Home Theater Electronics

Our home theater 'current' electronics set-up includes the following components:

JVC G11U D-ILA projector - Native resolution of 1365x1024 with inputs for everything. 1000 ANSI lumens of brightness, and amazing color reproduction. The JVC D-ILA projector is mounted in the room behind the theater and projects thru to the screen on the front wall of the theater. Video quality is amazing with the D-ILA technology, especially after full a calibration using Dilard software and color sensor. layout shown here.

JVC Digital - Technology Info.
PDF of D-ILA Dimensions, Throw Distances, Specifications

For anyone who hasn't experienced or viewed a high resolution projector fed from a properly configured HTPC, you would be blown away at the image. Everything from HDTV, DVD, SVHS NTSC video, PC video and audio, are all fed thru or from the HTPC to the projector and computer monitor. Video and audio are calibrated resulting in an unimaginable experience - better than the local cinema.

Windows XP Home Edition
Intel D845BG motherboard
Intel P4 - 1.8A with 512kb L2 cache
512 Meg of PC2100 DDR RAM
30 Gig IBM Deskstar ATA100 hard drive
80 Gig Seagate Barracuda hard drive - very quiet for recording HDTV.
Toshiba SD-R1202 DVD/CDR Writer drive
Lite-On LTR-40125S
ViewSonic P225fb - 22" Flatscreen Monitor - Black shell.
3.5" floppy drive
Enermax 365 Watt whisper (2 fan) Power Supply
(2) Silencer auxiliary fans
M-Audio Delta DIO 24/96 sound card
ATI Radeon 9000 64Mb Graphics card - recently switch from the Radeon 7200.
Black mid-tower case - vibration dampened and silenced with sound deadener material.
HiPix DTV-200 High Definition Decoder ATSC Tuner PCI Card-
Telemann's HiPix DTV-200 HDTV Card is first of it's kind release of a PC based ATSC Tuner/Decoder for Digital Over-The-Air transmission of standard and high-definition. Based on TeraLogic's hardware decoder chip, the HiPix delivers 1080i, 720p, 480p broadcasts to the Windows platform for use in the HTPC based home theater. With the HiPix, I am able to record incoming MPEG-2 stream of Over-The-Air HD broadcasts on my hard disk for time shifted playback. In addition to HDTV playback, the Hipix has an NTSC tuner for normal cable or OTA playback. Information on HiPix
HTPC Software -
- Windows XP Home Edition
- Powerstrip - Latest Beta (registered) - This software allows me to set up the projector to run optimal video timings for (pixel perfect) images. Also, the D-ILA can be set up to run 'resolution within resolution' timings - this allows for full screen 16x9 viewing of Windows. For more information see - 'pixel perfect timings' or D-ILA perfect timings on avsforum. Basically, I can zoom the 4:3 panel of the projector to fill the 16x9 screen 1360x1024 (1/3 of the image is now below the screen - though the image fills the width of the screen), then use custom timings to create a 1360 x 768 top justified resolution that fills the portion of the screen exactly. This allows for running full screen movies thru TheaterTek at 1360x1024p, though only using 768p of the actual projectors panels, the bottom 25% is black.
- Dilard - Dilard is the software used to fully calibrate the D-ILA projector. This software has a pixel alignment wizard, geometry wizard, black level wizard, 8 bar adjustments, as well as a pile of other useful features to give me absolute control of the projector. Now, with the addition of the Optimagery sensor, full automated calibrations can be done that produce perfect gamma curves and full 6500K gray scale calibrations. Visit the web site for more info.
  TheaterTek DVD Player - The TheaterTek DVD player is the premiere software DVD solution for HTPC users. This DVD player is designed around the excellent Sonic filters and allows for absolutely breathtaking MPEG2 decoding. Also included is the ability to playback any digital bitstream, including DTS and AC3. It was written by Andrew Chilvers from the AVS forum and has been touted as one of the best software DVD players available. Audio and video are the best out there. With the recent update to version 1.5 - the Theatertek player outputs the 'best' image ever.
- WinDVD - WinDVD is a software DVD player. I no longer use this software - based on the fact that TheaterTek produces superior video and audio quality.
- IRMan - Iman is a small device manufactured by Evation.com that allows you to control your PC with the remote. After connection this to your serial port on your PC, you can control PC functions (such as WinDVD or TheaterTek DVD player) without a keyboard. Using any programmable remote, any windows action or keystroke can be controlled via remote, thru the shareware Girder software, discussed next.
- Girder is a program that can take any input (keyboard, remote control, internet) and translate that into actions on your computer.

