Setting Up My Home Cinema

Introduction

I have a 4x6 meter room in the basement that I intended to make a cozy cinema room, and started to look into parts in 2017.

The initial intention was to use Optoma's 4k laser ultra-short throw (UST) projector, (good short review here) however, looking at best viewing distances and the room size, the projector idea wasn't that suitable in my opinion, in addition to overall costs involved, since the projector will need an Ambient Light Rejection (ALR) screen to make sure the picture is crisp and clear.

Table of Contents

• Room Dimensions and Final Layout
• Items
• TV
• Surround System
• Recliner Seats
• Speaker Stands
• Cable Management
• TV Table
• Carpet
• Multimedia Player for Transcoding
• Keyboard
• HDMI Cables
• Paint
• Power Transformer
• Sleeved Blankets
• Wireless Access Point
• Costs
• Pictures

Room Dimensions and Final Layout

I used the free service from floorplanner.com to create the above layout, and experiment with multiple possible layouts.

Initially, I wanted to have 6 recliner seats, 3 in each row and have the 2nd row raised on a wooden platform, but when considering the surround systems' recommended distance for the speakers, I changed the layout to the one above and shifted the TV to be on the side rather than at the bottom.

It's important to understand the available distances in your room to choose the correct TV/projector resolution, and understand the surround system's best placement for the speakers, whether you're going with a soundbar or a dedicated sound receiver and speakers.

Originally, I thought I might have bean bags around as extra chairs, but the space is actually tight and won't be suitable to have a bean bag in front of the TV (kept behind when not in use).

Items

TV

In late 2019, I bought a LG B9 65" 4K OLED TV. I spent a few months looking at reviews and forums before purchasing it and reasons behind my purchase are:

• LG is a top leader in OLED panel manufacturing. OLED screens are FREAKING AMAZING when having the right content played. The colors are beyond fantastic. The best benchmark is Planet Earth 4K content.
• LG keeps its TVs up to date along with the store, unlike Samsung
• LG's B9/C9 models scored highest scores (as well as their latest CX) on rtings.com
• RTings website offers excellent & unbiased comparisons
• I used RTings' distance calculator to see which resolution works for my layout. Scroll down to mid of the page to see their "Optimal viewing distance by size of TV and resolution" -- also pasted below for ease of reading.
• I intentionally bought the US version rather than a local one, to make sure I have access to US apps and firmware updates. A friend who had a UAE version didn't have the latest firmware on it until he used a magic remote to enter engineering mode and change the region of the TV.
• This model cannot handle TrueHD 7.1 surround sound decoding or some video codecs, so I got a Shield Pro. More details below.
• The TV's ethernet port is limited to 100 Mbps, so if you plan to stream 4K content (from Internet or from a media player in your house), get an access point that supports 802.11ac or newer.

copyright to rtings.com

I should note that the LG TV was shipped from Amazon USA, and its electricity is 120 volts. There are many forum posts that state it can handle 240v, but there's nothing from the official documents nor LG's website mentioning that, so I used a transformer to convert our 240v electricity to 120v.

It's difficult to find sellers on Amazon USA who ship to Kuwait directly, and you should NEVER use shipping forwarding services, because your warranty will be dropped from the seller. The other alternative is buying from BHphotovideo. Multiple people I know have bought the newer models from them and shipped successfully to Kuwait.

In the following months, I got busy and didn't finish the room in one shot, so I took my time to put the pieces together.

Surround System

Again, thanks to rtings.com, I ended up choosing the 9.2.4 Nakamichi surround system soundbar and speakers over the Samsung HW-Q90R. The Nakamichi made more sense for these reasons:

• I got the 9.2.4 Spatial Surround Elevation (SSE) edition.
• I intend to use it for movies and TV shows, rather than music, and it offered better surround system experience.
• Nakamichi has an international shipping option, while Samsung was almost impossible to find anywhere online that can ship to Kuwait.
• Nakamichi's powersupplies accept 120-240 volt electricity, so I wouldn't need to worry about using a transformer.
• I opted for a soundbar rather than a full receiver system and speakers to keep the cost down and the setup simple.
• The Nakamichi setup is brilliant: a soundbar that connects via ARC/eARC, and 2 subwoofers that connect to the soundbar wirelessly. The 4 surround/ATMOS speakers connect to the subwoofers through RCA cables. Every 2 ATMOS speakers connect to one subwoofer.
• I contacted their "Ninja Support" team to ask questions about the system, options, best layouts, and so on, and they were extremely helpful!

