Room size: 11.5'x13'
Screen: 84" (41"x73" viewing size)
Table dimensions: 15" or 30" tall, 30" wide, 15" deep

The projector will be on a 15" or 30" tall by 30" wide table and will share 17" of the right side of the screen. 720p is fine, 1080p would be out of my budget for this room. Here's the kicker- I need the fan to vent on the right side of the projector, so it doesn't blow towards the center of the room.

Which 720p projectors have the lens shift to pull this off?

http://i34.tinypic.com/xpaus9.png

The Sanyo PLV-Z60 should work for you as long as you keep the lens height reasonably near the center of the screen. As a plus its lens is on the left side and vent is on the right. Most LCD projectors like the Sanyo would probably work as they have mucho lens shift by nature of their design.

The AX200 will do it as well. The exhaust vent is on the right side.

HTtom -- The Epson HC720 has tha largest amount of lens shift of any 720p PJ, the Panasonic PT-AX200 is a close second. The HC720 also has the exhaust vent on the right side (looking towards the screen). It is also well within your price range.

You need a horizontal offset of just under 20" or 54% (26% of full screen width). I'm not sure that even the Epson has that much capability. The other problem you will run into is, with that much horizontal offset, you will have very little, if any, vertical offset available to use (the two offsets are not independent on any PJ that has both horizontal and vertical offset adjustments).

I'd go with an Epson, I have a similar setup with the Homecinema 1080, and previously Procinema 810(same as HC720). I also have my electric screen semi hidden behind a valance too(saw your other thread)

You'll definitely have enough horizontal lens shift, but it might not leave much verticle left, but you can solve that by going with a bigger screen. Why only 84"?????

Ct Wiebe:

The exhaust vent is on the front of the 720 but blows on an angle to the right side. Not sure if this is what you meant. At any rate, it wouldn't blow into the center of the room.:)

novasol -- Yes that's what I meant. The question was basically that HTtom wanted the vent to exhaust air toward the right side of the room, which the Epson HC720 does (as you noted).

BTW, Epson also has a newer 700 model, but that one has no lens shift at all.

lewke -- I was wondering the same thing, but I figured that HTtom had already looked into that issue. BTW, an Elite 100" (and 106") screen is not that much more expensive than their smaller models (in their, fixed, "ezFrame" models).

I wasn't sure how many replies I'd get on this tonight, thanks to everyone for their time. I'll check out the models suggested, hopefully one of them will work and is readily available for a great price. I'm even ok going with a used one from a reliable source, so I also need to research that.

Keep the suggestions coming, thanks again. :)

Hi HTtom,

One more vote for the HC720. I have the older HC400 that has the same H/V lens shift range, and a setup almost ideantical to your diagram.

My screen is slightly larger (92"), and the bottom of the screen is about 32" off the ground. The centre of the projector lens is about 28" off the ground. The centre of the lens is inset from the right side of the screen edge by about 18". This 'just' works with a little shift to spare.

We have a seat to the right of the projector, and as long as you're not too far in front of the table, the exhaust doesn't hit you. However, on cold winter nights, my wife and I fight for that spot and move the chair ahead a little!

Jonathan

Any suggestions for non-current models that would work? I'd love to get this for ≤ $500, so a used PJ with decent lamp life left would be just fine.

Epson HC400 or HC500, even a used Espon HC720 might go for $500ish, I sold my Epson PC810 (same as HC720 basically), for $725 with less than 300 hours on the bulb last year.....

I'm sure someone here wants to upgrade and will offer you something.....

HTtom -- Look for the older 1080p Epsons - 1080, 1080UB, Pro 1080UB, 6100, 6500UB and the 7500UB (Pro). Epson went to a new case with the 1080 model. All models from the 1080 through the 7500UB used the same case (with a difference in color for the "Pro" versions). The case is only slightly changed on the new 8100, 8500UB, & up, models.

I'm not sure about the older 720p models, you will have to look at the case style. Check the reviews on www.projectorreviews.com. Art has pictures of each model of the PJs he reviews (and a description of the air exhaust venting, as well as lens shift ranges).

depending on what you're willing to spend the Z4, Z5, and the Z60 are great projectors and they have sharpier images then the epson and the panasonic. However, both of them are good in their own right. I've owned a sanyo, panasonic, and epson an must say I like the sanyo better. I also owned a sharp which is a DLP, but it was the only one besides the sanyo that gave me a really sharp image.