Due to a Oak wall with speakers built in that my wife doesnt want covered up with a screen, I would be limited to a 80" fixed screen. I have a huge basement ( seating area is 20' from wall) and want the biggest display device I can get without getting divorced. So is 80" big enough to go with a projector or should I stay with a RPTV?
( I was considering the Sony Pearl)

Due to a Oak wall with speakers built in that my wife doesnt want covered up with a screen, I would be limited to a 80" fixed screen. I have a huge basement ( seating area is 20' from wall) and want the biggest display device I can get without getting divorced. So is 80" big enough to go with a projector or should I stay with a RPTV?
( I was considering the Sony Pearl)

In a reasonably darkened room, no RPTV will imho come anywhere near the performance of a good pj. Without the use of very high-gain screens (which basically brings back most of the issues of rear projection...), a pearl doesn't put out enough light to be used for much more than 100" anyway. I myself use a DLP PJ on an 84" 1.0 gain screen, and I've never regretted not having a DV device. The PQ is just way higher than any type of DV display outthere. However, as hinted above, I am no fan of neither high-gain screens nor RPTV's.

Have you considered a drop-down screen? Maybe a drop-down accoustically transparent one? That allows for the huge screen when viewing movies, but allows for not covering up the wall when you're not.

Thanks for your input.

Have you considered a drop-down screen? Maybe a drop-down accoustically transparent one? That allows for the huge screen when viewing movies, but allows for not covering up the wall when you're not.

I have but I have not found one. I was looking at SMX screens but they do not offer a drop down version.

I have but I have not found one. I was looking at SMX screens but they do not offer a drop down version.

It won't be the cheapest option but Stewart's Microperf is available
on their Luxus model.

http://www.stewartfilmscreen.com/modela.html

It won't be the cheapest option but Stewart's Microperf is available
on their Luxus model.

http://www.stewartfilmscreen.com/modela.html


I wish I could afford it but its just not in my budget

Oak wall with speakers built in

Where are these speakers located? Are they are high enough up the wall so that they would/could be behind the black drop of an electric screen?

If so, on some screens you can have just the black drop perfed instead of perfing the whole thing. This would reduce the cost quite a bit, and hopefully allow a larger screen to fit where you want it.

Where are these speakers located? Are they are high enough up the wall so that they would/could be behind the black drop of an electric screen?

If so, on some screens you can have just the black drop perfed instead of perfing the whole thing. This would reduce the cost quite a bit, and hopefully allow a larger screen to fit where you want it.

I emailed you a pic of the wall