The Cinema section

Home cinema room		Misc stuff
All images The room - before Building the screen Making the blind Mounting the AE100 projector HCPC Build (to follow) Audio setup (to follow) The Finished Article Screenshots		Scan of Medion MD4689 8 in 1 Learning Remote Manual (zip file)

The Projector Mount

Right, this is a real Heath Robinson job, but mainly because I couldn't find the right parts to do what I wanted.

The Bottom Plate
There are four 4mm threads on the bottom of the AE100, ready to accept M4 bolts. I placed a sheet of paper on the underside and poked through to the holes with a biro, so I had the positions of the threads. I then transferred this on to a piece of 12mm MDF. Notice the notch taken out to allow access to the air filter. I made the holes larger than needed for the bolts to go through, so I have some "jiggle room" when getting the alignment right.
I ran a router along the edges of the MDF to give a reasonable finish, then painted. MDF edges soak up a lot of paint, so be prepared for a lot of coats.

The Connecting Pole
...For want of a better word. I looked around for ages trying to find something that had a flange that I could use to fix to the bottom plate. In the end I used a spare kitchen unit leg, and drilled 4 holes in the flange. This was then screwed to the bottom plate. I've tested it for strength, and it will easily support the projector.
I was initially going use that threaded section to join two of these legs together, but I got ambitious, and decided to go telescopic.
It started when I found that 32mm SOLVENT WELD waste pipe will fit snugly inside 40mm PUSH FIT waste pipe. I then found a spare cistern flush mechanism, which has a nice externally threaded tube on the bottom, with a top flange and nut to clamp up. It's the bit that would fit to the bottom of the cistern for the water to come out of when the loo's flushed. The 40mm pipe fits inside, some solvent weld bonds it in place, and we have a fitting to attach to the ceiling. One thing - once the solvent weld was there, the 40mm pipe seemed to constrict, so I had to ream the pipe out a bit to get the 32mm pipe to fit. However, this does mean it's a nice tight fit.
I've added a bolt through the bottom fitting, and one at the very top to restrict the downwards trqavel.

Getting It Up
Calculated the position based on minimum zoom setting (so PJ furthest away from screen for given image size), and triangulated from screen corners to get lens position. A bit of jiggery pokery, and we have the position of the mounting bracket.
Because there is only about 3 feet of roof cavity space, and no access, I had to cut a hole where the roof plate was going (one reason for the large plate). I then was able to poke cables up and down from the various corners of the room (power from one place, surround speakers plus VGA cable from another, plus surround speaker cable out again in another), and pull them through. The VGA cable just fits through the 32mm pipe with the hood removed.
Finally, I ran some screws up through the top plate in to the roof joists, and we're there!

These are the kitchen legs used to fix to the bottom plate.

Here´s the mount without cables, in a sort of "half way" position.

Cables in place (temp - they will be clipped in to place). In the "down" position. Imagine the ceiling is where the clampy bit at the top is.

Here it is in the "up" position, for when not in use. The rest of the tube disappears up in to the ceiling space.

A diagram of the mount - all parts available from your local plumbing shop!

Installing the Projector Mount 1 - 22 Aug 2002

Hole cut in ceiling (fibreboard fixed to joists, hence the timber battens to cover the joints). Used this to get access for running cables, which were poked up from three directions and eventually grabbed and pulled through.

Installing the Projector Mount 2 - 22 Aug 2002

Here it is in it´s up position. Still not clipped the cables in place properly, or I´d show you the back....

Installing the Projector Mount 3 - 22 Aug 2002

....And here it is in the down position. Possibly a little low - headbutts for tall people? May need to raise the screen if it´s a problem.

Projector Mount Detail of Fixing Bolts - 23 Aug 2002

Here´s how I´ve attached the projector. The bottom nut is there to prevent the bolts from going too deep in to the projector - they are fixed in place with chemical metal.

The projector Mount complete - 23 Aug 2002

Here´s the mount with projector in place.

Animation of the how the projector mount works. Apologies if you find it slightly obscene!