How Big to Get the WOW Factor?

Nokmondoo

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Hi all, I've had my heart set on a Pj for years now and I've finally been given the go ahead from the misses.

I have a 42" Panny PHD set into my chimney brest and I'm going to be installing an electric screen that will drop down over the plasma when in use.

From the Pj lens to screen I will only have between 9' - 9'6"so after doing some research it would seem the biggest image I can get will be around 83" diag. Looking at Optoma HD65 or similar.

Would a 83" screen be a big enough jump in size to give me (and everyone else) a WOW when it comes down?

I was hoping for to get a 95" or so screen but it would seem this won't be possible.

What do you guys think? 83" big enough? :thumbsup:
 
You will absolutely get the wow factor from the HD65 as you will with most 720p projectors if you have never had one before. I have the HD65 and use it mostly to view Blu Ray and everyone who has come to visit has been knocked out. For the price it is hard to beat. Of course there are better PJ's out there and the market is moving quickly and away from 720p and concentrating on 1080p almost exclusively.

You are not really far away from 1080p price wise if you are considering the HD65 and I would consider stretching your finances a little further and looking at 1080p as I would imagine that in a year or so you wont even find a 720p projector on the market. Good luck with your decision and you wont be disappointed in the HD65 if this is what you choose, its a cracking little PJ for the money.

Just be aware that many people suffer from the rainbow effect with this projector. I saw it to at the start but my eyes adjusted to it and it no longer affects me.
 
:smashin: How big a screen do you use? I know I'll love the Pj experience, my bro's got one in his loft with a 73" screen which is big enough because you are sat so close to it.

I just hope 83" is big enough from 9' away!

(1,000 post :clap:)
 
Yes you will get a WOW as it is 4 times the screen area of your 42" tv.

But if you are going to be watching from around 8ft or so as Ronan has said consider a 1080p machine. A HD200x it's only a couple of hundred quid or so more and the extra resolution (with blu-ray and some 1080p games) would certainly be noticeable at that distance.
 
Yes, and no doubt.

I have a 40" LCD and a 80" projector screen, and I get that wow factor every time i watch a film on it. Saying that i want more!!!
 
I have a 92 inch screen and will be looking to upgrade to 1080p sometime this year.
 
Go on the projectorpoint website and they have a very good tool for screen sizes with each machine.

I have gone for an epson 3500 which at your 9'6 distance would give c 97" screen. Possibly a bit expensive though at £1300

The sanyo is supposed to be pretty good too at c £1000. lcd and 1080p. It also has a big zoom so will project a much bigger picture at your throw distance.

Sounds funny but could you knock a bit of the wall out where you are putting the projector. I was considering this but did not need to in the end. you would need to leave some ventilation around it though.

They say optimal screen size is c 2.4 to 3 times screen height or 1.5 times screen width.

Have not got mine yet but my tip would be to go big, very big. I have yet to see anyone say there screen is too big.
 
I am happy with 84" when I have a 32" TV under the screen. If I had a 42", then I would want 96"-120" if space allowed it.
 
It'll still look good at that size. Obviously have the biggest you can, but if 80 is as big as you can get then that's that. If you look at your tv and imagine 4 of those screens together, that's what it'll look like.
 
I am happy with 84" when I have a 32" TV under the screen. If I had a 42", then I would want 96"-120" if space allowed it.

Yeh thats what I was hoping for when I set my heart on a Pj - 100 inches of goodness, so when the Optoma's came back on the calc at 83" I was a bit miffed.

However, I've noticed some of the the others, ie, Sanyo Z series have a lot more zoom and would give me 100".
 
Don't feel too miffed, after a projector upgrade I could just about squeeze an 84" (80" viewable) screen in my tiny gaming/movie room, the difference in size between it and my old 68" is quite amazing, a lot more than I was expecting tbh.

Going from a 42" will be something else.

Of course if you sit further back 100" is nicer still.
 
We've got a 92" with viewing distance of about 3.5m, and absolutely has a wow factor. I'd say 100" from 9ft away would possibly be too big actually - 83" will probably be about right

In fact, just plugged 9ft and 83" into this calculator...

Viewing Distance Calculator


You'll be bang on optimum for the THX recommended viewing angle :clap:
 
I sit around 10ft from my 84"screen and find it great and it dwarfs my 42"Plasma so take the plunge.:)
 
I sit around 10ft from my 84"screen and find it great and it dwarfs my 42"Plasma so take the plunge.:)

My TV is like a postage stamp at the same distance. I have started watching stuff on the TV and then had to switch to the PJ as it is just too small. My favourite Sci Fi TV is essential PJ use but even stuff like House and CSI is better.
 
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It's really all down to how far away you sit. I sit 4.5m from the screen. I have a 100" screen, and it looks impressive. It's exactly four times the screen area of my 50" Pioneer plasma.
 
Have to say that I don't get the "wow" with the equivalent of a 120" screen. Being fair though, that's all we've had for nearly 3 years now, so now it's normal for us. Just when we go to see friends, see their 50" plasma and think "that's small".
 

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