Question 120" screen viewing from 8.5 feet

[kedar301]

how many of you viewing large screen like 120" diagonal from around 8 feet?

right now i am using Ikea Tupplur Grey Roller Blinds (200cm wide) as my screen and it gives me around 88" diagonal screen (i zoomed out to leave 2 black strip on sides).

But at times it feels smaller. I mean once you get used to it. So i was planning to get 120" motorised grey screen.

Just wondering what everyone else thinking (or doing) about this?

 

[Peter Parker]

For 16:9 content, that may be a little too close, especially for the vertical viewing angle. For scope movies, it will be fine. Currently with your 88" diag screen, you are at a good seating distance for 16:9 content, but scope could be the same height and wider and still be viewed comfortably from that distance.

If you watch mostly 2.40 movies, you will be fine, and aspect changing movies will be closer to the IMAX intent. 16:9 movies could be uncomfortable to watch over a period of time, but having the screen lower may help.

I have a 119.5" diag 16:9 screen that is masked to 2.40, I sit approx 7.5 feet back from the screen and I watch everything within that height - 1.85 movies are made smaller to fit the height, and scope movies are the same height and wider. For movies with IMAX content, I remove the top and bottom masking and then I can see the aspect ratio changes. If your projector can't zoom and/or doesn't have lens shift, that won't work, and masking can be a problem with an electric screen.

 

[kedar301]

aah that's very reassuring,

I mostly watch standard scope movies, this is probably why i feel that the screen feels a bit smaller.

my PJ has Stepless Zoom which allows me to reduce screen sizem however there is a drawback to this. As this function is digital i lose the Lumens as i reduce picture size using zoom function.

Sports on TV could possibly get affected though.

 

[kedar301]

Peter Parker, seems like only two of us sits so close to the screen.

 

[Peter Parker]

Could be

You can always try projecting the larger image onto the wall just to see what the extra size is like before you buy the bigger screen, and maybe try it lower down on the wall to see if that improves things, but for scope you should be fine.

If you're mostly watching scope movies anyway, then the extra width would give you a good improvement.

What is your current projector?

 

[kedar301]

so i have now decided that i will get 120" screen, i can always reduce the actual picture size, if it is not suitable.

I have Xgimi H1
Official XGIMI Owners Thread + H1 review (H1, CC, Z4 aurora etc) - AVS Forum | Home Theater Discussions And Reviews

 

[Peter Parker]

Like I say, I'm pretty sure you will be find with scope movies, and maybe even some that are a little taller, like 2.20:1 and maybe 2:1, but 1.85 may be a bit too tall - depending on how high you have the screen. Maybe mount the screen at a similar height to what you currently have and lower the pj to match if possible so the image height doesn't have you looking up more than you already do, and you know that currently works ok.

Let us know how you get on.

 

[Rawschach]

I have a 120 inch screen (it might even be slightly bigger I cannot remember!) and sit about 10 feet away

Initially it took a few days to get used to but now it is great - takes up almost the entire back wall (it is acoustically transparent so sits about a metre away from the actual wall)

I say - go for it. I had a 100 inch screen before and always wanted to try a bigger one. I cannot accommodate 1 bigger than the one I have now and it looks immense.

 

[kedar301]

that sounds good Rawschach... I will have to try the screen. i am getting more and more convinced. THX however recommends same screen as i have but i find it a bit smaller than what i would like to have.

Peter Parker...
Xgimi H1 has 35 Deg vertical shifting. So i can easily adjust to the desired position in terms of height.

 

[swiftpete]

THX recommend multiplying your eye to screen distance by 0.84. I have a 145 inch viewing distance so by their recommendation should have a 122 inch screen. I’m running a 124 inch screen but to be honest would go bigger if I could fit it in around the speakers as I am not 100% convinced you get the best cinema experience if you use their recommendation. It is fine but I’d like a bit bigger. In your room 96x0.84=81. if I were you I’d get 100. That is bigger but not too big. 120 inch from 8 feet would be just too big I think. Your eyes would get tired.

But it’s up to you. Definitely project the image onto the wall before you buy anything and see if you like the size. This is the difference between 88 and 120.

 

[Chinstroke]

I'm not a big fan of projector screens using diagonal width to indicate size as I find it confusing to compare screen sizes when also looking at different aspect ratios along with working out seating distances. I much prefer screen size given in width or height. With height, then a good rule of thumb is between 2 to 4 screen heights. 4 screen heights would be the furthest seating point that you would recommend and 2 screen heights is for those who want full immersion and is similar to sitting in front of the middle rows of a typical cinema.

For many the sweet spot for seating is around the 3 screen height range as it is a goldilocks not too close, not too far position. For me personally I have come to prefer sitting around 2.2 to 2.4 Screen heights.

 

[kedar301]

Swiftpete, thats a nice little comparison you have here. It gives a good idea of what sort of area i will be projecting into.

Just add to my original post....I have a TV sitting above chimney area and the PJ screen i have is as i said 200cm wide roller blind in-front of the TV. So the new 120" screen will replace the roller blind. and i am planning to get a motorised one. So i can always reduce the picture size using the zoom function on the PJ. The only downside is the loss of lumens but thats what i am suffering right now anyway.

Chinstroke,

I been reading about the eye strain induced due to height than the width of the screen. I am planning to get the screen size where the mid height of the screen would come in direct line of sight. will have to do my calcs though for the vertical viewing angle.