Newbie positioning question and general advice

[Chain]

Hey. I'm doing some DIY in a month and, eventually, we'll be looking to get a projector in the lounge. This will likely be towards the end of this year, so quite a way off.

As I'm doing a suspended ceiling over part of the new lounge, I think now would be a good time to get the screen in place. I'm looking at the PC106MET 106" CinemaScope 2:35, which has a viewable width of 248cm. I will be buying in the next day or two. Before doing so though, I'd like to confirm it would work in my room given to get the required throw length, I'd have to mount the screen off centre.

This is what I'm looking at doing:

The actual projector will depend on several things, but given my requirements for a reasonable throw and lense shift, I've worked it out on the basis of an Epson EH-TW2900 / 3500 or a Panny AE3000/4000.

I've planned a 15cm gap behind the projector, and 10cm on the side (based on the 30cm depth of the Panny, but the increased throw of the deeper Epson counters that, so to all intents and purposes both should be very similar at this range).

With a throw of 355cm, I can get a 248cm width without maxing out wide angle (which I'm trying to avoid). However, I'll be offset horizontally by 36cm. I believe I'm OK doing this, as the Panny for example can have a 40% offset which in my case would be 99cm. I've gone through the maths several times but wanted to check with the experts here that everything would be fine.

I've no idea of the vertical offset at this time as I don't know the drop of the screen, but I can be pretty flexible vertically so it shouldn't be so much to significantly impair the horizontal shift.

Thanks so much for the time, if I'm doing anything stupid here please let me know

Matt

 

[swiftpete]

If it was me I would buy the projector first, project the image onto the wall til you're happy with the size/position, then measure that and buy and fit a screen to suit. From personal experience, the tables and calculators that you can use should give you a good idea whether something will work or not, but until you fit the projector and turn it on, you don't know exactly how the picture is going to look and how big you're going to get it/want it.

 

[Chain]

Thanks Pete. That's definitely sound advice

I'm purchasing the screen a long time before the PJ as with the lowered ceiling being built shortly, it makes sense to get it all tidied away at the same time. The size is dictated by a combination of factors; I can't spend too much on a screen and there's very little in the way of 2.35:1 screens in my price bracket. Beamax have a few but at smaller sizes.

My friend has a 84" 16:9 screen with the same seating distance to me and it's brilliant; a 106" 2.35:1 has the same height, so I'm pretty sure the size is perfect (though I'll have to get LCD rather than DLP).

The 106" is a good fit as long as the offset I need is viable. I need to find out more about any required vertical offset as well, as I can mount the PJ either upside down or on a shelf, but it's not convenient to have it at the same height as the screen midpoint.

Any further advice is appreciated

Thanks,

Matt

 

[st tech1]

I ahve just got the epson 3500. It is a great bit of kit.

Bear in mind it has huge lense shift but not to the maxes in both direction at the same time. ie. you cannot do 100% down and 50% left/right at the same time.

Mine is c36cm right and up on a shelf as high as it will go(normal ceiling height) and I have it on a 106" 16:9 with c330cm throw and it does that no probs. If I open zoom up it will go to about 248cm wide.

So you will be fine

 

[Chain]

Thats's brilliant, thanks! I'll order the screen and start saving my pennies