HELP! Want to switch from tv to projector. Doable? (layout inside)

[rainbowbattlekid]

So I'm trying to figure out all this throw distance and screen height stuff and I'm having a hard time wrapping my brain around so many variables, so I was hoping to get some help. I'll try to post as many items of interest as I can think of. I've attached a rough layout of the living room. It's not exactly to scale but I've written measurements against each wall. I used the calculator at https://files.support.epson.com/pdc/en/Index.html

Okay, so we want to switch from a tv to a projector setup. Since I also use this for playing games, I was looking at the Epson 2040, as it seems to have noticeably short lag time. And I haven't tried out DLP projectors but I looked up a couple examples of the rainbow effect and I feel like it's the kinda thing that would bug me a lot. Also it's fairly budget-friendly. We are trying to keep the whole thing UNDER $1,000 if possible.

The screen would go in front of the angled 95" wall. Because the adjacent walls are angled out from it, my calculations are that we could do a 106" 16:9 screen, and it would go a TAD past the wall (like 98" total) but that should be fine I think.

The main issues i'm worried about are:

Throw distance. It seems like for a 106" screen, the projector could be from 9.5'-11.5' away from the screen. 11.5' is definitely preferable. Ideally, I'd ceiling-mount the projector in the corner where the Rear Left speaker is, but i think that's slightly too far(14'4") to be able to get the image down to 106". The farther out from the corner, the more I don't want the projector to hang too low. I just measured out 11.5' and if the projector were around 18" from the ceiling there, it would hang a BIT too low to not be an eyesore, i think.

I'd like the screen to be low enough to not be a strain on the eyes, but the lower it goes, 1) the lower the projector has to hang, and 2) the less room I have to have the center speaker below the screen.

If I tilted the projector, I'd have to keystone the image which would lower the quality, i think? That doesn't sound ideal.

If the projector were on some sort of shelf near the Rear Left speaker, that would be great placement and height, but again, it's like 14.5' from the screen and I don't think we can afford to pull the screen out farther to fit a bigger screen.

I was thinking of the Left speaker going where the Right speaker is, and the Right speaker moving down to the next corner. That still leaves the Center speaker. I guess one advantage of the screen being too high is that the Center speaker can go on some sort of stand directly below it.

FWIW, my eye-level while sitting on the couch is about 41", and the proposed screen would be about 9' from the couch.

Also, not sure it's relevant, but I'd likely move the receiver from under the TV to the shelves by the Rear Left speaker. I also suppose I'd move that speaker a little northward along that wall to keep its relative position to the screen.

Still just having a hard time figuring this out, so if any of you are good at wrapping your heads around this kinda thing, it would be MUCH appreciated.


EDIT: Would it be possible to mount it to the WALL somewhere above the couch? I don't know why I didn't think of this earlier, but I dunno if mounting it to the wall would also allow me to angle it towards the screen wall? Or maybe just from the ceiling above the couch, but then I'm still not sure about angles.

[GreatGreg]

I would put the projector where you have it (on the 95") wall and angle the sofa to face the screen (and adjust all speakers).

But why wouldn't you use the big 193" wall where the sofa is to put your screen there? Is there a window or something there? That would be an even better position.

[bigshot]

I can see why you're having troubles. Those angles make things tough. I'd call in a home theater guy if I was you. I did that when I installed my projector and it wasn't cheap but it's installed perfectly for all time now. He also got me a discount on my custom screen.

[rainbowbattlekid]

Originally Posted by GreatGreg

I would put the projector where you have it (on the 95") wall and angle the sofa to face the screen (and adjust all speakers).

But why wouldn't you use the big 193" wall where the sofa is to put your screen there? Is there a window or something there? That would be an even better position.

yeah that's our only window other than the bedroom, and we're an english basement so it's definitely needed. i don't think the couch would work anywhere else either. the projector wall has a fireplace so while we could still use that when not using the projector, it wouldn't really play well with the couch lol

[rainbowbattlekid]

https://www.amazon.com/VideoSecu-Swi.../dp/B005KGG1ES

would something like this work? then i could have the projector hanging down and just flip it upwards when not watching stuff, so people can walk around and it's not all hanging around eye-level.

