[Gerry S]

I'm early in the design phase, and need to come up with my screen size.


My finished room dimensions will be 14' 3.75" width x 26' 6.25" length x 8' 10.75" Height. I really want an acoustically transparent screen, so maybe knock ~3' off the length to accomodate that. I'm planning on letting the screen size determine my seating distance as well as projector choice.


So, my thoughts are go with a 10' wide screen, with a height of 67.5". That's a 16:9 aspect ratio.


Should I go wider? How much space should I leave between my side walls and the edge of the screen?

 

[McCall]

You should check out the CIH chat forum on here. and If you have an AT screen and you have your three fronts behind the screen, then it is not so much an issue how much room you leave either side. more a question of masking if you plan to mask and leaving room for curtains etc. However is there going to be an aisle in this theater? and if so where? one side perhaps? you probably do not want your screen extending where a side aisle is, more keeping the screen centered in front of the seating. you will not have much room for two rows though were you planning only one?

Another consideration is your sound system, are you going 5.1 or 7.1 [2] ? that will also factor into your placement of screen, seating etc.

For the size you mention I would not consider any larger than a 10' wide 2.35:1 aspect screen or a much smaller 16:9

 

[Gerry S]

Oh my, I made a typo. The length is 26'! And I do want two rows!


Thanks for replying McCall.


I love the idea of the CIH, and spent a bunch of time reading there. I guess I still need to read a bit more. My concern is that I want the theater to be friendly enough for my wife to use. I get concerned about how to handle non-scope material, sliding the lens out of place, zooming, etc. I admit, my fear may be due to ignorance on the subject.


As much as I want this theater to perform, I want it to look nice too. I don't know how pleasing having a screen right up to the edge of the wall would look. Hence my initial feeling to go with 10'. I'm also curious about visual performance, and if there is some sort of general rule concerning how close I should get to the side walls.


I also went with 16:9 because I felt I could always mask if I wanted to go 2.35:1. In other words, I feel the width is my limiting factor, regardless of aspect ratio. Not sure if that makes sense!


My vision didn't include an aisle to one side - rather the seating centered in the room. But I do see your point - with the width I have to work with I should consider an aisle to one side.


Finally, I already have a 7.1 system (Energy Veritas 2.4's, my pride and joy!).


Thanks!

 

[McCall]

Well that typo does make a difference LOL. I did the isle to one side route myself but then I already had a closet on my stage before I even started. I had a stage already it was my old bedroom. Actually I should be finally posting some pictures soon.

As for the 2.35:1 and the Wife. Us wives are more capable than you guys seem to think. and some set ups can be designed easier than others.

I designed my setup with the UH380 lens and we built our own sled for it so it is simple to slide out of the way, and in my case I can access it from my rear row.

It is much eaiser to mask for a CIH setup then to have to mask top and bottom for 16:9 and there is nothing to equal the WOW factor of the 2.35:1 as the biggest movies you watch which is as it should be.

Show her some of the pictures from the picture section at the top of the CIH chat forum and show her the comparision of the various aspects on the panamorph website and see what she thinks.

 

[pmeyer]

I'm in a similar situation. I have a 16' wide room, 21' long. I'm leaning towards 2 rows of 4, with first row eyes about 12' back, second row 17'.


I think one issue is neck/eye strain. On some movies (Star Wars episode III opening, star destroyer flying overhead) I want to be immersed in the scene and don't care if the screen is 'too wide'. I think I could handle 1:1 seating distane:screen width.


In some movies it would be annoying if you were too close and had to keep turning your eyes back and forth to see people on different parts of the screen. There 1.25:1 might be better.


I went up with my wife earlier and we sat at 12' and thought about it. My take: if I'm watching 16:9 material (Lost, etc.), I will want a screen of about 9' wide max at 12' seating. For 2.35:1 movies, I think I could probably handle a foot or two more. There, I want to be immersed in the movie.


If I make the screen to little, it's hard to make it bigger. If I make it big, its easy to mask it down. Or if it feels too wide, the second row can become the prime seats.


So I bought 13' worth. I figure that will give me enough to rotate a bit (I sized for ~15 degrees) for moire if it turns out I need to and get the max 2.35:1 screen I can see doing in my room: 139x58. I suspect I won't go that big, but we'll see. To start, I may mask down to 100" wide and do 16:9 anyway.


I don't like the idea of wall to wall screen. Even with AT, I think it looks better to have at least a foot or two of black wall around the screen.

 

[Gerry S]

I just got back from the basement. I masked off some screens, and this is what I came up with.


Since the theater will be primarily for watching movies, the scope screen seems like the way to go for me. Also, as McCall infered, there is no doubt my wife is much smarter than I, so I know she will be capable of dealing with the equipment after a little training.


Here's a sketch-up of my wall to scale. There is 1' 4.5" between the edge of the screen and the side wall. It sits 1'7" from the ceiling and 2' 4 1/8" from the floor. Your comments are appreciated.


-Gerry

 

[Terry Montlick]

Gerry,


For the pic you posted, I recommend an acoustically transparent screen, with all 3 front speakers behind it. A byproduct of this is that you can make all the front speakers the same, for a perfect timbre match.


Regards,

Terry

 

[dc_pilgrim]

This is just a guidline, generally it depends on personal preference. Do you sit in the front, middle or back of a commercial theater?


Based on THX's guildline in a 2.35 setting the minimum recomended angle you want is 36 degrees. If you go 16/9 consider the vertical angle also.

 

[Gerry S]

Thanks all.


Terry, I am going to go with an AT screen. I'd imagine that if I did not I would be looking at a smaller screen size.


DC, if my Trig is right, I am looking at a viewing angle of 39.3 degrees from my first row, and 28.57 degrees from my second row. That seems alright to me. Thanks for posting that image with the guidelines!


-Gerry

 

[dc_pilgrim]

No problem. Glad it helps. The guidline thing is because it is not unusual for people to get all worked up about them and argue about screen size. I couldn't care less what peoples preferences are, but it helps to consider how immersive you want it.


If you want to verify your trig, there are calculators like this one:

http://www.myhometheater.homestead.c...alculator.html

 

[pmeyer]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Gerry S /forum/post/0


Terry, I am going to go with an AT screen.


-Gerry

I suspect the last chance at SMX is trigger the sudden interest in screen sizing. I know it did for me!

 

[Gerry S]



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


I suspect the last chance at SMX is trigger the sudden interest in screen sizing. I know it did for me!

Paul, you are absolutely correct! I won't begin building for awhile, but figured I should get it now while I can. The funny thing is I've followed SMX from day one and could have easily gotten in on the first shipment of "SMX 720", but I always put it off because I wasn't ready to build.


Like you, I just ordered 13' of SMX. Seemed like a good fit considering the width of my room, and the screen size I am currently settled on.


Thanks all for your input.


-Gerry

 

[pmeyer]

I got 13' as well. I figure that will get me an 11' wide 2.35:1 screen angled at 15 degrees (if I end up with moire). I doubt I'll go that wide (my wall is 16').