Entertianment\Cinema Room Questions
Discussion
Right I am thinking utilising the spare bedroom in the new house as an entertainment\cinema room so to this end I was thinking about getting a ceiling mounted HD projector and powered screen. However I have a few questions as I know relatively little about these sorts of setup. I can't go mad with loads of kit as it will occasionally be used as a guest bedroom (so no huge speaker setups unfortunately) but I can do a discreet projector, powered screen and small 5.1 setup. So baring that in mind
1) The room dimensions are 3.71m by 3.56, is this large enough to have be able to accommodate a projector and screen? In fact is a projector the way to go or would I be better of with a decent wall mounted TV instead?
2) What do I need to look out for in a projector and screen, what are the decent brands, must have features and things I need to look for on a decent projector and screen setup.
3) The room is being redone so I guess it would also be a good idea to bury all the cables I'll need in the walls for a nice neat installation. What cables will I need from the ceiling mount projector to go to my source units and also for the 5.1 speaker setup?
Thanks in advance for any advice
1) The room dimensions are 3.71m by 3.56, is this large enough to have be able to accommodate a projector and screen? In fact is a projector the way to go or would I be better of with a decent wall mounted TV instead?
2) What do I need to look out for in a projector and screen, what are the decent brands, must have features and things I need to look for on a decent projector and screen setup.
3) The room is being redone so I guess it would also be a good idea to bury all the cables I'll need in the walls for a nice neat installation. What cables will I need from the ceiling mount projector to go to my source units and also for the 5.1 speaker setup?
Thanks in advance for any advice
Room size should be fine, particularly if you can use the 3.7m dimension for the projector - which wall is the door in, and are there any windows? Also, what is the ceiling height like?
Budget is going to be the key driver here, particularly around whether to have a TV vs a projector. Also, in my case I had a dedicated room so I was able to focus on things like ceiling colour, and using ScreenGoo on the wall rather than having a drop down screen, which can certainly make a difference to the projector performance.
I guess pros of the TV is going to be that you will get more bang for your buck on picture quality, with cons being that it will permanently be on the wall. Pros for projector are you will get more screen size for your money (nothing beats the big screen experience) and you don't have to have anything permanently on the wall, cons are to get the best picture quality you will need to spend more.
Regarding the wires, I have HDMI running up inside the projection wall and inside the ceiling to the projector. I went for relatively expensive stuff (Chord) although I am sure others will be along with good recommendations for HDMI to run over a length of 5m or so. I also put a power socket into the ceiling rather than run permanent power to the projector (so that I can always swap the projector for another one later with minimum faf) - if you place it next to the mount you will never notice it. For the rear speakers, I had them wall mounted (B&W DS3) so I ran speaker wire up inside the projection wall, across inside the ceiling and down inside the wall. For the amp and all the front speakers, I just run the cable along the floor, no point in chasing that in really, unless you are dead set on a completely discreet installation.
For the chased in HDMI and speaker cables, I terminated them in the projection wall into a wall socket from Nexxia, again so that I could replace the kit at a later date if I needed. The wall socket is near the skirting and makes it easier to plug and unplug stuff, although it means you need separate HDMI and speaker wires from the amp to the wall socket.
I was lucky enough to have a reasonable budget, so any recommendations I could give on amp, speakers and projector may not be useful to you. I went for B&W speakers, an Arcam amp, REL sub and a Sony projector, and I cannot fault any of them, particularly the projector which (on the ScreenGoo wall) has an almost unbelievable 2D picture quality. I also hear good things about JVC and EPSON projectors, but when I looked at the Sony demo models I decided they were the best brand for me. If your budget is north of £3,000 for the projector then I wouldn't hesitate to recommend either the Sony VPL-HW50ES or the VPL-VW95ES. If your budget is south of £2,000 then EPSON projectors seem to be the best, although they are supposedly better for 2D than 3D.
If TV is the way you want to go, there are plenty of threads here that demonstrate that Panasonic plasmas are hard to beat.
