My Sanyo PLC-SU07N Home Theater
by Glenise

How To Build A Home Theater On A Budget.

My home theater was done for a cost of under $5000. (I apologize for my pictures being very dark, but the theater room is very dark and it's hard to take good pictures)

I consider myself to be a consumer advisor like Ms. Clark Howard, because I'm always looking for the best bang for the buck!

I'm frugal, so I went with a sheetrock movie screen. Some people use curtain blackout fabric or a painter's drop cloth for their screen. If I was going to purchase a real movie screen, I would purchase a Dalite. My 58" x 104" permanent mounted non-motorized sheetrock screen cost less than $50. Sheetrock is inexpensive (cost less than $5 per 4x12 sheet) and doesn't wrinkle.

Unfinished Sheetrock Screen

I used Behr "Ultra Pure White" flat that was converted by Home Depot to Behr "Gray Tropics" flat on the screen and Glidden "Black" flat on the screen wall and ceiling tiles. You use flat on the screen and ceiling tiles so that reflections don't show up. Also, use a dark color on the ceiling and sides.

Finished Sheetrock Screen

I used Glidden satin on the sides, rear, columns, equipment rack and sconces. I was going to paint the remainder of my room (side walls and rear) using flat but the paint expert at Home Depot recommended satin for easy cleanup. Even though I used satin on the sides, I don't have that much reflections from the projector light shining off the screen. A Gray screen makes blacks blacker and colors more vibrant when using an lcd projector. Basically, my screen looks white to the naked eye but when put next to a can of white primer, it looks gray.

Finished Screen

When building my room for sound proofing, I only used fiberglass insulation and standard sheetrock for the walls. Some people use double walls for sound proofing and fabric on the walls. I wanted to use the least expensive method as possible.

I had my installer spray paint my ceiling tiles instead of buying them in black. I had a hard time finding black ceiling tiles. Anyways, spraying them was less expensive. I also realize that spray painting them supposedely cuts down their acoustical properties but I was fed up calling around for places that carried black ceiling tiles.

Instead of buying a projector mount for my projector, I told the builder to mount the projector on a piece of MDF and hang it from the ceiling using chains. My projector mount cost less than $50. A real projector mount made especially for my projector would have cost $300 plus.

Projector on Projector Mount

My theater seats were purchased from a closed down Regal Cinemas and my Mirage speakers were purchased from a Hifi Buys (Tweeter) blowout sale.


Seating
Gumball
Here is my equipment setup:
  • Sanyo PLC-SU07N lcd projector(ceiling mounted)
  • DIY (do it yourself) 58" x 104", 119" diagonal, 16:9 screen (made from sheetrock)
  • Toshiba SD-1600 dvd player
  • Mirage speakers (left and right fronts - OM10)
  • Mirage speakers (center - MCsi)
  • Mirage speakers (left and right rear surrounds - 595is)
  • Mirage subwoofer (right rear - BPS400)
  • Yamaha HTR-5250 receiver (500 watts, 5.1 channel)
  • Theater chairs (12)
  • USG "Fifth Avenue" 2x2 ceiling tiles (spray painted flat black)
  • Portfolio Lighting "05493 Empire Collection" wall sconces (4)
  • Lithonia Lighting exit sign (Home Depot sku 718016)
  • Home Accents "Red" rope lighting (Home Depot sku 842822)
Equipment


Right Front Speaker

For more detailed specifications and connections, check out our Sanyo PLC-SU07N projector page.