So I have a 7' ceiling and between the projector's 15" height at the front, and the several inches that the ceiling bracket will take, I'm 18" down into an 84" high room. I figure I'd need to design things so that the front face of the tubes is exactly over my head while seated, so that when I stand up, I'm past the front of the projector (Otherwise I'd hit it every time), and the depth of the couch will have someone walking behind the couch be already past the back end of the projector.

So the quesion is, is 51db of sound coming from barely a foot above your seated ear height (not to mention the imposing physicality of such an arrangement) a deal breaker? Can I use a G90?

Be honest and forthright! This is a big committment :)

I have the G90 suspended about 3-4 feet above my head when seated with the lens front about 2-3 inches in front of me. I can definitely hear the fan noise from this position on quiet passages but most of the time it just blends into the sound track. I would imagine if its 1 foot above your head you'll need ear plugs :)

If you get creative you could mount it closer to the ceiling.

Mine sits right behind me, effectively flush with the top of the 8' ceiling. I had a recess in the ceiling joists sized for a Marquee, but the G90 is larger, so the recess really only holds the mount.

Like lewis said, you can hear it, but I wouldn't say it's too loud.

What's your alternative? You don't want to floor mount it... then you'd be sitting a foot beside it.

Mine sits right behind me, effectively flush with the top of the 8' ceiling. I had a recess in the ceiling joists sized for a Marquee, but the G90 is larger, so the recess really only holds the mount.

Like lewis said, you can hear it, but I wouldn't say it's too loud.

What's your alternative? You don't want to floor mount it... then you'd be sitting a foot beside it.

It's a pickle, I know. I realize we could recess and go into the joists a bit, but that only buys back about 3 inches or so. So it's still 15" dwon into a 7' ceiling.

Am I going to be frustrated with how loud this thing is, and be unnerved that it's sitting 18" above my head? Does anyone see this doable?

Sure its doable. It might be like sitting under a small car, but its certainly possible and I could easily imagine someone being happy as a clam sitting there in a small dark room with it.

I'm in the opposite situation. Ceiling mounting mine would require putting extensions to lower it by about three and a half feet to get it low enough to be even with the top of the screen. There is a massive beam along the top of my ceiling that I'm totally confident could support the weight, but its really high up there. People swear up and down that the ceiling mount pole extensions would be totally secure. But in southern california where we do have earthquakes the mental image of a 250lb projector swinging back and forth on three foot poles scares me.

So mine is on the floor and we have comfy chairs to sit beside it when its just a few people and couches behind and to the sides when there's a group.

With the stock fans it is not quiet. The loudest fan is a 60mm fan in the front that pulls air over the PA board (high voltage power supply). Its a small fan that spins quickly. The larger fans in the back are slower and their noise is less annoying.

So even if it meant learning to stand up properly I'd kind of want my head to be slightly behind the front of the projector when I was sitting below it so the noise from the front would not be right above/behind me.

There are well documented fan mods. But I would encourage you to test any fans you consider putting in (I built a little box to kind of simulate the PA board enclosure) and convince yourself they would provide adequate air flow in place of the stock fans. And monitor the temperatures before and after. Personally I'd rather have a little noise for thousands of hours than silence that burns something out quickly.

The G90 I had which I sold to Chris was mounted on a 7'5" ceiling. Not a ton of clearance I agree about the fans. The unit was allot quieter that the NEC XG 1352LC and NEC 6PG Xtra I had though. I know several people that did the fan mod with no issues the CFM is really close to the OEM specs if not better depending on the mod you do. As for 250lb thing, it really scared me as such I used a 800 lb winch to mount the unit also left it attached for extra safety.

If your a midget 7'5" would be more than enough 8-)

The G90 I had which I sold to Chris was mounted on a 7'5" ceiling. Not a ton of clearance I agree about the fans. The unit was allot quieter that the NEC XG 1352LC and NEC 6PG Xtra I had though. I know several people that did the fan mod with no issues the CFM is really close to the OEM specs if not better depending on the mod you do. As for 250lb thing, it really scared me as such I used a 800 lb winch to mount the unit also left it attached for extra safety.

If your a midget 7'5" would be more than enough 8-)

Please G90 owners! You're abut to lose a CRT'er to DLP. Tell me why I should use a G90 on a 7'ceiling!!!! :p

Ok so it will hang low. So what! are you going to stand there for a 2 hr movie? No, your going to walk in, work around this awesome projector on the ceiling, sit down and love the picture and forget about the projecotr above you.

I have 7.5ft ceilings in my theater and hang a 1292 above my head. So what. Yeah mine is noisy and heavy. But once its properly hung, who cares how much it weighs. I just need to make a hushbox to enjoy the audio better.

You will likley want to make a simple hushbox with it right above your head. Nothing fancy just 3/4 MDF and some insulation with a fan inside. That will make the noise a non-issue for you.

I would hang it if I were you. otherwise PM me and Ill buy it.

I would not hang it from a 7' ceiling. If you can not raise it into the ceiling I would go with a small digital unit.

Glad I do not have 7' ceilings.

If you do, put your chair right under it but edged toward the front so when you stand your head will not hit it and because of the chair no one will want to walk under it.

Good luck.

It certainly can be done. I have a Barco on my ceiling which is less than 7 feet. It was beyond question I was going CRT at the time, and the ceiling is infinitely superior to the floor. Sitting under the projector is a perfect spot, and when you stand you're in front of it so you won't hit your head. It's the space behind the projector for a second row where people will hit their heads. But it's your friend's heads which will give way before the projector will. You just have to have your priorities in line. Obviously the projector means more than your friends, right? :D ;)