# Loking to Install projector in basement with 7 foot ceilings but Best Buy said not a good idea



## ceilos456

Just bought a home and not really too experienced with projector screens (have a 65 inch flat screen in home now)

Best Buy Magnolia came over today to take a look and they did not recommend it due to the fact the ceilings were so low but recommended an 80 inch TV.

Reason being is that if someone stood up then the head might get in the way of the screen and they seemed really against the screen so i did some searching and seemed this was the right place to ask the question

Is it possible, should i do it or go with the TV which i really didn't want.

Thank you so much in advance!


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## vidiot33

My theater room in the basement is 7"2, and although I wish it were higher, it's a very immersive experience. My screen, on the other hand, at 120" is a bit too large for the room. I'd recommend a 100" foot screen with the shallower ceiling. My length is 24", width about 16". I don't see why you can't mount a projector in that room. I'd also suggest ceiling mounting it, so it's less of a problem when people walk in front of the projector. Hope this helps and best of luck!

Sent from my iPhone using HTShack


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## NBPk402

We had a 9' ceiling before the remodel, and now we are at about 8'...we run a 195" (6' tall) AT screen, and it is fine. You def would want to ceiling mount a projector though. When you stand up in the first or 2nd row of our HT (2nd row which is about 7' of height...floor to ceiling) the picture is blocked momentarily (same as in a Theater).

1: Is the picture blocked when people are sitting?
2: Will the projector be behind the seating so they don't hit their head on it?

If the answer is no to both questions...go with whatever you want.


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## DqMcClain

I'm running a 96" screen with an 8' ceiling. The projector throw is about 11'. Considering the layout of the room and the placement of the projector, I very rarely have an issue with people getting up and obstructing the image. I have to point out that having an 80" TV will not make other humans in your house transparent... so they'll still be able to stand up and obstruct the image coming from the screen. 

From Magnolia's perspective, there is one very distinct advantage to the 80" TV: They're way more expensive. That makes management happy when the sales guys get you to walk away with one. 

If you want a projector, get a projector. If you don't know how to get it all laid out so it looks nice, ask questions around here. We'll be happy to help you out. If you drop some dimensions of your room, I'll even whip up a quick 3D model of your room so you can see what it will actually look like to scale.


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## NBPk402

DqMcClain said:


> From Magnolia's perspective, there is one very distinct advantage to the 80" TV: They're way more expensive. That makes management happy when the sales guys get you to walk away with one.



Exactly what I was thinking...move the customer to a product where you make more money. Personally after they did that I would not do business with them... I would choose some other place to buy from.


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## Tonto

+1, when I (or whoever) gets up, I just pause the movie! That's one of the reasons why we have our own theaters. I bet that guy would have just the right projector for you...if he sold them!


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## tonyvdb

A projector mounted to a 7' ceiling is no issue I can't see any reason not to go with a projector. As long as the people seating in the second row (if there is one) can see the screen when seated why would that not be a much better choice.


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## chashint

How big is the room and how big is the wall where the TV / screen will be ?


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## DqMcClain

You can also alleviate some traffic-flow issues by getting a short-throw projector. This approach would allow you to put the projector closer to the screen and reduce the possibility of passing humans casting shadows.


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## rab-byte

DqMcClain said:


> From Magnolia's perspective, there is one very distinct advantage to the 80" TV: They're way more expensive. That makes management happy when the sales guys get you to walk away with one.





ellisr63 said:


> Exactly what I was thinking...move the customer to a product where you make more money. Personally after they did that I would not do business with them... I would choose some other place to buy from.


 I hate to burst your bubble but your thinking is very flawed. First a commission on a TV vs a Projo/Screen combo is vastly different. I won't get into how different but just know that TVs have the lowest commission of almost any product in all of CE save only for computers. To say nothing of what labor for the job would cost. 

Second: if your basement is finished they may have thought running the video would have presented a problem or possibly there was some other kind of issue. If you went to a design center and has a walk with the designer and their project manager and they suggested a different solution I'm sure they're was a reason. 

Third: fun fact projectors and screens have the highest return/exchange rate of ant class product in the industry. Often if a room isn't ideal or the end results are questionable; you'll be offered a less risky solution. Even if that translates to less money for the salesperson in the end. 

Sorry for getting on a soapbox here but I feel I have to defend salesmen the world over. I've done sales for a long time (I'm a custom integrator now) and I have to say. Sales is a noble profession. You have to win your clients' trust and respect that trust by working with their best interests in mind. You have to support their dreams while being critical of the ideas that don't work.


