I have a large family room HT and a small dedicated HT. I have a projector in both rooms. I have a 106" drop down High Power in the family room set up and a 106" Center Stage XD in the dedicated room. I use a Planar PD7130 in my dedicated room and a Marantz VP12S4 in the family room set up. The dedicated room is 11'-5 1/2" wide and 13'-5 1/2" deep. With the current projector rear shelf mounted the throw is 11'-6". The Marantz is the better projector so it would be nice to use it in the dedicated room, but it needs 13'-3" of throw for a 106" (diagonal) image. I use the dedicated room pretty much every day and do not use the family room setup very much. I had the family room setup first. The Marantz has an extended warranty, 3.5 left on projector & 1.5 left on lamp. The Planar just has 1 year left on the manufacturers warranty. I have a chase 3' deep and 5' wide right outside my room centered on my front wall.


Now that I have given you the details here is the delima. It would be nice to use the Marantz in my dedicated room since it it is the better projector and has the better warranty, but as I said it needs more throw. I have figured a way to make it work in my room, but I would have to do the following:

1. Remove everything off of my front wall; sound panels, screen, masking system, on-wall speakers, blocking and bass traps.

2. cut a hole in my front wall (into the chase) and make a small alcove for the projector. To do this I would need to remove the copper chimney cap so that I could remove the no longer used stainless steel triple walled flue.

3. Pull a new center channel speaker wire and a new 30' HDMI cable. Equipment is located in a mechanical room on the first floor.

4. Remove everything off of the back wall; sound panels, bass traps, projector shelf.

5. Patch, fill and paint any holes.

6. Install every thing from the front wall onto the new front wall.

7. Install every thing from the back wall onto the new back wall.

8. Install the remaining items in the room; projetor, six subs and seating.

I would like to use the Marantz, but I am not sure that it is worth all this effort to do so. What do you guys think?

Added:
I wish that I had thought of this before I purchased the Planar and built the room because it would not have been much additional work to have turned the room the other way at that time.

If it is doable, in your budget, within your skill range... then what is stopping you? Just be the description in the first paragraph, it seemed you are all about the Marantz.

So I say go for it :)

If it is doable, in your budget, within your skill range... then what is stopping you? Just be the description in the first paragraph, it seemed you are all about the Marantz.

So I say go for it :)

I am a commercial contractor so no problem doing the work or lack of tools. The Planar throws a good image, but the Marantz throws a slightly better one. I used the Marantz for about eight months before I bought the Planar. I am just trying to decide if I am crazy to think about doing all of this for so little improvement. It has not been three weeks since I rebuilt my screen and I just finished up, this week my adjustable horizontal masking for constant image width. As far as money, I have most every thing I need at the shop. It is more a matter of time and tearing out every thing I just finished. That and the Marantz is too nice a projector to just let it sit rarely being used.

A slightly smaller screen size created by another set of masking panels would allow the Marantz to be used, without all the work.

A slightly smaller screen size created by another set of masking panels would allow the Marantz to be used, without all the work.

Problem is it would not be slightly smaller. The Marantz is a big projector. With it in my room as is, the throw would be reduced to 11' and the max screen size would be 89" diagonal. That is a 31% reduction compared to my 106" screen.

What about a short throw lens for the Marantz (though they can get expensive, it might save some work).

Greg

What about a short throw lens for the Marantz (though they can get expensive, it might save some work).

Greg

I thought about that and looked around for one and did not find it. I think the only way I would be able to do that is to send it in to Marantz. While I do not know the cost, I suspect it would be close to what the new entry level 1080P units cost.