4.5m x 2.36m garage conversion

timmers

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Hi,

Thought I would put some images up at the start of the process and if anyone has any ideas or notices any stupidity then let me know please?

As you can see from the pictures I don't have a lot of space to play with, 4.5m x 2.36m The ceiling at the screen end is 1.73m high. The walls and ceiling have 50mm kingspan boards installed and then hardboard on top of them. SO that's my canvas!
I don't have a PJ yet and I started a thread on the projector forum to try and sort that and learn a thing or two. I do have everything else that does what it says on the tin. It will all get upgraded at some time but I figure better to have some sort of cinema than none at all!

Panasonic Blu Ray player DMP-BD60
Yamaha AX-V357 receiver
Quad 77-11L Left and rights and a Quad L Classic Center speaker
Dodgy old Yamaha sub and rears.

Thanks to trueromance and Pecker for their threads. I will probably build an AT screen with 3x2 and spandex about a foot out from the end so that the front speakers can go where they need to go behind the screen. The sub will probably go in there as well. The rest of the gear will go in the couple of feet I will have behind my sofa or chairs.

I don't have any windows to cope with so no ambient light. Not sure what to do with walls and ceiling...carpet tiles of a dark nature. The floor is concrete with damp proof membrane under it but no insulation. I have four kingspan boards left from ages ago that I could lay but then that would need to be covered with something hard and then carpet.

The only pj I have looked at so far is the Optoma HD131xe which wasn't bad but there were some jaggies that I didn't like. Possibly the way the blu ray source was set up possibly not. But..if it was the Optoma then the image size would be: 2.2m wide x 1.24m high at a distance of 3.1 - 4.8m
Viewing distance would be 3.45m to the screen. 4m is the 1.0 x zoom setting for placing the projector. Is it better to have 1.0 x zoom as opposed to 1.1 or 1.2?

What do we think?

cheers
IMG_1504.JPG
 
...thinking out loud now.....the proposed screen measurements were at 16:9 ratio.

Now I've just looked at the aspect ratios of Skyfall for which the cover states is 16:9 letterbox 2.40:1.

2.40:1 I guess is the original? Does this mean the disc will have both formats?

Rush (James Hunt) is a 2.40:1 disc so will appear differently to Skyfall in 16:9.....

I am a tad confused. When it comes to building my screen how do I work out its dimensions for CIA?
CIA appears to be a happy medium...or am I wrong? or just personal taste I guess?
For me I am limited by width not height. My max screen width can be 231cm wall to wall so I need to leave some space for a border.

I think I've read to much cinema history and science today......
 
In your case the max width, assuming the pj throw works. Look for a 2.05 with the max width you can go with. If building yourself then max width over 2.05 for the height. You will have to zoom the pj for any image that is not 2.05. I use CIA due to my pj throw.
 
Thanks Inzi
So image size 2.20m x 1.07m...
frame size to allow for the borders say 5cm for a border for this size screen?
That will make the screen including borders 2.30m x 1.17m ?

:) Just looked at your HC....very nice....
 
Thanks Inzi
So image size 2.20m x 1.07m...
frame size to allow for the borders say 5cm for a border for this size screen?
That will make the screen including borders 2.30m x 1.17m ?

:) Just looked at your HC....very nice....
Yes that looks right. Just make sure the pj you want can project that size image from where you plan to mount it.
And thanks for the complements.
 
So..it's been a Super Sunday...apart from my footy team who lost but hey..was always going to happen.
A quick update on the garage to cinema event. The 'garage' is now an empty shell. But on the way to see my Mother for lunch..I just happened to pass Richer Sounds and purchased some gear. Some hard earned money went on a Optoma HD131xe, a Samsung BD-F6500 and a Yamaha RXV375.

Thinking behind the 131xe over the 65e was that as far as I can see the only difference between the two was a bit of brightness? As my room will be totally black anyway I thought i'd save some money. I could have gone for the F7500 but again I think the extra cost was mainly for more apps and internetty things. Finally, the RX might have been the 573 I think..the previous version but they didn't have it.

I also tried frantically to find a haberdashery shop to get some spandex for the screen but failed miserably. In the end I bought a white king size sheet in a pound shop just so I could have a little play when I got back.

