First post, new room question.....

[chadnliz]

Hello all,
I am new here and am moving into new home with a "man cave" in basement I am going to use for my audio room, being a big Audiophile that was my main concern but I would like to go budget projector for movies and sports. The lighting is not an issue but would like to view in semi-lit conditions aswell as darker movie viewing but thats not the real concern.
I want to get a fold away screen so as to not affect my 2 channel music sound stage and get a ceiling mounted budget ($1500 pro and screen) for use with HD cable, a bit of 360, and Lexicon DVD player, maybe the 360 HDDVD module in future. I have a SONY XBR WEGA 34 in Hi Def tube unit and I know I will get nowhere near that quality and thats ok for just movies and large presentation sports in a mainly Audio room but the rub is this,......
The room is 23 X 13 and I will place screen on short wall (13ft) and sit about 15 ft from screen and unit can ofcourse (infact hopefully) go behind my seat but the ceiling is only about 80 inches or 6ft 6 in and I worry if I can ceiling mount a unit, the other option would be a bit lower on far back wall but can I beam 21-22 ft? I have read reviews of budget units from Sony, Optima,Panasonic and so on and understand picture is not going to be great but Audio is my passion, if picture is really the issue I will watch on my 34' SONY XBR in living room. Do members here think I will have options and ability to mount unit on ceiling? Thanks for ideas and suggestions of models in my budget of $1500 total less wire.......I appreciate it! Chad

 

[chadnliz]

wow thanks for all the help!

 

[ParadigmDawg]

wow thanks for all the help!

Sorry, I know nothing about PJs. Andrew or BMXTRIX should be able to help you.

 

[mike c]

i don't know much as well ...

but here's a good site to start (it's the same link that was given to me back when I was asking questions):

http://www.projectorcentral.com/home_theater_buyers_guide_0.htm

you can list the projector you are considering and it will tell you other info you need depending on the distance:
http://www.projectorcentral.com/projection-calculator-pro.cfm

more generic info:
in a semi-lit room, you're gonna need a PJ with a stronger than normal lumens ... you might need a gray screen instead of white as well.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Hello all,
I am new here and am moving into new home with a "man cave" in basement I am going to use for my audio room, being a big Audiophile that was my main concern but I would like to go budget projector for movies and sports. The lighting is not an issue but would like to view in semi-lit conditions aswell as darker movie viewing but thats not the real concern.
I want to get a fold away screen so as to not affect my 2 channel music sound stage and get a ceiling mounted budget ($1500 pro and screen) for use with HD cable, a bit of 360, and Lexicon DVD player, maybe the 360 HDDVD module in future. I have a SONY XBR WEGA 34 in Hi Def tube unit and I know I will get nowhere near that quality and thats ok for just movies and large presentation sports in a mainly Audio room but the rub is this,......
The room is 23 X 13 and I will place screen on short wall (13ft) and sit about 15 ft from screen and unit can ofcourse (infact hopefully) go behind my seat but the ceiling is only about 80 inches or 6ft 6 in and I worry if I can ceiling mount a unit, the other option would be a bit lower on far back wall but can I beam 21-22 ft? I have read reviews of budget units from Sony, Optima,Panasonic and so on and understand picture is not going to be great but Audio is my passion, if picture is really the issue I will watch on my 34' SONY XBR in living room. Do members here think I will have options and ability to mount unit on ceiling? Thanks for ideas and suggestions of models in my budget of $1500 total less wire.......I appreciate it! Chad

You have a difficult room to fix
The ceiling is rather low, not even sure it would meet code height in a living space.
You could mount a projector on the ceiling but that will intrude into that space even further, even if you don't walk under it.
Is that budget for screen and projector?
Not sure what would serve you the best. Motorized screens are expensive. If you select a pull up screen, that will be terrible choice.

 

[Johnd]

6'6" will definitely be a code issue. The general rule is 7'0"...it can deviate somewhat, as long as the average is a minimum 7'0".

At $1500 you can't touch 1080, so you are left with some great 720p options. You may also want (need) a high gain screen, which needs to be matched to your pj. I like the Z5, they can be had for just under 1k now.

 

[Audioholics]

I'd look at Panasonic projectors to start. They have a large 2x zoom, and lens shift which will help you with the ceiling issue. Avoid Optoma as they will not provide the installation flexibility you require at your budget.

My direct suggestion would be a PT-AX100U (they are closing these out) or even an older PT-AX900U projector with a new bulb. For the screen, try the Elite Screens ez-Cinema or ez-Cinema Plus series portable pull ups:

http://www.visualapex.com/Projector-Screens/Screen-details.asp?Product_ID=35&AR=HT&Category=4

That's what I'd do. The ceiling height is going to limit your overall screen size and thus your throw distance, but the Panasonic's 2x zoom and lens shift is still your best bet.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

wow thanks for all the help!

