[edasque]

Hi all,


I am writing here because I need advice on seting up a projector and screen.


I have this really nice living room which is followed by a dinning room and kitchen with nice archs in between. Right now my Grand Wega II (50inch) is (as you can see from the drawing) in between the main room and the smaller dinning room.

http://primates.ximian.com/~edasque/images/lr.png http://primates.ximian.com/~edasque/images/lr_small.png Click on me for a larger image


While it was good enough for a year, I am getting tired of losing that nice architecture design that allowed me to walk from room to room and have a wide open space. Right now, I have two separate rooms and clutter.


So I was thinking about buying a projector (looking at the high end HDTV sony right now) and a screen that I could pull up or down (or which would automagically) when I want to watch TV. The problem is that the arch is high enough so that attaching pull down screen there would mean having the screen sit very very high. Having a pull up screen seems like much more of a temporary solution and also means there is always something in the middle, on the ground.


I have lots of space behind the couch to set up a projector so that's not an issue. Also, I have tried to set up the room differently but as it is a very long room and not very wide, I just can project on any other wall.


What do you guys think, suggest ? Commercial, consulting, DYI ?


(also, is the Sony VPL-HS51 a good choice ? I don't want to have less resolution than my GWII and it seems this is the cheapest real HDTV projector)


Thanks in advance,


Erik

 

[edasque]

no advice ? no help ?


I was hoping someone had had this issue in the past or had an idea on how to solve it ?

 

[Daniel Hutnicki]

You can still get a pulldown. Although it will be high up, Dalite sells a pulldown rod that will help you pull it down. Its an idea. If you go electric, same deal but then the height wont make a dffierence. I can really tell by your diagram, but the screen doesnt have to be attached to the ceiling, it can also be attached to a back wall . so although the ceiling may be high, you can still attached it lower

 

[itsab67]

It was alot of work, but i feel it was worth it. My screen lowers out of the ceiling through a 1 1/2" wide slit.

 

[edasque]

itsab67: can you elaborate ?

 

[at4iowa]

Check out teh Da-Lite website. They have a lot of options for electric screens that can be ceiling mounted or wall mounted. You can add extra black material at the top so you can basically have your screen at any height off the floor. http://www.da-lite.com/

 

[itsab67]

Quote:

Originally posted by edasque itsab67: can you elaborate ?

I cut a slot about 1.5" wide by 8' long in my ceiling. Basically a long, but very thin hole. The screen is mounted between the ceiling and the floor above it. So when you lower the screen it comes out of the ceiling, and when you raise it, it disappears into the ceiling.

 

[Blato]

I did the same thing as itsab67 when I mounted my manual screen. I bolted it up in between the floor joists before the drywall went up and took measurements so I could cut the slit in the right place.


I'm in the process of trimming the slit now with molding to give it a more finished appearance.


Blato

 

[edasque]

Yes, but my problem is not that I would see the mount, my problem is that the screen would be too high. I'd need a way to lower the screen so that's it's only slightly higher that what the TV is today.

 

[menoldr]

You can get different amounts of drop (the amount of black fabric above the actual screen) if you custom order the screen. You can do this from DaLite I know for sure.


Rex

 

[at4iowa]

Using extra black drop is the answer to your problem. You can have a pull down or electric screen with extra black drop, you can't get much easier than that.

 

[edasque]

Do most screen vendor have that ? What would you recommend as a mid-range electric 16:9 screen ? Is it realistic to spend less than $500 on a screen ?