Sold my projector and screen.

[Batman]

Yromj, the math for the viewing distance vs. the screen size isn't the same % of increase in that example. A 100" screen is more than twice the screen surface area of a 70" While you're only further away from the screen going from 7' to 10', a ~43% increase...that's why it's such a significant change in the viewing experience. Simplifying the math, when you increase the diagonal dimension of the screen by two, that's the same as having 4 of the original screen...

 

[Batman]

So in Haywood's example, going from 67" to 85" is a ~62% increase in screen surface area. Pretty significant and very noticeable.

 

[jomari]

is that an app?

can someone share with me this awesome calculations?

thank you folks.

man, i wish i can afford huge rooms like haywood mentioned...

 

[Batman]

Joms, it's an app called "Videocalc" definitely available in Apple's app-store not sure about other platforms.

 

[jomari]

Joms, it's an app called "Videocalc" definitely available in Apple's app-store not sure about other platforms.

thank you sir! will look for it later when i get home... appreciate it a lot!

 

[Batman]

^ you got it! :handgestures-thumbup:

 

[Botch]

Take my room as an example. Due to the fact that I have windows on one end and a large opening at the other, I have to orient my home theater system across the width of the room rather than the length. The room is 17 feet long and 13 feet wide. The TV is on a stand and the screen is nearly two feet from the wall behind it (due to it being an LED Light-Engine DLP rear projector). The couch is up against the opposing wall, but the back of the couch and the pillows take space. That puts my head at least a foot off the wall, so my viewing distance is at most ten feet. My TV is 67 inches, which is just barely within the THX standard. The THX recommended screen size for that distance would be 78 inches (85 if I factor in the foot I gain by ditching the RPTV). 80 inch screens are very doable on high end sets these days, which is what I am thinking about doing next time around.

Sounds like you and I have almost identical setups, except your's is bigger (your TV).
I've been happy with the 47" LG, but ever since seeing the 55" OLED last weekend, not so much anymore... :shifty:

 

[Haywood]

I am not sure I can get anything much bigger than 70 inches into my room due to furniture constraints, but I would ideally like to score an 80 inch screen someday.

 

[Botch]

Furniture can be sold, just sayin'....

 

[jamhead]

I sit about 9ft from a 92" screen, and it's about perfect for me. World of difference between that and my family room, where I sit 10' from a 57" display.

 

[Haywood]

Furniture can be sold, just sayin'....

The AV cabinet isn't he issue. I have bookcases along the wall on either side. It turns out that I do have clearance for an 80 inch set, but there are limits and I do not have another place I can put the bookcases, so that is an actual constraint. I have so many books that five full-sized (12x31.5x75.5) bookcases won't hold them all and I am going to have to go to overflow on a different floor.

 

[Batman]

Have you considered ripping the books to a hard drive? No wait that's not gonna work.... :teasing-tease:

 

[yromj]

Bats,

I understand about the area of the screen, but it really boils down to angles. Virtual reality glasses have very small area but they encompass nearly all of a person's vision. At any rate, I think what I said was misinterpreted.

What I was trying to say is that the feel of a theater is NOT achieved with a smaller screen at a closer seating distance because the space seems small, which a theater definitely does NOT. When you watch a movie in a theater, you don't feel closed in, you feel like you're in open space , just as you are in the real world. Thus, the part about agreeing in principle with the math but not the end result.

John

 

[yromj]

Haywood, I sit 10' from a 102" screen which is right on the edge. The biggest problem I have with my screen is that I wish it were about 6" lower. The width of the screen at that distance is fine, though. If I had a 70" screen at that same distance I wouldn't have nearly the same feel as I have now.

John

 

[Towen7]

Yeah. There is something about the distance to a really large screen that transcends simply sitting closer to a smaller one. IMHO 9-10 feet is where the "theater feel" starts.

 

[Batman]

Bats,

I understand about the area of the screen, but it really boils down to angles. Virtual reality glasses have very small area but they encompass nearly all of a person's vision. At any rate, I think what I said was misinterpreted.

What I was trying to say is that the feel of a theater is NOT achieved with a smaller screen at a closer seating distance because the space seems small, which a theater definitely does NOT. When you watch a movie in a theater, you don't feel closed in, you feel like you're in open space , just as you are in the real world. Thus, the part about agreeing in principle with the math but not the end result.

John

Got it. I figured as much, and my post was somewhat intended to better portray percentages and ratio to Jomari cause he seemed to be going back and forth in his last few posts leading up to mine...

 

[jomari]

Haywood, I sit 10' from a 102" screen which is right on the edge. The biggest problem I have with my screen is that I wish it were about 6" lower. The width of the screen at that distance is fine, though. If I had a 70" screen at that same distance I wouldn't have nearly the same feel as I have now.

John

John, if you dont mind me asking, how do you determine the viewing 'height' of the screen tho, did you determine it before setting it up, or thru the amount of time you've used it is when you determined the needed adjustment?

great discussion folks. i am learning a lot.

 

[Towen7]

Screen height should be set where the viewer's eye level is between the middle of the screen and the top of the bottom third of the screen.

I've got the same problem as Yromj. My screen is about 6" to high for the front seats. I can't lower it because doing so would mean the view from the second row seats would be blocked by the heads of those in the front row.

 

[heeman]

Our eyes are about 10.5' back from our 108" screen and it has worked out really good.

My friend was here on business the past few days and it was his first time in a Home Theater. I asked him the typical questions:

1. Does the screen seem too big? No, this is great, I feel like I am right here at the concert.

2. Do you feel to close to the screen? Same answer.

Same response for watching movies........

We set up our screen height base on eye level being about 1/3 up on the screen. We mounted the screen slightly higher due to the recliners.

My friend did visit when we had the 5.1 system in the Den a few years back with the 60" Plasma. His comments about the Home Theater was Holy Sh*t, better than a movie theater. Would not trade it for the world!!

:music-rockout: :music-rockout:

 

[jomari]

Screen height should be set where the viewer's eye level is between the middle of the screen and the top of the bottom third of the screen.

I've got the same problem as Yromj. My screen is about 6" to high for the front seats. I can't lower it because doing so would mean the view from the second row seats would be blocked by the heads of those in the front row.

thanks guys, i knew the 'center' part of the viewing area should be at about eye level, (i also try to use the 2:40 ratio just in case), and work from there. but never considered the bottom third part.

this will change my calculations a bit... interesting folks. Thank you!