[captainofiron]

So Im starting to plan to building a home theater in our guest bedroom. My wife has signed off and Im running with it, haha.


The room has 1 window, its approximately 14' x 10' (subtract the 3'x6' closet in the corner and 9' high ceilings. I can control the light almost completely with what I call my vampire accordion looking shades/blinds.


My grand plan is to build a curved screen on the 11' wall, (possibly one that is portable), put all the electronics (receiver, bluray//dvd player, home theater PC, xbox, etc) in the closet and run the cables along the roof to the projector (roof mounted of course), and piece together a 7.1 audio system.


SO with all that laid down, I was wondering if I could get some suggestions on the projector, Im looking for the best bang for my buck, Im hoping to keep it under 1500 (or less). After looking around here, seems like the BenQ ones are pretty popular, I used their online tool and looks like my best option would be the W1080ST


Any other suggestions?


I want something pretty good quality as far as the picture, a little noise wouldnt bother me big time, but dont want it to be super loud.


Thanks.

 

[wormraper]

the 1080st is a REALLY short throw projector, meaning you have to have it really close to get a large enough image. the w1070 is basically the same projector but it can be placed back farther

 

[joepaiii]

Also some Epsons would be in your price range if you not set on DLP. Although I have had 2 DLP projectors and I work at Texas Instruments so I am somewhat biased.

 

[captainofiron]



Quote:
Originally Posted by wormraper  /t/1523635/starting-to-plan-my-home-theater#post_24512832


the 1080st is a REALLY short throw projector, meaning you have to have it really close to get a large enough image. the w1070 is basically the same projector but it can be placed back farther

Thanks for the reply,


yea I realize its a short throw, thats more what I am looking for. After looking at the more mentioned projectors here on AVS it seems that I would have ended up with a ~80-100inch image with the projector 9ft back, which isnt bad, BUT I want to get a HUGE screen if Im going to do it, I want to go big.


I looked at the W1080ST and at 9ft the image 180" image which is bigger than the room, at 8ft4in and zoomed it gets to a 138in screen which I think is pretty awesome


Here are some models I made of the room and the potential screen with google sketch up


Here are the layouts from the "preferred" seating position


137" screen (120"x67")



149" screen (130"x73")



and here is the 3D models of the screen:

137" screen (120"x67")





149" screen (130"x73")

 

[captainofiron]



Quote:
Originally Posted by joepaiii  /t/1523635/starting-to-plan-my-home-theater#post_24512898


Also some Epsons would be in your price range if you not set on DLP. Although I have had 2 DLP projectors and I work at Texas Instruments so I am somewhat biased.

I like DLP, I had a Samsung DLP TV and loved that thing (after I replaced the color wheel bearings, haha)

 

[rekbones]

Are you sure you want that big of a screen for such a small room. I sit about 8' from a 110" screen and people think I'm crazy. Of course if you like to sit in the front row of a Movie theater to each his own. I always say most people wish they went bigger. Where are you going to put the speakers if the whole wall is screen, do you have room to put inwalls behind a acoustically transparent screen ( adding more money especially for a curved screen). I would blow out the closet and shoot the other way if it was my room.

 

[captainofiron]



Quote:
Originally Posted by rekbones  /t/1523635/starting-to-plan-my-home-theater#post_24513039


Are you sure you want that big of a screen for such a small room. I sit about 8' from a 110" screen and people think I'm crazy. Of course if you like to sit in the front row of a Movie theater to each his own. I always say most people wish they went bigger. Where are you going to put the speakers if the whole wall is screen, do you have room to put inwalls behind a acoustically transparent screen ( adding more money especially for a curved screen). I would blow out the closet and shoot the other way if it was my room.

Thanks for the input, Im still in the early planning stages so it is appreciated.


I cant remember where I read it, but I think I remember that the "optimum" viewing angle was 60 degrees, hence the 120x67 option which is close to 60 degrees.


If I go with the 120 inch screen I'll have around 6-12 inches on the corner side of the screen, which is where I will put the front satellite speakers, and I was planning on mounting the front center speaker underneath the screen.


I dont want to blow out the closet because then we cant legally call it a bedroom if we want to sell AND I just put wood floors in and I dont want to have to patch the empty spaces.


as far as the screen I was thinking about a wood frame and a sheetmetal or plastic face either painted or with material glued to the sheet

 

[AV_Integrated]

Projectors are designed to project onto flat surfaces, that's the way their lens elements are arranged and designed. It's also important to note that short throw projectors have extremely finicky optics which require a completely flat screen. You will experience huge amounts of distortion if you used a curved screen.


