20ft by 9ft wall blank....projector + screen??
Discussion
Hi All,
Hoping for some advice here. I'm building a new house and as luck would have it the end wall of the lounge appears to be devoid of widows, I've pointed out to the wife that if this was turned into a projection screen for TV and films the hated ( by my wife ) TV could be banished. ( and replaced with a 15ft by 7ft projection instead for watching the rugby whilst drinking beer with my mates ..I may not have emphasised this to her ).
So the room is skeletal at present. Meaning I can look freely at a recessed ceiling mounted projector, or just have a table top one, and I can look at getting a very smooth finish on the end wall so I could project directly onto it ( would this work? ) or getting a recess built for a roll down screen.
Of the options above I suspect the ceiling mount with roll down screen is better, but of course will cost alot more. Is the more worth paying? Would the table top projector and white wall work very well at all?
Hoping for some advice here. I'm building a new house and as luck would have it the end wall of the lounge appears to be devoid of widows, I've pointed out to the wife that if this was turned into a projection screen for TV and films the hated ( by my wife ) TV could be banished. ( and replaced with a 15ft by 7ft projection instead for watching the rugby whilst drinking beer with my mates ..I may not have emphasised this to her ).
So the room is skeletal at present. Meaning I can look freely at a recessed ceiling mounted projector, or just have a table top one, and I can look at getting a very smooth finish on the end wall so I could project directly onto it ( would this work? ) or getting a recess built for a roll down screen.
Of the options above I suspect the ceiling mount with roll down screen is better, but of course will cost alot more. Is the more worth paying? Would the table top projector and white wall work very well at all?
Timmy40 said:
Hi All,
Hoping for some advice here. I'm building a new house and as luck would have it the end wall of the lounge appears to be devoid of widows, I've pointed out to the wife that if this was turned into a projection screen for TV and films the hated ( by my wife ) TV could be banished. ( and replaced with a 15ft by 7ft projection instead for watching the rugby whilst drinking beer with my mates ..I may not have emphasised this to her ).
So the room is skeletal at present. Meaning I can look freely at a recessed ceiling mounted projector, or just have a table top one, and I can look at getting a very smooth finish on the end wall so I could project directly onto it ( would this work? ) or getting a recess built for a roll down screen.
Of the options above I suspect the ceiling mount with roll down screen is better, but of course will cost alot more. Is the more worth paying? Would the table top projector and white wall work very well at all?
Some things to bear in mind will be:Hoping for some advice here. I'm building a new house and as luck would have it the end wall of the lounge appears to be devoid of widows, I've pointed out to the wife that if this was turned into a projection screen for TV and films the hated ( by my wife ) TV could be banished. ( and replaced with a 15ft by 7ft projection instead for watching the rugby whilst drinking beer with my mates ..I may not have emphasised this to her ).
So the room is skeletal at present. Meaning I can look freely at a recessed ceiling mounted projector, or just have a table top one, and I can look at getting a very smooth finish on the end wall so I could project directly onto it ( would this work? ) or getting a recess built for a roll down screen.
Of the options above I suspect the ceiling mount with roll down screen is better, but of course will cost alot more. Is the more worth paying? Would the table top projector and white wall work very well at all?
Room length - this is due to the throw ratio of the projector lens (by my quick calcs, a 15feet wide screen would be around 198" diagonal - quite large in terms of screen size, most of us enthusiasts are in the 100-125" bracket).
In terms of screen sizes. The off the shelf sizes (in this instance I'd go for a fixed screen rather than a drop down since it doesn't sound like you need it tucked away for any reason?), will top out at around 125". It's worth pointing out that if you want that large a screen, the real estate it takes up might force you down the road of an acoustically transparent screen as speaker placement becomes tricky when the screen is almost floor to ceiling.
Why does the projector need to be recessed in the ceiling? Just get a normal ceiling mount and hang it from the ceiling. That's what I have and so long as your cables are above the ceiling it looks really clean and unobtrusive.
