Attic addition Home theater (1 Viewer)

[samsdad]

I am in the process of finishing my attic into two different spaces. One will be a bedroom (who really cares) Next will be my home theater. After reading on this and other forums I am worried about my space for the theater.


The room measures 16 feet wide X 13 feet to the stairwell and 16 feet to the next wall (projector will be placed approx 15 feet from the wall/screen X Ceiling is flat at 8 feet tall and is 9 feet x 16 feet with angled walls on either side.



My issues include:


I want seating for at least eight (two rows)?


Type of projector considered is the Optoma HD66? Suggestions please


Screen is either a pull down (to start) or motorized pull down (later?)


My sound system is being handled through my expert neighbor.


Any suggestions, pics, issues, experiences, etc...



Thanks,


Rookie home theater person/ 20 year Mechanical Engineer

 

[Jim Mcc]

The room is big enough for a projector, but I don't see how you'll be able to seat 8 people. It's hard to picture though, without seeing at least a picture. The main problem is having 2 rows in a 16' length. You're an engineer for goodness sakes. The front row would probably have to be about 9' from screen(way too close). My room is 17' long and I only have 1 row. We have portable seating for occasional extra people.

The HD66 is a good choice, but you should consider buying a 1080p projector. The Optoma HD20 is about $850. Are you going to ceiling mount projector?

 

[Phil Taylor]

With a 1080p projector 9' would not necessarily be "way too close" - IMHO. The "rule" is 1.5 times screen width - but that isn't written in stone. I'm sitting 7' from my 7' wide screen and don't see pixels ... YMMV. The closer you sit the bigger the picture seems - and until you see pixels or screen-door-effect it's all good.

 

[Robert_J]

Originally Posted by samsdad Really, post some details so we can at least make sure you are heading in the right direction for your audio as well.


Why not a fixed screen? They are usually cheaper and provide a better picture since they are flatter.

 

[samsdad]

First I was at a local home theater store today (Hometheaterexteme in richmond virginias west end) and we used there furniture with a similar projector and were able to fit 8 seats ata 20 degree angle to the wall with a center aisle and two rows. I noticed no pixelation until I was 6.5 feet to the viewers eye distance away. This research is done because I am an Engineer...instead of trusting someone who can only tell me I am wrong without testing it...


As far as my neighbor... He has been in the audio business buying and selling high end audio systems for twenty years. We are taolking 5,000.00 pairs of speakers and rebuilding tube amps etc... So Looking at his past jobs I can attest to his expertise.


As far as the suggestions on the upgrading of the HD66 to a HD20? Is this only due to it being the 1080P (though that is a good reason)? I am only interested in learning.


Thanks for the input. Picture to come soon.

 

[Jim Mcc]

The HD20 is a better projector, not only because it's 1080p. At this point in time, and the prices of 1080p projectors less than $900, it's a mistake not to consider a 1080p.

Don't let your expert neighbor talk you into super expensive audio products, which in turn may hurt your projector budget.

Originally Posted by samsdad As far as the suggestions on the upgrading of the HD66 to a HD20? Is this only due to it being the 1080P (though that is a good reason)?

 

[Robert_J]

Originally Posted by samsdad

As far as my neighbor... He has been in the audio business buying and selling high end audio systems for twenty years. We are taolking 5,000.00 pairs of speakers and rebuilding tube amps etc... So Looking at his past jobs I can attest to his expertise.

That's good but I'm still interested in what a guy who is probably a 2 channel expert suggests for home theater. What speakers have you auditioned? If you have a chance to listen to speakers before buying, then do it. Everyone hears differently so specifications of 45 hz to 20,000 hz can be meaningless if you don't like the way a speaker sounds. Sub choice is usually a balancing act among your goals, your budget and the size of the enclosure you are willing to live with. I'm a big fan of building my own speakers from proven designs. You can get a great result that is comparable to speakers your friend sells at a fraction of the price. You just have to give up your time to build them.


Finally, 'high end" means different things to different people. I'm a budget guy but had a chance to listen to a high end system that was un-real. The speakers retailed for $55,000 a pair and they were powered by mono block amps that retailed for over $40,000 each. He had just set up a turn table (don't call it a record player) that had to have been in the $20,000 range. The platter was 35 pounds of milled aluminum. The pre-amp stage was on stored in a different housing separate from the moving parts. These speakers are used by musicians like Paul Schaefer (David Letterman show) and Danny Carey (drummer for Tool).