Well, we're kind of Audioholics, not Videoholics.

If I had your room & a $1,500 budget, I would get this 1080i DLP Optoma H79 HD Home Theater Projector. It's retail price is $4,800, and it's now $1,520.

http://www.amazon.com/Optoma-H79-Home-Theater-Projector/dp/B0009WK6P8/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1195062986&sr=1-8

I don't see any problems with a ceiling mount. Should be pretty easy since the ceiling is pretty low @ 6.5 ft.

 

[Johnd]

I would get this 1080i DLP Optoma H79 HD Home Theater Projector. It's retail price is $4,800, and it's now $1,520.

AcuDefTechGuy: That's a 720p pj, not 1180 (it's 1180 compatible). Also, that model is 2 1/2 years old, and probably a refurb. BTW, refurbs of this model are under 1k. If you're going to get a projector, I would save for an 1180, or get a 720 with high reviews.

 

[BMXTRIX]

The recommended AX200U is the correct projector for flexibility and to deal with some ambient light. At under $1,500 it meets your budget, and you are SERIOUSLY mistaken on the image quality you will get from a projector like this.

These photos:
http://www.avintegrated.com/lighting.html
are worth taking a look at as they represent the output of a 4+ year old 540p projector on a 106" screen.

For mounting, you could mount the AX200 at the back of the room - but at 22' throw distance, you must have at least a 110" diagonal screen.

No doubt though, at a 15' viewing distance, you may want to consider about a 10' diagonal screen. It's not unrealistic, and you will have (suprisingly) excellent results.

My biggest issue with this is your screen. Not sure what you expect in a 'fold up' screen. I would more likely ditch the TV if possible and go with a fixed mounted screen on the wall to preserve the acoustics and layout of the room - using a Carada 120" diagonal Brilliant White screen.

Roll-up screens are alright - but you really will find that cheap roll up screens start getting waves in the fabric very quickly... forcing a need to replace it after about a year. A tab-tensioned, motorized screen is a great option, but will cost a fair bit more (likely more than the projector). The big perk is that they work incredibly and they last forever.

Not sure where you are located so you can see some of these things first hand, but there are definitely options available to you at all sorts of price points, yet the AX200 will offer a certain level of flexibility that you really can't get from any other projector. Really, the best projectors on the market may deliver 10% more quality overall... For thousands of dollars more.

 

[mazersteven]

He hasn't been back since his, "Thanks for all the Help" post.

 

[Tod]

One of these days, maybe tomorrow, I'll post some pictures of what I've done. But I am faced with pj constraints, not quite the same as this guy, god rest his soul, but there are always ways to work around room issues. Almost always.

So my problem is I rent, so I can't tear out the wall between the two small bedrooms and create my own proper space. So sad. I have to use a dining alcove, light-treated with black sheets, pull-down screen, and the projector is on a projector cart that I have to roll out every time I want to use it. I extended the legs just a bit so it's higher up, clears the heads of the viewers well, and lens shift did the rest. Lame.

I'm fairly happy with the Sony I have. It's a huge improvement over an older Sanyo PLV60k I moved away from. The main thing I still wish was just a bit better was detail in the darkest blacks, but like I said, it's much better than I had before.

 

[chadnliz]

Sorry I meant a roll up screen, I can t do fixed because of a fireplace behind screen, the more I read I really like the Pana 200 unit. Thanks for the tips and keep them going, I am way into audio this is a secondary concern.
The system is gonna be really odd, $25,000 in audio and a bit over a grand in video......but its all about music! Cheers

 

[chadnliz]

Hey BMX... That link is great, first time I ever actually could see what lights do to picture in steps, I really appreciate that and all others advice.
If I have a manual roll down unit, if I left it extended and hooked it to ceiling when not desired so it didnt roll up would that extend its life?

 

[Phil Taylor]

For under a grand you can get a BenQ PB6100 - I've seen 'em for about $650 and a roll-up screen - Draper V on eBay for under $100. Since you aren't real concerned about the video it would be a fine system for you.

 

[chadnliz]

Thanks for the tip, I wouldnt say I dont care about video, I have a Sony XBR WEGA hi def unit, many agree there is no better picture period but it is a heavy tube unit.
I just am not going to go crazy at this time for any picture, I have my Sony if I really want the great picture with a more humble HT set-up in living room but in my cave it is all about music....with a solid performing video afterthought.....on the cheap.