[pevend]

I have been reading posts on this site for a few days and I am impressed with the amount and depth of knowledge demonstrated in all of the fora – I’ve learned a lot already. I’ve got a few embarrassingly newbyish questions, however, that haven’t been addressed in any of the posts I’ve read or any HT FAQs that I’ve seen.


I’m looking to set up a front projection system in my finished basement for my teenage kids to use. Based on current usage, I would guess that it would be used about 70% for PlayStation2, 15% TV (cable), and 15% DVD. The basement is 18’ by 25’ with a drop ceiling that is mostly 6’ 9†high. The setup is somewhat complicated by posts and ductwork that may make a ceiling mount difficult, and is also complicated by the fact that the boys like to roughhouse with friends and play indoor soccer and football down there, so any HT setup would have to be either tucked away at the side of the room or able to be closed into a cabinet and any furniture would have to be on wheels.


1). All the posts about FP setups seem to talk about ceiling mounts. Is it possible to do a decent setup with the projector in a cabinet or rack on the floor? Would the projector have to be very low to the ground in order to get the maximum picture height?


2). I hope to just use a wall to project against. Is that reasonable to do, or do I need to have a screen? Is there any special color or type of paint that I would use on the wall to make the picture look better?


3). I plan to route all of my inputs (VCR, DVD, PS2) into a receiver and connect the receiver to the surround sound speakers and the projector.


a). Where does my TV cable plug into and what do I use as a TV tuner? Do I need a cable box, do I just use the VCR as a tuner, or should I get something like a TiVo? What happens when I want to start into HDTV?


b). When I hook up cables to the projector, do I just use the highest-quality connection available from the tuner to the projector, or do I need to hook up every available tuner output to every available projector input?


Those are the things that are mystifying me at the moment. I appreciate any help that anyone can give me.

 

[fasteddielv]

Quote:

Originally posted by pevend I have been reading posts on this site for a few days and I am impressed with the amount and depth of knowledge demonstrated in all of the fora – I’ve learned a lot already. I’ve got a few embarrassingly newbyish questions, however, that haven’t been addressed in any of the posts I’ve read or any HT FAQs that I’ve seen. I’m looking to set up a front projection system in my finished basement for my teenage kids to use. Based on current usage, I would guess that it would be used about 70% for PlayStation2, 15% TV (cable), and 15% DVD. The basement is 18’ by 25’ with a drop ceiling that is mostly 6’ 9†high. The setup is somewhat complicated by posts and ductwork that may make a ceiling mount difficult, and is also complicated by the fact that the boys like to roughhouse with friends and play indoor soccer and football down there, so any HT setup would have to be either tucked away at the side of the room or able to be closed into a cabinet and any furniture would have to be on wheels. 1). All the posts about FP setups seem to talk about ceiling mounts. Is it possible to do a decent setup with the projector in a cabinet or rack on the floor? Would the projector have to be very low to the ground in order to get the maximum picture height? Yes a FP will work table mounted. Roughly speaking the bottom of the lense will be about the bottom edge of the screen. However considering your enviroment, matbe ceiling mounted in a box would be best. It would be a pain to roll the table out with all the wires to use it. If you do build a box make sure it's ventilated well. DO NOT block vents of PJ. 2). I hope to just use a wall to project against. Is that reasonable to do, or do I need to have a screen? Is there any special color or type of paint that I would use on the wall to make the picture look better? many use a wall but not the best method. Consider making a simple framed 16:9 ratio smoth surface and spay paint it with Goo. goosystems.com 3). I plan to route all of my inputs (VCR, DVD, PS2) into a receiver and connect the receiver to the surround sound speakers and the projector. a). Where does my TV cable plug into and what do I use as a TV tuner? Do I need a cable box, do I just use the VCR as a tuner, or should I get something like a TiVo? What happens when I want to start into HDTV? yes you need a tuner, could use VCR or a cable box, how many channels do you want? Cable box may provide a better Picture as well. A Tivo is used for recording TV so that's up to you. Well HDTV works well on a FP provided ou get a FP that designed for it. Will just need the cables for YPbPr from cable box to FP, unless the receiver you get will do component switching. b). When I hook up cables to the projector, do I just use the highest-quality connection available from the tuner to the projector, or do I need to hook up every available tuner output to every available projector input? If your running video through the receiver, you should use the highest quaility connection of the lowest quaility source. If everthing has S-Video use that, but if one only has composite you will need to hook that up as well or only use composite for all. Some receivers will upconvert a composite signal to S-Video. Composite in converted to S-Video output to display. Also consider a PC for game and DVD play. Hope this helps! Eddie Those are the things that are mystifying me at the moment. I appreciate any help that anyone can give me.

