Please help me decide by voting and leaving feedback:

I'm obsessed with TVs or display devices that provide great pq (not unlike many in this forum). I calibrate them myself and an obsessed with getting them as close to perfect as possible. But that's not my largest motivation for abandoning my basement HT: It's mainly because we never use it as a family, but rather I use it alone most nights leaving my wife to watch TV on her own upstairs since she doesn't like to watch it in the basement.

I am thinking of selling my FP (Epson 1080UB LCD projector) as well as other HT gear like the screen, and speaker system, etc. to get a Pioneer 151FD.

I need someone to tell me "I'm crazy to do that as I should be happy with my current setup as I won't get as much enjoyment out of making the change I am planning to make, and that I'm getting amazing pq right now, and have a dedicated HT room to isolate audio"...or something like that. I need your opinions on what I should do!


Let me elaborate on my setups and then what I plan to do:

Basement HT Room with fixed panel Carada Criterion 106" Brilliant White screen, which I sit 14' away from with a 1.6 viewing ratio to diagonal screen size, so it looks pretty big but not overwhelming.
Epson 1080UB 1600lumens projector (fully calibrated to D65 with Eye One)
Paradigm surround sound speaker system (Monitor 7 series)
Marantz receiver

It should also be mentioned that I finished the basement (about 2 years ago) with the HT in mind (i.e. running wires behind the walls, mostly sound proofed the ceiling with insulation, etc.).


In my family room upstairs, I have an older Sony Grand Wega III 42" RPLCD.


Here is my main reasons for wanting a change:

1. The basement setup is awesome for when friends come over and for me alone to have a place to escape to and get some privacy, but my wife and kids never want to sit down there to watch TV or movies.
The FP in the basement seems to be such a chore to go watch for our family, since we don't have a kitchen down there or even a bathroom.
Rarely do we go and sit in the basement and watch a movie as a family or a couple, but yet I'm down there almost every night alone while my wife is upstairs watching TV in the family room on in the bedroom on a 32" CRT.
This is mainly because she doesn't like to sit in the basement when we have a great house on every other level + being so far away from the kids while they are sleeping upstairs.

2. As initially mentioned, I have an obsessive need to own a set that has the best pq, and the 151FD fits that bill.

What I'm thinking about doing:
Selling the Epson 1080UB, 106" Carada screen, and speaker system (I'm keeping the Marantz AVR).
Buying a Pioneer Kuro 60" 151FD and putting it in the family room upstairs.
Taking the Sony 42" RPLCD and putting it up in the bedroom.
Buying one of those Yamaha sound bars that reproduces surround sound and putting it in the family room for sound with the 151FD and the Marantz (i.e. wife doesn't want the Paradigms upstairs, thus why I'm selling them too).

I'd be left with a finished basement that was initially constructed mainly for the FP setup (wired that way and also sound insulated), that now would essentially just be a very rarely used games room for when we have a rare large group of people over.

However, I'd have the amazing 151FD in a room where it would get much more use (i.e. wife and I would watch it together every night, and kids would watch it more easily too).

Given the viewing distances ratios to screen size, I'd be a little worse off with this new setup with about a 1.9 ratio, where right now in the basement the ratio is about 1.52.
I'd also be losing out in audio: going from 6.1 true surround to simulated surround or maybe one of those bose acoustimass systems.
But, I'd be gaining better pq than my current setup (someone please tell me that's right, otherwise forget it ;) AND most importantly, my HT would once again be restored to a room where the whole family would enjoy it more conveniently.

Finally, it should also be mentioned that to make this happen, even after the sale of my existing HT items, I would have to shell out an additional $2,800 for the 151FD + whatever else for the diminished speaker system.

Someone please provide me with some feedback on this. I've heard that many say that they would never go back after having a BIG screen, but my situation is kind of more than just that.

What would you do?

Please help me decide by voting and leaving feedback:

I'm obsessed with TVs or display devices that provide great pq (not unlike many in this forum). I calibrate them myself and an obsessed with getting them as close to perfect as possible. But that's not my largest motivation for abandoning my basement HT: It's mainly because we never use it as a family, but rather I use it alone most nights leaving my wife to watch TV on her own upstairs since she doesn't like to watch it in the basement.

I am thinking of selling my FP (Epson 1080UB LCD projector) as well as other HT gear like the screen, and speaker system, etc. to get a Pioneer 151FD.

I need someone to tell me "I'm crazy to do that as I should be happy with my current setup as I won't get as much enjoyment out of making the change I am planning to make, and that I'm getting amazing pq right now, and have a dedicated HT room to isolate audio"...or something like that. I need your opinions on what I should do!


