[jmcardle]

...because I'm thinking about one and that's probably all the room I've got.

Current set up is a couch positioned directly in front of and about 6 ft away from a 42" plasma. Just wondering if a projector is actually feasible...

I could move the couch back about 3 ft to place it against the back wall but that would take it off-centre to the left by 2 ft due to the entrance door.

Got the upgrade itch but new to projs so any guidance on low budgets projs (1080p) and recommended screen size taking viewing distance into account, appreciated.

Happy to provide an more info

[Dav1dF]

You could look at a 5 foot screen, but I wouldn't go any bigger than that - even 5 foot might be pushing it at that distance. The new Optoma HD20 might be worth a look being the new entry level 1080p on the market. If you suffer from seeing rainbow effect, check the Mitsubishi HC5500.

[kbfern]

With 1080p a 6ft screen would be Ok IMV,I view an 8ft wide screen from 8ft with 720p and that is no problem.Plenty of detail & sharpness on Bluray/HDDVD.

Standard def stuff is not so good but I don't watch standard def except on very rare occasions when I move back a bit.

[dovercat]

The projectors lens throw ratio, distance to screen / width of image it can project, will be a limiting factor, along with the projectors offset limiting placement. You may find a dlp projector too bright - rainbow effect inducing on a small screen, and might want to use a greyscreen or neutral density lens filter. But dlp also have very good pixel fillfactor enabling you to sit closer before the screen door effect of pixel structure is visible.

I find pixel fill factor to be the image quality deciding factor and angle/arc of vision the comfort deciding factor. I have a darkchip3 dlp and happly sit just over 1xscreen width away. Most pros seem to recommend 1.5xscreen width. It also depends on your visual acutity, what the resolution of the display is, and the source material being displayed: below par standard defintion like some digital tv to good standard defintion dvd to high defintion, and for standard defintion how good the re-scaling is.

To give you some idea of viewing distance - screen size.
Seat in the middle of a theater is about 50 degrees. (1xWidth)
THX recommended viewing angle 36 degrees (1.5xWidth)
SMPTE recommended minimum viewing angle 30 degrees
THX backrow seats minimum viewing angle 26 degrees

[Pecker]

I've seen people sat as close as 1.0 x screen widths, or even a tad closer, but a 6 foot wide screen at 6 foot may be about your limit.

As ever, get a demo.

Steve W

[swiftpete]

Why don't you buy the projector then put the image up on the wall and blow it up to the size you feel comfortable with? That might be 60 inches or might be 80 or whatever, depends on what you like. Then you can buy a screen to fit.

[RL123]

That's what I did. I couldn't just project onto a wall because my wall is a dark blue. So I made a temporary screen out of thin wallpaper, stapled it to the wall, and used that to find a size I was comfortable with. Just buy some cheap, plain white wallpaper, attach it somehow (pins, glue, paste or whatever) and find what you're comfortable with. I'm glad I did it because, at maximum zoom, I thought it was a little bit too big so it allowed me to get the perfect size. I'd measured it up for about 108" but settled on about 102" after a few days

[kbfern]

Use a white or light coloured bedsheet/tablecloth its easier than wallpaper,just pin it to the wall.