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## rab-byte

Please forgive typos my phone likes to autocorrect too much


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## DqMcClain

rab-byte said:


> I hate to burst your bubble but your thinking is very flawed. First a commission on a TV vs a Projo/Screen combo is vastly different. I won't get into how different but just know that TVs have the lowest commission of almost any product in all of CE save only for computers. To say nothing of what labor for the job would cost.
> 
> Second: if your basement is finished they may have thought running the video would have presented a problem or possibly there was some other kind of issue. If you went to a design center and has a walk with the designer and their project manager and they suggested a different solution I'm sure they're was a reason.
> 
> Third: fun fact projectors and screens have the highest return/exchange rate of ant class product in the industry. Often if a room isn't ideal or the end results are questionable; you'll be offered a less risky solution. Even if that translates to less money for the salesperson in the end.
> 
> Sorry for getting on a soapbox here but I feel I have to defend salesmen the world over. I've done sales for a long time (I'm a custom integrator now) and I have to say. Sales is a noble profession. You have to win your clients' trust and respect that trust by working with their best interests in mind. You have to support their dreams while being critical of the ideas that don't work.


Ok, there's a lot to deal with here. I'll start with some useful information for everyone who ever spends money on anything:

Profit margins on big-ticket electronics are thin. They are also fixed by a thing called MAPP pricing. (Manufacturer's Agreed Price Point). This is true in virtually every industry where the end-user is separated by one or more degrees from the manufacturer by distributors, wholesalers, retailers, etc. This is also why the same make and model of [device] is the same price regardless of where you buy it... and if it isn't, most retailers will "price match" the competition. (Basically because you, the customer, caught them trying to run the price up). It's also why EVERYONE advertises their prices as being "x% below MSRP!". If you pay MSRP for something, you're being robbed. If everyone follows MAPP pricing, profit margins are consistent and predictable. 

Sales figures for individual employees are generally not related to the thickness of the profit margin, but listed in aggregate. So a $7000 TV looks better to the accounting department than a $30 cable... HOWEVER...
While it varies from company to company, almost all big-box retailers that keep track of sales peoples' totals are also actively pushing them to sell high-profit items. Extended warranties, installations, accessories... these are where the money is made. But after years of research, all these companies know (and can support with staggering quantities of research) that the guy who buys the $7000 TV is much more likely to drop an extra $250 on cables and accessories from the same store, and that $250 is 75%-90% profit. Given this, the strategy is simple: Stock the Big Bad TV and all its extra bits, and then sell it aggressively. Customers will do a lot of the work for you if you can get them on board with the Big Bad TV. 

Projectors tend to violate the big-box retailers proven approach by requiring different accessories than their TV cousins... they need completely different mounting hardware, usually a different complement of cabling, and often a screen. Since these items are for a niche market, Best Buy et al don't often stock them... so if they DO sell a projector, the high-profit accessories are going to get purchased elsewhere. And as was pointed out, the proper setup of a projector is much more demanding which often results in a less-than-satisfied customer. Hence the high return rate. Given the risk of return and the difficulty in accessorizing for establishments like Best Buy, it makes perfect sense that a salesperson interested in keeping their job would push a customer towards a solution for which they are better equipped to provide all the necessary peripherals. 

I'm not suggesting that following this line of reasoning makes a salesperson a bad human. What I AM suggesting is that the salesperson is much more likely to respond to pressure from their management than they are to loosely stated demands from a customer. 

The OP stated in his post that he wanted a projector, and that the salesperson from Magnolia tried to talk him out of it in favor of a large and expensive TV that he didn't want. If the salesperson truly had the OP's needs in mind, he would have suggested products and solutions that fit the stated demands. I back this up with the OP's statement that the Magnolia Guy said "people could get up and their heads might be in the way of the projector. That's not a sales guy looking out for a customer in this case... that's a pretty weak argument against a product he doesn't want to sell. 

So, my thinking is absolutely not flawed. Based on the available information, the OP was talking to a bad salesperson. He knew he didn't have a 35' HDMI cable in stock, nor a 20' IEC power cable. He may or may not have had a projector that would have worked in the OP's setting, but he didn't want to risk having it returned after OP accessorized elsewhere. So he didn't offer the best solution, he offered the one that made his job easy. Not cool. 