Its all now in place temporarily with a sheet hanging a foot out from the wall..very creased!
I have a shelf behind the sheet with the front speakers and the BR player and the RX sitting also temporarily. Subwoofer on floor behind sheet and 10m hdmi cable to the PJ. Now I just need to go through the settings to ensure I know what's going on.

Anyone with any of this gear want to suggest anything I need to make sure is set? Please don't assume that I know!

cheers!
 
Totally cleared the room out last night and moved all the equipment from behind the screen to a shelf above the door at the other end. Re-cabled the speakers and then went into screen building mode. Screen is made from 2x1 softwood and is 2.30m x 1.17m including border which I still have to add. I used 2 layers of 4way stretch Lycra at ÂŁ6.99 per metre. How much stretch do people use on their screens? As stretched as possible? The only reason I ask is that a lot of light gets through the screen and I can also see the middle support bars of the frame.

The PJ needs to move a few cm's nearer the screen. Currently on max zoom. Also the large fluorescent light casing that is visible is coming out tonight and I need to find some other lighting to go in its place. Dimmable LED strips down the ceiling?

Apologies for quality of phone image...
 

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Ok...learning by trial and error. I've taken out the vertical support bars from the screen and it still stays straight and in place. I've painted the walls above ear level and the ceiling a nice deep burgundy and I've installed carpet tiles below ear level. I've put a hardboard sheet behind the screen leaving an area open for the speakers to do their stuff and hey presto we have contrast and rich colours.
I still have to get a layer of black stuff coming out from the screen and I still have to fit my borders to the screen as well.

Getting there...


I'm still not sure the screen is as it should be.

Two layers of white lycra and I wonder if I've stretched to much or too little? Does it matter?

I'm trying to take better pictures to post...
 
I think with Lycra you just need to stretch enough to remove any creases and no more. The more you stretch the thinner it gets so you'll get more light making its way through. There's a thread in the projector screens forum about Lycra screens and the results some of the regulars have got.
 
Thanks Richard.
I have moved away from the Lycra and moved to a more cotton based material. It's not as shiny and far better quality image. Still wondering how my material would compare to Seymour or Draper material?
Think I'm starting to win now so I thought I'd better put some pictures up of how i'm doing. But my iPhone appears to take rather low quality pictures. Struggling to capture a decent image at the moment.
 
Thinking of moving my current man cave into a garage that I will have converted. Same size as yours. Interested in how things are now for you. ?
 
You can have a cracking room in a space that size! check out my thread for what I did in mine.
 
Hi,

It's as St Jimmy said. Everyone that comes and watches a film is really impressed and they think it must have cost a fortune. I've been a bit slack in putting some photos up so will try and rectify that.

Are you going down the PJ route? If budget is an issue I really recommend making your own screen. In the end I've used filmex material supplied by Jag at EpicHomeCinema. He's a member on here. The material is Acoustically Transparent and is superb quality. Jag is a top fella and will help all he can. Cheers :thumbsup:Jag

As for the room itself we're almost finished. After a few different colours schemes I've gone for black.....that's it...just black. It's a cinema and anything you can do to help the contrast is a good thing in my book. No windows so that's a good thing as well. Although ventilation is an issue that I've yet to sort out. Can get a bit airless in Summer and I'm not sure what Winter will bring to viewing conditions. Also a tad worried about damp. If anyone else has a totally detached garage made out of blocks, lined with Kingspan insulation board and plywood, or something similar, do you get any issues with damp? How do you get ventilation without light or insects? I hate insects and moths getting in and flying in the projection. Groan
My screen is about a foot out from the wall. I have a shelf with the front and centre speakers positioned correctly. This makes an incredible difference than having them below and in front of the screen.
Behind the screen is a 'wall' of Maplin speaker grill material. This also come out on walls and ceiling about 1.5m. With the surround of the screen covered with Devore fabric you get this immense image floating in blackness.

I'll make an effort to get some pictures up and show you how it looks.

Just get on and do it Spooksta...
 
Already have fixed 105" frame screen and JVC RS46 projector
Looks like my current screen is too wide for the garage so will have to down size to have a dedicated room!
What size is your screen.
Want to fill the wall (IMAX style)
 
Ive got a 100" screen and it has just a few inches space either side. the screen casing is almost an exact fit. Electric and drops down in from of the window.
 

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