Bedroom projector installation
Bedroom projector installation
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benz0

Original Poster:

344 posts

157 months

Wednesday 15th November 2017
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Hi all,

I have an old Optoma 720p projector gathering dust that I intend to put back into use as a discreet bedroom installation.

It will project onto a wall, as I don't want to have a screen setup in there. I have a couple of questions..

i) Surface - I am going to paint all of the walls in broken white. The wall surface is not the smoothest. I will try and sand over any particular rough patches, but are there any particular types of undercoat and / or overcoat that would help smooth it over?

ii) Sound - the projector will be mounted on a bookshelf above the bed. I am very, very reluctant to start putting speakers up on walls, so I am thinking of having a very small speaker installation fitted under the bookshelf. This will then be right above our heads so hopefully will be well placed to have clear sound. Volume levels will typically be very low - I just need to have clear speech. Can anyone recommend speakers for this? Again - I want it to be as simple and easy as possible so I may even go for a very small portable active speaker, as I think I could make that disappear under the shelf. I would like the speaker/s to be as invisible as possible.

Obviously it's not going to be a cinema level setup, but the most important factors for me here are that it looks as elegant / hidden as possible.

I am going to buy a new headboard for the bed so most of the cabling will be hidden away behind that, with just a small amount of trunking protruding from the top of that up to the shelf. Any suggestions for clever cable management on top of the shelf would also be appreciated. In terms of sources, I am thinking of using some form of android stick, or possibly my minix box. Has anyone successfully used a Fire Stick outside of the UK with proxies etc?

Thanks all!

Type R Tom

4,257 posts

173 months

Thursday 16th November 2017
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Have you considered ceiling speakers?

Alternatively if you can find one, maybe one of these and hide the sub?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bose-Acoustimass-Stereo-S...

Couple of these plus a sub and amp to power them?

https://www.richersounds.com/hi-fi/standmount-spea...

B17NNS

18,506 posts

271 months

Thursday 16th November 2017
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Fill and sand is the way unless you fancy getting a spread in to sort that wall for you. Here's the method...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wa_m_RKWjw

Maybe try talking the Mrs into a feature wall colour for projection wall/screen.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Widow_(paint_m...

Dulux Trade Vinyl Matt 'Grey Steel 2' apparently works well.

https://www.dulux.co.uk/en/colour-details/grey-ste...

benz0

Original Poster:

344 posts

157 months

Thursday 16th November 2017
quotequote all
thanks both for the helpful input!

Ceiling speakers are a definite no - too much work going into the walls that I am ill equipped/ unskilled to handle.

Also - I don't want anything with a subwoofer speaker-wise. The only place for it to go will be hidden in a corner, and then it is likely to boom. Plus I don't want a sub on the floor as there is a bedroom below us in a neighbouring apartment. The cambridge audio Minx speakers on their own may fit the bill though, or perhaps a very compact soundbar of some sort.

That wall filling and sanding video has given me inspiration lol. I currently have a bosch multi sander (with the pointy tip). Can I make do with that or do I need to invest in/ rent a random orbit sander?


B17NNS

18,506 posts

271 months

Thursday 16th November 2017
quotequote all
benz0 said:
That wall filling and sanding video has given me inspiration lol. I currently have a bosch multi sander (with the pointy tip). Can I make do with that or do I need to invest in/ rent a random orbit sander?
That'll work fine. Just take you longer that's all. The bigger the sanding pad the less undulations you're likely to get.

You can pick up a budget 1/2 sheet for £30.

https://www.screwfix.com/p/titan-ttb594sdr-sheet-s...

benz0

Original Poster:

344 posts

157 months

Friday 17th November 2017
quotequote all
B17NNS said:
That'll work fine. Just take you longer that's all. The bigger the sanding pad the less undulations you're likely to get.

You can pick up a budget 1/2 sheet for £30.

https://www.screwfix.com/p/titan-ttb594sdr-sheet-s...
Ah, ok. I had thought I'd need one of those rotary ones. I'll grab a cheap 1/2 sheet jobby then if that will do the job.

Thanks again, this is most helpful!

hyphen

26,262 posts

114 months

Friday 17th November 2017
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benz0 said:
That wall filling and sanding video has given me inspiration lol. I currently have a bosch multi sander (with the pointy tip). Can I make do with that or do I need to invest in/ rent a random orbit sander?
Can your multi sander be hooked up to a henry/does it have a dustbag? If so, consider getting Abranet type sanding paper- has lots of holes in so more dust is collected.

Also tinny sound will be a massive wasted opportunity and a single speaker rather than 2 for stereo is a strange choice, would urge you to reconsider.

Edited by hyphen on Friday 17th November 14:26

benz0

Original Poster:

344 posts

157 months

Friday 17th November 2017
quotequote all
hyphen said:
Can your multi sander be hooked up to a henry/does it have a dustbag? If so, consider getting Abranet type sanding paper- has lots of holes in so more dust is collected.

Also tinny sound will be a massive wasted opportunity and a single speaker rather than 2 for stereo is a strange choice, would urge you to reconsider.

Edited by hyphen on Friday 17th November 14:26
off the top of my head I think it does have a dustbag, and we do have a henry. I shall investigate, thank you.

With regards to the sound - a subwoofer is a definite no as it will just be too loud for the downstairs neighbours where they have a baby in the room. We can hear the downstairs neighbours talking through the floor, so volume needs to be minimal, especially where bass is concerned.

I could use two compact stereo speakers I suppose. The main concerns for me are clarity of speech and minimal visibility installation wise.

Type R Tom

4,257 posts

173 months

Friday 17th November 2017
quotequote all
benz0 said:
off the top of my head I think it does have a dustbag, and we do have a henry. I shall investigate, thank you.

With regards to the sound - a subwoofer is a definite no as it will just be too loud for the downstairs neighbours where they have a baby in the room. We can hear the downstairs neighbours talking through the floor, so volume needs to be minimal, especially where bass is concerned.

I could use two compact stereo speakers I suppose. The main concerns for me are clarity of speech and minimal visibility installation wise.
Without a sub you and minimal size speakers you are really going to struggle for anything that doesn't sounds like a mobile phone.

Wireless headphones?!?

benz0

Original Poster:

344 posts

157 months

Friday 17th November 2017
quotequote all
Yeah I have some Bluetooth headphones and will use them if I want a more immersive experience.

But as I say volume will be very minimal in there.
In my living room I have a link classik and b&w bookshelves and would not want anything less, but this is different. At best I might be able to squeeze in some kef eggs or something like that