[mcgsxr]

Well, I will own up.  There is no spare breaker, and there is no incorrect wiring.  There IS however, a user that could use a little more training!

A more thorough review of the wiring revealed that what changed was simple.  During the build, my sparky connected one of the breakers to ensure I would have power all the time.  For the final wiring, he changed up what that breaker does.  So, all is well with the media closet.

I see that 4 of my 5 dedicated outlets are on the same side of the box too, I will use those for gear connected to each other, to hopefully avoid hum.

There are open spots on my main panel (about 6) thanks to the dedicated pony panel with the 8 circuits for the HT.

A pic below of the trim in and painted.



Here is a closer shot of the grill over the sub.  I found some close to matching grill cloth at a local fabric store, and built up a 1x3 frame to staple it over.  Hides the 2x12's and the port well.  Once the small built in cabinet is here and painted, I will have casing type trim added all around both the grill, and the cabinet, so it will get visually cleaned up in the end.



Lastly, here is a shot of the NIB Paradigm ADP-190 V6's I picked up cheap.  These will be my surrounds.  Should match the Paradigm Cinema 330 front stage well.

[Bob in St. Louis]

I see that 4 of my 5 dedicated outlets are on the same side of the box too, I will use those for gear connected to each other, to hopefully avoid hum.

I heard that some CB boxes are hardwired where every other breaker is the "other" leg (other side of the box).
If that's true, then you've just about got half on one leg and half on the other.

[bearman2]

  Bob that is quite true because when you snap in a double breaker for 220 you need both legs. If they did not alternate you would have to put one breaker on one side and the other breaker on the other side to acheive 220.  Mcgsxr, your new room is looking quite nice, do enjoy.

[Bob in St. Louis]

OK, cool. Thanks fo rthe confimation Bearman.
So yea Mark, when you're plugging in your audio goodies, remember that breakers that are directly next to each other (vertically) are on opposite legs.

[mcgsxr]

Spent the AM assembling the IKEA cabinets that will be the built ins next to the pool table.  Using 2 24 inch base cabinets tied together.  Still trying to decide if I like 4 1 foot doors, or 2 2 foot doors visually.

Thanks for the advice about the breakers, I will use the plugs accordingly.

I understand that those next to each other vertically are on opposite legs.

Does that translate horizontally too?  My box layout is as per below, 1-4 on one side, then 5-8 beside them.

1       5
2       6
3       7
4       8

So 1 and 3 are on the same leg.  And 2 and 4 are together on the other leg.

What about 4 and 8?

[Bob in St. Louis]

1       5
2       6
3       7
4       8

So 1 and 3 are on the same leg.  And 2 and 4 are together on the other leg.

What about 4 and 8?

I'll say "Yes" on the 1-3 and 2-4, that's what I've come to learn with my limited knowledge and what Bearman said.
As far as 4-8....um.....I'd assume so??? 

[ctviggen]

Spent the AM assembling the IKEA cabinets that will be the built ins next to the pool table.  Using 2 24 inch base cabinets tied together.  Still trying to decide if I like 4 1 foot doors, or 2 2 foot doors visually.

Thanks for the advice about the breakers, I will use the plugs accordingly.

I understand that those next to each other vertically are on opposite legs.

Does that translate horizontally too?  My box layout is as per below, 1-4 on one side, then 5-8 beside them.

1       5
2       6
3       7
4       8

So 1 and 3 are on the same leg.  And 2 and 4 are together on the other leg.

What about 4 and 8?

Just test with a voltmeter.  I ran two 20 amp breakers to my equipment panel.  I ran them on the same phase, to avoid the possibility of hum from ground loops (though I haven't tested them on different phases to see what would happen).  I also ran isolated ground and used cryogenically treated isolated ground outlets (and I cryoed the wire I ran from the panel to the outlets).

[mcgsxr]

Carpet goes in tomorrow, and thus ends the major construction of the main room.

I am working through the mess in the utility area, and have installed more shelves and racks this week.  Soon it will be close to organized in there.  Looking forward to getting the other 1/2 of my garage back too, need to get the Thunderbird out by end of April.

One sticking point for me in the basement is the display.  I am saddened that I did not plan better and pick up a 60 earlier - all the U series 60 Panasonics are gone, and here in Canada a GT 60 runs about $600 more.  I am really frustrated that all the new models are 3D, ARC etc and cost way more than the outgoing plain 1080p units.

I may cave and buy a 55 LED Panasonic, and move my 55 VT30 plasma from the main floor to the basement.  I wanted a 60 down there, but it may come to this.

[mcgsxr]

Carpet is in.  Paint touch ups are done.  The balance of the built in cabinets to arrive Tuesday, last of the trim work late this week.

Working on consolidating my music library, and movie library onto a new 2TB drive.

Still need to get all the AV gear into the house, I have all on site now other than the blu ray player, and the display.  I am hopeful to find the last of the U50 60 inch Panny Plasmas somewhere in Toronto, but may have to settle for a Samsung 5300 60 inch.

[mcgsxr]

Recent focus has been on painting the built in cabinets to get them installed.  This Friday, the rest of the trim will go in around the built ins.

Pool table light is back up.  Looking forward to Monday, when the table gets rehab'd and rebuilt.

