[ntode]

I've got a space dedicated for my theater that is 14' wide by 19' front to back and 9ft tall.


I'd like two rows of seats and I'm wondering what the suggested distances from the screen would be. I'm currently planning on an approx 90+ inch screen.


anyone have any suggested viewing distances? How about anyone else that has used similar dimensions?


Also, one other thing I'm worried about. If I don't do an accoustically transparent screen and have to put my center below the screen, how will the sound be in the back row? I would think the front seats and people would tend to block the sound a bit since it's coming from below.

 

[pmeyer]

Can't help you on the center speaker/back row issue.


On the seating, I can give a couple factors. Disclaimer: not an expert, I've just been reading a lot around here.


1) visual:


If you are looking at a 90" 16x9 screen, it'll be ~80" wide. THX specs 'recommended' max seating distance is 1.54 times the screen width for movies. (See the 'help me choose my screen size' thread currently active for a picture) If your first row is your prime seating, that means you want the first row ideally to be less than 10' away from the screen.


How close you get depends on personal preference and your projector pixel size. If you are going 1080 and playing HD content, you could probably go as close as 1x screen width. Go sit in a movie theater and see how close you like to sit. Then scale it.


Once you have your first row placed, your back row placement will depend on how deep your seating is. It would be nice if people could get up and leave without climbing over each other during the movie.


2) Sound:


I would avoid putting seats dead center in the room (front and back), or at 25% and 75%, or right up against the wall. You'll tend to get bass nulls there. That means avoiding ears near 4.75', 9.5 ' and 13.25', or up against the back wall.


So: maybe first ears at 11' and second row at 16' ? That's good for sound, not bad for distance on the first row. If your screen ends up much bigger than 90", this would work.


Or you can go 8' first row, 15' second row. Lots of leg room for the second row. First row is going to be nice and close, but not too close.


If you can, set up some chairs, mark off the screen on the wall and see how it feels.

 

[mbgonzomd]

My room is 12.5'x19', so a similar size to yours. 1st row veiwer's eyes will be at 11 feet. 105" diagonal 16x9 screen. The back row will be against the wall. 14 inch riser. 3 recliner size seats on each row (about 105" width), leaving about a 30 inch walkway. Both rows are shifted against the wall opposite the door.


There are obviously less than ideal things I am doing (shifting the rows against the wall and placing the back row against the rear wall), but to get 6 recliner style seats some compromises will have to be made.

 

[ridetheducati]

My room: 13 x 19


Screen: 92"


First row: 11 feet

Second row on 12" riser: 17 feet (my sweet spot)


Speakers (7.1) and sub calibrated to second row, including a BFD with house curve.

 

[ntode]



Quote:
Originally Posted by pmeyer /forum/post/0


THX specs 'recommended' max seating distance is 1.54 times the screen width for movies.

I though this was a Minimum seating distance? I'm reading the THX page and it looks like a maximum of 40 degrees viewing angle (divide viewing distance by .73 to get 40 degrees).

 

[ntode]



Quote:
Originally Posted by ridetheducati /forum/post/0


Second row on 12" riser:

how did you come up with that riser height?

 

[ntode]



Quote:
Originally Posted by pmeyer /forum/post/0


How close you get depends on personal preference and your projector pixel size. If you are going 1080 and playing HD content, you could probably go as close as 1x screen width.

Vast majority of content will be HD-DVD's, Blu-Ray, Xbox 360, and some HD cable.


Projector will be 1080p.

 

[mbgonzomd]



Quote:
Originally Posted by ntode /forum/post/0


how did you come up with that riser height?

Use the riser height calculator, which is a sticky at the top of this forums main page.

 

[ntode]



Quote:
Originally Posted by mbgonzomd /forum/post/0


Use the riser height calculator, which is a sticky at the top of this forums main page.

Oops,


I hate when the answer is that simple. I must have missed it

Thanks!

 

[uxbridge]

I am no expert at this, but I would recommend that you pick your seating positions based upon NOT sitting in a acoustical null position. Search for fluxcubbies spread sheet or Ultimate A/V guides sweet spot calculator.

From there you will need to decide if you are going to mount your screen on the front wall or bring it out to hide the equipment behind (ie;center channel, subwoofer). You will then have your seating position to screen distance and then you can work backwards to determine optimum screen size.


Bill

 

[uxbridge]

Note: do not use Fluxcubby's spreadsheet for riser height, it takes the second row distance from the front wall and not the screen wall.

 

HTC2.zip 325.619140625k . file

 

[ntode]

fluxcubby's spreadsheet seems very detailed. I like it, but I'm not sure I understand all of it. I'm guessing there is a website detailing everything?


I can't find any posts that help me out. Any pointers to where I can find help on the spreadsheet (biggest issue is I'm not sure what cells to fill in and which to let work themselves out.

 

[ntode]



Quote:
Originally Posted by pmeyer /forum/post/0


If you are looking at a 90" 16x9 screen, it'll be ~80" wide. THX specs 'recommended' max seating distance is 1.54 times the screen width for movies. (See the 'help me choose my screen size' thread currently active for a picture) If your first row is your prime seating, that means you want the first row ideally to be less than 10' away from the screen.


How close you get depends on personal preference and your projector pixel size. If you are going 1080 and playing HD content, you could probably go as close as 1x screen width. Go sit in a movie theater and see how close you like to sit. Then scale it.

Is it the level of detail or the screen size just getting too big that dictates not moving to a larger screen?

 

[pmeyer]



Quote:
Originally Posted by ntode /forum/post/0


I though this was a Minimum seating distance? I'm reading the THX page and it looks like a maximum of 40 degrees viewing angle (divide viewing distance by .73 to get 40 degrees).

If you look at the graphic in post #8 of this thread


You will see that the 'recommended' range goes from closer than 1:1 all the way up to 1.54:1.


Beyond 1.54 up to 2.17:1 is considered 'acceptable'.


From that, I read that 1.54 is the 'maximum recommended', but that THX would be perfectly happy with folks sitting at 1.25, 1.0, or even closer based on personal preference. I haven't seen a THX recommended minimum distance.

 

[ntode]

interesting. I wonder if that is different because it's based on a 2.35:1 screen instead of 16x9. I had planned on doing 16x9 unless there is a big reason for doing the wider aspect ratio instead.

 

[Cathan]

Ratio just depends on what you watch. If it's mostly 2:35/40:1 movies, then a 2.35:1 screen would be good. If you mostly game or just watch HD TV stuff, then 16x9.


It seems that a majority of the higher end new builds are going 2.35:1 CIH. It's also a very popular first major upgrade route. It allows for a mixture of ratios and for 2.35:1 movies you get the real big screen feel.

 

[uxbridge]



Quote:
fluxcubby's spreadsheet seems very detailed. I like it, but I'm not sure I understand all of it. I'm guessing there is a website detailing everything?

No web site that I know of, it was all info he had picked up here on AVS.

Quote:
I can't find any posts that help me out. Any pointers to where I can find help on the spreadsheet (biggest issue is I'm not sure what cells to fill in and which to let work themselves out.

Fill in the yellow cells, top to bottom. First the rooms dimensions, then go to page#2 at the bottom and see how many problem flags exist. Change the room's dimensions to reduce the number of problem flags. Go to the page marked S on the bottom, the graph will show the peaks and nulls of the room modes. Check to see what the distances of the nulls are from the front wall, and finally don't sit there.


The spread sheet is based on a article published back in 1999 I beleive. I will have to dig through my old magazines to find it. Here is the link to the original excel spreadsheet.

Sweet Spot