As for the screen, will you only be using this room for a projector or will you have a TV for daytime use? To cover all eventualities I have both with the ceiling mounted screen dropping in front of the TV at night. Again, that doesn't need to be recessed into the ceiling (although must admit that would look good). You can always build a pelmet around the top of the screen to hide it. Unless your wall is extremely smooth I would imagine it would show up every imperfection if you projected directly onto it.
As for the screen, will you only be using this room for a projector or will you have a TV for daytime use? To cover all eventualities I have both with the ceiling mounted screen dropping in front of the TV at night. Again, that doesn't need to be recessed into the ceiling (although must admit that would look good). You can always build a pelmet around the top of the screen to hide it. Unless your wall is extremely smooth I would imagine it would show up every imperfection if you projected directly onto it.
Edited by JohnStitch on Tuesday 12th April 14:57
Thanks Guys,
In order.
Screen size, really only based that on the wall. ( 125" ) 10ft across seems pretty large. The room is 30ft long.
Why have a recessed one? THE WIFE.
Will this be the only TV? No, THE WIFE wants the current flat screen banished to what will be the 'Family' AKA Kids general lounging room.
Hmm shame on the paint idea. Was hopeful.
Have I looked at the option of de-installing WIFE v1.0 and refitting with a more TV friendly upgrade? Yes but sadly de-installation quotes have proven to be prohibitively expensive.
In order.
Screen size, really only based that on the wall. ( 125" ) 10ft across seems pretty large. The room is 30ft long.
Why have a recessed one? THE WIFE.
Will this be the only TV? No, THE WIFE wants the current flat screen banished to what will be the 'Family' AKA Kids general lounging room.
Hmm shame on the paint idea. Was hopeful.
Have I looked at the option of de-installing WIFE v1.0 and refitting with a more TV friendly upgrade? Yes but sadly de-installation quotes have proven to be prohibitively expensive.
Edited by Timmy40 on Tuesday 12th April 15:10
Ha ha, I didn't really tell my wife what I was doing (other than buying the projector) so guess I was lucky.
The only reason I mentioned the TV on the wall is that unless you have blackout blinds you won't be watching anything on the projector / screen during the daylight hours, and do you want to use that room for TV viewing during the day? If so, do you want it to be dark? Maybe there's a bit of ammo for you
Must admit though, having everything hidden/recessed would be pretty cool, especially if it was all electric
The only reason I mentioned the TV on the wall is that unless you have blackout blinds you won't be watching anything on the projector / screen during the daylight hours, and do you want to use that room for TV viewing during the day? If so, do you want it to be dark? Maybe there's a bit of ammo for you
Must admit though, having everything hidden/recessed would be pretty cool, especially if it was all electricI'm not really a TV watcher to be honest. I really only watch the 6 Nations when it's on. And the rest of the time I only get to watch a film if the wife is out or away for a few nights and the kids are in bed. The rest of the time I'm out pottering about/ doing stuff. What would be nice though is to have a really good setup for those occaisions. Which are never before 9pm for films, 6 Nations is an exception but I reckon I'd be allowed to lower the blinds for that. So daylight isn't a huge issue.
How much is a reasonably good projector? I don't want to spend a fortune so a sort of decent budget one if that makes sense?
How much is a reasonably good projector? I don't want to spend a fortune so a sort of decent budget one if that makes sense?
I'm sure there'll be people on here that have spent thousands on a projector, and I'd have loved to but to get it past the wife and not have my knackers cut off I had to stay below a grand, so I got a Benq W1400 from Richer Sounds for around £700ish - does the job for me, full HD, 3D if I want it.. Had really good reviews at the time. Best to go try a few out...
Edited by JohnStitch on Tuesday 12th April 16:02
JohnStitch said:
I'm sure there'll be people on here that have spent thousands on a projector, and I'd have loved to but to get it past the wife and not have my knackers cut off I had to stay below a grand, so I got a Benq W1400 from Richer Sounds for around £700ish - does the job for me, full HD, 3D if I want it.. Had really good reviews at the time. Best to go try a few out...