Here is a pic of my daughters horsing around in the hole in the wall!  Followed by the AV built in now in there.  Then a quick shot of the pool table built ins.  The quartz countertop for that will be ready this week too -  but the 1/2 inch MDF is so nice for now!

[Bob in St. Louis]

Pool table light is back up.  Looking forward to Monday, when the table gets rehab'd and rebuilt.

I am not a pool table rebuilder, nor do I play one on TV.....But from my (limited) experience with a 4'x9' (3 piece slate, 1" thick), I would recommend the table sit on the new carpet for a couple months before I got super accurate with the leveling aspect.

In my last house, I rushed the leveling and "matching" of the pieces of slate on my table after installing it over new carpet. I took that (damn) felt off a couple times in order to straighten things up. I can only attribute it to the settling caused by the new carpet.
Must have gone through 5000 staples. 

But I could be wrong.

Bob

[MaxCast]

Looking good. Not too much longer now. I remember the day I turned it on and sat down 

[mcgsxr]

Getting there, and reviewing the starting pics helps me keep going.

Hopefully the fact that the pool table has been in place for over a week (bed and slate put together last week, final assembly tomorrow) will limit settling.  I can live with a relevel a year later.

I sat down there last night listening to my old radio, and touching up stuff, looking forward to chilling down there during hockey playoffs. 

More pics with more progress as it happens. 

[ctviggen]

Recent focus has been on painting the built in cabinets to get them installed.  This Friday, the rest of the trim will go in around the built ins.

Pool table light is back up.  Looking forward to Monday, when the table gets rehab'd and rebuilt.

Here is a pic of my daughters horsing around in the hole in the wall!  Followed by the AV built in now in there.  Then a quick shot of the pool table built ins.  The quartz countertop for that will be ready this week too -  but the 1/2 inch MDF is so nice for now!

That's funny!  When I put in a closet organizer in our coat closet, as soon as I was done, our daughter climbed inside.  She used it for a few days to play with her toys.  It had a shelf right at the bottom she could climb on. 

It's looking great!

[mcgsxr]

Thanks guys, this has been a fun adventure, and appreciate the ideas and support along the way.

Shout out to AC member eg1 for the help installing the cabinets over the weekend.

I managed to locate a Panasonic U50 60 inch plasma near me.  Will be here on the weekend.  Bought a Samsung 5100 blu ray player too.  Soon there will be reason to have posted this in the HT Circle!

[mcgsxr]

A teaser pic to showcase the progress.

The 60 Panny is up.  All on wall speakers are up.  The Harmony 900 and I are going through the teething together.

Getting there now!  Not loving using my old listening chair, but for now it beats sitting on the floor!

[Bob in St. Louis]

That'll work. looking good Mark. 

[mcgsxr]

After somewhere around 4 months, the basement is now functionally complete, and somewhat setup.

In time, more and better furniture will migrate down there, but for the moment this stuff will have to do. 

So many thanks to the members of AC who responded along the way with insights, ideas, answers and all of whom helped me crowdsource a satisfying family "rec room".  I have seen pics of the beautiful dedicated rooms, and other installs here in our Gallery's but this build was about creating a place for the girls to hang out, and Daddy to play pool.  The combo works well.

It is not as sonically satisfying from a 2 channel perspective, compared to the OB setup I used in the past, but I will move to headphones for such explorations now.

The 5.1 is up and running well, still learning about some of the more complex capabilities of the Pioneer receiver (there are deep MCACC and other EQ settings to determine the value of), the Samsung blu ray works well, the Panasonic U50 is great (not a smart TV or a 3D piece, but I have that upstairs on the VT30 anyway).  The mcgsxr sized 2x12 DIY subwoofer is doing everything I would hope it would, and buried in the wall behind a grill it takes up no space.  All the speakers are wall mounted, and it helps keep the room family friendly.

The media closet is fantastic.  All the dedicated lines I could ask for are in there, and it is so satisfying to close the door on the nest of wires and not have to see any of it!  The girls are adapting to the Logitech 900, using the 880 on the main floor has made that pretty simple.

The pool table has been "restored" with new cloth, rubbers in the rails, and cloth on the rails.  It is playing very well, and I think that setting it up a week before having the pro come in and do all that work, and level it, was worth the effort.  It has remained playing true now for over a week, I will keep a close eye on it.

My efforts to reduce sound transmission from basement to upper levels was as effective as I figured it would be.  It is not soundproof, but I can listen pretty loud down there after bedtime, and no complaints.  The Roxul in the ceiling and interior walls was a filthy but worthy endevour to take on.  The safe n sound door at the top of the stairs a great buy too.

Here are some pics of how it looks today, the kids loved movie night last night.

[Bob in St. Louis]

Mark, that's fantastic. A room like that is going to serve your family very well in the future. Somewhere the kids can kick around with their friends, a place where Dad can have his buddies over, a place where you can get loud without forcing others to "share", and (hopefully not) a place where you can go if wifey kicks you to the dog house.

That's a great use of space Mark.
Plus, you've raised your property value, in the event you decide to move on.

Congratulations Sir. You should be very proud. 

Bob

[mgalusha]

Well done sir, that looks terrific.