Non-ceiling mounted projectors? - Blu-ray Forum

Beta Man · 06-27-2008, 12:42 PM

Anyone have any asthetically pleasing means to setting up a projector (perhaps a shelf type thing behind the theater-seats that it can sit on top of)

Couple issues with my new attic....

1) heat..... I'm going to install an extra Theater-only A/C (in addition to the Central Air) but the room's temp is dramatically different when I feel the ceiling, compared to 6 feet up for instance (heat rises obviously...)

2) my ceiling in the attic is textured, and has heating elements running in the ceiling.... it's an older home, and this was a popular method for radiant heating back in the day, and running the wires, repairing the ceiling (plaster! yikes) and having an outlet installed, etc... is now a much larger job than origionally planned...... I was thinking about running the wires from the projector, under the theater-seats, to the crawl-space.... and drill out to the access panel behind the screen-area to connect it all.....

Other things to consider..... I have a separate room off of the attic that will house all of my media, so "shelves" aren't really necessary.... If it's something that can be used to create a "theme" for the theater (I need to paint, and replace the carpet still) that would be great!!!! I plan on running the plumbing from the bathroom that is in the attic, over to a bar area too, but that is a LONG WAYS away, due to the cost. Here is the attic, anything you can think of, in terms of how I could theme it, would be great too..... The room is only for a theater, so the windows will be blacked out (probably pond-liner, with black-out cloth curtains over it, so it'll have zero ambient light)

Sorry for the one crappy picture.... doesn't even show the theater "lengthwise" I don't think..... it's an angled ceiling obviously (attic... what can I say!) and you can't see the stairs going up (there is a door at the bottom, so again, light isn't an issue) the bathroom and additional room are on the other side..... I'll get more pictures when I can.

Theater time!!!!.jpg
Thoughts?

09camaro · 06-27-2008, 02:47 PM

A couple of questions. Are you still looking at the hc1500? Also, where will the
media room be in relation to projector location? Need to know height of projector
and desired height and size of screen. More pictures would also help.

Beta Man · 06-27-2008, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 09camaro

A couple of questions. Are you still looking at the hc1500? Also, where will the
media room be in relation to projector location? Need to know height of projector
and desired height and size of screen. More pictures would also help.

Still looking at the HC1500,

The Media room will be behind the seating area, where a wall is adjacent to the bathroom.... It's a finished room with door, but not too big (large walk-in-closet type) So I won't need to run up and downstairs all the time!

I don't really have a "desired" height for projector OR screen... just high enough to project over the heads of people in the seats... and the screen will probably be 120" and can go anywere starting from the ground.... or the Ceiling (8 feet I believe)

09camaro · 06-27-2008, 03:52 PM

The hc1500 doesn't have any lens shift adjustment and a lower zoom adjustment
in the lens. For a 120" screen the lens of the projector needs to be between 14'4"
and 17'5" away from the screen, ideally around 17'. With the fixed lens shift, the bottom
(or top, if ceiling mounted) of the screen will be around 19.5" above the center
of the lens. Depending on room size, you may have to ceiling mount to get the
desired screen size.

09camaro · 06-27-2008, 03:55 PM

Check this link out for the throw calculator.
http://www.projectorcentral.com/Mits...ulator-pro.htm

You may also want to look into one with lens shift to give you more options. If you
can make it work, the hc1500 is sweet!. I got my screen hung last night, and out
of the box picture is great! Will do some tweaking this weekend and snap some pics
for the home theater thread.

Beta Man · 06-27-2008, 04:20 PM

Thanks for the advice!!! I can ceiling mount it if absolutely necessary.... and I can mount the projector about 23 feet from the screen, if I had to, so 17 shouldn't be a problem (I just didn't want it to be the focal point when people walk up the stairs..... the stairs are 8 feet from the back wall or so....)