For screen size, THX specifications call for center of theater to be 1.5x the viewing distance. To my knowledge, this calculator is still the standard to go by:
http://myhometheater.homestead.com/viewingdistancecalculator.html


If you want 'center of theater', then your screen size will be smaller. If you like sitting closer, and are willing to live with the flaws, then go as large as you would like.


Be aware, putting shades on windows is not light control. Controlling the massive light reflections from your projector is. Dark walls, dark carpet, dark ceiling is a requirement before you should ever consider yourself as having 'light control'.


Use the longest throw lens projector possible for your room and desired screen size.


With about 9' from eyes to screen, about a 92" diagonal would be about as large as I would go with.


You also need some sort of carpet on the floor or the audio will sound like garbage. The tight room really will need some tightening up or the overall audio will be horrendously bright.


I would possibly do decent in-wall speakers if there are no bedrooms that back to the theater room space.


It's a really tight room and setup, so I would be cautious about overpowering the space and making it uncomfortable to use.

 

[Verge2]

Curved screens are usually reserved to the anamorphic lens folks.

 

[butie120]

Congrats on starting the projector adventure. A lot of work...but a nice payoff! I think you're fine if you have to go with the Benq 1080ST. Yes it's a very srhort throw projector, but if it works for you that's all that matters. To give you any sense of relief, I auditoned the Benq 1080ST in my basement for 15 days and I was blown away. I also had the 1070 (the longer throw version) and I couldn't really tell much of a difference. If you placed them side by side and didn't tell me which was which, there's no way I could discern the difference. I actually plan on buying the 1080ST in the next month or so. I need the short throw to place in front of a soffit.


For pricing, keep in mind that the 1080ST goes down in price every so often on Amazon. Don't pay the typical $949 price that you see. Last week it was down to $874. I think if you can grab it for under $900 you are good to go.


I agree with those above. Forget about the curved screen. I think your first step in regards to the size is getting the projector first, watching some movies/tv with your wife on the wall, and then deciding what size to go with. Play around with the zoom. Watch a 95", a 110", a 120", and just find the sweet spot. I know everyone says that people regret not going bigger, so just make sure you're comfortable with the size. You have to find a nice balance between being immersed in the image, yet also not feeling as though you're watching a game of tennis with your head swiveling side to side due to too much screen.

 

[AV_Integrated]



Quote:
Originally Posted by butie120  /t/1523635/starting-to-plan-my-home-theater#post_24515090


...watching some movies/tv with your wife on the wall...

Always use the long nails for this.


There is nothing worse than having her fall off the wall halfway through the movie then coming downstairs to yell at you about something.


Trust me on this.

 

[old corps]



Quote:
Originally Posted by AV_Integrated  /t/1523635/starting-to-plan-my-home-theater#post_24517002


Always use the long nails for this.


There is nothing worse than having her fall off the wall halfway through the movie then coming downstairs to yell at you about something.


Trust me on this.

LMAO!


Ed

 

[butie120]



Quote:
Originally Posted by AV_Integrated  /t/1523635/starting-to-plan-my-home-theater#post_24517002


Always use the long nails for this.


There is nothing worse than having her fall off the wall halfway through the movie then coming downstairs to yell at you about something.


Trust me on this.

haha, nice one integrated. I guess that could have been interpreted a few different ways. I guess I should have said, "When you and your wife are watching a movie together, project the image on the wall and decide together what size you two prefer."

 

[captainofiron]



Quote:
Originally Posted by AV_Integrated  /t/1523635/starting-to-plan-my-home-theater#post_24513139


Projectors are designed to project onto flat surfaces, that's the way their lens elements are arranged and designed. It's also important to note that short throw projectors have extremely finicky optics which require a completely flat screen. You will experience huge amounts of distortion if you used a curved screen.


For screen size, THX specifications call for center of theater to be 1.5x the viewing distance. To my knowledge, this calculator is still the standard to go by:
http://myhometheater.homestead.com/viewingdistancecalculator.html


If you want 'center of theater', then your screen size will be smaller. If you like sitting closer, and are willing to live with the flaws, then go as large as you would like.