Recliner Seats

I got 3 recliner seats from Midas Kuwait. Each has 2 cup holders. The reclining mechanism is manual through a handle on the side. This keeps things simple and no need for extra electricity and wiring for each chair.

Speaker Stands

I got my speaker stands from BHphotovideo: Auray TMS-135. Each item has 2 stands in it. I chose these because I wanted a flat surface to put the ATMOS speakers on. It has foam pads stuck on the surface to help with sound/shock dampening so the speakers won't move or vibrate.

Cable Race Tracks

The cables from the speakers were sprawling everywhere, along with the power cables, so I found these race tracks from Stageek on Amazon. I like them for these reasons:

• Black color. No need to paint the raceway and blends in well in the dark.
• Has cable entry points from up and down sides, so no need to cut the pieces to let cables in and out.
• The tracks are easy to pull in and out and the back has double-sided glue. I've had them for 2 weeks now and they're doing good.
• One downside to it is that the accessories included are not enough for corners or proper alignment, and you cannot buy them separately, but I bought multiple packs, so that helped.
• Each pack contains 9 raceway tracks, each is 38 cm long.

TV Table

I bought mine locally from Best Yousifi. It had to be a table with a VESA mount at the back that can handle a 65" TV and allow me to flexibly move the TV up or down from the VESA mount brackets.

Carpet

I had a thick carpet installed with long and soft fibers, as shoes are not allowed into the room, and the carpet helped reduce the echo in the room tremendously. I had normal Persian house carpets that I borrowed from my mom when I first got the TV, but I suffered from lots of echo.

I don't know the specific carpet brand, but it's Swedish, and I got it from Bukhamseen carpet shop in Dhajeej area.

Transcoding Content

I bought the NVIDIA Shield TV Pro for these reasons:

• Supports 4K HDR decoding
• Supports Dolby TrueHD 7.1 surround sound decoding
• I installed Plex Media Server on it, and connected and configured it to my Synology NAS, so I download content on the Synology, and then watch the content on the TV via Plex.
• The seller didn't ship directly to Kuwait, so I shipped using my forwarding box in USA. I didn't check at the time with BHphotovideo.

Keyboard

Typing passwords, IPs, and anything else with the Shield Pro's magic remote is a huge pain, so I bought a Logitech bluetooth keyboard. It allows connecting to multiple devices, but a downside is that it's not illuminated.

HDMI Cables

Latest specs for proper high throughput 4K content require high spec cables. Those can be quite expensive, so I got mine from Amazon. I got 2 different brands and both have served me quite well for the past year. One downside to the longer one is that the cable is too stiff, so it's not easy to tidy the place.

• SecurOMAX 8K 48 Gbps 6 ft cable
• Zeskit 8K 48 Gbps 2 meter/6 ft cable (this is the stiff one)

Paint

I had a painter we've been known for a long time do the matte dark paint for walls and ceiling. I didn't see the brand as I left it for him to make the choice. I only chose the color.

Power Transformer

Converting 240v to 120v for the TV was through a 750 Watts transformer. Even though the TV doesn't consume more than 300 Watts, I went for 750 Watts to give it enough room and avoid over heating. I bought my transformer from RTC shop in Mirqab (they have another branch in Hawally), but I later found the same transformer being sold in Mishrif co-op family utilities branch.

Sleeved Blankets

A hotel we went to last year in winter had these Pavilia fleece blankets available for outside seatings and I loved how soft, light and warm they were, especially that they had pockets and sleeves! I was happy to find them on Amazon.

Wireless Access Point

As part of my home setup, I already use Ubiquiti access points (APs) along with the central controller and switches, so I was adding just another component into an existing stack here. I bought the Mesh AP for some other purpose, so it got repurposed for this room. Do NOT buy a single Ubiquiti AP, if you don't have a full home setup. (you should move everything to Ubiquiti, though. Easier overall management of your home network).