09camaro · 06-27-2008, 05:54 PM

No problem. There is a lot to lurn about projectors and positioning, but I'm a pretty
quick study. If I can help you out with anything, just let me know.

m_tyson · 06-27-2008, 08:44 PM

If you go with a retroreflective screen (Da-lite High Power), then the ideal location for the projector is sitting on a shelf behind the seating area, or shooting through a wall opening from a room to the rear of the theater, at just above eye level.

allstar780 · 06-27-2008, 08:49 PM

though i guess it is a type of roof mount, one thing I really like is the shelves for projectors that hang from the room and the projector just sits on it

09camaro · 06-27-2008, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by m_tyson

If you go with a retroreflective screen (Da-lite High Power), then the ideal location for the projector is sitting on a shelf behind the seating area, or shooting through a wall opening from a room to the rear of the theater, at just above eye level.

He still has to make sure the lens shift and zoom of the projector will allow that
type of placement.

m_tyson · 06-27-2008, 08:56 PM

True. With an LCD (Panny AE2000U would be a good choice), that shouldn't be a problem.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 09camaro

He still has to make sure the lens shift and zoom of the projector will allow that
type of placement.

Beta Man · 06-28-2008, 01:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by m_tyson

True. With an LCD (Panny AE2000U would be a good choice), that shouldn't be a problem.

that's nice...... for $2,000 more than the one I'm looking at

m_tyson · 06-28-2008, 02:53 AM

How about an AX200U? After you factor in the value of the rebate, it's about the same price as the HC1500.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beta Man

that's nice...... for $2,000 more than the one I'm looking at

Beta Man · 06-28-2008, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by m_tyson

How about an AX200U? After you factor in the value of the rebate, it's about the same price as the HC1500.

What's this "rebate" you speak of? The HC1500 is about $750 and I don't have to worry about rebates...... I can make it work... if I have to ceiling mount it, I will, I'm just not sure if it's necessary....

I'm going to be placing my screen "on" a wall.... I'll frame it, hang it, etc.... so I'm willing to place it as high or low as necessary, and I want to put the projector on a stand about 6 feet from ground level, not sure why this wouldn't work from everything I've read :Shrug:

I guess I'm "flexible" since I'm starting with a clean slate, and the room is a dedicated theater, so I can do whatever is necessary to it to make it work.....

current down-side is our closing date got pushed back!

09camaro · 06-28-2008, 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beta Man

What's this "rebate" you speak of? The HC1500 is about $750 and I don't have to worry about rebates...... I can make it work... if I have to ceiling mount it, I will, I'm just not sure if it's necessary....

I'm going to be placing my screen "on" a wall.... I'll frame it, hang it, etc.... so I'm willing to place it as high or low as necessary, and I want to put the projector on a stand about 6 feet from ground level, not sure why this wouldn't work from everything I've read :Shrug:

I guess I'm "flexible" since I'm starting with a clean slate, and the room is a dedicated theater, so I can do whatever is necessary to it to make it work.....

current down-side is our closing date got pushed back!

Hate to hear about your closing date.

The only problem with placing the hc1500 on a 6' shelf or stand is if the projector
is right-side-up, the bottom of the screen will be about 7'5" off the floor. If it
is mounted to the bottom of the shelf upside down, the bottom of the screen
will be right on the floor. Distance from the screen will slightly alter these dimensions.

AlaskaDon · 06-28-2008, 10:08 PM

If I'm understanding correctly, and if all the info posted above is accurate, then I don't see how you could possibly place that pj at a height of 6 feet. If you take into account the fixed vertical offset of 19.5", that would put the bottom of your projected image at a height of about 92"

Thats pretty high on the wall to be sure, but then remember that you also have to allow for the height of the screen above that 92" starting point. Do you even have that much height to work with?

If shelf mounting, you pretty much have to keep it low. Unfortunately, the ideal position tends to be on a low table at about elbow height at your seating position. Now you are getting into the reasons why an LCD projector is so much easier to place. Vertical lens shift offers you a lot of versatility in projector placement, but there is a pricetag associated with it. For some rooms (like mine) DLP is not even an option due to the physical limitations of the room itself.

