Browse Forums Home Theatre & Automation 1 Nov 25, 2009 4:03 pm Hi all! Ok, so I know there are ways to calculate appropriate screen size for a particular size room and a lot of it is very dependant on projector choice; but I basically want to work out what the absolute biggest screen size I can have is, practically of course My theatre room is basically 5.3m deep x 4.5m wide and the screen will be on the narrower wall, I.e. Depth from screen up to 5.3m. I am planning on using an anamorphic lens and installing a fixed 'cinemascope' screen (2.37:1). I calculated that for the room size about a 120inch screen would be 'appropriate'...BUT..I'm thinking of aiming for something like a 160inch screen instead!! Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Again, I realise I'll be limited by projector capability etc but as I'm starting from scratch and building the HT one component at a time, I don't see why that wouldn't be feasible! It would work out to be roughly 3.5m wide by 1.5m high..and I'd therefore position seating at least 3-3.5m back..possibly further. Anyway, long story short - apart from the technical no-nos of it all..are there any reasons why this wouldn't be a good idea?? Look forward to your opinions and advice!! Cheers Adam Re: How big is too big?! 2Nov 26, 2009 8:39 am Speaking from experience, 120" is an excellent size for that room. However, if you really want to push it you could perhaps go 125" - 135", but I honestly think the 135" is definitely too big for a 5m seating distance. Re: How big is too big?! 3Nov 26, 2009 8:54 am BuildingACT I.e. Depth from screen up to 5.3m. I am planning on using an anamorphic lens and installing a fixed 'cinemascope' screen (2.37:1). I calculated that for the room size about a 120inch screen would be 'appropriate'... In the diagram you show viewing angle as being from the back wall (5.3m)? Have you tried it from seating distance i.e. with a couch about 0.5-1.0m in front of the back wall (~4.8m)? Re: How big is too big?! 4Nov 27, 2009 8:46 am Rodda Speaking from experience, 120" is an excellent size for that room. However, if you really want to push it you could perhaps go 125" - 135", but I honestly think the 135" is definitely too big for a 5m seating distance. Hmm...thanks for the response Rodda I was reading somewhere that it's recommended for seating to be a minimum of 2xheight-of-the-picture away...and optimum being about 2.8xheight...based on an apparent optimal viewing angle of 36degrees... On that basis, in theory you could go a fair bit larger...obviously that's theoretical and at the end of the day, 'real-life' experience will dictate...but do you think there is anything to that recommendation (i.e. 36degree viewing angle?) I think it may be the case that once I actually find a projector, i project the image onto the blank wall and play around with the size until i find what works best! EDIT: I just had a look at the THX website and, for home theatre, they recommend a seating distance of "diagonal screen size divided by .84"...so for a 135inch screen, 160inch seating distance or 3.6m...! Be interested to get your thoughts? Re: How big is too big?! 5Nov 27, 2009 8:57 am joeygbh BuildingACT I.e. Depth from screen up to 5.3m. I am planning on using an anamorphic lens and installing a fixed 'cinemascope' screen (2.37:1). I calculated that for the room size about a 120inch screen would be 'appropriate'... In the diagram you show viewing angle as being from the back wall (5.3m)? Have you tried it from seating distance i.e. with a couch about 0.5-1.0m in front of the back wall (~4.8m)? Hey Joey, that diagram was pretty rough and more to indicate likely position of the projector, rather than viewing angle...but yes, definitely take your point! As in my last post, based on the supposed THX recommended viewing angle, you would view a 160inch screen from 4.3m - so I have plenty of room!! Re: How big is too big?! 6Nov 27, 2009 11:14 am You will actually probably find that your room isn't deep enough to get a projector far back enough to fill a extra-huge screen. As far as the sizes I recommended, as I said this is based on my (and Matt's for that matter) experience of doing many installs in many different sized (and shaped - one room we did was octagonal! - but it still got a 120" screen...) rooms with varying size screens from 84" to 135". Matt's own cinema has a 135" screen and the front row of seats is about 5-5.5m back, and I can say that from the front row (where I always sit) I wouldn't want that screen any bigger. Re: How big is too big?! 7Nov 29, 2009 8:00 pm Thanks again Rod I think I'll just have to wait until I'm actually ready to start setting the projector etc up and see what I end up going with for a projector in the first place! That will then more or less dictate the screen size etc I guess...I still think I'll be aiming to go larger rather than smaller...at the end of the day, I'd rather feel like i went slightly to big, than regret not going bigger!! I'll let everyone know how it all turns out anyway Cheers Adam Re: How big is too big?! 8Dec 05, 2009 11:19 pm yeah go big.. I sit 3.9m from 108" and I would have gone bigger if I could have.. but a bigger screen wouldn't have fitted on the wall! the saying "there is no such thing as too big".. well it is true in my book.. I've never seen a screen that was too big.. but I've certainly seen alot that are too small! Re: How big is too big?! 9Dec 06, 2009 10:03 pm wakeboardandy yeah go big.. I sit 3.9m from 108" and I would have gone bigger if I could have.. but a bigger screen wouldn't have fitted on the wall! the saying "there is no such thing as too big".. well it is true in my book.. I've never seen a screen that was too big.. but I've certainly seen alot that are too small! I like your thinking! I'll let you know how I go...but I'm definitely thinking as big as possible! haha I guess I can always knock out a wall and move the seats further back!! Re: How big is too big?! 10Apr 07, 2013 10:50 pm BuildingACT wakeboardandy yeah go big.. I sit 3.9m from 108" and I would have gone bigger if I could have.. but a bigger screen wouldn't have fitted on the wall! the saying "there is no such thing as too big".. well it is true in my book.. I've never seen a screen that was too big.. but I've certainly seen alot that are too small! I like your thinking! I'll let you know how I go...but I'm definitely thinking as big as possible! haha I guess I can always knock out a wall and move the seats further back!! Hello BuildingACT, 3 years on...how did it all pan out? It will be neat but you won't have much freeboard. At least they are not weep holes. Are you in a high intensity rainfall region? The regulatory slope is only required… 3 5274 Firstly, if your house is still under builder's warranty (10 years in Victoria) you should have no need to crawl into roof space but let the builder handle it, unless you… 3 4481 Not sure if that works? I was told the issue is the headspace clearance requirement on step 4. My builder is proposing shifting the beam 310mm towards the kitchen...I'm… 2 1331 |