# Need Advice and Reccomendations for a home theater



## crowman (Nov 28, 2013)

Im new to all of this. I just recently decided we are going to install a home theater in our Basement. It has a few windows but is very easy for me to totally black it out and make it dark. I have over 2k sq ft, some partitioned off into a few rooms but basically i have a big open space and a huge deep sectional. Id like to set this up to watch movies, fights, and HDTV on Direct TV. I would like to start with advice/ recs on a Projector and Screen. Picture quality and sharpness is very important to me. for the Screen and projector I would like to be around $3k. Does that give me enough room to setup well? I will have my sectional aprox 10 ft from the wall or it could be further if need be. I would like to be atleast 100 inches if not larger. i dont care for 3d and I probably play video games 1hr per year. That starting budget does not include the surround sound or anything else I need. If i have to increase my budget to get my needs I will but I would like to see what I can get for that. Id imagine my entire setup shouldn't go over $5k out the door atleast for now. My wifes masters program is not the cheapest so she may get mad if i spend her school money on Man Land to watch movies.

Thank you in advance for all advice and help


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## Andre (Feb 15, 2010)

For your screen do you want:

Fixed (frame mounted to the wall)
Pull down (in ceiling or outside)
Power in ceiling
Painting the wall 

Will you want the lights on for those times you have the fights or just TV running so you can move around easily

Projector

Are you interested in 2.35:1 or just HDTV 16:9


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## crowman (Nov 28, 2013)

My screen will be fixed. I will probably build a nice custom frame around it.

lights will be in in certain corner areas of the basement I dont have to have them on right at the screens area as I turn them on based on sections. I guess you could say maybe 25% of the time ill have hit lit up.

I dont know what this means "Are you interested in 2.35:1 or just HDTV 16:9".

Thank you for your help


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## Andre (Feb 15, 2010)

90-100" is about right for 10' away
http://myhometheater.homestead.com/viewingdistancecalculator.html

2.35 screens http://www.projectorcentral.com/235_home_theater.htm

I would look at a Panasonic AE8000 projector and a Screen Inovations screen


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## crowman (Nov 28, 2013)

That link is for ear phones. Do you have a projector you would recommend? I was told buy a jvc 4k but its about $4k so it scares me a bit to start out with that when im not sure what exactly im dong. Is there a good high resolution projector or setup youd start with?


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## DocFJ (Apr 17, 2013)

crowman said:


> I dont know what this means "Are you interested in 2.35:1 or just HDTV 16:9".


This is the ratio of width to height. Most movies are in 2.35:1 or Cinemascope format, and most HDTVs and TV shows are in 16:9. Original TVs were 4:3.









Since you are interested in watching fights and Direct TV, I would go for a 16:9 screen, you will have narrow black bars across the top and bottom when watching a 2.35:1 movie (or mask the screen). There are lots of great, high-quality DIY options out there for screens depending on your handiness level.

For the projector I would go for the Epson Home Cinema 5030UB. The UB is for Ultra Black, so there should be some great contrast and black levels. It is new as of October 2013, so it can be a bit hard to find on sale, and at around $2,500, it would you leave you tight for a screen budget. Check out the review here.


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