Which Screen Size? (1 Viewer)

[Lyman]

aloha from Hawaii - thank you for opening the HT Forum to beginners like myself.

#1: I'm considering the BenQPE8700 on a fixed screen.

1.78 or 1.85 or 2.35 - 1.78 is 16:9 but what about the "Letterbox" and "Cinemascope" formats? As I understand it at 16:9 the "letterbox" will get you top and bottom black bars. How do I get all 3 formats onto one screen? Do I need all 3 sizes in one? Can one screen accomodate all? Should I just do 2.35? or am I missing the point entirely?

#2 - why is it important to lay a wooden sub floor on a concrete slab?

mahalo for listening to this novice and you're all invited to Hawaii upon completion of my HT.

 

[Steve Lucas]

1.78 will accomodate all 3 formats(plus the 4:3 of NTSC TV), but you will get black bars top and bottom on 1.85 and 2.35 formats. The only way to avoid this (other than using the zoom function, which most consider to be a no-no) is with a masking system. You can buy a screen with adjustable masks, but they tend to be quite expensive. Some here have made thier own though. Personally, the top and bottom bars don't bother me. When you get absorbed in a movie they tend to dissapear. Now the side bars on a 4:3 format drive me crazy. That's why I do everything possible to avoid having to watch 4:3 material on my widescreen system. As I understand it, a 1.85 or 2.35 screen isn't a good idea because, for instance, on a 1.85 screen 1.78 movies will not fit (vertically) and on a 2.35 neither 1.78 or 1.85 will fit.

As for the wooden sub floor. I believe it has to do with the quantity and quality of bass, but I'm sure someone lese can explain it much better than I can.

Good luck and enjoy your new system.
Steve

 

[Lyman]

thank you very much Steve and thanks for putting the terminology into terms I can understand. - your reply was very helpful.