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Starting New Project

post #1 of 21
1/15/12 at 4:04pm
Thread Starter 
Ok, so thank you to the response about the metal cieling. Not going that way, going sheetrock after I load the cieling with wires, a future conduit & R-21 for noise reduction. I pulled the temp plastic sheeting down to get passed the christmas holiday now it is time to start with the provisions for the home theatre / man cave.

I prepped the cieling and walls for a 7:1 surround, going to be 5:1 for now. Ran 2-HDMI cables & a 3-Wire Component cables form blue jeans, seemed like the right thing to do, since I still have a old DVD player & HD for the cable TV.

Still need some more advice, I believe at this point I am going with the Vivitek 1081, 2000 lumens, 1920x1080
16:9 5000-1 contrast, keystone +/- 30' cieling mount.

And either a 109" or 120" pull down screen. main seating will be about
13-0' from screen so the 109" is probablly the way I'll go? All together about $1,200.00.

Any thoughts about the projector, or a better way to go for the money?

Sheetrock starts in 8-days.

Thanks
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post #2 of 21
1/15/12 at 5:16pm
I'm wondering why you chose that projector? What is your projector budget?
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post #3 of 21
1/15/12 at 6:24pm
Thread Starter 
I figured from my research that I should get at least 2000lumens, HDMI, 1080, 1920x1080, quiet, DLP, &keystone correction since the lense will be about flush with top of screen.

I originally wanted the Viewsonic 8200, but I found out it needed to be 16" above the screen, ain't happening in a 8'-0" basement.

Your thoughts?
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post #4 of 21
1/15/12 at 6:25pm
Thread Starter 
Oh yeah. $1,000.00 budget
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post #5 of 21
1/16/12 at 1:22am
I don't know where you read you need 2,000 lumens, but that's wrong. That's way more than you need. The Vivitek H1081 may not work for you either. With a 13' throw distance(lens to screen) the image will be between 94" - 112" diagonal, so it will be very close. And the image offset is 16" also. The H1081 would need to be 16" above screen if ceiling mounted. How tall is your ceiling? You could tilt the projector up slightly and use keystone correction, OR buy an LCD with lens shift.
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post #6 of 21
1/16/12 at 3:25am
Thread Starter 
Actually, on the lumens I asked around and a few (non - professionals ) said oh you need at least 2000 lumens and 1080 hdmi. Or that sounds great, any projector you buy will be really nice. Ugh... As I know with other hobbies that the guys like yourself are going to be more helpful. When I have been shopping on line I have not always seen the hieght difference between the screen and the len or even the lens shift.

Cieling 8'-0"... Preferablly I don't want to point projector up.

So, lens shift & LCD..... Like and Optoma HD33 or the Epson 3010 around $1,500.00. Hmmmm..... Thats why the big store carries those brands and type.

Please tell me more....I am an apprentice at this, but would like to install a system like I had a clue what I was doing.
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post #7 of 21
1/16/12 at 11:13am
The Optoma HD33 is DLP, not LCD. With an 8' ceiling, you should not have to angle projector up. It depends on where you want the screen on the wall(height). Your first decision is whether you want LCD or DLP. Go view each type if possible. I'm a DLP fan.
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post #8 of 21
1/17/12 at 10:31am
Thread Starter 
After More researrch and hours on comparing online..... I want a $1,000.00 projector, black in color, 1080p, 2000+ lumens so my kids & I can play xbox & wii with lights on. And then turn the lights off or real low for a cinema style movie, Mountable 7-9" above top of screen, throw distance 13-0"
pretty much set on a 109" screen otherwise I might as well hold out and buy a LCD TV that is 60"?

The best thing I can find and I wish it had a manual focus, I would buy the Optoma GT750 with what I know today.

Now, on projector centrals sight of review the projectors like optoma HD66 2000 lumens , and HD20 1700 lumens show rainbows potentially....Does anybody have experiance with any those for mentioned projectors?....This is a start-up project, so maybe under $1,000.00 is ok with upgrading later if it is something my family really likes.
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post #9 of 21
1/17/12 at 12:50pm
If you're going to have the lights on, I would not buy a projector. Buy the largest TV you can afford.
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post #10 of 21
1/17/12 at 1:28pm

The Optoma GT750 is a gaming projector with a native resolution of 1280x800, it is NOT 1080p.

 

I am also of the belief that "black" is not a criteria that should be used in selecting a projector.

