Recommended viewing distance: Projector to Screen

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Are there any reliable charts or guidelines to estimate what the best viewing distance is, in relation to display size on the screen?
For example if I have a 120" picture and I sit too close the accuracy and details worsen as more artifact are noticeable. But if I sit too far that would defeat the whole purpose of having a projector to enjoy a big picture.
I was wondering if you guys could provide any trusted guidelines to achieve a seamless picture with a good balance of size and picture quality. Thank you.
 
In a commercial cinema, the seating can range from two times the screen height to four times the screen height, so a good starting point would be around 3xSH

THX recommend 2.4x SH as the 'optimal' for immersion and image quality, and 3.68xSH for the back row, so somewhere in between should be fine - just experiment to see what feels the most comfortable and immersive.

What kind of artifacts do you see when you sit close?
 
In a commercial cinema, the seating can range from two times the screen height to four times the screen height, so a good starting point would be around 3xSH

THX recommend 2.4x SH as the 'optimal' for immersion and image quality, and 3.68xSH for the back row, so somewhere in between should be fine - just experiment to see what feels the most comfortable and immersive.

What kind of artifacts do you see when you sit close?
Artifacts in dark scenes particularly...posterization, contouring, blocking, pixelation, etc.
From further away the picture is clean, but now the experience is slightly less immersive because I am watching the picture from afar
 
By the way, the depth of my room from MLP to screen is not even close to 3 times the screen height, more like 1.5 if I squeeze my back against the wall
 
Dark artifacting can sometimes be down to not having set the brightness control correctly - have you used a test disk to do that?

How tall is your 16:9 image?
 
Dark artifacting can sometimes be down to not having set the brightness control correctly - have you used a test disk to do that?

How tall is your 16:9 image?
I have Disney WOW and brightness is exactly where it needs to be on the test.
The top of the picture to the floor is about 8.5 feet. However the bottom edge of the picture is at 3 feet off the floor
 
i will give you two good examples.
The first one is the Agent Carter logo the second one is the Netflix logo displayed at the beginning of each episode.
From afar, the different color gradations coming out of pure black are smooth and seamless, and cant really tell where one shade of color ends and the next one begins...If I move up closer to the screen, now the color gradations appear for what they really are, a bunch of pixel blocks, and you can clearly see where one color gradation ends and the next one begins, with no smoothness in transition
 

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1.5xSH would probably be fine for a 4k display with 4k source material, but is probably too close using a 1080 pj. You'll probably need it to be closer to 5 or 6 feet tall for that seating distance.

Part of what you may see could be down to low bitrate transmissions. Are BDs better?
 
1.5xSH would probably be fine for a 4k display with 4k source material, but is probably too close using a 1080 pj. You'll probably need it to be closer to 5 or 6 feet tall for that seating distance.

Part of what you may see could be down to low bitrate transmissions. Are BDs better?
Yes, BDs have less artifacts to spot, but even then, it looks as the further away I stand the more natural the picture looks but at the expenses of everything being smaller of course
 
Yup, make it a little smaller each time until things you get it to a point where everything looks OK. Then let me know how tall the image is. :)
That's going to be mentally hard, but I guess I will get used to it once I realize the benefits of "quality over quantity". Less zooming also means a brighter picture, so that is also another deciding factor.
 
Now that I know your screen size, that does go some way to explaining why your image was so dim. 128 square feet requires 1800 lumens to get cinema levels of reflectance. I don't think the Sony has that, so you were getting less.
 
Now that I know your screen size, that does go some way to explaining why your image was so dim. 128 square feet requires 1800 lumens to get cinema levels of reflectance. I don't think the Sony has that, so you were getting less.
Unfortunately not all of us have a dedicated home theater so whatever space we have in our living room that's what we will use. If I plaster my back against the back wall I am barely reaching 1.5Xscreen height, so normally when I sit I am positioned even closer than that while the zoom is maxed out to cover as much as possible of the front wall. Obviously not a good idea
 
Maybe, but you still have to match the lumens to the pj and seating distance to the image size to get good results. Just aiming for the biggest image on the wall isn't always the best approach.
 
Maybe, but you still have to match the lumens to the pj and seating distance to the image size to get good results. Just aiming for the biggest image on the wall isn't always the best approach.
Brightness (Manufacturer Claim)1800
 
These pics were taken with the same Sony model that I have...I'd be happy to achieve even half the pop and brightness:(
 

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Manufacturers claims are often on the high side before any decent video mode is selected or even before the brightness and contrast are set.

1800 would give you 14fL on a new lamp in high mode, and it will get dimmer over time. I think that model actually gives around 1700 before calibration, and 1300 when calibrated to D65, according to Cine4home.

With a 5.5ft tall image, you may find it a bit bright, but hopefully more acceptable than what you have now.
 
So if my zoom is at maximum aperture right now, where should I placed it at?
 
Use a tape measure and just keep zooming smaller until the height is 66 inches tall, and see what that looks like.

Or are you saying the image is zoomed as small as it can go but it's still too big so you have to move the pj closer to get it smaller?
 
No, image is as big as zoom allows. Zoom is to max
 
So can you just zoom it smaller and measure with a tape measure or just get it to a size you like?
 
Gary, I was able to follow some of the picture settings guidelines in the latest projectors review and shrink the picture some, and I am now actually getting some decent vibrancy out of my display, even in 3D mode! I will take measurements later on and post them. The picture doesnt look so dull and life-less anymore:)
 
Reading
Sony VPL-HW45ES Projector Review - Picture Quality 2 - Projector Reviews
made me realize tha there is a Bright Cinema mode, which probably wouldnt work in a light-controlled dedicated home theater with very expensive screen, but it works wonderful on my cheaply painted wall. All I had to do was follow the guidelines to increase Brightness to 53, keep Contrast at 95, use Gamma 2.2 or Gamma 9 (for 3D), Eco mode for 2D and High Lamp mode for 3D
 
Reading
Sony VPL-HW45ES Projector Review - Picture Quality 2 - Projector Reviews
made me realize tha there is a Bright Cinema mode, which probably wouldnt work in a light-controlled dedicated home theater with very expensive screen, but it works wonderful on my cheaply painted wall. All I had to do was follow the guidelines to increase Brightness to 53, keep Contrast at 95, use Gamma 2.2 or Gamma 9 (for 3D), Eco mode for 2D and High Lamp mode for 3D

I tried these settings but it doesn't look right, the image is sharper compared to reference and has that pop but its overly bright and black detail is lost. I'm still running reference with the only change being brightness to 54 to improve black levels.
 

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