I'm trying to maximize my HT space so I can fit 126" screen in the room. If I go with vpl-hw10 it looks like I would have to mount the projector at ~13' but then I would have to set the zoom to ~1.49x. I'm new to projectors so I'm not sure what I loose by having to have my projector zoomed to 1.49x for fill the screen.

So to squeeze little more room out of the room and still have the screen wall to hide the speakers I'm thinking of creating the screen wall with indented screen. Do you see any issues with this? Will this interfere with how the pictures are shown or viewed? Any other concerns?

I'm attaching my HT model for your reference.

Thanks in advance for your input.
Dan

Many theaters built this way.

See BritinVA build thread.

Also: this professionally (Dennis Erskine) designed space:

http://home.comcast.net/~kirkk/uptownparadiso.html

http://home.comcast.net/~kirkk/2004-03-31/leftrear.jpg

Many theaters built this way.

See BritinVA build thread.

Also: this professionally (Dennis Erskine) designed space:

http://home.comcast.net/~kirkk/uptownparadiso.html

http://home.comcast.net/~kirkk/2004-03-31/leftrear.jpg

Thanks. I originally was planning my HT with straight screen wall but was looking to maximize the space. I wasn't aware that this is pretty common.

Hey BIG,

In looking at the pictures of the HT you referenced I can't tell how the center speaker was integrated. Reason I'm asking is my current center speaker (Definitive Technology CLR2000) needs bit of space under the screen. Just trying to see if anyone came up with some clever way to hide this without making it look to weird.

Thank you.

Yea, for some reason Kirk the builder never took a picture of his choice of speakers in position. If you look at Brits thread you can see how he built out the bottom to hold the center speaker.

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k242/BritInVA/HT/stage4.jpg

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k242/BritInVA/Proscenium-1.jpg

Another indented screen is Larry's
http://mysite.verizon.net/res8ycu4/id4.html

The Kirk Center channel is behind the screen.

Definitive Technology speaker system, BP 2002 (L&R), CLR 2500, BP2x Surrounds x 4

Thanks BIG for the references.

I noticed most of the indent is straight back. I was thinking I would have to angle it a bit to make it easier to view and also maybe for looks. Any concerns with this approach?

Thanks again for your information.

Don't do it...you'll distort the picture.

Dennis, I think he was referring to the sides of the shadow box not the screen. But at 5:56 am anything is possible.

I like the concept of angling the sides of the indentation. Like a giant picture frame.

dennis how is having those bipolar fronts enclosed working for you? I wanted to use my 7002s behind a screen wall but didnt figure they were intended for that. especially if you treat the wall behind them, you lose the effect of the bipolar speakers.

Dennis, I think he was referring to the sides of the shadow box not the screen. But at 5:56 am anything is possible.

I like the concept of angling the sides of the indentation. Like a giant picture frame.

Sorry if I wasn't more precise in my description. What BIG said is right about how I want to build the indented screen. Sides of the screen would be opening slightly wider at an angle but wasn't sure if that would look weird when watching movies.

Also having bump out from the screen for the front speaker will take some getting used to for me I think. I wish there was some clever way to blend that in but I can't think of anything.

If you make everything other than the screen black it will all pretty much visually blend together and you won't even notice it.

I've been to Brits place and it is a non-issue.

I'm not sure what speaker you are using but you could create a pocket in the wall to partially recess it. That would cut down on the size of the bump out. Now I'm sure that the Audio police will cry foul that the speaker isn't intended to sit so close to the wall. At a minimum you should be covering your front wall with acoustically absorbing material anyway and that should help.

dennis how is having those bipolar fronts enclosed working for you? I wanted to use my 7002s behind a screen wall but didnt figure they were intended for that. especially if you treat the wall behind them, you lose the effect of the bipolar speakers.
An effect you don't want in a multi-channel playback environment in any case.

Why use those speakers then if you are going to defeat their intended purpose? I like the way mine sound for 2 channel listening as well as surround movies and sacds. I guess i may treat behind them and see what difference it makes.

Why use those speakers
Precisely. This type of design (and variations on the design as seen in speakers by Snell, Bose and others) were developed back when all that was available was two channels. The idea was to create more reflective energy in the room to assist in creating "ambiance" or "room filling sound". Now we have multi-channel (surround speakers) to take on that role. In the more basic form, are you going to use your room as the surround processor or are you going to use electronics to provide your surround processing and ambiance extraction from 2-channel source material?

I guess i am trying to get the both of best worlds, you are right I dont need the bipolar when watching movies but in 2 channel, sounds great. Not trying to highjack this thread, it really does pertain to me. I have an indented screen wall but I will have to move the LR speakers into the indentation to hide them, behind an accoustical screen. But I have not done this because of the type of bipolar speakers i currently have. I think it would ruin my stereo listening.

I'm thinking I'll have to indend my screen wall, just like your drawing. I was worried about the light reflecting off the screen glowing that walls in the / \ direction, that were right next to the screen. I was planing on lining the / \ walls with a velvet black hole type fabric. That indentation is the only way I could hide my speaker and use a solid screen. Otherwise I have to use an AT screen to fit a decent size.

Did you end up building or deciding on this yet?

One quick question on the indented screen:

If the lip above the screen comes sticks out a good amount - will that significantly affect the angle the projector needs to project the image? In other words, will the projector have to be very low?

If you are going to indent your screen you should get a projector that requires no or minimal offset. A protector that is mounted at a height equal to the top edge of the screen (zero offset) would have no problem. The higher you go then you might hit the edge. It is all geometry. The projectors with the 36% fixed offset might not work at all but it is a matter of the depth of the indent and how much space you have above the actual screen edge.