# What do I need to buy before basement remodeling ?



## VAer (Jul 3, 2017)

By the way, can I claim basement remodeling cost when filing tax return.


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## chandler48 (Jun 5, 2017)

> By the way, can I claim basement remodeling cost when filing tax return.


Don't think so. Not until you sell the house and it will be a liability due to the increase in value.

Anyway, I would run the wires in a channel on one corner of the ceiling sort of like a raceway. That way it is always accessible in case you need to upgrade it. Remember it hasn't been that long since VHS was popular and RCA cables. Now you have HDMI cables, etc. I wouldn't bury them in the ceiling.


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## VAer (Jul 3, 2017)

chandler48 said:


> Don't think so. Not until you sell the house and it will be a liability due to the increase in value.
> 
> Anyway, I would run the wires in a channel on one corner of the ceiling sort of like a raceway. That way it is always accessible in case you need to upgrade it. Remember it hasn't been that long since VHS was popular and RCA cables. Now you have HDMI cables, etc. I wouldn't bury them in the ceiling.


Thanks.

If not buried in the ceiling, where should it go? On the floor? I think it is neat to hide the wire.

So I need to buy HDMI? What else? Any wire for speaker?

If I go with raceway (on the floor), there is no need to buy any wire before basement remodeling? Since the wire is not hidden in the ceiling.


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## Dave Sal (Dec 20, 2012)

I would get a length of PVC pipe and run my cables through that so that if you ever need to upgrade, you could simply pull the old cables and install the new with a fish tape. For current technology, run an HDMI cable for the projector, and then figure out where you plan on having your surround speakers. I'm assuming that you want them in the ceiling so use a nice thick quality speaker cable. The only other thing you'd need to have is power for the projector so an electrical outlet should be installed in that area. The problem I see is if you are unsure of which projector you are going to get, you won't know the throw distance to the screen (measured from projector lens to screen). Because of that, you won't know how far back from the screen to place the outlets. When I upgraded from a Panasonic AE500 to a BenQ W170 projector, I had to move my screen almost a foot forward. It would be a good idea to browse various projectors and find out what the various throw distances are and use that to plan your layout. With the new HDR10 and Dolby Vision standards, HDMI 2 cables would be a wise investment. 
https://www.cnet.com/news/hdmi-2-0-what-you-need-to-know/

I've found that Monoprice has the best prices for good quality cables.
https://www.monoprice.com/category/pages/1


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## VAer (Jul 3, 2017)

Dave Sal said:


> I would get a length of PVC pipe and run my cables through that so that if you ever need to upgrade, you could simply pull the old cables and install the new with a fish tape. For current technology, run an HDMI cable for the projector, and then figure out where you plan on having your surround speakers. I'm assuming that you want them in the ceiling so use a nice thick quality speaker cable. The only other thing you'd need to have is power for the projector so an electrical outlet should be installed in that area. The problem I see is if you are unsure of which projector you are going to get, you won't know the throw distance to the screen (measured from projector lens to screen). Because of that, you won't know how far back from the screen to place the outlets. When I upgraded from a Panasonic AE500 to a BenQ W170 projector, I had to move my screen almost a foot forward. It would be a good idea to browse various projectors and find out what the various throw distances are and use that to plan your layout. With the new HDR10 and Dolby Vision standards, HDMI 2 cables would be a wise investment.
> https://www.cnet.com/news/hdmi-2-0-what-you-need-to-know/
> 
> I've found that Monoprice has the best prices for good quality cables.
> https://www.monoprice.com/category/pages/1


Thanks much. Where do you put PVC pipe? On the ceiling?

Now that if cable is NOT buried in the ceiling, there is NO need to buy the cable for now, correct?

I may plan to have home theater after one or two years.

Basically, in order to have home theater, I will need a projector (installed in ceiling), projector screen, speaker. Typically, where to put speaker? Also on the ceiling? What else? A laptop for movie source? Where to put laptop?