Sales, done right, is a noble profession. A good salesperson is hard to find, and once found should be kept... but those are few and far between. You know you have a good one when they tell you to your face that the product you should have is one they don't sell, and then they follow that with where to get it. Unfortunately, while this may result in a happy customer, an unhappy manager is almost always the side effect. On top of that, being a good salesperson requires intimate knowledge of your product line... and I've never known Best Buy to keep a steady supply of well-informed sales people.


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## rab-byte

We keep mounts, cables, extenders, bulk wire, terminations, plates, and other parts in stock all times. Screens are typically special order as are the more exotic projectors; especially if we're getting into different lenses. You're also forgetting spiffs and the fact that he went to a design center not a Best Buy space.

Projector systems tend to land around 25+ while TV solutions average closer to about 3-6K. Any salesman would be a fool not to try to get the projo sale. I'm telling you there had to be a good reason. 

How do I know... I've been in sales, I've delivered over 1M in a single FY. I've been in CE for the past 15yrs. I work for a Design Center.


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## rab-byte

But to get this thread back on track:

OP what's your budget for this project?
How much of the project would you like to do yourself?
What existing equipment do you have?
Can you post pictures of the space and maybe floor plans or a quick sketch?
Is this space finished and/or do cables need to be hidden from view or can they be exposed on the wall/ceiling?... If your answer to that last question is yes I'm going to need a permission slip from your spouse if you have one 

Anything can be done it's always just a question of time & money!


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## DqMcClain

ceilos456 said:


> Just bought a home and not really too experienced with projector screens (have a 65 inch flat screen in home now)
> 
> Best Buy Magnolia came over today to take a look and they did not recommend it due to the fact the ceilings were so low but recommended an 80 inch TV.
> 
> Reason being is that if someone stood up then the head might get in the way of the screen and they seemed really against the screen so i did some searching and seemed this was the right place to ask the question
> 
> Is it possible, should i do it or go with the TV which i really didn't want.
> 
> Thank you so much in advance!


Part of what is happening in this thread is a salesperson trying to talk the OP into a direction he doesn't want to go. My goal here has become to provide useful information on the background of how these sorts of establishments operate so they can make educated purchases and maximize the value of their money. 

As evidenced in the original post, the OP was at Best Buy. Magnolia Home Theater is their in-house version of a boutique design center... and having been inside several different locations in the very recent past, I can tell you that they do not stock all the necessary peripherals to set up a projector under the circumstances likely to be encountered in the field. 

Rab-Byte, your design center might stock all those things... but we're not talking about a design center. We're talking about a massive retail outlet with a market cap of almost $10B (Nasdaq:BBY). All of these places follow the same mantra: "Stock only what you can sell." They spend huge amounts of money figuring out what sells and what doesn't. Projectors, as you stated, have a low sale and high return rate... so they aren't stocked as aggressively. 

Given the low profit margin and lack of available up-selling, the Best Buy Magnolia Guy gave the only reason he could come up with... and it wasn't even close to being good. There is a good reason he steered OP towards a TV, and that reason is exactly what I've outlined: Projectors are bad for business from BBY's perspective. 

The takeaway is this: If you're going into a big-box retailer, you the customer have to do your homework and not rely on the sales people to give you the information you need. If you can't/won't do that, or you want gear those guys don't sell, then you do not want to buy from those places. You need expert advice and a properly assembled system... therefore you belong in a design center talking to someone who will get you set up the way you want. If that costs more, so be it. 

All I care about here is that people don't spend money blindly or get railroaded, which is what the BBY situation smells like to me. 

+1 on Rab-Byte's follow-up questions. How can HTS folk get you going in the direction you want to go?


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## Gary Lightfoot

I had a loft theatre with a 7ft ceiling and initially a 7ft wide 16:9 screen. I later changed it to an 8ft wide 2.35 screen and moved the seats closer to keep the 16:9 image visually the same size as before (same horizontal viewing angle). The first two projectors did not have lens shift and were mounted close to the ceiling and were used with the 16:9 screen. The third pj used the 2.35 screen, had lens shift and was mounted on a long pole behind the seating area, but it wasn't an issue - can't remember people walking in front of the image, but usually people would be seated for a movie from start to finish anyway.

I had to run power and video to the ceiling, but as it was a loft and I was converting the space, it was easy to do. 

So from my experience having a 7ft ceiling isn't a problem. For me the biggest problem was the sloping ceilings restricting my screen size.

Gary


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## perceval

Had a buddy who had low ceilings in his basement and he turned it into an advantage.