With a ceiling mount, you are also mounting the projector inverted so the image will be offset towards the floor rather than the ceiling. With a DLP projector you install a drop-tube in order to place the image exactly where you want it. You can make the drop-tube any length you need by making some simple mods to the mounting hardware.

Beta Man · 06-29-2008, 12:53 AM

Well... I'm gonna bite the bullet, and pay an installer for a ceiling installation!!!!

WriteSimply · 06-29-2008, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beta Man

Well... I'm gonna bite the bullet, and pay an installer for a ceiling installation!!!!

Hopefully it won't cost you US$1000!

fuad

09camaro · 06-29-2008, 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beta Man

Well... I'm gonna bite the bullet, and pay an installer for a ceiling installation!!!!

I don't know what an install would cost, but it might be cheaper to look at one
of the 720p LCD models. That would allow you to position it like you want, and
not have to ceiling mount.

Beta Man · 06-29-2008, 10:03 PM

How heavy is the HC1500??? Can I get sheet-rock/dry-wall anchors, and pre-drill, and mount it that way, or do I have to hit a stud?? I can do it myself, but if hitting a stud in the ceiling is necessary, I'll have to go another route (due to the roadblocks I have in the ceiling)

thanks!

06-27-2008, 12:42 PM	#1
Beta Man Moderator Top contributor Member since:Jan 2008 Location:Juuuuuuuust A Bit Outside.... Home Theater Gallery:4 Blu-ray collection:268 Blu-ray reviews: 18 Trading Score:25	Non-ceiling mounted projectors? Anyone have any asthetically pleasing means to setting up a projector (perhaps a shelf type thing behind the theater-seats that it can sit on top of) Couple issues with my new attic.... 1) heat..... I'm going to install an extra Theater-only A/C (in addition to the Central Air) but the room's temp is dramatically different when I feel the ceiling, compared to 6 feet up for instance (heat rises obviously...) 2) my ceiling in the attic is textured, and has heating elements running in the ceiling.... it's an older home, and this was a popular method for radiant heating back in the day, and running the wires, repairing the ceiling (plaster! yikes) and having an outlet installed, etc... is now a much larger job than origionally planned...... I was thinking about running the wires from the projector, under the theater-seats, to the crawl-space.... and drill out to the access panel behind the screen-area to connect it all..... Other things to consider..... I have a separate room off of the attic that will house all of my media, so "shelves" aren't really necessary.... If it's something that can be used to create a "theme" for the theater (I need to paint, and replace the carpet still) that would be great!!!! I plan on running the plumbing from the bathroom that is in the attic, over to a bar area too, but that is a LONG WAYS away, due to the cost. Here is the attic, anything you can think of, in terms of how I could theme it, would be great too..... The room is only for a theater, so the windows will be blacked out (probably pond-liner, with black-out cloth curtains over it, so it'll have zero ambient light) Sorry for the one crappy picture.... doesn't even show the theater "lengthwise" I don't think..... it's an angled ceiling obviously (attic... what can I say!) and you can't see the stairs going up (there is a door at the bottom, so again, light isn't an issue) the bathroom and additional room are on the other side..... I'll get more pictures when I can. Theater time!!!!.jpg Thoughts?

06-27-2008, 08:44 PM	#8
m_tyson Senior Member Member since:Aug 2007 Location:La Jolla Trading Score:10	If you go with a retroreflective screen (Da-lite High Power), then the ideal location for the projector is sitting on a shelf behind the seating area, or shooting through a wall opening from a room to the rear of the theater, at just above eye level. Last edited by m_tyson; 06-27-2008 at 08:46 PM.

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06-27-2008, 02:47 PM	#2
09camaro Active Member Member since:Aug 2007 Location:Oneonta, Alabama Trading Score:1	A couple of questions. Are you still looking at the hc1500? Also, where will the media room be in relation to projector location? Need to know height of projector and desired height and size of screen. More pictures would also help.

