Poolside-Frolics - Finite Solutions

WWW.HOMECINEMACHOICE.COM
1st FOR
HI-DEF PLASMA LCD DVD BLU-RAY Beyond 3D
360˚ Sony
screen
is the
future
p12
178
Exclusive BIGSCREEN TV MEGATEST HOT NEW BLU-RAYS
SIM2 GOES LED SONY WOWS WITH BRILLIANT BUDGET AV RECEIVER
HIGH-PERFORMANCE SOUND & VISION
King of Blu-ray
O
RETERATEST
R
THE G OMENTS
AV M F THE
O
HTIES
G
U
O
N
EXCLUSIVE five-page test:
Denon’s mighty monster is
best disc-spinner around!
LED TV
‘Ah, Harry... you need a shave, my friend’
Superthin &
ISF-certified
– new LG 46in
screen tested
inside p56
AUDIO
CHIC
Focal’s tasty
and trendy
Dome 5.1
sub/sats p52
REVEALED
Shocker
Why your new
AV receiver
could soon be
obsolete
Plus £80K HOME ENTERTAINMENT WONDER PALACE!
ISSUE 178
MARCH 2010
£4.30
READERS’ INSTALLS ➜ INVISIBLE SURROUND SOUND FUN
HCC178.cover 1
16/12/09 2:36:26 pm
36 PRO INSTALL ➜ £80,000 ➜ www.finitesolutions.co.uk
Poolside frolics
Garage conversions are rarely this
exciting, says Anton van Beek
Kit Checklist
Screen Research: 8ft electric projector
screen
Runco: Reflection RS-900 projector
Future Automation: In-ceiling
projector lift
Pioneer: PDP-LX6090 60in Full HD
Kuro plasma
Bowers and Wilkins: 7x Signature 8NT
in-wall speakers
Sunfire: 2x HRS-10 1000W
subwoofers
Kaleidescape: 1080p Mini Player
(connected to a Mini System in the
main house)
Pioneer: BDP LX-71 Blu-ray player
Arcam: FMJ AV9 THX Ultra2 preamp
processor
Arcam: FMJ P7 power amplifier
Sony: PlayStation3 console
Microsoft: Xbox 360 console
Nintendo: Wii console
Sonos: ZonePlayer90
Philips: Pronto TSU9800
touchscreen remote
Philips: Pronto RFX9600 serial
extender
Rako: Lighting control
BPT: Intercom and gate access
iPort: In-wall iPod dock
Wireless access point
Access to another Pioneer BDP-LX71 and
4x Sky+ HD set-top boxes in the kit rack in
the main house
Home Cinema CHoiCe march 2010
HCC178.install_1 36
15/12/09 4:20:39 pm
The out-building housing the
cinema and games-bar area
was originally a large garage
I
t was designed to work as a
‘multifunctional environment
where family and friends can
interact, watch films or play games
together,’ and this pro-install
certainly lives up to its billing.
Combining a high-quality cinema
environment (the owners are keen
film-goers) and a ‘social’ area
featuring a pool table and fullystocked bar, it’s enough to make any
AV-phile turn green with envy. Well,
it certainly had that effect on us.
Divide and conquer
The cinema features both a
drop-down 8-foot projector
screen (pictured) and a 60in
Pioneer plasma TV
‘The segmentation was done
discretely using the cinema seats
and lighting,’ says Finite Solutions’
project manager Ciaran Richardson.
‘This meant we were able to use
different lighting to open or close
portions of the room. So people
could be in the bar area and still
interact with people in the cinema
portion of the room.’ Just as long as
they don’t talk on their mobile
phones during the movie...
With the layout of the room
established, it was time to start
speccing kit for the cinema. And,
from the Pioneer Blu-ray player and
60in Kuro plasma to the Runco
projector and 7.2-channel audio
system, we reckon the owner has
got a setup to savour.
However, it’s the Kaleidescape
movie server that has proven to be
the star of the show. ‘They love it!’
claims Richardson. ‘When we first
installed the system we gave the
owner a quick demonstration on how
to import DVDs. When we returned
the following Monday morning to
continue with the install, he’d
already uploaded all 190 DVDs in
his collection and was giving a friend
a tour of the room’.
That’s hardly surprising. If we had
this AV palace at home, we’d be
showing it off to everyone, too.
march 2010 Home Cinema Choice
HCC178.install_1 37
15/12/09 4:20:45 pm
38 Install
A Family fun
With its cinema, pool table and bar,
it’s no wonder this made-over
garage has now superseded the
living room as the space where
the owner’s family spend most of
their time
A
B Surrounded by sound
Three front-mounted Bowers and
Wilkins Signature 8NT in-wall
speakers, and a further four built
into the ceiling, provide seven
channels of surround audio
C Heavy lifting
Installing the projector lift wasn’t
without problems. ‘The ceiling was
very uneven, not even a magician
could fix it,’ explains the installer.
The solution was to fit and plaster
a brand-new ceiling
D Powerhouse pair
The Arcam P7 amplifier delivers
150W of grunt per-channel;
processing is handled by the
Arcam AV9 pre-amp that sits
above in the rack
B
E TV addict
If the owner doesn’t fancy a big
cinematic experience, he can leave
the projector screen up and stick
with the 60in plasma instead
C
F Twice as nice
Why settle for just one subwoofer?
This pro-install utilises two Sunfire
1000W subs to guarantee truly
dynamic bass action
D
Finishing touch: The various
forms of lighting (including an
LED starscape on the ceiling) give
the cinema a luxury feel
E
F
Home Cinema Choice march 2010
HCC178.install_1 38
15/12/09 4:20:48 pm