Under stairs cupboard - AV Equipment and cooling

McDaniel · 31 Dec 2018 at 15:35

Hello,

I am wanting to move my AV stuff from under the TV into the cupboard under the stairs, it's only a metre or so away from the TV so distance isn't too much of an issue. My concern is over cooling - the space under the stairs is fairly big - but it will have:

- Denon AV (x2300W)
- Xbox One X
- PS4
- nVidia Shield
- NAS (already there)
- Switch
- Router
- Hubs (smarthings, hue, harmony)
- Electric Box
- Alarm Box / Panel

Potentially a UHD player at some point, but currently media is on the NAS and Shield streaming device.

Under Stairs:

as you can see a fair bit of room, and i can remove the shelf thing that's there and put something in more custom to hold all the equipment

Distance from TV:

(sorry for crap pic, only one to hand but it's the door on the left)

Question is given the space and equipment do you think cooling would be needed, it's an external wall so I do have some options.

/edit

found an old pic to give better idea of size:

Grimley · 31 Dec 2018 at 16:25

My uncle had a denon receiver installed in his cupboard under the stairs in his previous house & I dont think he had a problem. The main heat makers would be the NAS & the games consoles (apart from the denon) If in doubt put a desktop fan in there & leave the door slightly ajar while in use.

McDaniel · 31 Dec 2018 at 16:27

Grimley said:
My uncle had a denon receiver installed in his cupboard under the stairs in his previous house & I dont think he had a problem. The main heat makers would be the NAS & the games consoles (apart from the denon) If in doubt put a desktop fan in there & leave the door slightly ajar while in use.

Thanks.

The NAS has always been in there and never had a problem - it's just adding all the extra stuff.

pioneer2000 · 31 Dec 2018 at 23:59

How are you going to properly control everything? Harmony? Not being able to see the amp would frustrate personally.

McDaniel · 1 Jan 2019 at 00:23

Yea I have a harmony, it also has a phone app

Tee Hee Johnson · 1 Jan 2019 at 18:26

I don't think cooling would be a concern, even with all of that.

barmyllama · 2 Jan 2019 at 18:32

I use one of these on the same AVR you have. Even on an open shelf it gets hot.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B071CL82G9/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It will run off the front USB of the AVR. It's a touch noisy, but you won't hear it in that cupboard.

Steeps · 2 Jan 2019 at 21:09

If you're looking for inexpensive and easy to modify AV racking I recommend Ikea Ivar 50cm frames with the 50x42 shelves. Sideways on they are the exact width to take 19" equipment. Completely open apart from the shelves, cut the frame to fit the height/angle of the space. I've got a Pioneer SCLX86 amp, various CD/MD units, PS3, 1U server, stereo amp, networking kit and my old Logitech z5500 sub in the base.

CraigMcC11 · 2 Jan 2019 at 21:51

Steeps said:
If you're looking for inexpensive and easy to modify AV racking I recommend Ikea Ivar 50cm frames with the 50x42 shelves. Sideways on they are the exact width to take 19" equipment. Completely open apart from the shelves, cut the frame to fit the height/angle of the space. I've got a Pioneer SCLX86 amp, various CD/MD units, PS3, 1U server, stereo amp, networking kit and my old Logitech z5500 sub in the base.

Very useful. Will consider this for my devices.

McDaniel · 5 Jan 2019 at 19:30

barmyllama said:
I use one of these on the same AVR you have. Even on an open shelf it gets hot.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B071CL82G9/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It will run off the front USB of the AVR. It's a touch noisy, but you won't hear it in that cupboard.

Awesome, thanks.

Steeps said:
If you're looking for inexpensive and easy to modify AV racking I recommend Ikea Ivar 50cm frames with the 50x42 shelves. Sideways on they are the exact width to take 19" equipment. Completely open apart from the shelves, cut the frame to fit the height/angle of the space. I've got a Pioneer SCLX86 amp, various CD/MD units, PS3, 1U server, stereo amp, networking kit and my old Logitech z5500 sub in the base.

