HT Room Design questions - Any veterans out there?

I am starting the initial stages of my planning for my HT, and had some questions about room size, seating positions, and screen size.. I dug through mounds and mounds of information and still am a bit confused on how to calculate some of the optimal dimensions for my HT.

I have the fortune of being quite flexible in sizing, as I am adding on the theater, so I can adjust walls accordingly before building it.

My initial rough design is a HT room approximately 10ft tall, 14ft wide, and 18ft long (20ft with ~2ft baffle wall, so the front mains are recessed to screen level).

I will be putting in a wood floor, and the finished height of the room will be 10ft, (+- about 1ft, as needed).

My questions specifically, are how can I determine, assuming an 18ft long room thats 14ft wide, what the optimal screen size, DLP projector (and position) and seating position will be.

Is there anyone that has a room approximately this size out there? Do you feel that the room is too wide, not wide enough, or just right?

What would some decent DLP projectors be that would have the proper throw for this room without being directly over the viewing position (dont want a cooling fan blowing in my face while watching a movie)?

What size screen would fit properly in here? I think that 108" is a good size, but its hard to visualize what these sizes would look like in reality.

Im not expecting anyone to sit around and answer all these questions, but if anyone has some decent reference materials I can review to help me answer these questions, I would be forever in your debt.

Re: HT Room Design questions - Any veterans out there?

My theater is 12.5' wide, 20' deep and 10' high (I wish it were 18' wide and 25' deep).

The first step is to decide seating distances. I have my first row of seating at about 13' and the second row at about 19' (on a 12" riser). I have the projector (Panny 700U) on a shelf on the back wall (about 7.5' high - aligned with the top of the screen). I'm projecting a 126" image and love it.

Since you're about 2' shorter in length, I'd shoot for seating of 11' - 12' and 17' - 18'. Most will tell you that you shouldn't have the rear seating right up against the back wall for sound accuracy reasons (which is why I wish my room were deeper), but we all have to make sacrifices and to tell the truth, I can't notice any difference when I'm sitting back there (although my seat is in the front row).

108" would be an OK size for that seating distance, but I'd probably bump it up a bit (nobody ever wishes they went smaller).

Most DLP projectors will allow for positioning of anywhere between 14' and all the way to the back wall, but you'll want to find out for your specific projector. Mine's about 3.5 years old and I haven't researched current projectors in awhile.

I have 3 recliners in the front row (and an aisle) and 4 in the back (the 4 in the back are exactly 12.5' wide). The reason I wish the room was wider, is so that I could have 2 rows of 4 with room for an aisle on each side, but obviously that's not mandatory. Also keep in mind that a row of 4 seats will vary in width depending on the seats you choose.

I'd also reconsider the hardwood flooring unless you plan to use a few throw rugs. Wood flooring can play havoc on sound. Carpet and pad sounds much better.

I like the projector on the back wall because it's out of the way (nobody even notices it until the movie starts) and also allows me to use a black ceiling fan in the center of the room which comes in handy during Texas summers.

Make several sketches of what you want and where everything will be (including locations of speakers - 7.1). When you get the basic shell of the room finished, you can always tape up various screen sizes and see what you like.

Go Green.

Re: HT Room Design questions - Any veterans out there?

thanks for the great information. On a note of clarification, I am building a wood subfloor with carpet, not a hardwood floor. I think that a wood floor has a couple advantages.

A) Sound. Concrete I would think would absorb just about everything.
B) Cabling. I can put lift panels along one side, and drop new cabling into the floor later if I need to add something.
C) Temperature Control. In Michigan, ground freezes and concrete conducts the coldness into the room really well. Putting a wood subfloor with some space helps insulate between the floor and the concrete.

Re: HT Room Design questions - Any veterans out there?

A. Not 100% true. I have carpet over concrete but I can still feel a tactile sensation from my subs. But I do have more than enough subs to completely pressurize the room.

C. Absolutely. The rest of my house is tile and hardwood over concrete. It keeps the house much cooler in the summer. The theater room needs the AC running much sooner than the rest of the house.

I use a Panasonic 900U and a 103" DIY screen. The front row is 12' from the screen. The projector is about 22' from the screen mouted in a similar fashion as Kevin's above. The Panasonic has a very good zoom lens so distance is not a factor in most rooms.

-Robert

Re: HT Room Design questions - Any veterans out there?

Robert, thanks for the info. On (C), In michigan I am more concerned with retaining heat, not avoiding it, but same concept.

Gotta retain the heat in a place with 9 months of winter.

Re: HT Room Design questions - Any veterans out there?

Gotta retain the cool in a place with 9 months of summer! I just spoke with my coworker in Detroit and as usual compared the weather. We're 90 and humid. They are 50's and cool. I'd trade in a heartbeat.

Really, the carpet over concrete isn't an issue if you have enough sub. Not only do I feel the vibrations, I can feel the pressure wave from the subs. I should have my four 18's installed in a few weeks so it should be even better.

-Robert

Re: HT Room Design questions - Any veterans out there?

If you don't have enough sub you could always get basshakers.