For the amp and speakers, you should try and get to a local independent to demo stuff, particularly if you need discreet speakers, as sound quality is a subjective thing, particularly the combination of different amps and speakers. A decent sub is a fairly sizeable thing, as is a decent amp, so it will really depend on how much space you have to keep the equipment in situ when the room is used as a bedroom.
Hope that is helpful, happy to answer specific questions on my kit if that is useful.
Budget is going to be the key driver here, particularly around whether to have a TV vs a projector. Also, in my case I had a dedicated room so I was able to focus on things like ceiling colour, and using ScreenGoo on the wall rather than having a drop down screen, which can certainly make a difference to the projector performance.
I guess pros of the TV is going to be that you will get more bang for your buck on picture quality, with cons being that it will permanently be on the wall. Pros for projector are you will get more screen size for your money (nothing beats the big screen experience) and you don't have to have anything permanently on the wall, cons are to get the best picture quality you will need to spend more.
Regarding the wires, I have HDMI running up inside the projection wall and inside the ceiling to the projector. I went for relatively expensive stuff (Chord) although I am sure others will be along with good recommendations for HDMI to run over a length of 5m or so. I also put a power socket into the ceiling rather than run permanent power to the projector (so that I can always swap the projector for another one later with minimum faf) - if you place it next to the mount you will never notice it. For the rear speakers, I had them wall mounted (B&W DS3) so I ran speaker wire up inside the projection wall, across inside the ceiling and down inside the wall. For the amp and all the front speakers, I just run the cable along the floor, no point in chasing that in really, unless you are dead set on a completely discreet installation.
For the chased in HDMI and speaker cables, I terminated them in the projection wall into a wall socket from Nexxia, again so that I could replace the kit at a later date if I needed. The wall socket is near the skirting and makes it easier to plug and unplug stuff, although it means you need separate HDMI and speaker wires from the amp to the wall socket.
I was lucky enough to have a reasonable budget, so any recommendations I could give on amp, speakers and projector may not be useful to you. I went for B&W speakers, an Arcam amp, REL sub and a Sony projector, and I cannot fault any of them, particularly the projector which (on the ScreenGoo wall) has an almost unbelievable 2D picture quality. I also hear good things about JVC and EPSON projectors, but when I looked at the Sony demo models I decided they were the best brand for me. If your budget is north of £3,000 for the projector then I wouldn't hesitate to recommend either the Sony VPL-HW50ES or the VPL-VW95ES. If your budget is south of £2,000 then EPSON projectors seem to be the best, although they are supposedly better for 2D than 3D.
If TV is the way you want to go, there are plenty of threads here that demonstrate that Panasonic plasmas are hard to beat.
For the amp and speakers, you should try and get to a local independent to demo stuff, particularly if you need discreet speakers, as sound quality is a subjective thing, particularly the combination of different amps and speakers. A decent sub is a fairly sizeable thing, as is a decent amp, so it will really depend on how much space you have to keep the equipment in situ when the room is used as a bedroom.
Hope that is helpful, happy to answer specific questions on my kit if that is useful.
Do you have a budget?
Remember, for a projector the best results are achieved with a dark coloured room. That may not be wife friendly.
A 3m throw is ok and using one of the online calculators looks to be 70-80" screen with a 16:9 aspect ratio. It obviously depends on the make and model of the projector the exact size you might get. So not massive but well above normal TV sizes.
Somewhere to sit, will you be getting a sofa bed?
In a bedroom might prove tricky with regard to noise leakage, especially the bass.
I'm sure the expert will be along shortly but that should be enough to get you started.
Remember, for a projector the best results are achieved with a dark coloured room. That may not be wife friendly.
A 3m throw is ok and using one of the online calculators looks to be 70-80" screen with a 16:9 aspect ratio. It obviously depends on the make and model of the projector the exact size you might get. So not massive but well above normal TV sizes.
Somewhere to sit, will you be getting a sofa bed?
In a bedroom might prove tricky with regard to noise leakage, especially the bass.
I'm sure the expert will be along shortly but that should be enough to get you started.
