Ashok Kumar has always been an audio-video hobbyist. That, combined with a day job in Austin’s high-tech industry, are fodder for a DIY theater that implements both favorite pastime and career. “I watched a lot of movies as a kid. Then, I started watching them on my PC,” says Ashok. “I later became entranced by the glamour of the big screen.” He was never able to infuse his home with that glamour, however, until October 2006 when he purchased a home that had an extra room for a home theater. A few months later, Kumar purchased an Optoma HD70 720p/1080i projector and 110-inch Da-Lite screen. “My goal for this home theater was to build my equipment slowly, get small components one by one, and to get the absolute best equipment in the midrange,” says Ashok. “In my opinion, after a certain price point, the law of diminishing returns kicks in, where you get only small improvements in quality for larger increments of money. That was the guiding principle behind all my purchases, from the receiver all the way down to the speaker cable.” Diligent research and user reviews helped Kumar make equipment decisions. 

Kumar, a software programmer by trade, credits his technical background for helping him make savvy choices. “I did take a lot of electronics courses,” he says. “For example, some people look at, say, the total wattage of a receiver but don’t know that all wattage is not measured equally. They don’t look beyond the marketing brochures at things like total harmonic distortion or other important specs. It’s been very helpful.”

While Kumar chose the video projector first, audio is more important to him in terms of dramatic effect. “I got the projector first because that seemed like the logical first step for me. It was the most immediate thing I could purchase to start using the theater on a daily basis,” says Kumar. “But audio is where I spent most of my budget.” The wiring for the Polk speakers was relatively simple because the house had been prewired for 7.1 surround sound, with Kumar having to make only a few minor tweaks. However, the video wiring was a little bit trickier, causing Ashok to hire a custom installer for this aspect of the room. “There was a very small entrance throughway in the attic that I didn’t want to mess with, but the rest I did myself,” says Kumar. 

In terms of performance, Ashok claims the room sounds and looks as good as any HD source or surround system he’s seen, but to him, environment was key. “I wanted guests and my family to sit in that room and really feel they are in a proper media room,” says Kumar. He painted the room red, put lighting panels over the windows to block out 90 percent of the light, and red velvet curtains as accents around the room. Black leather Coaster Studio reclining theater seats welcome friends. “I dressed up the theater with Hollywood themed elements, such as the movie theater props and the posters with lighted boxes,” says Kumar.

While Kumar began his journey with a simple purchase in February 2007, it wasn’t until March of this year that he did the bulk of the work. “My wife Anitha was on vacation, and I had a lot of free time and no one to oversee my spending. I took advantage of it.” And while she may have been initially chagrinned upon her return, she can rest assured that Kumar had the family’s best interests at heart. Kumar wants this spot to be a place for family, and with a little one on the way, it won’t be long until Baby Einstein gives way to Kung Fu Panda. 

Quick Hits:
Room dimensions: 17 feet long x 14 feet high x 19 feet wide
Initial Budget: $4,000
Ending Budget: $12,000
Length of Project: 1 year