Be aware, putting shades on windows is not light control. Controlling the massive light reflections from your projector is. Dark walls, dark carpet, dark ceiling is a requirement before you should ever consider yourself as having 'light control'.


Use the longest throw lens projector possible for your room and desired screen size.


With about 9' from eyes to screen, about a 92" diagonal would be about as large as I would go with.


You also need some sort of carpet on the floor or the audio will sound like garbage. The tight room really will need some tightening up or the overall audio will be horrendously bright.


I would possibly do decent in-wall speakers if there are no bedrooms that back to the theater room space.


It's a really tight room and setup, so I would be cautious about overpowering the space and making it uncomfortable to use.

Thanks, I didnt realize the home projectors were not designed to work with curved screens, I figured since the radius formula I was using was for cinema screens.


as far as the viewing distance, I was remembering wrong, the THX was 40 degrees not 60, thanks for the link.


I didnt understand your "

I would possibly do decent in-wall speakers if there are no bedrooms that back to the theater room space." comment though.


Thanks again

 

[captainofiron]



Quote:
Originally Posted by butie120  /t/1523635/starting-to-plan-my-home-theater#post_24515090


Congrats on starting the projector adventure. A lot of work...but a nice payoff! I think you're fine if you have to go with the Benq 1080ST. Yes it's a very srhort throw projector, but if it works for you that's all that matters. To give you any sense of relief, I auditoned the Benq 1080ST in my basement for 15 days and I was blown away. I also had the 1070 (the longer throw version) and I couldn't really tell much of a difference. If you placed them side by side and didn't tell me which was which, there's no way I could discern the difference. I actually plan on buying the 1080ST in the next month or so. I need the short throw to place in front of a soffit.


For pricing, keep in mind that the 1080ST goes down in price every so often on Amazon. Don't pay the typical $949 price that you see. Last week it was down to $874. I think if you can grab it for under $900 you are good to go.


I agree with those above. Forget about the curved screen. I think your first step in regards to the size is getting the projector first, watching some movies/tv with your wife on the wall, and then deciding what size to go with. Play around with the zoom. Watch a 95", a 110", a 120", and just find the sweet spot. I know everyone says that people regret not going bigger, so just make sure you're comfortable with the size. You have to find a nice balance between being immersed in the image, yet also not feeling as though you're watching a game of tennis with your head swiveling side to side due to too much screen.

Thanks I will keep an eye on that, I set up a price alert on newegg and added it to my amazon wishlist, yea I definitely dont want to have the overly big screen that it will cause the tennis effect, haha

 

[AV_Integrated]



Quote:
Originally Posted by captainofiron  /t/1523635/starting-to-plan-my-home-theater#post_24522530


I didnt understand your "

I would possibly do decent in-wall speakers if there are no bedrooms that back to the theater room space." comment though.

In-wall and in-ceiling speakers send just as much audio behind them as they do into the room. So, any in-wall/ceiling speakers should not have a living space on the back side of the speaker or the speaker will be producing a great deal of audio in the backing room.


There are some ways to minimize this, but that's just something to be aware of. A popular thing in basement theaters is to use in-wall for the front 3-speakers, then in-ceiling speakers for the surrounds. So, the surround speakers blast audio into the main floor of the home when they are in use. Nice.


In-room speakers, such as ON-wall speakers, or floor standing speakers are a much better choice when you want to isolate the audio from the room and the rest of the house. If you have a family, this can become more and more important.

 

[captainofiron]



Quote:
Originally Posted by AV_Integrated  /t/1523635/starting-to-plan-my-home-theater#post_24523134


In-wall and in-ceiling speakers send just as much audio behind them as they do into the room. So, any in-wall/ceiling speakers should not have a living space on the back side of the speaker or the speaker will be producing a great deal of audio in the backing room.


There are some ways to minimize this, but that's just something to be aware of. A popular thing in basement theaters is to use in-wall for the front 3-speakers, then in-ceiling speakers for the surrounds. So, the surround speakers blast audio into the main floor of the home when they are in use. Nice.


In-room speakers, such as ON-wall speakers, or floor standing speakers are a much better choice when you want to isolate the audio from the room and the rest of the house. If you have a family, this can become more and more important.

ah I see, no the room is pretty isolated, our house is a split floorplan, so the only walls on our future theater is the spare bathroom, the garage and the hallway to the garage