Let me elaborate on my setups and then what I plan to do:

Basement HT Room with fixed panel Carada Criterion 106" Brilliant White screen, which I sit 14' away from with a 1.6 viewing ratio to diagonal screen size, so it looks pretty big but not overwhelming.
Epson 1080UB 1600lumens projector (fully calibrated to D65 with Eye One)
Paradigm surround sound speaker system (Monitor 7 series)
Marantz receiver

It should also be mentioned that I finished the basement (about 2 years ago) with the HT in mind (i.e. running wires behind the walls, mostly sound proofed the ceiling with insulation, etc.).


In my family room upstairs, I have an older Sony Grand Wega III 42" RPLCD.


Here is my main reasons for wanting a change:

1. The basement setup is awesome for when friends come over and for me alone to have a place to escape to and get some privacy, but my wife and kids never want to sit down there to watch TV or movies.
The FP in the basement seems to be such a chore to go watch for our family, since we don't have a kitchen down there or even a bathroom.
Rarely do we go and sit in the basement and watch a movie as a family or a couple, but yet I'm down there almost every night alone while my wife is upstairs watching TV in the family room on in the bedroom on a 32" CRT.
This is mainly because she doesn't like to sit in the basement when we have a great house on every other level + being so far away from the kids while they are sleeping upstairs.

2. As initially mentioned, I have an obsessive need to own a set that has the best pq, and the 151FD fits that bill.

What I'm thinking about doing:
Selling the Epson 1080UB, 106" Carada screen, and speaker system (I'm keeping the Marantz AVR).
Buying a Pioneer Kuro 60" 151FD and putting it in the family room upstairs.
Taking the Sony 42" RPLCD and putting it up in the bedroom.
Buying one of those Yamaha sound bars that reproduces surround sound and putting it in the family room for sound with the 151FD and the Marantz (i.e. wife doesn't want the Paradigms upstairs, thus why I'm selling them too).

I'd be left with a finished basement that was initially constructed mainly for the FP setup (wired that way and also sound insulated), that now would essentially just be a very rarely used games room for when we have a rare large group of people over.

However, I'd have the amazing 151FD in a room where it would get much more use (i.e. wife and I would watch it together every night, and kids would watch it more easily too).

Given the viewing distances ratios to screen size, I'd be a little worse off with this new setup with about a 1.9 ratio, where right now in the basement the ratio is about 1.52.
I'd also be losing out in audio: going from 6.1 true surround to simulated surround or maybe one of those bose acoustimass systems.
But, I'd be gaining better pq than my current setup (someone please tell me that's right, otherwise forget it ;) AND most importantly, my HT would once again be restored to a room where the whole family would enjoy it more conveniently.

Finally, it should also be mentioned that to make this happen, even after the sale of my existing HT items, I would have to shell out an additional $2,800 for the 151FD + whatever else for the diminished speaker system.

Someone please provide me with some feedback on this. I've heard that many say that they would never go back after having a BIG screen, but my situation is kind of more than just that.

What would you do?

Why not just get Elite for upstairs and keep the dedicated home theater for those nights you want the big movie experience?

^^^ Yep. I kept my dlp projector and added the Kuro.

The Big screen experience feels different than the Giant screen.
Plasma PQ though is not duplicated via projector.

I like to have them both available.

You already have what most people on here can only dream of, a good projection system in a dedicated media room with a big picture. I'm going to vote that you either forget the 151 or get both. Plasma has it's advantages but size is nice to have too.

I dunno about this one.
I don't have much experience with Front projectors but I have never seen one that I really enjoyed watching.
When i go to the movie theaters now, I am very disappointed and wish I was at home watching the movie on my 151 instead.
Does anyone feel like that when you go to the movies now??

But still, having a dedicated rrom and a front projector sounds so awesome I would love it.
I don't think I will ever be that lucky but who knows.

I think most have seemed to of missed the OP's overall dilemna.

What he is basically saying is that while he has a system that he has worked and planned ever so diligently over time, he is not enjoying it, as the whole purpose of the HT was to enjoy with his loved ones.

Another point it seems he is making, is that it is not in his budget, not best of interest to have both, or he would of never of mentioned selling the DTH setup.

I can understand his sentiment entirely. Although we do not have a dedicated HT, I do enjoy new release night (Tuesday's) with my wife and son (when he's not jumping on the sofas during the movie lol).

As far as PQ is concerned, you will find yourself hardpressed to find any type of guilt or remorse with the Elite. It truly is perfection. Well, with a good source of course (hey that rhymed!).

My biggest concern is the huge downgrade with teh audio. I personally could not live with a soundbar, especially coming from a DHT! Would your wife be opposed to in-walls?

One more suggestion. If it is because of the kids that your wife does not like watching movies, because of their safety, have you ever considered a remote monitor cam setup? You could have cameras in their rooms and through out the house, that you could view directly from your remote, with microphones equipped. I have a buddy that works at a high end A/V store, and he was mentioning something like this from Crestron.

