Recessing HT components through a wall

[Travis]

Morning all,
I hope your day is going well!!
In my living room the set up I currently have is common. A flat screen TV that sits on top of a cabinet that houses the individual components for the HT. The wall that these components and T.V. currently sit along is also a shared wall to the inside wall of my garage. What I would like to do is cut holes in the wall and recess my components flush with the wall and have the rear of the components accessible from the garage.
I understand that a few in wall 2x4's will have to be cut in order to to do this and my plan was to create a "box" within the wall for the cut 2x4's to sit on top of and I would also brace the box to that the 2x4's in the wall that were cut would have sufficient bracing. Here is an attempt to illistrate what I want to do (All I have is Powerpoint).
I'm looking for any pearls that you all may have to make this successful, anything you can think of or maybe you have done somethind similar to this and come across any complications.
Thanks in advance for your feedback.

[Bent]

is access to the back of the wall a possibility?
if so, look up Larry Fine's "Finerack", what you wish to do can be done for about 60 dollars.

[Travis]

Yes full access to the wall in the garage. That is where the conections to the A/V components will be made.

[Chris D]

Do you know what the building code is in your area, for spacing of studs? More than likely, though, it will NOT be larger than 19" between studs, which is the standard width of racks. So chances are that yes, like you say, you'd have to move studs to do what you're talking about.

The biggest and only suggestion I have is that before you move or cut ANY studs in ANY wall, you need to have a qualified structural engineer evaluate it. If it's not a load bearing wall, then yes, you can readily move the studs. If it is load-bearing, though, you'll have to have the engineer design proper adaptations to the studs to do what you want... BEFORE you move it. I can't emphasize that enough.

[madmac]

As somewhat of a techie audio dude, I frequently get asked to help people install and set up their HT gear and TV's. The idea you have is great because you can readily get access to the back of your gear and the connections thereof. It's a great idea!! :T .

Like the mafia normally says...."I don't do children"!!. In the audio world I tell most people that ask for my help......"I don't do wall units"!!. Absolutely HATE them!!. My motto is....FREE your audio components from the confines and heat of the dreaded Wall unit!!!! :T

[Paul H]

Yes full access to the wall in the garage. That is where the conections to the A/V components will be made.

Most building codes require a garage to be fully sealed from a house. The walls between the house and garage must have continuous air/vapour barriers, self-closing sealed exterior doors etc. The reasoning behind the codes is largely to prevent carbon monoxide from running cars in the garage from leaking into the house.

Cutting a hole in the garage wall for A/V would obviously break this seal ...

Paul