Wife is concerned that 100" might be too much screen! Anyone agree or have opinion? (1 Viewer)

As we are going to be buying our projector this weekend, I was showing my wife in the new room how big the screen I am thinking about getting was on the wall. She is concerned thinking it is going to be too big for the room. I told her that many other people on this forum has them that big and even bigger. We are graduating from a 50" rear projection. Does anyone else have a similar set up with a screen that big or bigger? Even though she is leaving the decision to me, I would like her to see some other examples. My room is as follows:

Going with either Sanyo Z2 or Panasonic L500
Room is 14' wide by 15' deep
Seating will be three rows on tier floor 8' - 11' and 14' I do realize the 8' is a bit close that will be used as extra seating if needed a total of 12 seats in all.
Complete control of lighting
Almost all DVD's being played
Buying a Carada screen

Any opinions would be appreciated, I value them all. I would have not been able to complete this room without everyones help here.

As you both age and your eyes start to get well not so good. You appreciate screen size more and more.


100" that should do ya til death do you both part....

Do not, I repeat, not listen to your wife in this matter. Size matters. Personally, I'd go with a 110".

For a 14' X 15' Room, 100" might seem a bit too much for some....

I have a 100" screen in a 16 X 21 room - seems perfect to me and according to anyone who's seen it - (maybe 25 people).

Ceiling height also comes into play, particularly in consideration of your seating plans.

If you have one level of seating (I have stadium seating - 2 levels), and your ceiling height is about 7 '8" or higher, you should be fine with about a 92" screen.

Good luck!

I wrote a great (at least I thought so!) response, and then the server ate it. Here's a 2nd attempt.

You're talking about a 100" diagonal 16:9 screen, right? That works out to a screen width of 87".

I've got everything temporarily set up in a spare bedroom that is about 13'x16'. I'm using an 84" wide screen (16:9)

With your screen 87" wide, and having your primary seating at 11' back, that puts your ratio of seating distance to screen width just over 1.5, which I think is probably just fine, although there are some things to consider.

You want to consider if you will notice or be bothered by screen door structure at that distance. I don't know anything about the digital projectors your looking at, but hopefully either you've seen it and know your not bothered at that ratio of seating distance, or someone else who has one can comment. I've got a CRT, so I don't have screen door to worry about, but I do have scan lines. I don't see them at my seating distance and have to get quite a bit closer before it becomes a problem.

I think probably at 8' people will see screen door, and that may be a problem, although maybe that front row won't be used much? Overall, I don't think I would go any wider than 87", and maybe I'd even drop it down to 80-84" wide to avoid any screen door problems, but that's gonna be your call.

Here's a fun little figure showing some seating distances and screen widths:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attac...640&fullpage=1

And here's the thread (at AVSForum) where it came from:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...hreadid=358225

Matt

I have a 100" 4x3 screen and seats 12 feet away. I don't see any screen door even from 8 feet away, but I am using a DLP projector. After getting the screen, I wavered on whether I should exchange it for the next size down, but finally decided to keep it and to just reduce the image size for certain things. If I planned to have people sit between 8 and 10 feet away, I'd go with the next smaller size.

My wife says you can never go back to a smaller screen once you are used to a big one. It's not too big.

My room is 11' wide x 15' long and I have a 96" screen that feels very comfortable. Go for it.

Curt:

With front projection the largest sized screen that you can go for your room is what you want. It gives you the biggest impact.

I would try to make some sort of mock up before you purchase it though. Get the overall dimensions of the frame that the screen is wrapped around and see if you can cut some cardboard out or similar and put this up on your wall. If it looks too big with you sitting back about where you are going to set then you can always go with the next smaller screen.

The only thing I would add is that even if the screen seems too big initially, you will quickly get use to the size and it won't seem so big anymore.

I've yet to see a post that says someone traded their big screen for something smaller because it was just too big.

Having said that, picture quality at your seating distances is certainly a very important consideration.

JimmyK

I have the Z2 and at first I was in awe of my 98" diagonal screen. With less than 100 hours on the screen I am wanting to go larger. I went with MDF with Misty Evening paint so I am only out $50 or less if I scrap it for a larger screen. My problem is that I would need a longer DVI cable which is difficult to find and very expensive for long lengths. This limitation is what is keeping me from going larger and you may have to take something like this into consideration. DVI blows component out of the water. No comparison.

Based on my experience with an NEC LT150 projector and an 80" X 45" screen I suggest a viewing distance of not less than 2 times the screen width.

Randy,

How far back are you from your screen? At what distance can you see screen door? I made the decision last night and I ended up buying the Sanyo Z2! I bought it sight unseen, because there is NOBODY in or even close to my area that sells the unit so I could not preview it. Based on the reviews and everyones input that has one, I won't have to worry that I will like it or not.

Just my 2 cents-- My room is very similar in size (11.5x15.5) and I plan on a 92" dia. 16:9 screen. Seating at about 10 to 12 feet back. Now, based on my impression from LOTS of sources (forums, projector central, magazines) the Sanyo Z2 or Panny L500 are the least expensive projectors that will negate screen door from LCD from a viewing distance as close as 7 or 8 Ft. on a 100" dia. screen. I personally don't like to see the pixel structure thus my sceen size choice. Really, it's what you're comfortable with. I borrowed a presentation projector from work just to give myself some idea of what size I would like. 1.5 the sceen width was right for me.

I would await arrival of the projector and then project an image on a blank wall. Go up to the picture close enough to see the pixels. Then back away to the point at which the pixels disappear from view. Measure that distance and the width of the projected image. Apply that ratio to your planned viewing distance and you'll have the width screen you can support without incurring the screen door artifact. The less SDE, the more convincing the image will be.

Curt, my theater is 16' deep. I have two rows of seating, front row is at 9' from the screen with the back at 12. My screen size is 80" diagonal. That's 1.35x for the front row and 1.8x for the back.

I'm thinking 100" at 8' is going to border on un-watchable. That's less then a 1:1 ratio.

As Guy stated, test your screen size before you buy one. You can also make one for about $50 if your so inclined.


Peace Out~

Thanks for all the suggestions. Once I get the projector, I will try it on the wall first. What should I use as a backdrop seeing how my walls are a darker grey?

Also thank you Bob for your opinion on the Panasonic. I was waivering on getting it over the Sanyo but....because there is such a SLIGHT difference in image quality (based on projector central review)on the Panasonic, the better 3 year warranty to me is a much more important factor then the small difference in image quality. Both units have their strong points. Also, most places I talked to said they would be selling the Panasonic at $2000- $2100. It was a tough choice.

HDTV looks O.K. at 1X. DVD on my Bravo D1 looks good at about 1.25X. I don't like EDTV or SDTV on the PJ. It is a waste of bulb life.

The thing that pushed me toward the Z2 over the 500 is lens shift.

I sit at about 1.5X

Curt, don't bother with a back drop, just hit the wall with the image and see what size will work with your seating arrangement. Even if your wall is dark gray, you'll still be able to see the image.


Peace Out~

never too big unless your sitting too close.

bigger is better.