The AP supports 1167 Mbps throughput on 5 GHz frequency, and the TV supports 802.11ac, which is compatible with these high speeds. Useful to stream 4K Ultra HD content.

Costs

1. TV: LG 65" B9 OLED
1. Item: $2,296.99
2. Shipping: $693.82
3. Import fees (customs fees in Kuwait): $161.06
4. Total: $3,151.87
2. Surround System: Nakamichi 9.2 SSE
1. Item: $1,399.99
2. Shipping: $298.48
3. Import fees: $147.72
4. Total: $1,846.19
3. Recliner Seats: Rosia Recliner
1. Item: 85 KWD (inclusive of delivery and installation in Kuwait)
2. Total: 3x 85 = 255 KWD ($835)
4. Speaker Stands: Auray TMS-135
1. Item: 2x $49.99 (2 pieces) = $99.98
2. Shipping: $159.21
3. Import fees: unknown (paid cash upon arrival)
4. Total: $259.19
5. Cable Raceway Tracks: Stageek Cable Management Kit
1. Item: 5x $24.99 = $124.95
2. Shipping: $95.94 (package included other items, but mostly were lite)
3. Import fees: $49.82 (should be lower for someone ordering only these, as this includes tax for other items purchased in the same order)
4. Total: $270.71
6. TV Table: Bismut brand
1. Item: 69.99 KWD (inclusive of delivery and assembly in Kuwait) ($230)
7. Carpet: Swedish brand
1. Item: I think it was 24 KWD per meter square
2. Installation: 40 KWD
3. Total: 640 KWD ($2,100)
8. Transcoding: NVIDIA Shield TV Pro 4K HDR Streaming Device
1. Item: $199.99
2. Shipping and import fees: unknown. bundled with other stuff through forwarding box.
9. Bluetooth Keyboard: Logitech K600 TV Keyboard
1. Item: $59.96
2. Shipping: $67.29 (included other stuff that were heavy)
3. Import fees: $71.31
4. Total: $403.92, but Amazon refunded $25.31 = $378.61. (Refunds usually happen after customs clearance fees are finalized a few months later)
10. TV Cable: 8K 48 Gbps HDMI 2.1
1. Item1: SecurOmax = $14.95
2. Item2: Zeskit = $25.99
3. Shipping: $40.62 (included other heavy items in the same package)
4. Import fees: $16.97 (inclusive of the heavy and expensive items in same package)
5. Total: $98.53
11. Paint
1. Item: 250 KWD inclusive of paint material and labor. ($820)
12. Transformer: No brand name
1. Item: 9 KWD ($30)
13. Sleeved Blankets: Pavilia Fleece Blanket with Sleeves
1. Item: 6x $21.99 = $131.94
2. Shipping: $166.26
3. Import fees: $34.26
4. Total: $332.6, but Amazon refunded $10.88 = $321.58
14. Wireless AP: Ubiquiti Unifi AC Mesh
1. Item: $99
2. Shipping: part of the same package as the HDMI cables
3. Import fees: part of the same package as the HDMI cables

Total: $10,639.68 (3,250.00 KWD)

Pictures

Initial setup: nothing but painted walls and a TV!

Blanket with pockets and sleeves

Streaming corruption because TV couldn't handle Dolby TrueHD
Fixed by using the NVIDIA Shield TV Pro for streaming

Unboxing the Nakamichi 9.2 SSE

The layout before cable management and TV table

How the TV looks when sitting on the recliners.
The 65" is perfect for the selected distance.

The Matrix 4K 7.1 streamed through the Shield Pro

Black Hawk Down 4K 7.1 streamed through the Shield Pro

Playing music on Pandora app to abuse the surround system with Dark Electrica tracks
(Julian Winding's tracks are amazing)

Unboxing the cable raceway tracks

Final layout after cable management and TV stand

Final layout after cable management and TV stand

Final layout after cable management and TV stand

The subwoofers are down-firing, so the bass comes from all directions, and no need to worry about placing their direction. I did experiment with their locations to see the different effects of bass around. I opted for one front and another in the rear to feel the vibrations from both directions, and to make cable management easier, too.

OnePlus 8 Pro and Software Restrictions

Introduction

OnePlus released its new phone: OnePlus 8 Pro, and the 4 cameras on the phone are quite superb. One of the cameras is capable of doing Photochromic picture filters.