06-27-2008, 03:52 PM	#4
09camaro Active Member Member since:Aug 2007 Location:Oneonta, Alabama Trading Score:1	The hc1500 doesn't have any lens shift adjustment and a lower zoom adjustment in the lens. For a 120" screen the lens of the projector needs to be between 14'4" and 17'5" away from the screen, ideally around 17'. With the fixed lens shift, the bottom (or top, if ceiling mounted) of the screen will be around 19.5" above the center of the lens. Depending on room size, you may have to ceiling mount to get the desired screen size.

06-27-2008, 03:55 PM	#5
09camaro Active Member Member since:Aug 2007 Location:Oneonta, Alabama Trading Score:1	Check this link out for the throw calculator. http://www.projectorcentral.com/Mits...ulator-pro.htm You may also want to look into one with lens shift to give you more options. If you can make it work, the hc1500 is sweet!. I got my screen hung last night, and out of the box picture is great! Will do some tweaking this weekend and snap some pics for the home theater thread.

06-27-2008, 04:20 PM	#6
Beta Man Moderator Top contributor Member since:Jan 2008 Location:Juuuuuuuust A Bit Outside.... Home Theater Gallery:4 Blu-ray collection:268 Blu-ray reviews: 18 Trading Score:25	Thanks for the advice!!! I can ceiling mount it if absolutely necessary.... and I can mount the projector about 23 feet from the screen, if I had to, so 17 shouldn't be a problem (I just didn't want it to be the focal point when people walk up the stairs..... the stairs are 8 feet from the back wall or so....)

06-27-2008, 05:54 PM	#7
09camaro Active Member Member since:Aug 2007 Location:Oneonta, Alabama Trading Score:1	No problem. There is a lot to lurn about projectors and positioning, but I'm a pretty quick study. If I can help you out with anything, just let me know.

06-27-2008, 08:49 PM	#9
allstar780 Special Member Top ranked HT gallery Top contributor Member since:Mar 2008 Location:Grande Prairie, Alberta Home Theater Gallery:15 Blu-ray collection:115 Blu-ray reviews:2	though i guess it is a type of roof mount, one thing I really like is the shelves for projectors that hang from the room and the projector just sits on it

06-28-2008, 10:08 PM	#16
AlaskaDon Special Member Member since:Jan 2007 Location:Tennessee Blu-ray collection:-	If I'm understanding correctly, and if all the info posted above is accurate, then I don't see how you could possibly place that pj at a height of 6 feet. If you take into account the fixed vertical offset of 19.5", that would put the bottom of your projected image at a height of about 92" Thats pretty high on the wall to be sure, but then remember that you also have to allow for the height of the screen above that 92" starting point. Do you even have that much height to work with? If shelf mounting, you pretty much have to keep it low. Unfortunately, the ideal position tends to be on a low table at about elbow height at your seating position. Now you are getting into the reasons why an LCD projector is so much easier to place. Vertical lens shift offers you a lot of versatility in projector placement, but there is a pricetag associated with it. For some rooms (like mine) DLP is not even an option due to the physical limitations of the room itself. With a ceiling mount, you are also mounting the projector inverted so the image will be offset towards the floor rather than the ceiling. With a DLP projector you install a drop-tube in order to place the image exactly where you want it. You can make the drop-tube any length you need by making some simple mods to the mounting hardware.

06-29-2008, 12:53 AM	#17
Beta Man Moderator Top contributor Member since:Jan 2008 Location:Juuuuuuuust A Bit Outside.... Home Theater Gallery:4 Blu-ray collection:268 Blu-ray reviews: 18 Trading Score:25	Well... I'm gonna bite the bullet, and pay an installer for a ceiling installation!!!!

06-29-2008, 10:03 PM	#20
Beta Man Moderator Top contributor Member since:Jan 2008 Location:Juuuuuuuust A Bit Outside.... Home Theater Gallery:4 Blu-ray collection:268 Blu-ray reviews: 18 Trading Score:25	How heavy is the HC1500??? Can I get sheet-rock/dry-wall anchors, and pre-drill, and mount it that way, or do I have to hit a stud?? I can do it myself, but if hitting a stud in the ceiling is necessary, I'll have to go another route (due to the roadblocks I have in the ceiling) thanks!

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