Since we are talking about a house room and not a commercial movie theater, how many people will walk out in front of the projector during a movie really? The beauty of home cinema is I can pause the movie, we go to the bathroom, or grab another drink, and resume the movie then.

My buddy made a small table in the middle of the room. The short throw projector sits inside and he has floor to ceiling image. That, to this date, has been the most immersive room I've ever been in. We watched a U2 concert and Bono was literally walking on the floor in front of us. Pretty cool!

Ceiling mount, or hidden in a table, both will work just as well. Turn that room into a great movie room with a projector, forget the TV...


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## D.M.

I'm an installer and I hate when people try to put projectors in places where a projector just should not go. The OP has not provided enough info to give an educated opinion of his situation and this thread seems to have become more about sales figures. As a long time installer with the limited info provided I would tend to agree with the Magnolia guy but, that is only based on the info provided and not a definitive opinion.

D.M.

"The problem with opinions is everyone has one but, very few people are qualified to express them"


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## Gary Lightfoot

why would you say that he shouldn't have a projector in a room with a 7ft ceiling?


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## blownrx7

ceilos456 said:


> ...
> Reason being is that if someone stood up then the head might get in the way of the screen and they seemed really against the screen so i did some searching and seemed this was the right place to ask the question
> Is it possible, should i do it or go with the TV which i really didn't want....!


Congrats on asking a second opinion.
Short version: Do the projector route and don't look back!
Long version:
FIRST: My basement ceiling where I set up my HT is 6'6" and it has a soffit running right through the middle that lowers it another 10"! When Shaq comes over he always grumbles about having to stoop but then he shuts up and and has a big smile on his face (the beer helps) while he enjoys my 100" screen;-)
SECOND:I won't demonize the Best Buy guys because I honestly feel they were just looking for the simplest solution.
THIRD: There are disadvantages to the projector route, namely the low mounting height and running the cabling to the ceiling mounting projector.

Having done it, I would do it again without hesitation. The disadvantage of the cabling can be overcome if you want to invest some effort in hiding the wires - not a showstopper (and not something Best Buy would want to do). I hid mine behind the soffit that runs the length of the room (and yes, I had to mount the projector LOWER than the soffit). You can build a channel for all the wires or put them above the ceiling to the projector so that it looks wireless!
Ceiling mounting is the only way to go and, frankly, it has never been an issue.
Noise - Not an issue. Yes, during silent portions, I can hear the projector but it is NOT obtrusive at all - quite calming in fact.
Last I checked, everyone sits when they watch a movie and if they get up, I'm pausing it anyway because no one wants to miss watching that HUGE screen with sound coming from 7.2 directions.
fyi I am using a Panasonic PT-AE8000u and it is positioned about 14' from the framed 100" screen - it looks AWESOME!
hth


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## fixr

Good sales people, bad salespeople, ...who cares?! This isn't about _salespeople_. It's about whether or not the OP should go with a pj or not. It's quite clear that the *overwhelming *consensus is that the answer is an absolute and unequivocal *YES*

Additionally, after you get the pj, DO NOT BOTHER WITH A SCREEN! Most of the time - (_notice I said most, not all_) they are just an added expense that actually detracts from the whole HT feeling anyway. I am speaking from personal experience on this. In a room your size - the best, most kick butt, most impactful you can get, is to use THE ENTIRE WALL ITSELF as the screen. Now of course you don't just turn on the pj and that's it - you do need to do some minor preparation to the wall, but it's ridiculously simple and inexpensive.

Since this is a basement, and it's already in use anyway, I have to believe the walls are finished. So, just make sure whatever wall you intend throw the image at, is both flat and true. By that I mean no cracks or uneveness. If there are any 'issues', a 5 dollar can of putty and some sandpaper will solve that problem in less than an hour. Once the wall is nice and flat, run out and get yourself a gallon of behr silver screen paint, a cheepo roller, and a plastic throw away paint pan. Shouldn't run you more than 40 bucks total. Throw on 2 coats of paint - and that's it! Your done. It really is that simple. It really is that easy. And, it absolutely is that good!

Believe me when I tell you, there is NOTHING cooler than a floor to ceiling, corner to corner image when your sitting in a home theater.

Here's my proof - this is a LOUSY pic - but it makes the point. conventional wisdom would be to use a screen - THE RED LINE









Now you tell me, which do YOU think is better? Screen, or no screen? 
Don't forget, you can still always put a screen on the wall afterwards if you want - but doesn't it just seem smarter to see if you really even _need _a screen 1st? 
In my theater, I had dozens of screen vendors send me sample swatches of all kinds of materials, and when I held them up to my 40 dollar painted wall - not a single 1 of them made the slightest improvement over what I already had.