Chad, while the Kuro is in a completely different league as far as PQ is concerned, a DHT with a massive screen in the comforth of your own home, is also in a league of it's own. Not to mention the Epson is a very good projector for the price.

P.S. Have you ever asked yourself, what is it that is keeping your children from wanting to be downstairs? If you know why, then I may just be wasting your time with what I am about to post, but maybe you could do something to make the enviornment more "child" friendly. Different colors on the walls, different rugs, etc. Maybe a couple movies you know they would enjoy. A snack bar? I dunno, just brainstorming :)

I dunno about this one.
I don't have much experience with Front projectors but I have never seen one that I really enjoyed watching.
When i go to the movie theaters now, I am very disappointed and wish I was at home watching the movie on my 151 instead.
Does anyone feel like that when you go to the movies now??

But still, having a dedicated rrom and a front projector sounds so awesome I would love it.
I don't think I will ever be that lucky but who knows.
I have to agree with the Movie Theater experience now as being extremely dim/dull grainy and extreme flickering and the annoyance of a Movie House today with force fed commercials and cattle chomping on their goodies. I find my 57" Sharp with BD or HD Far Superior to that experience and I'd love to build a dedicated FP HT in my basement.

The OP has what many dream of and I have an 1800 sq ft basement I haven't finished with tall ceilings and full windows and think of the same dilemma - to make it fully home with all creature comforts would run about $60K or more and in todays home market no one wants to buy that upgrade it seems, at least in MI anyways - so I dedicate my HT dollars upstairs.

I think your family has given you their vote - they want to be where the creature comforts are even if it's a weenie 32" CRT vs the FP. The old addage of be careful what you wish for. It seems that you missed the SHARING of the HT experience with family and you need to go the route of the Elite 60" to become the prodigal HT provider and bring the family back together.;)

Different strokes and all that but for my part even if I had the World's Greatest Home Theater it wouldn't get much use if my wife didn't want to watch movies and television with me. We've got plenty of other things that are done separately and watching a movie is something that really only fun together.

That said, in today's wintry economic climate I doubt you'll clear much money by selling off the projector setup. So it may not make sense to dismantle the basement theater unless you need that space for something else. I'd imagine you'll end up liquidating all that gear for net proceeds of a few hundred dollar (after shipping, advertising and transcation costs plus a lot of time and effort). So by keeping it you're in effect "buying" a kickin' home theater for maybe a thousand bucks, right?

So if it were me I'd keep all or most of the projector setup and do a modest upgrade to the viewing room that the family likes upstairs. Or if that's not practical then just get rid of the basement HT and move upstairs with the family.

P.S. Joe, after re-reading the original post I have one more comment and I say this only as a fellow obsessive-gearhead personality type. I'm not trying to be insulting or put words in your mouth so please take it in the spirit in which it's intended...

I think a big element of the motivation for this question is simply to justify buying a scary-expensive plasma television. At this point my wife would say "If you're asking about it you already mean to do it and I won't try and talk you out of it". So if you really, really "need" the 60" Kuro then get what you can for the basement gear and whip out the old Mastercard and go for it. It will be awesome, no doubt. But don't expect your family to appreciate the sacrifice of the basement HT as I suspect they'll see this more as moving on to the Next Big Thing rather than a pure accomodation to their lifestyle. But OTOH they will get to use a wicked-good TV every day!

How old are your kids? When ours were teenagers, we always seemed to have a group of their friends around on the weekends watching movies on our projector with real surround. It was kind of nice not having to wonder where they were or what they were doing.

Maybe go with a 50" Kuro and sound bar upstairs and keep the theater. You may be glad you did later...

My vote - treat yourself to a nice set up where your family will enjoy it with you.

My experience with a similiar dilemma, it is just my wife and me, but I could not get my wife downstairs to watch movies/tv/etc, for the same reason you have. We did not have a nice family room upstairs that would allow a tv, as it appears you do, otherwise I would have jumped on that opportunity.

I think you will be happy if you have a nice system where everyone can be together, but do it right. You definately know what you want for a display (nice choice by the way), but really try to reconsider audio. If you can't get the speakers out in the room, is it possible to get in-walls? I know that this is will not give you the quality of in-room speakers, but a good alternative will providing some imaging.

I am looking at a 6020 Kuro myself for my new theater in the home we just moved into, this will replace my 50" LCD rear projection.

Changing out equipment is fun/exciting - I have done it a few too many times in the last few years.

I already answered your question in the flat panel thread. However, you gave nowhere near the info in that thread as this thread. I didn't know you already owned the 1080UB. Since you already own it, I would get the Kuro in addition to it, and put it in the bedroom.

