# Designing a HT from scratch



## bitflipper (Oct 29, 2008)

Hi, everyone. Long-time lurker, first-time poster.

I am planning to construct a separate out-building that will house a recording studio, an office and a home theater. It's still in the paper-and-pencil stage so I want to solicit expert advice early on while I can change plans easily. I have the studio portion covered, but have zero experience with home theaters.

What I have in mind is a smallish theater, about 20' by 16' with a 12' ceiling and tiered seating for 8 on 2 large couches. I plan to use a projector and a fixed wall screen, perhaps 100". Primarily for movies and concert videos. There will be no windows, so near-total darkness will be achievable.

My first question: is there any resource that addresses screen size and placement based on room dimensions? I've read the general advice on this and other sites, but I'm looking for some specific numbers and formulas. I'm assuming there are industry standards for movie exhibition that can be scaled to HT dimensions.

I'm also unsure about what brightness level to shoot for. Given the small room and small screen, I'm guessing that obtaining adequate brightness won't be a problem, even with modest equipment. I am prepared to spend around $2000 for the projector but would entertain upping the budget if it's truly justified.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts!


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

The best room screen calculator that I have found is the at Projector central
For a $2000 budget for a projector only or screen included?


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## bitflipper (Oct 29, 2008)

Thanks a lot, Tony. That calculator's just the ticket.

According to the calculator, my proposed projector (Epson 8500UB) could make a 173" diagonal image in a 20' long room. So do you think I should go for a larger screen than the 100" I originally had in mind, or stick with the smaller size for a brighter image? 

My budget of $2k is for the projector only. I really don't know yet what I'll have to spend on the screen. Given that it's a small, dedicated room and I don't need a motorized screen, I assume I'll be OK looking in the low end of the price range. Is that a reasonable assumption?


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

What distance are you going to sit from the screen?


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## bitflipper (Oct 29, 2008)

Good question. I'm not sure. The room is 20' long and nothing else in it except seating, so I have a lot of leeway. Based on audio considerations, the sweet spot between the speakers would be about 12' or so from the screen. So I'll guess 12 to 16 feet. What would be your recommendation for screen size based on that?


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

I would go about 120" but no bigger. Now your other option is to get a 2,35:1 screen rather than the normal 16x9 screen as alot of movies are in that format.
Seating should not be against the rear wall ideally at least 3 ft away.


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## bitflipper (Oct 29, 2008)

Thanks again for taking the time to reply, Tony. My HT plan is starting to gel now. All I need now is a pocketful of cash...


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