Stereo Electronics


		Denon 5800 THX Surround EX/DTS ES 6.1 Discrete/Dolby Digital/DTS A/V Receiver • World's first A/V component with THX Surround EX; DTS Extended Surround Discrete 6.1; DTS ES Matrix 6.1; DTS Neo:6 Cinema & Neo:6 Music Matrix Decoding; Dolby Digital; Dolby Pro Logic; DTS • Lucasfilm Home THX Cinema 4.0 and 5.1 post-processing; THX Surround EX decoding • DDSC-Digital featuring dual Analog Devices SHARC 32 bit floating point DSP processors • 7 Channels equal power amplifier section • 170 watts per channel (8 ohms, 20 Hz-20 kHz, <.05%THD) • 200 watts per channel (6 ohms, 20 Hz-20 kHz, <.05%THD) • THX Ultra Certified • 24 bit, 96 kHz A/D conversion • Analog Devices AD-1853 24 bit, 192 kHz highest resolution DACs - each audio channel operating in dual-DAC differential mode • Pure Audio mode, features 4 DACs per audio channel in dual-differential mode • ALPHA 24 processing in Stereo/Direct/Pure Direct modes (left/right channels) processing via SHARC DSP • Real 24 bit, up to 192 kHz Digital Interface Receiver • 3 sets component video inputs, compatible with wideband (480p, 720p, 1080i) response for progressive DVD, DTV (50 MHz) • 8 sets composite and "S" video inputs • 1 AC-3 RF digital input for laser disc • TWO sets of 7.1 external wide bandwidth (100 kHz) inputs for future multi-channel formats (such as DVD-Audio) • 9 assignable digital inputs • 13 analog inputs including built-in AM/FM tuner • Multi-Zone 1 stereo pre-amp outputs with video output • Multi-Zone 2 outputs, pre-amp outputs or speaker outputs • RS-232C port for external controller • IEEE 1394 Firewire prepared DSP section, for future upgrade • AKTIS RC-8000 LCD touchpanel remote with IR and RF transmission capability included • AKTIS RC-8001ST Charger/RF Base Station included • Dimensions: 17.1"w x 8.5"h x 19.1"d

Onkyo DS-838 digital amplifier - running Bass Shakers
JVC HR-S7900U S-VHS VCR for S-Video NTSC video
Yamaha CDX-900U CD Player
Nakamichi CR-1A tape deck
Monster Power HTS 5000 - Reference PowerCenter

SVS CS Ultra Subwoofer System

All SVS CS-Ultra Subwoofers Include:
Ultra high output TV-12 driver
Computer Assisted Design (CAD) cylindrical enclosure
Exclusive SVS down-firing woofer with integrated base-plate
Compliant disk floor mounts, low center of gravity
Precision tuned "Tri-power" high-flow ports with custom port tune block
Resonance free, protective top port grill
New 16" ultra high-strength custom drawn, polymer wrapped, enclosure tubing
CNC'd and cold laminated 1.5" black birch end-cap baffles
14 gauge, oxygen-free copper wiring
Heavy-duty, solid brass, gold plated binding posts
Custom black fabric finish
1000 Watt Samson Amp powering this Subwoofer.

Polk audio CS1000p center channel -

This center channel made a huge difference to the overall sound in the theater. With four 6.5" speakers, two of which have a hundred amplifier driving them - it acts a full frequency center channel.

Polk audio RT2000i front channel speakers

Finishing off the front channel round-up is the CS1000p center channel. It provides correct or matching tweeters and midrange speakers helping with a transparent front speaker setup.

Mirage 3-way rear surround speakers -
This pair of speakers I would highly recommend to those looking for rear surrouds. They are a nice all around surround speaker and sound great even when compared to much larger full range speakers for the rear.

Da-Lite High Power PermWall 106" - The screen measures 92" wide by 52" high (16x9 aspect ratio). Screen material is snapped to an aluminum frame and attached to the wall with a two inch black border around the screen. The high power material is retro-reflective (sending light back the same path it travel to the projector). Even with a gain of 2.8, it works great with the 1000 ANSI lumen D-ILA. Images look incredibly, crisp, and clear bright - sharp as the D-ILA can create them. The projector is mounted in the room behind the theater (inverted mount) and aligns vertically to the top center of the screen - this provides an image that is free of keystoning.

Visteon Theater Seating - Interestingly enough, I get a ton of questions about our theater seats. They are made by Visteon, an automotive components supplier. In mid-2000, a large theater complex in Southern Michigan had an issue with about 4000 theater seats which were made by Visteon. Visteon decided to replace them all under warranty - this allowed a huge supply of theater seats to hit Gibralter Trade Center in S.E. Michigan - selling for approx. $18 a piece. Unfortunately, it was six months later when I realized these seats were for sale, missing my opportunity and they were all gone. So, I searched the internet and after a lot of work I was able to track down enough for both myself and another buddy - though it required driving to 3 nearby States to pick them up.

Better Cables 25' VGA to 5-BNC Ultra - Main HDTV feed from HiPix HDTV card.
Better Cables Silver Serpent 25' VGA to VGA - Main PC feed.
RS-232 Cable for controlling D-ILA projector.
(6) RG-6 Coax cables for: Component video, composite and S-Video (made from two RG-6)