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DIYer Puts the Wide in Widescreen
Wayne Hanson had a small space to fill -- and went with the gusto of 2:35 screen setup.
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December 31, 2007
by Rachel Cericola

The brand new ceramic floor left behind by the condo’s previous owner wasn’t exactly working in his favor either. Since typical carpet wouldn’t work, Hanson tried Milliken’s Legato, a floor-covering product that is assembled in pieces. Hanson says this also makes it easy to replace portions of the non-skid surface, if any areas are stained or damaged. “No one has ever noticed that it was not traditional carpet,” he says.

Other features include diffuser and high-frequency absorber panels, which Hanson recycle from his first home theater. Bass traps, which cushion the booming sounds, are located in the front and rear corners of the room. Also, the equipment can be found in a rack that’s built into the wall to the right.

Over the years Hanson has replaced a few pieces, but considers himself to be pretty fortunate. “I usually do a fair amount of research before making a purchase and usually try to purchase from a dealer with a good return policy,” he says. It’s also important that Hanson keep up on current technology, since he launched the consulting firm Hanson Theater Designs in 2005. “It’s not a major production, but for now I’m just having fun.”

While Hanson boasts the benefits of 2:35, he says that no matter what format DIYers decide to go with, it’s important to keep a positive attitude and just enjoy building process. Of course, he would love a bigger room and more seating, but he certainly isn’t complaining—he’s too busy being entertained.

Quick Hits
Year Completed: 2004
Room Size: 13 x 17 feet (approximate)
Length of Project: 1 month
Total Cost: $30,000


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Rachel Cericola - Contributing Writer
Over the past 15 years, Rachel Cericola has covered entertainment, web and technology trends. Check her out at www.rachelcericola.com.


Equipment List
  • American Power Conversion Smart Ups 1500
  • Anthem D2 Audio Processor
  • BenQ W10000 1080p DLP Front Projector
  • Berkline 090 Theater Seats (4)
  • Da-Lite 133-inch Cinema Contour Screen
  • D-Link DWL-200 Access Point
  • ISCO III Anamorphic Lens
  • Lutron GRX-3105 Lighting Controller
  • M&K S-150p Powered Monitors (5)
  • M&K SS-200 Dipole Surrounds
  • Monster HTS-5100 Power Center
  • QSC DSP30 Subwoofer Equalizer
  • Real Traps Bass Traps (4)
  • RPG Ceiling Diffuser Panels (4)
  • RTI T3 Remote Control
  • Sony PlayStation 3
  • Seaton Sound SubMersive 1 Subwoofer (Custom)
  • Toshiba A2 HD DVD Player
  • Assorted high frequency absorber panels


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Comments (3) Most recent displayed first.
Posted by walter Pletcher, Jr.  on  06/05/08  at  10:38 AM

thx for the fast response: question! bass traps. how satisifed are you with the product. i have a 16’ x 23’ x 9’ room, and have installed home built wall panels for ist reflection and rear walls.
no bass traps , as yet.  too many claims from to many companies for me to adsorb.  which is the reason for the question, how happy/what improvements did you experience.
thx again,
walt
dunnellon fl
anthem d2 / p5
123” stewart
revel ultima salons
monster power conditioner
various dvd /br/laser disk etc stuff

Posted by Su  on  01/03/08  at  11:00 PM

Wayne’s NY set-up was my introduction to home theatre. His creativity and enthusiasm along with brilliant execution, made the experience one I’ll never forget. I’ve seen photos of the condo theatre - beautiful! I know he’s built systems for other people - if he ever comes back to NY, I’m signing up!

Posted by Marci  on  12/31/07  at  11:33 AM

I am friends with the Hansons and watched movies on their NY home theatre system and that was amazing! It was better than being in the actual movie theatre so I can only imagine how amazing this new one in must be.

My hats off to them!



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