Ideal Projector Screen Size

JK Saabh

JK Saabh

Enthusiast
Hello,
I'm a newbie, and this is my first home improvement project. I'm planning to setup a home theater in my basement. My basement is 21ft (6.7m) long by 15ft (4.6m) wide, and has a 8ft (2.4m) ceiling. I plan to place the projector screen on the 15ft wall, and have my seating around 13ft (4m) from the screen. The rear of the room will be an office, and an area for me to display my action figures. The only constraint I must live with is that the seating has to be around 13ft.

I am not sure whether to put in a 100" or 120" screen. Putting a 120" screen would mean the center channel will only be 1.5ft off the ground. Is that too low?

What size do you recommend I use?


Cheers.
 
AverageJoe

AverageJoe

Full Audioholic
For what it's worth, my room size is very similar to yours, and my front row seating is just a little closer, and I went with a 120" wide screen. However, it has a 2.40:1 aspect ratio, so the screen height is only 50" and center channel placement is good. Granted, 16:9 content does not use the entire width of the screen, but wide-screen movies fill it completely and look great.
 
BMXTRIX

BMXTRIX

Audioholic Warlord
120" screen, center channel placement will be fine. Angle it up slightly towards the listening audience. This is very normal, and very much the proper size.

Of course, you could build the front wall out a foot or so and put the center channel in an enclave in the wall and go with an acoustically transparent screen if you are really concerned.
 
JK Saabh

JK Saabh

Enthusiast
Thanks folks, I'm leaning towards the 120" as well. I may just get the projector and see the 120" image looks on my wall.
 
C

canelli

Audioholic
I have a room with about the same width. In determining screen size, you might want to take into consideration of the projector, throw distance, is it completely light controlled, screen gain, and seating distance.

I chose to go with a 110" so that I could get the amount of brightness with a near unity gain screen in low lamp mode while dialing down the iris. The room is completely light controlled and I didn't want to worry about shimmering from a higher gain screen. 120" pushed the limits of my projector (with the closed iris) where increased screen gain was most likely required.

My seating is slightly closer making the viewing angle larger than some specifications, but it is very comfortable and encompassing.

By the time I added in the center, front, and subs there was not much room left. I felt lucky to have gotten the 110" due to the center and sub taking up more space that I had imagined. I didn't want to stack the speakers right next to each other nor did I want the speakers right against the wall.

I found it's all about compromises. Getting the projector and playing around with screen size is a great idea.

Good luck
 
C

canelli

Audioholic
I had a hard time finding a center speaker stand that fit my needs so I wanted to share this.

For my center channel, I am using a product that already has a slight tilt (5deg) by Sound Anchors:
SDACC | Sound Anchors: Specialty Audio Stands | High-End Home,Professional Studio, and Video | Custom Amplifier Stands, Component Stands, Video Stands, Studio Furniture

I also added a pair of isolators that add another 8deg of tilt:
Auralex Acoustics - World-Class acoustic foam sound control products at real-world prices!

With the combined tilt (13deg), I was able to adjust the height of the center speaker stand to get just the aim I wanted. Plus, the isolators can be either 4 or 8 deg tilt which made it easy to get things just right.
 
JK Saabh

JK Saabh

Enthusiast
Thanks canelli, I really appreciate your input. I'm thinking of an Epson 5030UB and an electric tension screen with 1.1 gain. I may have to go in for a 110" as well, as I fear that having a 120" would mean I hardly have any space under the screen to house my center channel (as per my calculations, it is under two feet). I did a quick photoshop mockup of what it would look like, but I cant post links in my posts as I'm new around here.

One more question for you: how did you calculate the height of the projector from the ceiling?

Thanks so much.
 
JK Saabh

JK Saabh

Enthusiast
Thanks, I'll be needing one of these albeit mine will have to be rather short (since they will be on a stage). I'll first find the ideal height and angle using some hardcover books, and pick one up later. Much appreciated.
 
C

canelli

Audioholic
Sound Anchors can build to your specifications. They were really great and answered all my questions.

I don't want to talk you out of the 120". I just wanted to share my experience and realizations that every room is unique with it's own compromises. I asked tons of questions and the number of decisions were a little overwhelming.

One more question for you: how did you calculate the height of the projector from the ceiling?
Being a ocd engineer, I made 3d models of the mount which included thread engagement calculations for the drop post. I then went totally over the top and 3d modeled the whole room.

Chief has a mount builder which I used to figure out what I needed. You could do some get their engineering drawings from the website and do a quick hand calculation.
https://mountbuilder.chiefmfg.com/mb.aspx
 
Last edited by a moderator:
BMXTRIX

BMXTRIX

Audioholic Warlord
The Epson 5030 has a ton of lens shift. I would not buy it over the Sony 40ES at this point, but both models have good lens shift and as long as the screen isn't a lot lower than the lens, you can almost mount the projector anywhere rather easily. As long as the lens is close to center and within a few inches of the top of the screen, you don't need to worry about it with this breed of projector.

Just an FYI: This is the center speaker stand I have used:
Wood Technology CC Series 12 Inch Hardwood Center Channel Speaker Stand - Fast FREE FedEx Shipping! | Discount sale on Wood Technology CC Series 12 Inch Hardwood Center Channel Speaker Stand - Fast FREE FedEx Shipping!

I cut it down to as low as I need it with a circular saw and have put them down to just a few inches off the floor.
 

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