Great, thanks for the replies so far. So the room will primarily be setup as an entertainment room so I will be making the walls fairly dark We will be using a sofa bed as I don't see the point of putting a bed in a room which isn't going to be used as a bedroom for 95% of the time. If\when we have to accommodate guests they can use the sofabad. So it can be fairly dedicated to it's primary role but with some small concession towards it's secondary use.
I'm not looking for a bass heavy setup. Nice though they are we have a baby due soon and secondly it's a semi detached house so not really fair on the neighbours we share a wall with so while I want the 5.1 sound setup, it doesn't have to shake the entire building when I turn it on.
Budget seems to be a sticking point though, I was hoping to spend about £1.5k-£2k on the projector which amazingly seems to only put me in the "budget" range of projectors. I thought they had come down a lot in price but I'm not really au fait with the projector market apart from the £499 specials you see in Comet. That budget will get you a pretty decent high end TV so I may be setting my expectations too high on the projector front. Still I have seen some BenQ and Optoma models for around that price range which seem to getting good reviews, are these worth it or should I not be bothering with such a "cheap" projector?
I'm not looking for a bass heavy setup. Nice though they are we have a baby due soon and secondly it's a semi detached house so not really fair on the neighbours we share a wall with so while I want the 5.1 sound setup, it doesn't have to shake the entire building when I turn it on.
Budget seems to be a sticking point though, I was hoping to spend about £1.5k-£2k on the projector which amazingly seems to only put me in the "budget" range of projectors. I thought they had come down a lot in price but I'm not really au fait with the projector market apart from the £499 specials you see in Comet. That budget will get you a pretty decent high end TV so I may be setting my expectations too high on the projector front. Still I have seen some BenQ and Optoma models for around that price range which seem to getting good reviews, are these worth it or should I not be bothering with such a "cheap" projector?
I think EPSON projectors get the best reviews in that price range, and are closer to £1,500 if that helps.
If you are really planning on it being a dedicated room more than a bedroom, then having a uniform dark colour on the walls and ceiling will definitely help. As I mentioned, I painted the entire projection wall in ScreenGoo so that I a) didn't need to worry about a screen and b) had the flexibility to change the screen-size to use as much of the wall as I liked. It isn't particularly cheap however, being around £165 to cover 4.65 sqm.
If you are really planning on it being a dedicated room more than a bedroom, then having a uniform dark colour on the walls and ceiling will definitely help. As I mentioned, I painted the entire projection wall in ScreenGoo so that I a) didn't need to worry about a screen and b) had the flexibility to change the screen-size to use as much of the wall as I liked. It isn't particularly cheap however, being around £165 to cover 4.65 sqm.
I have an Optoma HD33 that was around £1400 a year ago. It's pretty impressive to my eyes, but then I have no comparison to make against higher end kit to see the difference. That could get expensive!
A good shop should give you a demo for you to judge yourself. I asked them to demo the 33 after narrowing my choices down online on requirements and budget.
My screen is a manual roll down, that stays down 99% of the time. I didn't see the need for electric.
A good shop should give you a demo for you to judge yourself. I asked them to demo the 33 after narrowing my choices down online on requirements and budget.
My screen is a manual roll down, that stays down 99% of the time. I didn't see the need for electric.
mattmurdock said:
I think EPSON projectors get the best reviews in that price range, and are closer to £1,500 if that helps.
If you are really planning on it being a dedicated room more than a bedroom, then having a uniform dark colour on the walls and ceiling will definitely help. As I mentioned, I painted the entire projection wall in ScreenGoo so that I a) didn't need to worry about a screen and b) had the flexibility to change the screen-size to use as much of the wall as I liked. It isn't particularly cheap however, being around £165 to cover 4.65 sqm.
Yep just been reading up and the Epson powerlite 3020 seems to get decent reviews within that price bracket and you can get a wireless version too although I'm not too sure how good wireless HD will be. However I'd read some reviews that say it isn't great for gaming and I may be using it for that as well. The Optima HD33 also seems to be decent.If you are really planning on it being a dedicated room more than a bedroom, then having a uniform dark colour on the walls and ceiling will definitely help. As I mentioned, I painted the entire projection wall in ScreenGoo so that I a) didn't need to worry about a screen and b) had the flexibility to change the screen-size to use as much of the wall as I liked. It isn't particularly cheap however, being around £165 to cover 4.65 sqm.
