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Screen size advice please

2402 Views 27 Replies 11 Participants Last post by slybarman, Apr 10, 2008

slybarman

Discussion Starter · Jan 16, 2008

Hello all:

I have been lurking here for a while and now that I am getting close to installing my theater, I decided it was time to post and ask some advice.

The attached photo is of our family room. It will be my son's playroom during the day and our home theater at night. The room is approximately 14(w)x20(l)x8(h). This distance from the screen to the seating area is 14.5'. This photo is taken from the proposed seating area. The projector will be on a shelf at approx 18'. The tape outline on the wall is the viewable screen area of an elite 106" electric screen. The smaller marks to the outside are the viewable dimensions of an Elite 120" screen. The x in the middle marks the middle of the viewable screen which is 43" from the floor. Do I have the right height on the wall? I want the middle of the screen at eye level, correct?

So . . . am I being realistic about these screen sizes for this room. If so, will the 106" or 120" give the better experience.

I should add that we will most likely be using a panasonic AX-200 and watching HD content.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Steve

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1 - 20 of 28 Posts

gumby1976

· #2 · Jan 16, 2008

I'm kind of a rookie with all this myself but I'd say that the 106" would fit the room better. I also remember reading somewhere on here that the center of the image should be 48-52 inches of the ground.

slybarman

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jan 16, 2008

Thank you Gumby. The tip on the screen height is good to know. I will have to re-check my clearances based on that.

Steve

slybarman

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jan 16, 2008

Anyone else feeling brave enough to chime in with an opinion before I place my order? All thoughts welcome.

calv1n

· #5 · Jan 16, 2008

I prefer bigger myself I would go with the 120 in your shoes but either the 106" up to 120" will not disappoint I would think. Depends on your preference really. When you go to the theater where do you sit? If its closer to the front where the screen is or is nearly your whole scope of vision then go larger if you like the back rows, go smaller.

Cheers

Calvin

slybarman

Discussion Starter · #6 · Jan 17, 2008

That is an interesting way of looking at it that I had not considered. We have a 1 1/2 year old so it has been a darn long time since we went to the theater.

I would sit up front except that it hurts my neck trying to look up at the screen in a regular theater. I generally would try to sit 1/3 to 1/2 the way back.

Steve

Wazzey

· #7 · Jan 17, 2008

To calvin you should listen, he is wise beyond our comprehension.

I vote bigger as well. You've got enough space to make it 120". I've got a 123" and watch it from 11-17ft. I like it from up close AND back farther for no good reason.

It will be your own personal preference.

slybarman

Discussion Starter · #8 · Jan 17, 2008

All good advice - thank you.

One last question - if I get the 120" and decide it is too large, can I just dial the zoom back on the projector and use less than the total screen for a smaller image?

Steve

Wazzey

· #9 · Jan 17, 2008

Well you can but I doubt that is something that you are going to want to do without masking the screen.

If you're that unclear about what size you want just do some tests first. Project it on the wall or a sheet or you can go my route and get a piece of laminate at lowes or HD (designer white from wilsonart and there are other materials, check the thread below). For less than $100 you can get a 4x8 or 5x10 sheet and use it temporary until you decide on whats best for you. I've got a 5x10 sheet cut to 123" with a DIY frame that serves me just fine. After you see what you want then maybe you can go on to smaller or bigger things with the screen that you want for the long haul. There are other ways as well.... Painting the wall with some screen goo or something comperable might be what you want for your test. (I'm not up on the screen goo solution or cost but there are plenty of threads in these forums about it.)

You can check my sig to see the screen I have, which isn't well done but works fine with no hotspots.

Laminate thread. Many posts about how to frame and different materials.
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...2#post12837732

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scaesare

· #10 · Jan 17, 2008

My vote is bigger.

I'm at ~12.5' from a 133" screen, and love it. Bottom of screen is ~20" off floor, which puts my eyes when seated at about 1/3rd up from the bottom of screen. Love it.

But I say to everybody: figure out screen size/seating YOU are comfortable with. Easy way to do this is go to a theater and find seats you like. Look up. Count the ceiling tiles to determine how wide the screen is, and how far back you are. Tiles are either 2x2' or 2x4'.

