For PJ users- what size is your screen?

[Rob Babcock]

Just an informal poll- what size of screen do you use? What aspect ratio? How far back do you sit? And what PJ or resolution do you run? I'm simply curious. I have an 84" 16:9 screen about 12.5 feet from my viewing position, lit by an Optoma H31 @ 480P.

SDE & RBE is no problem at all, but my gut feeling is that my screen is a teensy bit too large. Since I don't like the screen anyways (a cheap Elite rollup) it's not a big deal- I'm probably going to order a Carada Criterion sometime between today and this time next week. Unlike almost everyone I know with a PJ, I'm planning to go a bit smaller.

Smaller? Am I nuts? Isn't the big, immersive picture the reason to get a PJ in the first place? Well, yeah- to a point. This goes to my comments in another thread here, where I asked where you sit in a theater. Some people like to sit down near the front where the picture dominates their whole field of view. Some like to sit in the back. Some don't care. Me, I like to sit in a very specific 'sweet spot' very near the center. I generally arrive at the movie very early to get a good spot, usually giving the film a couple weeks to thin the crowds out. I move back until the center of the screen is at eye level. I'm not sure where this puts the viewing angle, but probably a tiny bit less than the 30 degrees recommened by THX.

So while artifacts and pixellation aren't a problem, for some reason I don't really like an overly large screen. Granted, at 12 feet I wouldn't mind a bit larger screen for 2:35 films, but movies shot at 1:78 or 1:85 seem to confuse my brain on a larger screen.

A last consideration is that to mount my screen a tad lower to more closely conform with my viewing preferences, my screen really can't be any larger than it is now. My new place is smaller than the old one, and unless I mount the screen high enough to clear my speakers, I must have one narrow enough to nestle between them with a enough clearance that the speakers won't block the line of sight for the best veiwing seats. 84" does just fit, but I will probably go a little bit smaller.

What am I buying? If I had decided I'd already have ordered! I've decided on 77" at the smallest, probably 80" at the largest. The screen will almost certainly be a Carada Criterion in BW (it helps that the AH staff reviewed that same screen with the Optoma PJ I have! ).

Any comments?

 

[BMXTRIX]

My primary seating is at about 13 feet and I am using a 92"x52" screen (106" diagonal). It works very well and I likely would bump up the size a tiny bit, but I got a $4K screen for $700 so I'm not switching it out anytime soon.

I use a Panasonic PT-L300U projector (960x540) which is a few years old now. I'm sitting back and waiting for 1080p before going with a real upgrade, but I did pick up one of the refurb Radio Shack Cinego projectors for $300 a couple of weeks ago. Frankly, it looks better than my Panny. Most likely due to the DLP technology and advancements in the past few years. But, it can't be ceiling mounted, so the Cinego is more a 'fun' projector than a serious entry into our house. For the price, it's allowed to be 'fun'.

The Criterion is my go to screen. I highly recommend it and I believe that it is ideal for 90%+ of all people looking for a fixed frame front projection screen.

As always - your viewing preference is a big deal in all of this. But, if you can, bring down the size a bit on your current screen and see if you find yourself to be a bit happier when you are viewing the smaller image.

I really am a fan of THX standard viewing size, but realize that it isn't for everyone. At your distance - you're crazy to go smaller!

 

[Rob Babcock]

Yes, I really should zoom by lens a little and see how I like it. I'd lose the masking which would wash it out a tad, but I could live witht the size for a week. I've been planning on a Carada, although I'm wavering slightly- I got a price match quote from the place I bought my Gyrolock PJ mount on a Da-lite Perm Wall, and the price is extremely good. I've really had superb luck in the past with Da-Lite & this company, and I know the screen material well. By comparison Carada is the unknown quantity (although the reviews are stellar). The thing that has me wavering is that while the Da-Lite is well under $400 for the 77" size & is a good screen surface, the frame is pretty vanilla and lacks the flair & flocking of the Carada. Oh, decisions, decisions...