I had a look at the screen Goo but I still think I'd prefer to have a proper automated screen, I think it will just add to the occasion
The Epsom gets great write ups and a 9/10 on Trusted Reviews.
Using Epsom's Dealer Throw Calc, The 8100 should be ok up to a 92" screen as has quite a wide zoom range. Should fit within the range 2.74m and 5.85m. RRP is just under the £2k mark, but don't forget to add 3D glasses as they an optional extra. Although they are one of the cheapest around for Active Glasses.
Also don't include a good projector mount. The variance in price is shown in quality.
The Optima's are good as well, both the HD30 and HD83. The 33 is cheaper than the Epsom (RRP £1099), and includes 2 glasses and a 3 year warranty on Lamp and Projector. The 83 is £1999 RRP, but again includes 2 glasses.
As with any projectors at this range, if you can control the light levels in the room then they will really perform. So if you can fit heavy curtains or proper black out blinds then this will help massively.
For screens at this end of the market, I again use the Optima screens as they have everything already built in. Input Trigger, IR Remote and Manual Overide switches. I have used them on a number of projects and where budget is an concern they work well.
Hope that all helps.
V.
Using Epsom's Dealer Throw Calc, The 8100 should be ok up to a 92" screen as has quite a wide zoom range. Should fit within the range 2.74m and 5.85m. RRP is just under the £2k mark, but don't forget to add 3D glasses as they an optional extra. Although they are one of the cheapest around for Active Glasses.
Also don't include a good projector mount. The variance in price is shown in quality.
The Optima's are good as well, both the HD30 and HD83. The 33 is cheaper than the Epsom (RRP £1099), and includes 2 glasses and a 3 year warranty on Lamp and Projector. The 83 is £1999 RRP, but again includes 2 glasses.
As with any projectors at this range, if you can control the light levels in the room then they will really perform. So if you can fit heavy curtains or proper black out blinds then this will help massively.
For screens at this end of the market, I again use the Optima screens as they have everything already built in. Input Trigger, IR Remote and Manual Overide switches. I have used them on a number of projects and where budget is an concern they work well.
Hope that all helps.
V.
Just remember that if you go for a TV, then you need to rename your room a 'TV room' not a 'Cinema room'. 
Just a heads up that there are some new projector models due out shortly, so this might mean previously above budget models may be available for less on end of line deals/ex display. However, JVC haven't replaced their bottom model this year (the X35), so unfortunately this isn't likely to drop into budget just yet. You might get a deal on a Sony VW50ES if you shop around, but a projector like that deserves a decent room in terms of dark walls/ceiling since the other option (an ambient light type screen) would cost most of your projector budget. It's a perennial problem trying to get good results in a typically light room set up like many living rooms (and bedrooms of course), so I know it's a struggle to find the right compromise.
Regarding speakers, I'd highly recommend MK sound; there are models for all budgets: Starting with the M5 and M4T models, going up to (and beyond) the MP150 and S150T I've just got myself. You do need a subwoofer with these speakers though since they are not intended to be full range speakers, but you could look at BK Electronics for a sub since they don't have to be from the same company as your speakers.
http://mkloudspeakers.com/home-cinema-products.asp...
http://www.bkelec.com/hifi/sub_woofers.htm
Just a heads up that there are some new projector models due out shortly, so this might mean previously above budget models may be available for less on end of line deals/ex display. However, JVC haven't replaced their bottom model this year (the X35), so unfortunately this isn't likely to drop into budget just yet. You might get a deal on a Sony VW50ES if you shop around, but a projector like that deserves a decent room in terms of dark walls/ceiling since the other option (an ambient light type screen) would cost most of your projector budget. It's a perennial problem trying to get good results in a typically light room set up like many living rooms (and bedrooms of course), so I know it's a struggle to find the right compromise.