Thanks John! That's about what I was hoping to spend. I assume if I rock up at Richer Sounds they will also sell me all the leads etc. I can then just tell the sparky and builder to stick it in for me. Edited by JohnStitch on Tuesday 12th April 16:02
I've had a quick look at a website and it looks like the optimal distance from the projector to the screen is about 4m. Is yours ceiling mounted?
I went for a Benq W1070 which feels like a bit of steal for £450. The only major benefit in your situation from spending more is the fan noise level which is much lower than the noisy Benq. There are also picture quality advantages on the higher end modes (better contrast and blacks) but I am not sure how much you'd actually notice if it is not to be used in a dedicated (dark) room.
I would demo to check you are happy with any projector, especially the cheaper DLP ones like the Benq. The way that DLP delivers the picture can cause a 'rainbow effect' that isn't visible to everyone, but if you are susceptible to it, it can be a bit annoying.
Also, most manufacturers have a throw distance calculator, so do check that any model will create the screen size you want at the distance you plan to hang the projector - the Benqs tend to be quite short throw, a lot of the more expensive makes (e.g. Sony) a bit longer. This doesn't matter if you have flexibility as to where you place it.
I would demo to check you are happy with any projector, especially the cheaper DLP ones like the Benq. The way that DLP delivers the picture can cause a 'rainbow effect' that isn't visible to everyone, but if you are susceptible to it, it can be a bit annoying.
Also, most manufacturers have a throw distance calculator, so do check that any model will create the screen size you want at the distance you plan to hang the projector - the Benqs tend to be quite short throw, a lot of the more expensive makes (e.g. Sony) a bit longer. This doesn't matter if you have flexibility as to where you place it.
Yeah definitely go check some out to make sure you don't get the rainbow effect - Just go in Richer Sounds, they usually have demo rooms set up with a few different PJs. If you buy a PJ from them you can usually blag an extra pair of 3D glasses out of them and a bit of a discount 
Not forgetting a free 6 year guarantee.
As for cables I'd get them from the Internet as you'll probably get them cheaper. You've got a long run for 4m from the screen (and don't forget up the wall from your receiver/sky box/whatever) - Mine's about the same distance so I ran 2 HDMIs just in case one broke for some reason (wouldn't want to rip ceiling down to replace it) and for future proofing ran some CAT 6 network cable up there too, just in case I wanted to use it one day.
Not forgetting a free 6 year guarantee. As for cables I'd get them from the Internet as you'll probably get them cheaper. You've got a long run for 4m from the screen (and don't forget up the wall from your receiver/sky box/whatever) - Mine's about the same distance so I ran 2 HDMIs just in case one broke for some reason (wouldn't want to rip ceiling down to replace it) and for future proofing ran some CAT 6 network cable up there too, just in case I wanted to use it one day.
I'm off to Richer Sounds tomorrow. I shall throw my general ignorance at their feet and hopefully come away with something good enough to enjoy but cheap enough to prevent my balls being chopped.
- / moaning mode on */ She thinks £25k for a bloody kitchen is a bargain. Anything more than £500 on a TV is scandalous. They have no sense of priority!
I've had projectors for the last 10 years, up until recently I had a Barco 1209s CRT, it died so was replaced by a Benque W1070. Got to say, 90% of the time it's easily as good as the Barco but the 10% it looses it does so badly. Dark films with lots of CGI are a no go zone, we reverted back to the TV to watch Deadpool and turned the Hobit off. The one big plus with the Benq is it's so easy to set up and is so hassle free, no convergence drift as it warms up.
We have special screen paint on a wall that's far from perfect, you don't see the blemishes unless you really want to. The paint is a pale gray. The rainbow effect is most noticeable on dark pictures when looking from the bottom to the top of the picture. I was really worried about it as when I got into projectors DLP was new and the effect was terrible. I can happily live with the level now.