I forgot to add - THE RED OUTLINE is 13 feet wide, my screen(wall) is 15 feet. That's right, no screen grants me mini IMAX status!


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## Gary Lightfoot

How close is your seating to that screen?


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## robert3353

I thought that the reason we were here was to seek out or to answer the people who are seeking information about their current home theater setups or for one that they want to build, not to discus issues with sales.
However since you brought it up, I probably agree with most of the info in your post as I have no direct info about profit margins and commissions. Please do not take what I have to say as a personal attack because it isn't, however over my life time it has been my experience that around 90% of all sales people I have dealt with have been misleading and some have been down right untruthful. Where do you think that the terms "The great American huckster" or "Snake oil salesman" came from? When I need accurate unbiased information about a product I rely on other peoples experiences and knowledge which is the very reason I use this forum. You obviously are one of the 10% of honest sales people who unfortunately get drowned out by the other 90% who are not.


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## lcaillo

fixr said:


> Good sales people, bad salespeople, ...who cares?! This isn't about _salespeople_. It's about whether or not the OP should go with a pj or not. It's quite clear that the *overwhelming *consensus is that the answer is an absolute and unequivocal *YES*
> 
> Additionally, after you get the pj, DO NOT BOTHER WITH A SCREEN! Most of the time - (_notice I said most, not all_) they are just an added expense that actually detracts from the whole HT feeling anyway. I am speaking from personal experience on this. In a room your size - the best, most kick butt, most impactful you can get, is to use THE ENTIRE WALL ITSELF as the screen. Now of course you don't just turn on the pj and that's it - you do need to do some minor preparation to the wall, but it's ridiculously simple and inexpensive.
> 
> Since this is a basement, and it's already in use anyway, I have to believe the walls are finished. So, just make sure whatever wall you intend throw the image at, is both flat and true. By that I mean no cracks or uneveness. If there are any 'issues', a 5 dollar can of putty and some sandpaper will solve that problem in less than an hour. Once the wall is nice and flat, run out and get yourself a gallon of behr silver screen paint, a cheepo roller, and a plastic throw away paint pan. Shouldn't run you more than 40 bucks total. Throw on 2 coats of paint - and that's it! Your done. It really is that simple. It really is that easy. And, it absolutely is that good!
> 
> Believe me when I tell you, there is NOTHING cooler than a floor to ceiling, corner to corner image when your sitting in a home theater.
> 
> Here's my proof - this is a LOUSY pic - but it makes the point. conventional wisdom would be to use a screen - THE RED LINE
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now you tell me, which do YOU think is better? Screen, or no screen?
> Don't forget, you can still always put a screen on the wall afterwards if you want - but doesn't it just seem smarter to see if you really even _need _a screen 1st?
> In my theater, I had dozens of screen vendors send me sample swatches of all kinds of materials, and when I held them up to my 40 dollar painted wall - not a single 1 of them made the slightest improvement over what I already had.
> 
> I forgot to add - THE RED OUTLINE is 13 feet wide, my screen(wall) is 15 feet. That's right, no screen grants me mini IMAX status!


The purpose of a screen is to get the best image popssible. Certainly if you are happy with projecting onto a wall, that is fine, but you can have a screen the same size as your wall if you want it.


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## lcaillo

robert3353 said:


> I thought that the reason we were here was to seek out or to answer the people who are seeking information about their current home theater setups or for one that they want to build, not to discus issues with sales.
> However since you brought it up, I probably agree with most of the info in your post as I have no direct info about profit margins and commissions. Please do not take what I have to say as a personal attack because it isn't, however over my life time it has been my experience that around 90% of all sales people I have dealt with have been misleading and some have been down right untruthful. Where do you think that the terms "The great American huckster" or "Snake oil salesman" came from? When I need accurate unbiased information about a product I rely on other peoples experiences and knowledge which is the very reason I use this forum. You obviously are one of the 10% of honest sales people who unfortunately get drowned out by the other 90% who are not.


We are here to discuss whatever is meaningful to home theater enthusiasts in the context of the question posed by the OP. Certainly sales is a part of the matter, but your post does nothing to answer his question, which is more about whether he should get a projector. 

Having done hundreds or projector installations, I would not jump to the conclusion that a 7ft ceiling is a seriously limiting factor. I have seen many installations in rooms with low ceilings and other variables are much more relevevant.