 

[pevend]

Thanks a lot for the info!


It sure seems silly that HT receivers don't provide TV channel tuning capability; I would think that that would be a useful thing for them to do. I'm not fond of the idea of having to get an extra piece of equipment (probably will need an extra remote, too) just to be able to change TV channels.


Don

 

[fasteddielv]

Well Don a receiver/TV tuner would be an OK idea but concidering digital services it would not be a big seller.


What kind of PJ are you looking at?


Eddie

 

[Chris3377]

I currently have my projector on and stand in the middle of the room and we use it mostly for when we have multiple X-boxes going at the same time and I will tell you it gets bumped a lot. Not to mention the constant fear of someone spilling something on it. I am unable to mount it on the ceiling at the moment either, due to the way the walls are and how heavy the projector is. If your projector is small and light you can put it in a cabinet at the back of the room, but mine is huge and heavy so I can't.

As far as the connections go mine only has S-video or RGBHV, so I go through a line doubler with the DVD player, but it makes X-box look too soft, so we go through the S-video with a VCR. The VCR will also do TV channels, but we don't have any cable in that room, and no need for it.

For a screen I got one cheap from Ebay, it is white, and rolls up when not in use. I don't know how good it will look on the wall.

Good luck

 

[pevend]

I haven't picked out a projector yet; I'm still working on the feasibility of the whole setup. I read through the FAQs at projector central, and they say that you need to think about screen geometry, resolution, and seating distance before looking at projectors, so I need to go downstairs and stare at my walls for a while so I can make my decisions. I guess it would be best to project on the long wall (better for getting everything out of the way if the kids want to play indoor sports), but because of posts the maximum seating distance would be about 12 feet from the wall, which would make screen width 6 to 9 feet max. I figure 16:9 would be best screen geometry for me because the setup would be used mostly for PS2 and DVDs, so that would mean it could be between 3.5 and 5 feet high. Because of ductwork, I am very limited as to being able to ceiling-mount a projector; the farthest from the wall that I could mount it without it being a closed-head injury hazard would be about 10 feet; I'll have to figure out if that type of configuration is optically possible. I have more leeway if I have the projector in a cabinet or on a table; in that case it can be 16 feet (or possibly more) from the wall. Lots to think about.....


Don

 

[dtreat776]

Don, what is your budget? Do you currently own a receiver, sound system etc? Take a look at the photo gallery and see what others have done. Perhaps there is a setup that you are thinking about.


Furthermore, projecting on a white wall will work. I am currently doing that with a Z1 projector. By no means I am a videophile, but the picture looks great to me.


As far as your sons and their friends playing indoor soccer and such, I would be worried about the projector being knocked, even if it in a cabinet of sort, or speakers being bumped etc.... But I definately think from what you describe about your room that a projeciton setup for gaming, dvd, and tv watching is possible.

 

[pevend]

Don, what is your budget? Do you currently own a receiver, sound system etc?


Right now I just have a regular old 26" TV down there, hooked up to standard cable, a VCR, and a PS2. If I set up an HT-type system down there, I'd be pretty much starting from scratch. I was figuring on spending in the neighborhood of $3K for the electronics; I'm sure that the wife will want to spend at least that much on carpeting and furniture.

Furthermore, projecting on a white wall will work. I am currently doing that with a Z1 projector. By no means I am a videophile, but the picture looks great to me.


My kids aren't exactly connoisseurs, either; I'm sure that a really big picture on the wall will impress them, especially since none of their friends have anything similar. From one of the previous posts, it sounds like there are paints that you can use on the wall to make it work more like a screen if needed.

As far as your sons and their friends playing indoor soccer and such, I would be worried about the projector being knocked, even if it in a cabinet of sort, or speakers being bumped etc


Between furniture on wheels and the posts that are in the basement, I think I could probably protect the projector if it was in a cabinet. As far as speakers go, I am figuring that if I do a 5.1 system I could install wall-mounted speakers so that protecting them wouldn't be an issue.