Good to know, thanks!

andy_mk3 · 5 Jan 2019 at 19:35

I have a load of stuff under my stairs:

https://i.imgur.com/YAvW5FM.jpg

A pair of Dell servers, Yamaha AVR, Sky, PS4, PS3, modem, 1500va UPS, HP switch, 2 printers, house phone, Hue hub, Blink hub, Android TV box.. probably more. I have the vents you can see in the picture, plus a 140mm fan in the door extracting air. The Servers are on 24/7 as are a few other things, temps even in summer never creep past 30c. Fans never ramp up on the servers, nothing ever seems to suffer.

McDaniel · 5 Jan 2019 at 21:25

that's very sexeh - any more snaps?

andy_mk3 · 5 Jan 2019 at 22:35

McDaniel said:
that's very sexeh - any more snaps?

Just realised I managed to totally fail at the link in my post lol.

I don't really have any other pics, it's a bit of a mess right now too. It's mostly enclosed in a pair of IKEA LACK tables.

You're lucky to have those hardwired ethernet ports in there too!

McDaniel · 6 Jan 2019 at 16:12

andy_mk3 said:
Just realised I managed to totally fail at the link in my post lol.

I don't really have any other pics, it's a bit of a mess right now too. It's mostly enclosed in a pair of IKEA LACK tables.

You're lucky to have those hardwired ethernet ports in there too!

Yea I had the house wired up with cat6 before the walls went up!

andy_mk3 · 6 Jan 2019 at 18:25

McDaniel said:
Yea I had the house wired up with cat6 before the walls went up!

Very wise choice. I currently rent off my parents so not really an option. Luckily the majority of stuff I want hard-wired is in the same room though. I just have one ethernet run upstairs to a switch for a couple of devices and my unifi ap.

DataVampire · 8 Jan 2019 at 00:52

OMG that coffee table, where did you get it how much that is the most beautiful thing i have ever seen that model is awsome

McDaniel · 23 Jan 2019 at 23:04

DataVampire said:
OMG that coffee table, where did you get it how much that is the most beautiful thing i have ever seen that model is awsome

Sorry just seen this Had it custom made for the falcon, used a chap local to me

Psycho Sonny · 24 Jan 2019 at 11:45

i personally wouldn't put a console in another room. the bluetooth chips are crap on them.

i've had issues with a defective chip on a ps4 and then it's replacement pro version had issues when i got a wireless sub with a new yamaha soundbar. i had to use wires to wire up the sub to stop the controller from glitching out every so often.

same with the defective ps4 the controller would glitch out randomly every so often say once every 20 mins if it didn't have line of sight.

so if you have crowded wifi or thick walls or a crappy chip it's a no go. it works but doesn't work very well IMO.

i have a lot of smart devices in the home so my wifi is extremely crowded. same goes for bluetooth devices. got multiple in every room.

living room - AVR, smart TV, Echo, Sky Q, HTPC, smart plug, nintendo switch with 4 controllers, wireless cctv
kitchen - nest protect, bluetooth speakers, smart plug, smart bulb, wireless cctv
games room - gaming pc, router, ps4 pro, smart tv, wireless cctv, wireless sub/soundbar, nest protect

then add in all the stuff in the bedrooms, nest thermostat, smart watches, smart phones, tablets, tv's. other cctv and nest protects. i'll be getting a nest hello at some point too. hell even my solar panel inverter uses wi-fi. things you just forget about.

we really need to move back to wired for a lot of stuff. i wish new builds could be specced with multiple ethernet outlets in every room all linked up to a switch in the attic where you would run a single line to where it enters the property.

McDaniel · 24 Jan 2019 at 22:13

It's all wired in terms of networking anyway, so no wifi concers - and as for Bluetooth... the understairs area is kinda in the living room, so its about 4 metres away and blocked by a wooden door - "should" be ok.

Psycho Sonny · 25 Jan 2019 at 08:30

Well of you find yourself pressing buttons with no response or that in game your character is doing stuff you never told him to do like keep on moving, etc. Then you know it's because the console is too far away from the controller or something is interfering with the signals.