A 15" screen would be ok if you had a 4k projector but I think even with blu ray you'd be struggling to get the picture quality over that sort of area. My screen is about 7" wide and is crisp. The projected image is at minimum with the projector 3.5 meter away, it could go mush bigger but it falls off the edge of the screen.
One thing to bare in mind is distance from the projector to the equipment providing the media. HDMI cables are on very dodgy ground over 10 meters and will start to break down. I have a way round it with a cheap 10m lead going to an expensive 10m HDMI lead running to the projector and a very expensive (when I bought it) video processor in the middle. If I were to do it all again I'd get a WiFi transmitter, so much easier.
We have special screen paint on a wall that's far from perfect, you don't see the blemishes unless you really want to. The paint is a pale gray. The rainbow effect is most noticeable on dark pictures when looking from the bottom to the top of the picture. I was really worried about it as when I got into projectors DLP was new and the effect was terrible. I can happily live with the level now.
A 15" screen would be ok if you had a 4k projector but I think even with blu ray you'd be struggling to get the picture quality over that sort of area. My screen is about 7" wide and is crisp. The projected image is at minimum with the projector 3.5 meter away, it could go mush bigger but it falls off the edge of the screen.
One thing to bare in mind is distance from the projector to the equipment providing the media. HDMI cables are on very dodgy ground over 10 meters and will start to break down. I have a way round it with a cheap 10m lead going to an expensive 10m HDMI lead running to the projector and a very expensive (when I bought it) video processor in the middle. If I were to do it all again I'd get a WiFi transmitter, so much easier.
This thread should give you a few ideas (mine's on page 3):
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
crossy67 said:
Dark films with lots of CGI are a no go zone, we reverted back to the TV to watch Deadpool and turned the Hobit off
Really? I've never had a problem with dark films, on mine, unless there's too much light seeping into the room in which case I wouldn't bother. The Hobbit looked fine. Not sure how good Sky HD (assuming that's what you're using) would look on a 15 ft screen either OP as its not 1080p. It's 1080i. I can tell a huge difference on mine between Sky HD and a 1080p picture on blu-Ray and I only have a 106" screen.
Edited by JohnStitch on Tuesday 12th April 17:30
JohnStitch said:
Really? I've never had a problem with dark films, on mine, unless there's too much light seeping into the room in which case I wouldn't bother. The Hobbit looked fine.
Not sure how good Sky HD (assuming that's what you're using) would look on a 15 ft screen either OP as its not 1080p. It's 1080i. I can tell a huge difference on mine between Sky HD and a 1080p picture on blu-Ray and I only have a 106" screen.
With mine, I find it is the compression levels that cause as many problems as the actual resolution. Generally, anything on Netflix or Amazon Prime is only watched on the TV with the PJ being reserved for Blu Ray. There are exceptions, though - 'Better Call Saul' and 'House of Cards' look great on the PJ, and actually better than a poorly done Blu Ray.Not sure how good Sky HD (assuming that's what you're using) would look on a 15 ft screen either OP as its not 1080p. It's 1080i. I can tell a huge difference on mine between Sky HD and a 1080p picture on blu-Ray and I only have a 106" screen.
Edited by JohnStitch on Tuesday 12th April 17:30
As you say, using a PJ in anything but a darkened room is not worth bothering with. At this time of year, I never start to use it until about 8pm. When we get into true summer, I actually hang a blackout blind at the window if I want to watch it before 10pm!
It is impossible to beat physics. My 92" PJ screen is the same size as watching four 46" TVs so there is no way it will ever look as sharp as a TV playing the same material. With a good 1080p Blu Ray in a dark room, this slight relative lack of sharpness is much more than outweighed by the immersion provided by the bigger image (at least for me!).
I am not totally convinced by the motion on my Benq on fast panning scenes, but it is still preferable to stutter I get from my 55" Samsung 7000 LCD TV.
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