Regarding speakers, I'd highly recommend MK sound; there are models for all budgets: Starting with the M5 and M4T models, going up to (and beyond) the MP150 and S150T I've just got myself. You do need a subwoofer with these speakers though since they are not intended to be full range speakers, but you could look at BK Electronics for a sub since they don't have to be from the same company as your speakers.
http://mkloudspeakers.com/home-cinema-products.asp...
http://www.bkelec.com/hifi/sub_woofers.htm
That's some great advice, so I have a few options in terms of projector. I was hoping someone would comment on upcoming projectors as that might mean I can get a better deal so thanks for the heads up OldSkoolRS. I also have a friend who works at JVC so he may be able to get me a good deal on the X35, the JVC projectors seem to get really good reviews so would it be worth going this route, ie is it going to be noticeably better than one of the other options mentioned so far?
I realise the rooms dimension aren't huge but to be honest I'd be happy with a screen size above 80" and the calculations by VEX seem to indicate I could get 90"+ which would be great. I'll also be looking at the Optima screens mentioned too.
I will be getting thick blinds\curtains if I go down this route. My only real concern at the moment is the fact that it sounds like I'd ALWAYS need to make the room dark to be able to use this setup which would be fine for watching films for the full on cinema experience but probably not so great for other uses, sitting in a dark room for every time I want to use it might not be too fun. I still taken with the idea of a cinema room but as ash73 suggested, a big TV might be more flexible? Hmmmm decisions decisions.
I realise the rooms dimension aren't huge but to be honest I'd be happy with a screen size above 80" and the calculations by VEX seem to indicate I could get 90"+ which would be great. I'll also be looking at the Optima screens mentioned too.
I will be getting thick blinds\curtains if I go down this route. My only real concern at the moment is the fact that it sounds like I'd ALWAYS need to make the room dark to be able to use this setup which would be fine for watching films for the full on cinema experience but probably not so great for other uses, sitting in a dark room for every time I want to use it might not be too fun. I still taken with the idea of a cinema room but as ash73 suggested, a big TV might be more flexible? Hmmmm decisions decisions.
Mine is in the garage, no windows.
If I'm watching a movie it's fully dark. If the kids are watching Peppa Pig or it more casual viewing it doesn't have to be pitch black. Obviously makes a big difference in the material a bright day time program suffers less than a night time horror.
If I'm watching a movie it's fully dark. If the kids are watching Peppa Pig or it more casual viewing it doesn't have to be pitch black. Obviously makes a big difference in the material a bright day time program suffers less than a night time horror.
On a smaller screen like you're planing there shouldn't be any problem to run it with some lighting on if it suits your needs to do that. Of course you won't get the best picture that way, but sometimes it's not about that: I've run mine with a small light on if I've been eating while watching (if the OH is away I sometimes have a 'lads night in' watching films with my son and we have a 'TV' dinner. ). FWIW my screen is 112" wide 2.35:1, so is similar to a 128" 16:9 screen. I have a gain of 1.5 which helps, but at 80-90" you won't need gain.
If you can get a deal on an X35 then you're in for a great picture. I think it'll be better than the ones you list in your OP, but typically it costs a fair bit more so you'd expect that. I bought mine last year as a package with some calibration gear and without the 3D glasses and emitter for just over 2k. Cheap enough that in a few years time I can move to a 4K model and not be too worried that it'll have dropped to low price when I sell it on. Trouble is I saw the Sony VW1000ES on Monday when I picked up my new speakers from the dealer and that looked gorgious (and is completely silly money for me at over 15k...maybe I'll buy a used one in 2-3 years time. ).
). FWIW my screen is 112" wide 2.35:1, so is similar to a 128" 16:9 screen. I have a gain of 1.5 which helps, but at 80-90" you won't need gain.If you can get a deal on an X35 then you're in for a great picture. I think it'll be better than the ones you list in your OP, but typically it costs a fair bit more so you'd expect that. I bought mine last year as a package with some calibration gear and without the 3D glasses and emitter for just over 2k. Cheap enough that in a few years time I can move to a 4K model and not be too worried that it'll have dropped to low price when I sell it on. Trouble is I saw the Sony VW1000ES on Monday when I picked up my new speakers from the dealer and that looked gorgious (and is completely silly money for me at over 15k...maybe I'll buy a used one in 2-3 years time.