[rainbowbattlekid]

IF that would work, then the issue is just, how high do i want the screen?

right now, calculations say if the projector hangs at 1'6", then I'd have 1'2" above the screen, and 2'6" below the screen. I'd probably have the center speaker on something below the screen.

Everyone makes it sound like you want your eye to be about 1/3 up the screen, but I feel like that gives me SO little room for a speaker thing below(will probably have to be on some sort of moveable cart or table so i can move it for when we do fires), and then there's a lot of blank space above the screen. maybe that's fine?



EDIT: it seems that mount doesn't allow for quick adjustment, so swinging it up and out of the way when not in use doesn't seem doable.

I think if I want the projector 1.5'-2' from the ceiling, I either need to be able to swing it up at a hinge to move the mount tube parallel to the ceiling, or be able to easily adjust the height to push it up out of the way. hmmm

[bigshot]

Originally Posted by rainbowbattlekid

yeah that's our only window other than the bedroom, and we're an english basement so it's definitely needed.

How do you plan on blacking that out? Projectors require total darkness, and only being able to use it at night is a drag. As a for instance, here is how my screen and projector are oriented.




The beams in my room are perfect for mounting the projector and hiding the screen. My center channel is right behind the center of the screen. By the way, since I shot these photos, I have replaced the blue chair with another couch. You really want the couch perpendicular or at a 90 degree angle to the screen. Turning your head to watch is impossible. Your neck gets stiff.

[rainbowbattlekid]

we have pretty dark curtains that should do a decent enough job when closed, i think. lots of reviews of the 2040 seem to indicate it's pretty bright even with minor light. It's not going to be perfect at this place but the bigger screen would definitely be worth it, as we host movie nights every so often and our current tv is like 35"ish

is it fine if the speaker is behind the screen? that would greatly increase my speaker placement options.

[solarrdadd]

as long as the screen is rated/designed for the speakers to be behind it you will be fine. not all screens are designed for that ability so, if that's something you want, choose your screen carefully to ensure you got the right thing.

[Scarriere]

Originally Posted by bigshot

How do you plan on blacking that out? Projectors require total darkness, and only being able to use it at night is a drag. As a for instance, here is how my screen and projector are oriented.

[Show spoiler]

The beams in my room are perfect for mounting the projector and hiding the screen. My center channel is right behind the center of the screen. By the way, since I shot these photos, I have replaced the blue chair with another couch. You really want the couch perpendicular or at a 90 degree angle to the screen. Turning your head to watch is impossible. Your neck gets stiff.

Beautiful room Man!
I was curious if you get any trapezoid effect?
My Sony was lower than yours and I had to lower it even further.

To the OP, you can make almost anything work and the advice you get here will hopefully help.

[GreatGreg]

I wouldn't put the centre channel behind the screen unless you have a screen especially rated to do so.

I have my centre below the screen, but I have a large enough room that it doesn't really matter.

[bigshot]

Originally Posted by Scarriere

I was curious if you get any trapezoid effect?

I'm using an Epson 7500UB and it has keystone correction, so that isn't a problem.

My screen is a Stewart, and although it isn't perforated or rated to be acoustically transparent, the material of the screen is extremely lightweight and passes the sound through very well. Only a difference of 2 or 3 dB up vs down.

I have tried to use my projector with low light as opposed to pitch dark, but it looks lousy. For that, a TV is a lot better. In fact, the uses of a projector are quite different from the way you use a TV. TV is more casual- multi tasking while watching, lights on, walking in and out of the room. When you drop a screen and turn out the lights, all attention is focused on the movie. No multi-tasking at all, like at a movie theater. Also, I tend to watch things projected in shorter, more concentrated bursts of 2 or 3 hours. No binge watching.