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Help for a 1st timer.. finally can have a projector!

731 Views 12 Replies 9 Participants Last post by dreamer, Aug 22, 2019

MannFan

Discussion Starter · Aug 17, 2019

https://ibb.co/Xkb46HV

Sorry for the crudeness! I can finally put a projector in my apartment. Dream come true. I’ll try and be concise.

Windows as you can see will let in a lot of light. Daytime viewing won’t be much and I don’t mind if CNN is washed out in the background while I’m eating lunch. That said, a brighter projector will help. I’m going to install blackout curtains so I will be able to get it dark as can be eventually.

Second, you’ll notice the walls are white. I have permission to paint them and was thinking gray regardless of projector but is there a good color in that regard that isn’t going to make my apt look bad if for instance the optimal color were orange? (If that makes sense.)

Finally and most importantly, what size picture can I get with those dimensions? 124.5” inches wide, 80.5” high and 160” distance from wall to wall (not counting projector length)? I suck at these calculators so I’d appreciate help on that.

Budget is $2k~ish including screen if I can, can go up to 2500 if considerable advantage.

Thanks so much guys. The day is finally here that I can have a decent home theater!

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1 - 13 of 13 Posts

JRock3x8

· #2 · Aug 17, 2019

MannFan said:
https://ibb.co/Xkb46HV

Sorry for the crudeness! I can finally put a projector in my apartment. Dream come true. I’ll try and be concise.

Windows as you can see will let in a lot of light. Daytime viewing won’t be much and I don’t mind if CNN is washed out in the background while I’m eating lunch. That said, a brighter projector will help. I’m going to install blackout curtains so I will be able to get it dark as can be eventually.

Second, you’ll notice the walls are white. I have permission to paint them and was thinking gray regardless of projector but is there a good color in that regard that isn’t going to make my apt look bad if for instance the optimal color were orange? (If that makes sense.)

Finally and most importantly, what size picture can I get with those dimensions? 124.5” inches wide, 80.5” high and 160” distance from wall to wall (not counting projector length)? I suck at these calculators so I’d appreciate help on that.

Budget is $2k~ish including screen if I can, can go up to 2500 if considerable advantage.

Thanks so much guys. The day is finally here that I can have a decent home theater!

Benq tk800. Take what you can get on the screen size.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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rekbones

· #3 · Aug 18, 2019 (Edited)

Just as a guess with the little information given the BenQ 3550 if your geared up for 4K or the Sony 45es if 1080p is the OK. You are very width limited with a little over 10' especially if you need to put L/R mains on each side of the screen. The Sony will have the best picture but needs a longer throw for the same size image. Not knowing the primary viewing content, viewing distance and projector mounting options a more precise recommendations can't be offered. As far as wall and ceiling color the darker non shiny, IE flat, color the better. A dark gun mettle gray on the ceiling and deep maroon on the walls is what I use. If you really what to save your money the BenQ 2050a is a great starter projector for half your budget. Audio also needs to be considered in your budget but of course being in an apartment limits your volume without disturbing the neighbors.

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markmon1

· #4 · Aug 18, 2019

That room has a lot of potential especially if you can block out the windows with black day shades. 124" is where the screen will go? That's still a 135" 16x9 so not too bad. I think your biggest problem will be getting that big with the 160" for throw as the projector takes up 18" of that so you're looking at around 12 feet throw. Probably put you down to a 110" screen due to that.

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FreddieKU

· #5 · Aug 18, 2019

markmon1 said:
That room has a lot of potential especially if you can block out the windows with black day shades. 124" is where the screen will go? That's still a 135" 16x9 so not too bad. I think your biggest problem will be getting that big with the 160" for throw as the projector takes up 18" of that so you're looking at around 12 feet throw. Probably put you down to a 110" screen due to that.

So as someone with a similar situation, I'll just piggyback as I can answer my question from the same setup.. it's 110" w/ no zoom. But the 3550 has a zoom up to 1.3x I think. Does using that zoom degrade quality or something? You'd get up to 143" if the calculator I'm using is correct.

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MannFan

Discussion Starter · #6 · Aug 19, 2019

Would love to know the answer to the above also!

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bud16415

· #7 · Aug 19, 2019

@FreddieKU @MannFan

Using the zoom will very slightly impact the brightness and ever so slightly impact the sharpness of the image. With a projector such as the one mentioned I seriously doubt anyone could tell the difference by eye.

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AV_Integrated

· #8 · Aug 19, 2019

A projector with 'zoom' is ALWAYS being zoomed. You zoom in, you zoom out, you zoom somewhere between.

Since every projector uses different quality optics, the quality of zooming from one extreme to the other, or between, will impact image quality depending on lens quality, not on any definitive answer.

In GENERAL, as you move a projector from the closest position, to further away, maintaining the same screen size, the projector will put out less light output, but the image will be sharper.

For projectors with only a 1.2x or 1.3x zoom lens, the difference in light output is typically negligible. The difference in image sharpness will typically be unnoticeable as well. So, bottom line is that with minimal zoom projectors, it doesn't really matter with most lenses.

