Thinking about putting in a projector set up...help needed

[dasherdiablo1]

Now that the F1 season is almost on us I'm thinking about installing a projector set up to really get into the action. I don't want a huge TV sitting in the room and like the idea of an electric screen coming down from the ceiling then disappearing back again when not in use.

I don't want to spend a fortune but would like it to be a reasonable picture. I've found a brand new Optoma 3D GT750-XL projector for £550 which is 720p resolution. We will be sitting about 13ft away from the screen.

Will a 72" screen be too big at that viewing distance?
Can anyone recommend a good screen?
Does anyone know if the Optoma 3D GT750-XL projector is any good?

Am I crazy for trying to do this with a 720p??

[OldSkoolRS]

No it won't be too big at that distance. After a while you'll think it's too small. I'm at a similar viewing distance and my (2.35:1) screen is 112" wide. You need to make sure that the projector will be able to keep the image that small from 13' (if that's where you're going to put the projector). If you can keep it to 72" then you should be OK with 720p, but I'd recommend looking on AVforums classifieds as you may well find a 1080p model used for similar money: That way if you find it's a passing fad, then you'll be able to sell on at little loss: Selling a nearly new projector is a worse depreciation than any car I know of.

[dasherdiablo1]

One of the advantages of this projector is that it can be mounted very close to the screen so it is ideal for gaming on the Wii etc as you don't get in the way of the image. I believe another advantage of this is that because it is further away you don't hear any fan noise from the projector.

[OldSkoolRS]

Yes, two good points: My projector is 2.5 metres behind me at the back of my room and high up. We've never tried the Wii or XBox on it though, but the distance helps with the noise (mine is pretty quiet anyway).

[page3]

I have an Optoma HD700X (The model before the HD600X) and while 'only' 720p the quality is stunning projected onto an 86" 16x9 glass bead screen. If I had to replace it today, I'd go for the HD600X without any hesitation.

£377 on amazon. Wow - my first projector was over £4K and wasn't anywhere near as good!

[StormLoaded]

page3 said:

I have an Optoma HD700X (The model before the HD600X) and while 'only' 720p the quality is stunning projected onto an 86" 16x9 glass bead screen. If I had to replace it today, I'd go for the HD600X without any hesitation.

£377 on amazon. Wow - my first projector was over £4K and wasn't anywhere near as good!

crikey, sub 400quid for an Optoma HD / 3D projector!.. the replacement bulb for my old 720p HD projector was £450 alone!..
..could be time to dig out the projector screen from the garage!

OP said:

We will be sitting about 13ft away from the screen.
Will a 72" screen be too big at that viewing distance?

In my old gamesroom the 82" projector screen was about 8ft away from my viewing seat, was perfect for gaming and movies. Id say 72" and 13ft away would be a nicer setup for more everyday type usage aswell as still brilliant for your movie nights.

Edited by StormLoaded on Wednesday 14th March 15:33

[Iggle Piggle]

We have a room we are slowly converting to a dedicated home cinema. The dimensions are 3.2m wide by 7.5m long. How big should we go for the screen, bigger = better surely?! As we will be running blu-ray should I ensure the projector is 1080p or does it really not matter on a projected screen?

Ability to play xbox at good speed would also be beneficial