You now have your ratio for seating distance to screen width. Use this to determine your home screen size or seating distance. Or both.

slybarman

Discussion Starter · #11 · Jan 17, 2008

I think I am lenaing toward the 120" at this point. Ideally, I should probably order the projector first and then try it out on the wall. The only thing is the screen size is going to dictate placementof my center channel speaker which is going directly above the screen and I am getting that wiring done first. So . . . I kinda have to decide on screen size first.

Thanks again to all. Keep the suggestions coming.

slybarman

Discussion Starter · #12 · Jan 22, 2008

I took calv1n advice and went to a theater at lunch today just to check out screen size and location, etc. I decided the 120" should not be any problem based on the field of view the movie theater screen takes up sitting where I would normally sit. It took up nearly my entire field of view.

The one thing I did notice was that, as Gumby pointed out, I have my planned screen too low. When I was at the theater today, sitting between 1/3 to 1/2 the way back, my eyes were not level with the middle of the screen. I was level with about 1/3 the way up the screen from the bottom, maybe a little higher.

So . . . 120" screen it is, and I am going to move it up a little higher on my wall than I have showing in the photo.

Steve

sivartk

· #13 · Jan 22, 2008

Quote:
Originally Posted by scaesare /forum/post/12844355

Bottom of screen is ~20" off floor, which puts my eyes when seated at about 1/3rd up from the bottom of screen.

That is the rule of thumb. I tried to go by that but everyone is a different height and sometimes I recline, so I went from my lowest position (reclined) and highest (sitting up), found the 1/3 up from the bottom on each and split the difference.

I sit 13.5-14.5 feet from the screen and have a 100". For my room it works well and allows someone to sit at the end of sectional closest to the screen (~8') and still have a decent view (even with SD material).

For me, if I have to move my eyes side to side to see the action on the screen it is too big.

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Netko350Z

· #14 · Jan 22, 2008

Build it yourself.

my 100" is home built and is the perfect size for my room/pj settings.

slybarman

Discussion Starter · #15 · Jan 22, 2008

2

I don't think I'm up to building my own tensioned motorized screen.

I can't use a fixed screen - little boy will color on it during the day.

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scaesare

· #16 · Jan 22, 2008

Quote:
Originally Posted by sivartk /forum/post/12890347

That is the rule of thumb. I tried to go by that but everyone is a different height and sometimes I recline, so I went from my lowest position (reclined) and highest (sitting up), found the 1/3 up from the bottom on each and split the difference.

I sit 13.5-14.5 feet from the screen and have a 100". For my room it works well and allows someone to sit at the end of sectional closest to the screen (~8') and still have a decent view (even with SD material).

For me, if I have to move my eyes side to side to see the action on the screen it is too big.

And to me, having a large enough field of view that I want to move my eyes to follow the action makes it immersive. That is, after all, what real life is like.

I draw the line at being so close I have to move my head back and forth like a tennis match. ;-)

slybarman

Discussion Starter · #17 · Jan 22, 2008

When I was at the theater yesterday, I noted that you could not see 100% of the action on the screen without moving your eyes to either side. I agree that it is part of the immersion. They seem to shoot the film with the main action more-or-less in the middle and the peripheral portions are what makes you feel like you are there.

bpape

· #18 · Jan 22, 2008

The other thing to consider is what a wider screen will do to speaker positioning. A very wide screen pushes the speakers all the way out to the walls which will cause bass response issues.

In a 20' long room, ideally you'd start with your seating position at approx 12.5-13' from the front wall (to ears). Based on that, you'd then determine the screen size appropriate for that position. I think you're a bit far back which is pushing you toward a larger size.

Also remember that a larger screen means a dimmer picture (same light filling more square footage) and lower pixel density (not as sharp). X number of pixels filling a smaller screen yields tighter pixel density displayed.

Just go into this considering all implications.

Bryan

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slybarman

Discussion Starter · #19 · Jan 22, 2008

You are correct. My speakers are pretty much out to the wall, though that was dictated in part by the location of the studs (I am using a set of Polk monitor 5b's that I already had for the front left and right. 22 lbs per).

From what I saw using projector calculator, I am still hoping to get a pretty bright picture from the Panasonic AX-200 (2000 lumens). I am in the middle of the screen size for my throw distance.

bpape

· #20 · Jan 22, 2008

True on the brightness. Still pixel density and speaker location issues - not to mention sitting at approx 1/4 of the room length and the peaks and nulls in bass response this can cause.

Bryan

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