An Epic Home Cinema Journey

James Hyde, Director at Hyde Audio & Visual Solutions, takes us on an odyssey through this heroic cinema built around Pulse Cinemas ingredients, demonstration facilities and expert support all created for fitness guru and influencer Ulisses.

Hyde Audio & Visual Solutions has been trading for 11 years and was founded by James formerly of BAE Systems and the Sky TV special heights department. James has over 22 years’ experience in the field and graduated from Ruskin university in 2004, sponsored by BAE Systems.

After being made redundant in 2011 James launched his own company and has seen it grow to the point where it now has various contracts in and around London plus Manchester and Liverpool too.

As far as this project is concerned, James explains, “The original job came from a company called Audio Visual Style run by Andre Byfield. Andre has over 24 years experience of installing and comes from a custom carpentry background. By bringing in Hyde AV, the project had access to ourselves of course but also the design and custom expertise available from Pulse Cinemas with their extensive knowledge and world-class suppliers.”

Several sub-contractors were employed for their special skills including builders, electricians, plumbers and decorators.

James explains, “Ulisses is the owner of a highly successful fitness and training business, and the job came from a referral from another cinema room constructed in partnership with AV Style completed in Buckhurst hill three years previously. We offered a full team to accommodate all applications of forming the cinema room. From design through to complete strip back and rebuild of the room and advanced programming of the controlling of the supplied systems.”

James continues, “The original brief was to create a home cinema in 1/2 of the room and a games room in the other half. However, the brief did not include any actual works in the games room, but we eventually ended changing the ceiling to match the cinema room as well as leaving a gap in between the two divides for a large acoustic curtain to be installed.”

The original budget was £40,000 not including any building works for the cinema or games room nor did it included any seating.

James explains, “The final budget for everything was £73,000 plus the chairs making a total of £79,000. The additional motorised sofa was supplied by the client.”

Equipment installed in the room includes Vicoustic sound proofing, Paradigm speakers, Anthem AVR, Screen Research 4k capable acoustically transparent screen and a BENQ 4k projector. All the cabling is also future proofed to 8k standard.

The journey

James explains, “Before the build could begin the client was taken on a tour at Pulse Cinemas HQ. At Pulse the client was able to listen to the quality of the audio and have a first hands-on experience. This went a long way with the client and gave him the experience of meeting the team to create the design.”

James adds, “A step by step guide was used in the construction of the room. Firstly we had to strip the room completely back to bare bones as the acoustics of the room needed improving. Step two was to begin the acoustic treatment, the main door was also removed and turned to open reverse. The main window was also screened and blocked out."

The next step was to check all the electrical wiring, fit acoustic soundproof boarding, fill all gaps with acoustic foam and rockwool.”

James adds, “Next, we plaster boarded the room with acoustic boarding and filled in any gaps. Adding timbers for spacing of the speakers, we also built a rear wall extension and dropped a trough box into place for a halo light.”

The team then built the main structure for the room including a rear step for seating, screen mounting structure and recesses for the speakers. Next came cabling and fitting the first layer equipment.

James says, “Now we had a structure, the electrician and AV team were able to run all the cabling into correct position. Plus fit any speakers, the room was starting to take shape.”

The Vicoustic wall panels came next fitting out the walls and the doors.

James says, “Once all of this was completed the team could begin activating the equipment and the programming of the Lutron lighting and RTI remote could begin. A very sweet point. Calibration of the AV came next and finalising of the room to control to bring it all together.”

James adds, “The most technical point of the room was the wall panels. These required the pattern to match, and it was a challenge to cut to shape in the more complex areas. We also had to redesign the system for a ceiling installation. This involved using two right hand turns to create a clamp feature to go round a returning right angle to the ceiling. It worked beautifully and allowed for the wall panels to be used on the ceiling and cover the trough box containing speakers and halo light.”

Now completed, James says, “My favourite part of the room is the custom calibrated audio, it sounds fantastic. Also, the colour calibration of the projector has improved the 4k resolution and looks great. The client loves the whole room, great finish in the fabric paneling, sound and image custom calibration, RTI control, the changing colour LED strip was at the top of the client’s list, with Pulse Cinemas’ help were able to use the acoustic wood paneling to incorporate, two strip lights for a feature light.

“A big thank you goes out to Pulse Cinemas and their creative support; without their demonstration rooms I do not think the client would have been so confident and would not have had the same level of creativity."