I'm on my 2nd PJ now, and am strongly considering a 3rd. I'd like to buy a Mitsubishi HC3000U. Although I hate to with 1080 around the corner. Realistically, the Mits is a rockstar of a PJ now, and it's gonna take awhile for the 1080P models to come down to where the bang4buck quotient equals the absurd value you get with 720P machines. And 720P looks damned good.

 

[BMXTRIX]

I sent you a PM on it, but teh Perm Wall by Da-Lite is not comparible to the Critereon Carada screens. The only comparible Da-Lite model is the Cinema Contour with the velvet trim. That screen pretty much goes together identically to the Carada and is hung on the wall the same way.

BUT: The MSRP on the Cinema Contour (77") starts about $800 and is a bit more overall for the 1.3 gain surface. Even at 25% markup, that puts cost near $600 for that screen to a dealer - you aren't going to get much a bargain there.

The Carada 80" is shipped to your door for $630. No haggling, no arguing, no pricing issues. Just a good deal.

EDIT: MSRP on the DaLite w/black border in Cinema Vision (1.3 gain) surface is about $1,050.00 - cost has pretty much gotta be more than what the equivalent Carada is - no way you are getting as good of a deal ith DaLite. Not that DaLite isn't excellent - but reviews are pretty uniform on Carada quality.

 

[LEVESQUE]

Just an informal poll- what size of screen do you use? What aspect ratio? How far back do you sit? And what PJ or resolution do you run?

Sony Ruby VPL-VW100 1080p. Da-Lite Hi-Power 110" (dia), 16X9.

I'm sitting at 1X screen width (8'), since there is no SDE with SXRD, and also because with 1080p, you can sit at 1X screen width w/o any problems.

No need to sit at 1.5X screen width (12' !!!) or more with that projector. It's like sitting in the front row of an Imax theater.

 

[Rob Babcock]

Yeah, I realize the Perm-wall is a cheapo. If I went that route it would only be just cost. Since I'll probably own several PJs over the years but hopefully just one screen, I'm leaning towards the Carada.

 

[majorloser]

I have a 100" 16:9 Stewart Luxus Deluxe Screenwall with Firehawk material (1.25 gain). My projector is an Optoma H78-DC3. It's set in the middle of the recommended throw distance to the screen. My previous projector was a Yamaha DPX-1 with the same screen. My front row of seats is approx 13 feet from the screen. Back row about 19 feet.


No problems to report


EDIT: Come on Rob! Spend that big moderator bonus check we got on a new Stewart screen

 

[mtrycrafts]

My front row of seats is approx 13 feet from the screen. Back row about 19 feet.

What's in-between the seats, a putting green? The pop corn popper?

 

[mtrycrafts]

OK. I have a 100"x54" Stewart, 1.5 gain left over from an old CRT, roll up kind
Using the new Sony Ruby, minimum distance worked out well where the back of the old one was. Moved the screen back about 5", minimal hole spackling and painting
Sitting about 13'-14' without disrupting the room decor and the older setup. Boombox works well with it.

 

[Rob Babcock]

I just can't afford/justify the expense of a Stewart. I love video but my heart is more into the audio side. If I had unlimited $$$...alas, I don't. Probably the CARADA 80" in BW will be the way to go.

 

[SMM]

I have a 92" Da-lite Cinema Contour pro-trim with Cimema Vision material powered by an InFocus IN76 that's ceiling mounted at 11' 5" from the screen set to 16x9. The room is approx 22' x 12.5' with the front row at 13' and the back row at 19'. Just finished installing alll of the equipment and so far I'm thrilled!

 

[majorloser]

What's in-between the seats, a putting green? The pop corn popper?

Front and back row are recliners. Need to have enough room for full recline of both rows and still have enough room for somebody to walk through.

The back row is on a stage so the room is really split between both levels.

 

[Takeereasy]

My recent to my HT was a projector, the Optoma h27 with the 92" Greywolf screen that came with it from (I should be ashamed to admit this but I'm not) Costco.ca.
It's ceiling mounted and back about 14'. Had some real fun getting it set up right, and the viewing portion is about 10" lower than I'd like it to be, but I am the envy of the neighbours, lol. The 480p picture looks amazing with xbox 360, dvd's, and High def cable.