 

Jamie, your list of requirements is pretty long and some elements of it are contradictory.  You want it to work well with the lights on AND off, yet you want to keep it under $1k.  You say you want DLP, but your room geometry and placement restrictions SCREAM that LCD is better suited to your room.  You are concerned with brightness (as you should be if lights on/lights off is the operating environment) yet you keep referring to the rated lumen output, rather than the "real world" calibrated values that all the review sites mention in their detailed review (i.e. you NEVER get the actual lumen output, and in fact, what you DO get varies widely across manufacturers).

 

I tend to agree with Jim Mcc - if "lights on" XBox/Wii usage is going to be the norm, and movies a secondary consideration, then you're better off going with a TV so that you can maximize your gaming experience.  I would say the opposite to someone who wanted a cinema experience first and gaming second.  Besides, Wii is not HD, and doesn't look nearly as good blown up to large sizes (I've played on my 96" screen and was pretty disappointed with the blockiness).

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post #11 of 21
1/17/12 at 2:07pm
Thread Starter 
Honestly, I know enough about this to be dangerous. I spent 2-hours looking at you-tube video's, keeping track of the projector species and noting the quality of the light on the projector.

I might be mistaken on my requirements, I can plumb or build just about anything, Home theater a whole new concept.

Let's leave the Wii out of the picture no pun intended smile.gif I threw out the kitchen sink to get a response back, Thank you....Sheet rock is going up next week so I need to land where this thing is going to live.

I can play x-box in the dark right?

I want a nice clean picture for movies, my first priority is watching Transformers when I am done, deadliest catch and maybe some other TV show's.

I thought I could play Wii, xbox , watch movies all on the same machine......Oops.

So here is what I have to deal with 8'-0" cieling, 13-0 seating, projector right above a good idea? I have been told I should get 1080p & HDMI hook-ups, I already installed the HDMI & the 3-Wire VGA cords. Want a 109" screen, talked myself out of a 120"

So, what do you suggest? Optoma HD20, HD66 or ?
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post #12 of 21
1/17/12 at 3:27pm
Thread Starter 
Would LCD prevent rainbows, or why wouldLCD be better?
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post #13 of 21
1/17/12 at 5:45pm
Thread Starter 
Ok, so now I just visited a store with the projector pointed up in the air. I checked projector central and found it is suppose to be 18" above the screen at 109"diag. It was about 3" below top of screen.Uuummm. Is this something that can be done with all projectors with a downward projection. Picture looked descent. Maybe my choices are not so limited?
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post #14 of 21
1/17/12 at 6:51pm
You have A LOT of homework to do. First off, don't waste your time trying to choose a projector by watching You Tube. Yes, you can play XBox in the dark. When the projector is on the room will not be "dark". There will be enough light in the room to see. If you must, the best lighting to have in a room with a projector is recessed ceiling can lights on dimmers. These can be dimmed down and the image will still look good. Rainbows are only possible with DLP projectors, for a very small % of people. You won't know until you view one. And the faster the color wheel speed, the better. Yes, all projectors can be angled up to raise image. You then use keystone correction to shape the image properly. The video purists will tell you not to do this because it will degrade the image, but I disagree. I use 2 clicks of keystone with my DLP and there is no noticeable difference. If you buy an LCD with lens shift, you won't have to worry about angling the projector to align image. Go to Projectorcentral.com and Projectorreviews.com and read up.

I assume you know you will need a receiver and speakers for sound?
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post #15 of 21
1/17/12 at 10:25pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks for your help Jim Mcc.

The build to date: back wall where screen goes 15.5' wide x 8.0' tall. Rear surround speaker wires at head level, rear rear speaker wires in cieling, center channel good, and front speaker wires coming out of wall 2.0 above ground left and right of screen, so I am prepped for a 7:1. I am going against the grain, ( imagine that ) my reciever and components are going on a shelf under the screen max. hieght of 2.0' subwoofer right along the shelf pointing out towards seating.

Speaker Wire came from electrical supplier 14g red & black in yellow sheath, also ran a extra wire to the 4 corner speakers, (never know).

Seating again about 13.0' back from screen 1.0' in front of rear speakers.
As mentioned earlier HDMI, & empty conduit ran to where the projector will live.

The projector I saw today had a nice picture with the raised lens,( I can live with that). It was a Mitsubishi MC3800 & bonus it was black.
I am kinda of a freak with everything matching in color. It stems back to my childhood or earlier, I never mixed colors with my Legos.
My cieling will be a medium brown with black can lights 17 of them all on dimmers, (that was not cheap). Want to get a pulldown screen with a black housing as well.

Now for the next few hours or so I am going to stuff the joists with some of that yellow cotton candy.

