My Project, step by step

prospect · 07-12-2006 05:24PM #1

Hello there to all interested parties.

I have just started ordering equipment for my new system. So, I am going to post the project, including pictures as I go along. (hopefully you guys will put me under enough pressure to get this done).

So to start.

I currently have a 32" Phillips CRT, a cheap black diamond DVD player, and Ancient VHS player, SKY, a Cambridge Audio Azur 540a amp and a pair of Gale floor standing speakers.

I have bought a Samsung 42" plasma. I am also getting a DVD recorder (to be decided), a logitech programmable remote.

I will post pictures of the 'before' set-up soon.

Total Cost to date:

Samsung TV - €1364
TV Delivery - €80
10m HDMI to HDMI cable - €60

Vexorg · 08-12-2006 12:35AM

Look forward to seeing that.

What model samsung and where did you buy?

Will you be wall mounting?

V.

MrJoeSoap · 08-12-2006 12:42AM

Nice idea, I had to subscribe. I'll be looking to do something similar once I get back from my travels in a couple of years.

brav · 08-12-2006 02:14PM

Also take pictures of the "before" setup, might as well do it properly!

MrJoeSoap · 08-12-2006 02:19PM

brav wrote:

Also take pictures of the "before" setup, might as well do it properly!

He said he was!

godtabh · 08-12-2006 02:21PM

Can you post where you got the stuff as well? Links etc

prospect · 11-12-2006 01:26PM

Hi All,

Thanks for the replies.
I will post a full overview of all costs at the end of the project, including where I sourced the bits.

So here are some photos.

I am leaving the Sky box, the DVD Recorder and Amplifier in the corner where the wires & sockets are.
I am then running power and a HDMI cable around the skirting, behind the fire surround and up the chimney breast finishing behind the TV. The power and HDMI will be in seperate conjutes.

Also, there will be QED speaker cable running around the skirting too a speaker each side of the chimney breast.

Tonight I hope to finish the chasing, run the power and HDMI cable, and put the first fill into the channel chased on the wall.

So for the minute, it is all systems go..

prospect · 11-12-2006 01:28PM

Also,

here are the remotes I currently have,

I will have the same amount when I replace the equipment, but I have also ordered a Logitech Harmony universal remote, which should replace this lot...

godtabh · 11-12-2006 02:05PM

prospect wrote:

Hi All,

Thanks for the replies.
I will post a full overview of all costs at the end of the project, including where I sourced the bits.

So here are some photos.

I am leaving the Sky box, the DVD Recorder and Amplifier in the corner where the wires & sockets are.
I am then running power and a HDMI cable around the skirting, behind the fire surround and up the chimney breast finishing behind the TV. The power and HDMI will be in seperate conjutes.

Also, there will be QED speaker cable running around the skirting too a speaker each side of the chimney breast.

Tonight I hope to finish the chasing, run the power and HDMI cable, and put the first fill into the channel chased on the wall.

So for the minute, it is all systems go..

I'd say the other half had a fit when she saw that mess!

Looks good so far. Keep it coming

prospect · 11-12-2006 03:01PM

kearnsr wrote:

I'd say the other half had a fit when she saw that mess!

You could say that....
Especially when you consider that I only told her it was all happening last week!!!

Sparky · 11-12-2006 10:36PM

lol.

/subscribed.

prospect · 12-12-2006 10:38AM

Ok,

Last night, I finished chasing the wall from the top of the fireplace to where the socket will be located.

I put two electrical conjutes in the wall to seperate the power cable from the HDMI and speaker cable, (I do not currently have surround sound, but I am going to leave a spare speaker cable behind the TV incase I want to install a centre speaker over it in the future).

I have the box for the Socket fixed to the wall, and put the first layer of plaster filler in the gaps.

This morning before I went to work, i put the second layer of filler on. (I have been told to build up deep holes with layers, allowing them to dry between aplications. Seemingly this reduces the chances of getting hairline cracks where the filling was done.

I have no piccys of this bit.

Tonight I will finish the runs of cables, and refit the fireplace surround. I also hope to get the skirting re-fitted. I am going to drill the walls and put rawlplugs in, and then I am going to screw the skirting on. This way I can access the cables in the future quite easily.

Also, My Samsung DVD Recorder and Logitech remote control arrived this morning, but I will give details of these in my final post when the job is complete.

P.

godtabh · 12-12-2006 09:42PM

prospect wrote:

You could say that....
Especially when you consider that I only told her it was all happening last week!!!

You better make sure you do a good job as you could be sleeping there for a while!

prospect · 13-12-2006 10:31AM

Me again,

My thought for today:

"It gets worse before it gets better"
Now always remember that pearl of wisdom, as it has got me out of a few holes in the past.

So, last night, I got the fireplace re-fitted. The plaster filling is almost complete. Then I ran into a minor issue.
I have 6 cables running behind the skirting between the sockets, and the left side of the chimney breast (3 x speaker, co-axial, power and HDMI).... So I didn't have enough space, so I spent a good while bursting out a chanel to run them through.

So, that is done.

Tonight, I hope to get all the cables run, and to re fit the skirting boards. Also, I have to do some fine sanding done on the plaster filling. Then a big clean up operation.

Tomorrow night, I will re-paint the chimney breast. And move the furniture back in. Then the last job is to mount the TV and bracket. But that cannot be done until it arrives and I can measure it up and decide its position.

See attached photos.

P

Sparky · 13-12-2006 07:20PM

Oh yes! Making good progress indeed.

prospect · 14-12-2006 12:33PM

So last night didn't go well. The baby was not in good form, so I had to finish up early.