Now, with LONG zoom lenses, like the Epson 4010 or similar, light falloff from nearest to farthest position is about 33% less. Sharpness still rarely is visibly noticeable.

At the end of the day, projectors often can go wherever the room allows for them and image quality and brightness will be fine. But, if you need a 120" image diagonal, and you only have 13' from the front of the room to the back, then you need to find a projector which can hit that size screen from that specific distance away.

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AV_Integrated

· #9 · Aug 19, 2019

I would throw in that the Epson 5040UB (look in the deals section) will produce absolutely the best looking image for the money and you can get a 120" diagonal in there with the projector at the back of the room.

https://www.projectorcentral.com/Epson-Home_Cinema_5040UB.htm

https://www.avsforum.com/forum/199-...9050-refurbished-epson-5040ub-1-151-00-a.html

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DunMunro

· #10 · Aug 20, 2019 (Edited)

MannFan said:
https://ibb.co/Xkb46HV

Sorry for the crudeness! I can finally put a projector in my apartment. Dream come true. I’ll try and be concise.

Windows as you can see will let in a lot of light. Daytime viewing won’t be much and I don’t mind if CNN is washed out in the background while I’m eating lunch. That said, a brighter projector will help. I’m going to install blackout curtains so I will be able to get it dark as can be eventually.

Second, you’ll notice the walls are white. I have permission to paint them and was thinking gray regardless of projector but is there a good color in that regard that isn’t going to make my apt look bad if for instance the optimal color were orange? (If that makes sense.)

Finally and most importantly, what size picture can I get with those dimensions? 124.5” inches wide, 80.5” high and 160” distance from wall to wall (not counting projector length)? I suck at these calculators so I’d appreciate help on that.

Budget is $2k~ish including screen if I can, can go up to 2500 if considerable advantage.

Thanks so much guys. The day is finally here that I can have a decent home theater!

I can recommend the UHD50. It will throw a 135in image at 142in distance:
https://www.projectorcentral.com/Optoma-UHD50-projection-calculator-pro.htm

I suggest you paint your projection wall grey with a projection paint formulation, and then put up curtain rods with black drapes along the walls. Close the drapes for serious movie watching and open them for brightness and colour when that's desired. Here some examples of my UHD50 on a 145in painted screen:

https://www.avsforum.com/forum/68-d...srp/2947088-optoma-uhd50-51.html#post58441162

and:

https://www.avsforum.com/forum/68-d...srp/2947088-optoma-uhd50-50.html#post58387974

A grey screen works well in rooms with some ambient light, see here:
https://www.avsforum.com/forum/68-d...srp/2947088-optoma-uhd50-50.html#post58340808

I would think that the BenQ HT355O would work well for you, also.

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FreddieKU

· #11 · Aug 21, 2019

DunMunro said:
I can recommend the UHD50. It will throw a 135in image at 142in distance:
https://www.projectorcentral.com/Optoma-UHD50-projection-calculator-pro.htm

I suggest you paint your projection wall grey with a projection paint formulation, and then put up curtain rods with black drapes along the walls. Close the drapes for serious movie watching and open them for brightness and colour when that's desired. Here some examples of my UHD50 on a 145in painted screen:

https://www.avsforum.com/forum/68-d...srp/2947088-optoma-uhd50-51.html#post58441162

and:

https://www.avsforum.com/forum/68-d...srp/2947088-optoma-uhd50-50.html#post58387974

A grey screen works well in rooms with some ambient light, see here:
https://www.avsforum.com/forum/68-d...srp/2947088-optoma-uhd50-50.html#post58340808

I would think that the BenQ HT355O would work well for you, also.

Thanks for your detailed post! Would you mind telling me what paint you used? I can do a deep dive but would rather here it from the horse's mouth so to speak.

Thx again!

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DunMunro

· #12 · Aug 21, 2019

FreddieKU said:
Thanks for your detailed post! Would you mind telling me what paint you used? I can do a deep dive but would rather here it from the horse's mouth so to speak.

Thx again!

This is what I used:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/108022-REG/Rosco_150057350128_TV_Paint_White.html

which you might find elsewhere. I am sure there are superior formulations if you look here:

https://www.avsforum.com/forum/110-diy-screen-section/

but my screen works well enough that I haven't been tempted yet to actually repaint it.

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dreamer

· #13 · Aug 22, 2019

FreddieKU said:
So as someone with a similar situation, I'll just piggyback as I can answer my question from the same setup.. it's 110" w/ no zoom. But the 3550 has a zoom up to 1.3x I think. Does using that zoom degrade quality or something? You'd get up to 143" if the calculator I'm using is correct.

No, these are zoom lenses, not digital zoom effects, so image quality on most projectors will be no different anywhere in the zoom lens range. A projector will be brightest at the closest position the zoom lens allows for a given image size, but the sharpness, geometry and color is usually consistent.

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