).That sounds pretty encouraging on the lighting aspect, will be on to my mate soon to see if he can get me a decent discount on the JVC
After doing some research I've seen that a lot of the options I've looked at don't have lens shift. Now the projector will be square on to the screen but will be ceiling mounted, will this not mean I'd need to be able to adjust at least the vertical shift to get a good square picture?
After doing some research I've seen that a lot of the options I've looked at don't have lens shift. Now the projector will be square on to the screen but will be ceiling mounted, will this not mean I'd need to be able to adjust at least the vertical shift to get a good square picture?
On the 90" screen size I am just going on what a poster stated above. If I use some online calculators and put in a throw distance of say 3m, depending on the model of projector the screen size seems to vary hugely from 90" all the way up to 160" for that throw distance so it's a little confusing tbh. Yes an 80"-90" might not be worth it but anything over 110" I'd say would.
Edited by Guvernator on Thursday 3rd October 12:38
It's also a totally different 'feel' using a projector compared to a direct view display. Even the big 84" screens some shops have hold little interest for me since it's just a 'big telly with speakers' rather than a 'cinema'. I find that when I have the TV on I end up reading/browsing the web and only half following programmes, but when I watch on the projector it's (generally) in the dark and I pay full attention.
While you can do that with a TV the smaller image tends to hurt your eyes unless you use a back light, so when you have a fade to black it never really gets fully dark. With a decent projector you get the effect that you are 'blind' for 3-4 seconds on a fade which can add dramatically to the experience IMHO.
Finally I have a 2.35:1 projector screen which perfectly matches the majority of films I watch and means I don't suffer black bars, which also makes it more of an occasion than watching TV.
Of course a projector makes more demands on the room decor to get the best out of it, but even without you can still get an enjoyable picture. While it won't trouble the ANSI contrast of a plasma it can still easily exceed the black levels you get at a commercial cinema (not least because you don't need to leave bright green EXIT signs glowing all through the film
).
While you can do that with a TV the smaller image tends to hurt your eyes unless you use a back light, so when you have a fade to black it never really gets fully dark. With a decent projector you get the effect that you are 'blind' for 3-4 seconds on a fade which can add dramatically to the experience IMHO.
Finally I have a 2.35:1 projector screen which perfectly matches the majority of films I watch and means I don't suffer black bars, which also makes it more of an occasion than watching TV.
Of course a projector makes more demands on the room decor to get the best out of it, but even without you can still get an enjoyable picture. While it won't trouble the ANSI contrast of a plasma it can still easily exceed the black levels you get at a commercial cinema (not least because you don't need to leave bright green EXIT signs glowing all through the film
).So doing more research and working from a throw distance of about 3m, it looks like a lot of the projectors from the higher end of my budget won't give me a picture much bigger than 90", in fact the JVC doesn't even seem to work at anything less than 4m (at least the calculator doesn't let you go lowere)
I have found the new BenQ 1080ST, the ST in the name stands for short throw which means is specifically designed for smaller rooms and even from 3m you can get a 150"+ picture. However the price of around £800 makes me think that you'd probably be missing out of quality or other important features as I'm a firm believer in "you get what you pay for". So are there any other projectors up nearer the £2k mark which have this short throw feature but with better picture PQ\features?
I have found the new BenQ 1080ST, the ST in the name stands for short throw which means is specifically designed for smaller rooms and even from 3m you can get a 150"+ picture. However the price of around £800 makes me think that you'd probably be missing out of quality or other important features as I'm a firm believer in "you get what you pay for". So are there any other projectors up nearer the £2k mark which have this short throw feature but with better picture PQ\features?