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## Dave Sal (Dec 20, 2012)

The PVC pipe would be installed above the finished ceiling drywall and running from your projector location to wherever your source components would be placed, such as a component rack holding a cable box, Blu-Ray player, AV receiver, laptop computer, etc. Projectors are normally mounted on the ceiling with a mount, and you also have to figure out how far down from the ceiling that the projector needs to be. This depends on the specifications of the projector itself. It can be frustrating figuring out this stuff but there are calculators on many websites that sell front projectors that make it relatively simple, and you only have to do this once. In a typical 5.1 speaker setup, you'd place the two front main speakers on both sides of the screen, usually the farther apart the better for good separation. The center channel would go under the screen, or behind it if you have a perforated acoustically transparent screen. The rear surround speakers would either go behind the seating position or to the left and right. A subwoofer can be added to add deep bass for more realistic explosions and other similar movie effects. Projector screens can simply be hung from hooks attached to the ceiling joists, or if electric, you'd also need a power outlet in the ceiling for the screen.


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## VAer (Jul 3, 2017)

Dave Sal said:


> The PVC pipe would be installed above the finished ceiling drywall and running from your projector location to wherever your source components would be placed, such as a component rack holding a cable box, Blu-Ray player, AV receiver, laptop computer, etc. Projectors are normally mounted on the ceiling with a mount, and you also have to figure out how far down from the ceiling that the projector needs to be. This depends on the specifications of the projector itself. It can be frustrating figuring out this stuff but there are calculators on many websites that sell front projectors that make it relatively simple, and you only have to do this once. In a typical 5.1 speaker setup, you'd place the two front main speakers on both sides of the screen, usually the farther apart the better for good separation. The center channel would go under the screen, or behind it if you have a perforated acoustically transparent screen. The rear surround speakers would either go behind the seating position or to the left and right. A subwoofer can be added to add deep bass for more realistic explosions and other similar movie effects. Projector screens can simply be hung from hooks attached to the ceiling joists, or if electric, you'd also need a power outlet in the ceiling for the screen.



Thanks.


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## VAer (Jul 3, 2017)

Can someone recommend a HDMI cable? Does it have to be HDMI on both ends? Any product link?

How many HDMI cables do I need? I need 25 feet long.

Thanks.


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## Dave Sal (Dec 20, 2012)

One HDMI cable is all that's needed to connect the projector to the AV receiver. You'd need another one though, for each other HD component such as a cable box, another for a Blu-Ray player, another for a Roku, etc. Depends how intricate your system will be. Here's a link to a decent HDMI cable but they are out of stock for 25' length. I would get the best for the one in the ceiling, and then get cheaper ones for component to component since they can be replaced easily. 
https://www.monoprice.com/product?c_id=102&cp_id=10240&cs_id=1025503&p_id=14474&seq=1&format=2


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## VAer (Jul 3, 2017)

Dave Sal said:


> One HDMI cable is all that's needed to connect the projector to the AV receiver. You'd need another one though, for each other HD component such as a cable box, another for a Blu-Ray player, another for a Roku, etc. Depends how intricate your system will be. Here's a link to a decent HDMI cable but they are out of stock for 25' length. I would get the best for the one in the ceiling, and then get cheaper ones for component to component since they can be replaced easily.
> https://www.monoprice.com/product?c_id=102&cp_id=10240&cs_id=1025503&p_id=14474&seq=1&format=2



I can buy the 30' one, only $43 ??? Why contractor told me it should cost more than $100.


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## chandler48 (Jun 5, 2017)

I think we did this before on another project. You have three or four threads going on this remodel, and while they may tend to be different subjects, they tie together. Is there anyway you could consolidate your stuff so we don't have to jump from thread to thread to keep up?


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## VAer (Jul 3, 2017)

chandler48 said:


> I think we did this before on another project. You have three or four threads going on this remodel, and while they may tend to be different subjects, they tie together. Is there anyway you could consolidate your stuff so we don't have to jump from thread to thread to keep up?


Sorry. Actually, those different flags are from different contractors' different proposal, every contractor brought me new questions after he left.. Hope I can go with this contractor, I like his quote. 

This thread focuses on speaker cable and HDMI cable, not really remodeling itself.


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## Dave Sal (Dec 20, 2012)

VAer said:


> I can buy the 30' one, only $43 ??? Why contractor told me it should cost more than $100.


Contractor markup.


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