You get my humor?, I was kidding about playing xbox in the dark. I already do that with my little 36" Sony.
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post #16 of 21
1/17/12 at 11:01pm
Don't put your components up front unless it is ABSOLUTELY necessary. All the lights on the components will be distracting, and having them in the rear will allow shorter cable runs to the projector. You cannot use a 7.1 system in a room with only 1 foot between seating and rear speakers. You need at least 4' behind the seating. I have the Mits. HC3800 and love it, and you will too.

Is the HC3800 you're buying new? Because I didn't think new ones were around anymore.
Edited by Jim Mcc - 1/18/12 at 12:22pm
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post #17 of 21
1/18/12 at 1:14pm
Thread Starter 
The lay out of the speakers is like a rectangle, Lets say the Front speakers are centered on the projector wall at 0' & 10' apart, then the rear surround are at 15' & on the wall head hieght with about 17' in between, the rear rear if I can called them that #6,#7 are at 17'-6" and 8'-0" apart.

Then seating is a couch centered facing the screen with heads sitting at about 13'-0" back from line 0', I checked out the dolby site before I landed my wires. So, I believe I am pretty close.

Then back to projectors, the Mitsubishi is to be sold as used with low hours. I found them on amazon for about $1,100.00 I went to projector central and read the reviews for it, as well as the Viewsonic pro8200 which is $799.00, less than what the dude with the used Mits. wants to charge me.

Review vs review I sense about the same qualities between the Viewsonic and the Mitsubishi, besides price. The less money I spend the happier my household. Is there any reason not to buy the Viewsonic, like service or parts,or quality of construction?
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post #18 of 21
1/18/12 at 8:59pm
I know of no reason not to buy the Viewsonic. It's a great deal at $799 brand NEW. I would not buy a used projector. Make sure it will work with your throw dstance and screen size.
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post #19 of 21
1/24/12 at 8:22pm
Thread Starter 
Ok, so I know I need a reciever for the audio/sound system . I found the Onkyo site that has refurbed packages 7.1 that fit the budget. Is there anything that I should be aware of. The last surround system I bought was a shelf system back 15 yrs ago. frown.gif I again feel clueless as to how to wire or what to buy. Without really thinking about it, I figured the cable box, and the DVD, would go into the reciever then to the projector through the HDMI cable for picture. The reciever then would send the audio from what ever it recieves and send it out to the speakers.

Here is my really dumb question.

Does the reciever have anything to do with picture or picture quality signal going to the projector?
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post #20 of 21
1/25/12 at 12:14am
Are you asking what receiver to buy, or do you need a receiver and speakers? You should ask about a receiver in that section. I'm not up on the new receiver models. Make sure you buy one that has enough HDMI inputs for all your equipment, and that it decodes the HD codecs(Dolby True HD, DTS-HD, etc).
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post #21 of 21
1/25/12 at 6:01am

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by apprentice View Post

Does the reciever have anything to do with picture or picture quality signal going to the projector?


Most of the time, no.  However, as with so many things Home Theater, the devil's in the details.

 

All modern digital projectors are "fixed pixel" displays - which means ANY video signal that is displayed must first be converted to a resolution that matches the native resolution of the projector.

 

All projectors are capable of upconverting incoming signals, most A/V receivers can upconvert signals (check the product literature to make sure it will convert all the way to 1080p) and most HD sources have options for you to set the output resolution.

 

So where should the conversion take place?

 

The general rule of thumb is that it is often best (but this is not guaranteed) to have the source device do whatever conversion is necessary for the display.  This helps ensure that once the signal leaves the source, it remains unchanged the rest of the way down the chain.  So with a 1080p projector, set your cable box to output 1080p, set your Blu-Ray player to output 1080p, and set your upconverting DVD player to 1080p (or 1080i if that's all it's capable of).

 

To the best of my knowledge, the recent generations of A/V receivers from the popular manufacturers (Denon, Onkyo, Yamaha, Pioneer, Marantz...) will all pass through a 1080p signal without doing any signal processing whatsoever.  It's helpful to download manuals from the web for any model you're considering purchasing to read and verify this.

 

If you have non-HD devices (like a Nintendo Wii), then you can't set the source to output anything higher than 480p and conversion has to be done somewhere else. In cases like this, it's often recommended to try it both ways and see which device does a better job with the upconversion. If you can't tell a difference, then it doesn't really matter.  Oh, and it should be noted that not all receivers will convert analog sources to output via HDMI.  If your receiver doesn't, then your only option is the projector.

 

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