I am curious as to whether or not I could add a front projection setup in my living room strictly for movie viewing. I would use my current XBR960 CRT for watching the news, etc. I have attached a pic showing the layout of the room and adjacent areas. I'm having a hard time trying to place everything in my mind. The living room dimensions are 22'x14'x9'. I was thinking about putting the PJ in an enclosure in a closet on one side of the 22' length and putting a screen on the other end, but I cant seem to figure out how a couch and loveseat would be configured in there. The only other option I could see would be to have a projector on on the "dining" side aimed at a screen on the opposite end wall, however the throw/viewing distance would only be about 8', as I already have the TV there and the screen would pull down in front of it. Any ideas? :confused:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v181/thecodeman/livingroom.png

I think that a projector spanned across 22' would be too long, a 120" screen?? You can always place the projector anywhere you want by just mounting on the ceiling. The only issue would be screen placement. If it is in front of the TV, this has been done many times by people here. This is if you have ceiling access.

Jimmy

That should not be a problem with the right projector

You just need a flexible projector and once you buy it - and you try 10 different setups - initially using cardboard poster board taped together it need be - for testing

The most flexible high impact/low cost HD projector in the world is clearly the Panasonic models - the AE700/900 (900's still available and very cheap to buy) and newer Pan models. That's why they outsold everyone else on the planet

Two reasons

1. Panasonic is only company that's perfected smooth screen technology which allows for ultra-close viewing distances, thereby gives you far more flexibility - e.g watching an 8 ft diagonal screen from 6 ft away - (no problem at all)

2. the 2.0 lens - also allowing extreme placement flexibility when combined with the standard lens shift


Your issue will probably be the light control issue - although it will definitely work as a night shooter - you have to be able to get the room dark for optimal performance

In any case - these projectors make incredible night-shooters - assuming rooms with high day light conditions

Actually you are better off with shelf mounting - because it allows a straight dead center shot from about 4.5 ft height thereby optimizing smooth screen - and its far easier to keep dust off the unit when not in use

Note you generally mimimum need around 9.5 to 10 ft distance to produce somewhere around an 8 ft diag piture - however you of course can go much further back

Sounds interesting. I actually have the ability to put the projector on the column that's underneath the word "dining" and then figure some way to mount the screen into the entertainment center that would roll up out of sight when not in use. The down side is that no tall people could sit on the couch in front of the projector - but the plus side would be that the setup would disappear when not in use...

Rough measurements indicate I could have a throw of ~12' and a diagonal screen size of 60" using an AE-900U. Looks like I'll have to investigate proper projection setups. It would be 90% night time viewing, and I can get it completely dark if need be.

Note that when someone is shooting from 10 to 12 ft from a shelf at about 4.5 ft height - actually the blockage issue (e.g a tall person seated) is not going to be an issue in practical terms

1. the cone of light is generally too small at the typical seating positions

2. in any case the optimal seating positions are at slight side angles to the screen - meaning even somone 7 ft tall is not going to block it

Most people are unware of this because so few projectors are very demonstrated at stores, and in the rare cases they are - they are usually ceiling mounts, with the vendor trying to sell high cost install packages. THIS is why BEST BUY and similar stores are keeping the high peformance/low cost projectors out of most stores - as via shelf mounting they very easy to setup and genearlly have more impact than plasmas

I should add that these new generation projectors are ideally designed for shooting between 92 to 106" - i.e the best tradeoffs in terms of contrast and brightness etc

Unless someone has severe restrictions on the target wall - one generally wants to exceed 60" diagonal, especially with the Panasonic's because Panasonic has in effect desgned in the close-viewing option for seating relatively close to large displays