Guvernator said:
So doing more research and working from a throw distance of about 3m, it looks like a lot of the projectors from the higher end of my budget won't give me a picture much bigger than 90", in fact the JVC doesn't even seem to work at anything less than 4m (at least the calculator doesn't let you go lowere)
I have found the new BenQ 1080ST, the ST in the name stands for short throw which means is specifically designed for smaller rooms and even from 3m you can get a 150"+ picture. However the price of around £800 makes me think that you'd probably be missing out of quality or other important features as I'm a firm believer in "you get what you pay for". So are there any other projectors up nearer the £2k mark which have this short throw feature but with better picture PQ\features?
Are you sure you really want a picture that big with such a short throw?I have found the new BenQ 1080ST, the ST in the name stands for short throw which means is specifically designed for smaller rooms and even from 3m you can get a 150"+ picture. However the price of around £800 makes me think that you'd probably be missing out of quality or other important features as I'm a firm believer in "you get what you pay for". So are there any other projectors up nearer the £2k mark which have this short throw feature but with better picture PQ\features?
I got my first projector a few months back. The throw is probably around 2.8m and due to limitations with the way the room is laid out I could only get a 72" screen. Before I got it, I felt this was the bare minimum - bigger is always better.
However, now I have it - I really wouldn't want anything bigger unless I was sitting further away. Quality is great, but you already have to move your eyes a fair bit for different parts of the screen and anything bigger would mean full head turning. It would be a complete (and probably literal) pain in the neck!
I've just checked and from 3 metre throw the X35 should give a 96" diagonal 16:9 image. As you say the other cheaper models might give a bigger picture from that throw, but they will do this with (arguably) cheaper lenses too so the image might not be quite as sharp.
However countering that is if they are single chip DLP projectors then they tend to have a sharper image to start with due to the alignment of the pixels being spot on (LCD, DILA, LCOS and somemore expensive DLP projector use 3 panels to creat each pixel on screen so there is a margin for misalignment).
In short you need to demo with the projector set up as closely to you home set up as possible (including whether it's a lightly decorated room or not).
You should also note than the JVC is a very deep/big projector so you need to take maybe 50cm off the throw distance to account for it's own depth. Many budget projectors are far smaller which gives you a little bit of extra throw. However, I still wouldn't aim for more than 100" at under 3 metres viewing distance: My set up is approx 3.5 metres back from 100" for 16:9 content, then for 2.35:1 the same height, but 33% wider (112" width). I've tried sitting at about 3 metres and TBH that's about as big as I'd like to go from that distance for both 16:9 and 2.35:1 in my sizes.
However countering that is if they are single chip DLP projectors then they tend to have a sharper image to start with due to the alignment of the pixels being spot on (LCD, DILA, LCOS and somemore expensive DLP projector use 3 panels to creat each pixel on screen so there is a margin for misalignment).
In short you need to demo with the projector set up as closely to you home set up as possible (including whether it's a lightly decorated room or not).
You should also note than the JVC is a very deep/big projector so you need to take maybe 50cm off the throw distance to account for it's own depth. Many budget projectors are far smaller which gives you a little bit of extra throw. However, I still wouldn't aim for more than 100" at under 3 metres viewing distance: My set up is approx 3.5 metres back from 100" for 16:9 content, then for 2.35:1 the same height, but 33% wider (112" width). I've tried sitting at about 3 metres and TBH that's about as big as I'd like to go from that distance for both 16:9 and 2.35:1 in my sizes.
I have just turned one of my spare rooms in to a cinema. I ended up going for the epson 5910 projector, Samsung 5.1 surround sound and a 100" grey remote screen.
The image quality as you can see is first class! And so is be 3D! I can't imagine it being any clearer, it's mind blowing!
I fitted it all in a pretty small room with the projector sitting 10 ft from the screen. It easily fills the 100" screen. The 5.1 is also more than enough with 1200w on tap.
After looking at loads of projectors I decided on the 5910 after reading all the great reviews, also I wanted a LCD system as to avoid the rainbow affect and risk of sore heads, as I was told this can be a problem with some other makes.
For just under £900 its an absolute bargain! I did think about spending double that, but I'm so glad I didn't.
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