But, I did get the plaster filling sanded and ready for painting. Also, I bought a lenght of box trunking and ran the power cable through it, then sat the remaining speaker, hdmi and co-axial cables on it. Some of the skirting boards have been drilled and screwed to the wall, for easy access at a later date, (*cough* surround sound *cough*).

Pic 1 shows the skirting where the HDMI cable is hidden and it goes in behind the fire surround. Also, there is a speaker cable for my right side speaker.

** Don't forget to label your speaker cables as you run them **

Pic 2 shows the wall that I had to burst up a bit yesterday. the skirting has been re-fitted, and the cables come out at one point. I also broung up the power cable to the socket in a trunking. I figured it looks neater/salfer this way, but it will be hidden by the unit (to be purchased) which will hold the DVD, AMP and SKY boxes.

P

prospect · 18-12-2006 10:44AM

Hallo again,

Well I got the job finished, I am just awaiting delivery of the TV. I cannot fit the wall bracket until I get the TV, as I want to put it up to the wall and see what height I am happy with first.

Anyway, you can see from the pics, I repainted the chimney breast and installed the speakers. Also, I picked up a small corner unit to house my SKY box, DVD Recorder, Amp and a gimmicky record player. Also, when I figure out how to hook up my MacBook to the system, It can sit up there beside the record player.

I am happy enough twith the mix of old style & new technology (new to me anyway).

My next post will hopefully show the procedure for mounting the TV, and the finished job. Also, I will list all the costs and various suppliers.

P

prospect · 19-12-2006 01:52PM

Hi,

I spoke with the courier this morning, the TV is to be delivered tomorrow, yippeee.....

So, hopefully I will have the project finished by tomorrow evening....

The last thing I need to buy is two cables that will send the audio from my MacBook to my amp, and the video to my DVD recorder. I am just not exactly sure which cables I need.

P.

Vexorg · 19-12-2006 02:15PM

prospect wrote:

The last thing I need to buy is two cables that will send the audio from my MacBook to my amp, and the video to my DVD recorder. I am just not exactly sure which cables I need.

It depends on what audio and video "out" ports you have on the mac and audio and video "in" on the amp and DVD recorder.

Audio - simple solution, using the headphone out - get a 3.5mm jack to phono Lead somthing like this

If you digital out on the mac and digital in on the amp you could get a digital coax or toslink cable depending on the output and inputs on the mac and amp.

Digital coax

Digital Toslink

If your Mac has DVI out, you could consider using a DVI to HDMI adapter and playing DVD from the mac, if you can match the resolution to the screen, eg screen = 1280*720 and you can output this res from the video out port on the mac, this should be about the best image possible.

If you can advise on the video out options on the mac, I could link to some cables & adapters to give you some ideas.

prospect · 19-12-2006 03:16PM

Thanks for the reply.

The mac has firewire, usb and MINI-DVI out.

The DVD recorder only has HDMI OUT, and it will be used to send the signal to the TV.

The full list of ports on the DVD are:
1 x IEEE 1394 (FireWire/i.LINK) - front
1 x composite video/audio input ( RCA phono x 3 ) - front
1 x HDMI output - rear
1 x SPDIF output ( RCA phono ) - rear
1 x SPDIF output ( TOS Link ) - rear
1 x component video output ( RCA phono x 3 ) - rear
1 x composite video/audio output ( RCA phono x 3 ) - rear
1 x audio line-out ( RCA phono x 2 ) - rear
1 x S-Video output ( 4 PIN mini-DIN ) - rear
1 x RF input - rear
1 x RF output - rear
2 x SCART - rear

Cheers...

prospect · 19-12-2006 04:54PM

Wayyy Hayyy

TV Just arrived......

Sparky · 19-12-2006 10:20PM

Recorder seems to only have scart in does it? I'm not sure about even a DVI to scart adaptor, as DVI is digital and scart is analogue.

I'll have to google.

prospect · 20-12-2006 11:05AM

Horray.

I got it installed last night, with some help from my dad and brother.

So, a quick re-cap:

We started off with:
BEFORE.jpg?t=1166609800

Then the dirty bit:
?action=view&current=DURING1.jpg

And

So, we are now finished

And

Taa Daa.

I will compile costs and suppliers...

MrJoeSoap · 20-12-2006 01:28PM

Congrats, looks great.

Sparky · 20-12-2006 09:47PM

Now that is nice. Christmas in the prospect house is going to be a fun one this year!

Oh.. and congratulations on taking the award for first DIY install thread under the new HE categories.

Villain · 21-12-2006 11:27AM

How is the pitcure with the 10m HDMI Cable, I was led to believe that once you went past 5m you need to boost the signal?

Congrats by the way, nice job

prospect · 21-12-2006 03:03PM

Thanks guys.

Whats the prize spanky-s ?

The picture seems perfect. Although, I need to locate the proper settings, the factory standard setting has the contrast at 100%...?

P

Sparky · 23-12-2006 03:29AM

I'll get back to you on that prize!

/runs

HungryJoey · 31-12-2006 11:24PM

Don't mind me asking but does the heat output of the fireplace not have an effect on the TV above it ? Something I have wondered about the placement of an LCD above a fireplace ?

Hj

The Ritz · 01-01-2007 05:42PM

Prospect,

Very neat install, super work.

How do you find having the screen high up on the wall, compared to the position of your tv in the "before" pictures ?

Ritz.

KeRbDoG · 01-01-2007 07:51PM

prospect wrote:

...
I have bought a Samsung 42" plasma. I am also getting a DVD recorder (to be decided), a logitech programmable remote.
...

Don't get a Logitech Harmony remote, had one, it was one of the most useless universal remotes I have ever used.

My Project, step by step

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