A rumor spread out that this filter allows to see inside plastic devices, and maybe under clothes. You can see a video here showing the feature. It seems like the Chinese government took an extreme approach to this rumor, though it's false, and asked OnePlus to block the feature on the phones.

TL;DR Summary

The Chinese model variant IN2020 has some features locked based on the hardware model. Do not buy the IN2020. Changing the software won't help.

Details

Even if you buy the variant that has the international firmware/operating system (OS), the feature is checked against the hardware model, so it will not work.

If you do not care about the Photochromic picture filter, then this will not be an issue for you. There's no telling if other feature would be blocked in the future, if asked by the Chinese government, on the Chinese variant IN2020.

Other OnePlus 8 Pro variants: IN2021 (India), IN2023 (Europe), IN2025 (Global). These variants are not affected by the feature lock on the camera.

Also, the IN2020 Chinese variant comes in 2 flavors: either with OxygenOS (global OS) or HydrogenOS (China OS only).

You can grab any OS build and flash it on the phone. Check this guide [Repo of Oxygen OS Builds]. Remember, flashing a different OS will NOT remove the feature restrictions on the China variant. It's locked by checking the hardware model, which cannot be modified. You might need this guide [Unbrick tool to restore your device to OxygenOS] to unbrick your phone, if you did something wrong.

Where to Buy

I have sold back the Chinese variant that I bought, and instead ordered the EU variant (IN2023) from Amazon Germany as they offer global shipping and delivered directly to my house.

Blockchain Council: Not Worth It

Introduction

Some time last year, I was seeing a lot of people talking about blockchain certification and others claiming to be certified experts. Being someone who's seen the start of it all since 2008, almost all these certifications smelled like scam.

I looked around and saw Blockchain Council being touted. I paid them to see what they're actually offering.

TL;DR Summary

The site is run by a single person who's showing off as an entrepreneur, but has no real product to show. The study material is very basic, filled with typos and mistakes, and the final exam has almost no relationship to the material and many of the questions weren't even part of the material; a trick to have you take the exam multiple times (and pay more).

Additionally, the site owner shoves his own product into the material to promote it, but doesn't include other competing products. That's quite unprofessional.

Even though the certificate says "Certified Blockchain Expert", the end result is that you're not an expert in any form. You'd only learn basics, that are available for free on the internet already.

Registration and Education Sites

The main site used to register is www.blockchain-council.org but after registration, you're redirected to another one www.toshacademy.com -- What is Tosh? Or better yet, Who is Tosh?

Self-Promotion and Ownership

Looking around for what and who owns the site, I found this: www.toshendra.com

Looking around for who Toshendra Sharma is, I found this article on Forbes India promoting him, even though there was no product to show for at the time, so what was the promotion and hyping the person for?!

Link: http://www.forbesindia.com/article/30-under-30/30-under-30-toshendra-sharma-a-messiah-for-cyber-security/42329/1

Link: https://www.forbes.com/profile/toshendra-kumar-sharma/

So what are his companies to deserve a mention on Forbes? The companies are defunct and dead. 2 sites are dead and no product was actually delivered and finished.

Link: https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/wegilant#section-overview

Typos

The typos are scattered across many slides, that it looks obvious the whole thing was cooked on a haste and not taken seriously nor professionally.

"Sierra Leone was among the first country" should've been "Sierra Leon was among the first countries"

"to conduct the same" -- the phrase "the same" is often used by people from from India. Not that there's anything wrong with Indians, but shows that the content was made by one individual, and he's likely to be Indian.

Notice the bullet points. The first one ends with a full-stop, but the others are left without one. No consistency.

"minor node" should've been "miner node."

"%tage" should've been written as "percentage" -- the fact it was written that way shows the level of unprofessional work.

"RecordsKeeper" is the product the creator of the site is trying to promote throughout the material.

In the blockchain architecture, one layer is shown as "insensitive layer" where it should be "incentive layer" -- I wasn't whether to laugh or cry when I was going over the material.

Worthless Certificate

I totally do not recommend wasting money on this nor fueling this terrible "business." -- I wouldn't label it as scam, but it's certainly not an "expert" body to judge people, and definitely not teach them.