to about 15' in the rear of the classroom.

The classroom already has a large whiteboard permenantly mounted to the front wall. There is also a 9' retractable projection screen that is automated from a switch in the front of the room. There are two storage rooms behind the front wall that can be used to hold equipment. Each are about 15'x9'.

The objective is to build a "Home Theatre" style setup. The purose is to facilitate classroom instruction as well as enable the room to be used for entertainment. The entertainment part is importatnt because Morale and Welfare Money is being used for this purpose.

From my own experience, I have not tackled anything of this size before and need suggestions on equipment. I also need to find a contractor who can provide all of the requirements in on bid. Budget is capped at $5,000.

What I need to do now is identify small businesses in Colorado that I can request estimates from. My current list only includes Cherry Creek Audio and AV123. My limitations are:

1. Must be sourced through one contractor.
2. Must be a small business (No Big Box Stores)
3. Requirements include a projector, receiver, 5.1 speaker setup, DVD player, Cables, and wiring.
4. Receiver should be able to process input from a computer so that we can use the classroom for internet-based instruction as well as use Microsoft office tools.

I'll stop now. What are your thoughts on contractors and equipment?

MaxCast · « **Reply #1 on:** 4 Apr 2006, 04:10 pm »

In a room that large, wouldn't you want 7.1? I think Carver has a 9.1 receiver??

audioferret · « **Reply #2 on:** 4 Apr 2006, 05:21 pm »

There will be few opportunities to use the rear channels of a 7.1 processor, so I was thinking of using the 6th and 7th channels of the amplifier to simply spread the soundstage back. There are 14 rows of seating afterall!

Also, a carver amp will probably blow the budget...

cowanrg · « **Reply #3 on:** 4 Apr 2006, 06:02 pm »

i can definately do that.

ive done commercial stuff before. email me directly with the details. im back in town.

or, i can just give you a call later on.

Al Garay · « **Reply #4 on:** 4 Apr 2006, 06:11 pm »

Your requirements are not hard. The installation and cabling is not difficult. You should try to get that donated. There are enough good folks in your area with experience to offer a couple of hours to do the cabling.

Limiting yourself to one source is also keeping you from getting good deals.

For example, a quick look at Costco (where their satisfaction guarantee warranty is real):

Receiver: Denon AVR-3805 $879.99
http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=10047644&whse=BC&topnav=&browse=&s=1

Projector: Panasonic PT-AE900U $1,999.99
http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11110043&whse=BC&topnav=&browse=

DVD player: OppoDigital OPDV971H $199 (as good as any under $1k)
http://www.oppodigital.com/

About $3,100 thus far (minus tax and shipping). Leaving you with $1,900 for speakers and cabling from AV123 or Axiom or AthenaTechnologies from AudioAdvisor.

If it has to be one source, talk with Wayne at Bolder Cable. He should be able to take care of you.

Al

audioferret · « **Reply #5 on:** 4 Apr 2006, 07:25 pm »

I wish I could go to multiple sources! I could really put together a killer system on this budget...

However, U.S. fiscal law requires one complete purchase. We have to creat e the requirement as one setup, not a series of purchases. So, by law, I am required to use one contractor - even if all he does is order the components from tose same sources and then install them....

Thus, we end up paying for installation and product markup. If it were me, I would go with:

699 Outlaw Audio 970 PrePro
699 Outlaw Audio 1075 7 Channel Amp
250 Klipsh Snergy C-3 center Channel
250/pr Klipsh Synergy B-3 Bookshelf Speakers (6 ea.)
550 SVS PC-25 Cylinder Subwoofer
1090 Optoma H31 projector
369 Denon 1920 universal DVD Player
= $4309, leaving plenty of room for mounting brackets, cables, and labor

The high-efficiency speakers will work well with 75 wpc and the outlaw would provide plenty of power with them crossed over at 80hz.

I would like to store all of the equipment in a side room so soldiers don't mess with it. Would repeater (IR/RF) serve this purpose? It could be routed through the wall and mounted next to the screen. With on-monitor display, this would work out well.

Al Garay · « **Reply #6 on:** 4 Apr 2006, 08:22 pm »

If that's the setup you want, you should search for a local shop that supports you. I gotta believe Wayne should be able to help you.

If he can't, contact Kevin Haskins from www.diycable.com. See if he can act as the central contractor.

Good luck,

Al

audioferret · « **Reply #7 on:** 11 Apr 2006, 05:08 pm »

Does anyone have an Infocus 4805 or Optoma H31 that I could test in our auditorium to see how well it performs? I am tying to see where the budget needs to be adjusted and need to know whether more should be placed towards projector or receiver.

Thanks,
-Will