Plasma's have the best PQ out there imho, BUT there is NO substitue for the projector/large screen viewing, especially action flicks. I think however that if you are missing out on quality family time and things of that sort then maybe you should get the kuro.

No chance in keeping the Epson and getting a 151?

We have a FP and a 141.. though the 141's pq is much better, 60" is a lot smaller than 106"/119". Screen size impacts the viewing experience and I find my Wife asking for the "big screen" often. Granted, we've had FP for years so my family has gotten spoiled from the size.

You often hear, once you go > 100" you won't go back. Believe me, we tried after we sold our last home with a dedicated HT and purchased an older but larger home without a dedicated HT. Trust me, you will regret it. The Epson puts out a great picture too.

Recently, we are watching most of the movies on the 141, but my wife still wanted to watch "Sex in the City" on the "big screen".

MY SUGGESTION: Use the FP for those special Movies, treat it like going out to the Theaters: there are no kitchens/bathrooms in the actual room either. Make it a family outing/date, an outing/date to your own Theater. :D

Choose a title that your Wife would love/wants to see. Make a date.. just the two of you. :)

I am very much like you...Canadian, and a display device lover! I have owned at least 20 projectors of all technologies...and when I have the theater room finally setup, I don't use it very much. So...I sold it all and for quite a while I watched movies upstairs in the living room via plasma...and it's probably better for you and the family to sit in a nicer room and watch movies on a smaller yet just as enjoyable screen. One thing I know is that the room matters!! A nice living room with a nice plasma would be a joy to watch movies in.

I feel dedicated Home theater is a hobby...I kept my painted screen as it's not worth much and I recently jumped on a new projector deal $600 for a Planar 720p dlp...I'm excited to fool around with it and test it out. It really is a hobby...nobody needs any of this stuff. Spend time with your family...watch movies on the plasma and buy cheap stuff for the ht as a hobby.

just my $0.02.

My next project is a DIY acoustically transparent screen...what a hobby!

Wow. Very thought provoking post.

Personally, I would think about nixing the basement theater. I went through a kind of similar experience…

We just moved to a new house this year and in our old house the main TV/theater room was in the basement. Just seemed like the logical place to me (being a typical guy). The family would go down there but was definitely not totally keen on it. The wife never really liked it but still would come down because it was the main TV room. I did hear a lot of “I can’t stand the basement” at times though.

So we move to our new house and the basement is a tad smaller so it has become the teenagers bedroom and our main TV room is upstairs in the traditional ‘living room’ with all the windows and opening to the kitchen, etc…

I can honestly tell you that it has made a much bigger difference in my family’s outlook than I expected. My wife stays with me on the couch for MUCH longer now rather than heading upstairs to the bedroom to watch ‘normal’ TV. Everyone just gathers there naturally so it continues to be a great place for everyone to hang out.

Believe me, I do understand the ‘dedicated’ theater room, but they can be better in theory than in actuality. They seem like more of a novelty for lots of people rather than something that get’s a ton of use.

If you can keep it and somehow swing the upstairs setup than that is ideal. But, if not, I say get out of the basement. It’s not an easy choice, but that’s my thought.

The only thing that freaks me out is the sound system. I would REALLY try to go ‘in wall’ or do something besides a sound bar.

Wow, I'm really surprised by all of the really informative feedback. Well thought out by almost everyone. Thank you.

Fanataclism hit the nail on the head when he stated that the main issue is about family time.

That said, I don't think I'm going to dismantle and "sell off" the theater. My kids are really young (2 & 3 years old), but as they get a little older my wife tells me we should start using it more, but I somehow think that increase will only be marginal. As stated, when my friends come over it's a perfect setup as it's sound isolated and we can be as loud as we want.

It's not like a have a horrible TV in the family room right now, just one that's starting to get a little dated (it's 5 years old now) and also I have no sound system up there right now (just the TV's speakers).

I think I'm going to keep the basement theater, but at the same time stop investing upgrades into it. I'll also start saving some money for a more modest sized Pioneer Elite for the main upstairs room (maybe the 111FD) and likely look at some sort of surround system for upstairs as well (in walls or maybe just smaller speakers like what the Bose acoustimass provides).

Thanks again for all of your wonderful feedback, I think it helped me avoid making a big mistake in selling my existing HT gear.

I think thats a good idea, the 111FD is a great choice

I think thats a good idea, the 111FD is a great choice

I'll be sitting about 9.5ft away from it (screen panel to eye distance), thus my viewing ratio will be 2.28 on the diagonal. Is that ok?

It will be a far cry from my basement big screen at 106" and 13.5ft away, thus VR being 1.52 on the diagonal.

Thats a good distance.

I think I'm going to keep the basement theater...

Wise decision. :)


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