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## chashint

The OP never came back with room dimensions, 80" screen might be (or not) be the most appropriate size for the room.


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## bryan.carlson

I have 78" ceilings in my basement. I'm using a 106" screen and an Epson 6010 projector. No issues at all unless I stand up in front of the lens. The OP shouldn't worry about a projector so long as you can mount it free from obstruction and it has decent ventilation.


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## Deepstage

Just ordered my Sony HW40ES and Chief mount today. Projector People got my business as I've heard great things about them. I ordered online and an hour later a phone call confirming everything and the lady answered my questions about shipping thoroughly. I was IMPRESSED! Maybe the best experience I've had so far. Simply, straight forward and they confirmed my gut feeling. 

OK, so screen. Seymour retractable AT screen has been on order a month and a half. Still not sure if they've even started to build it yet and I have a feeling I'm getting pushed back due to the holidays, CES, yada yada. This screen better be worth it and be done soon! Hate trying to throw my money at companies that just don't seem too excited to take it. 

So if the OP sees this, I may have a good answer for you soon. 7 foot ceilings 105" wide screen. It will be viewable from about 6 inches down from the ceiling to a couple feet off the floor. I've put a lot of through into it, measuring, reading, checking out dozens of Youtube vids of people setups. I'm pretty sure I will be in heaven when it's done. Pics to come as soon as I get the screen and it's all set up. Hopefully in another week or so.


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## vidiot33

Deepstage said:


> Just ordered my Sony HW40ES and Chief mount today. Projector People got my business as I've heard great things about them. I ordered online and an hour later a phone call confirming everything and the lady answered my questions about shipping thoroughly. I was IMPRESSED! Maybe the best experience I've had so far. Simply, straight forward and they confirmed my gut feeling. OK, so screen. Seymour retractable AT screen has been on order a month and a half. Still not sure if they've even started to build it yet and I have a feeling I'm getting pushed back due to the holidays, CES, yada yada. This screen better be worth it and be done soon! Hate trying to throw my money at companies that just don't seem too excited to take it. So if the OP sees this, I may have a good answer for you soon. 7 foot ceilings 105" wide screen. It will be viewable from about 6 inches down from the ceiling to a couple feet off the floor. I've put a lot of through into it, measuring, reading, checking out dozens of Youtube vids of people setups. I'm pretty sure I will be in heaven when it's done. Pics to come as soon as I get the screen and it's all set up. Hopefully in another week or so.


You will be blown away! There's such a tremendous difference between looking at a box and a dedicated home theater screen.

Sent from my iPhone using HTShack


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## Deepstage

Ordered my HW40ES from Projector People Monday. Hour later I get a call from them confirming everything. They shipped my projector and mount out right away. FedEx delivered it by 10AM this morning. I didn't even expect it as we had a snow storm yesterday and I figure they would be behind. This may have been the best experience I've had ordering such a large price item. Glad I went through them. 

I set up the mount on the projector and will probably install it in the ceiling Friday night. Not All I'm waiting for is my screen to get done and I'll be one happy camper. I'll post a pic of the projector mounted in my room when it's up. Time to start getting a list of movies together I want to watch. 

Also, after some poking and prodding, Emotiva called me back yesterday and said they'd try to get me some rack ears for the equipment I have. I was a bit miffed that they weren't available after building an equipment rack into the wall. But after calls two days in a row from them, we got it sorted out and they really went out of their way to make me happy. Big high five for Emo. They should be here next week. Time to order a few custom panels to mount the PS4 and cable box and that project will be complete too. It's a very exciting time as I've been dreaming of putting all of this together for several years.


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## ewardjr69

Congrats and welcome to the Sony projector family. I have the 55es and I love it.

Sent from my iPad using HTShack


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## Deepstage

Best Buy tried to sell me on a 55 as they are discontinued (according to them). Probably had a bulb that was in need of replacement, and I don't think they had the new spare that they come with. The would have sold it for $2000. Then the 40 went on sale again. I figured, after so much praise for the 40, I'd stick with that. My room will be totally light controlled and with having to pay tax on top of the $2000 and probably having to pay for a spare bulb, maybe real soon, I just felt a brand new 40 would suit me well. Not sure if the iris makes any noise or you can artifacts from it, but I just don't think I'll need the small improvement in black levels. After all, 4K projectors will be the norm soon and I'll be ready for one of those in a few years.


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## ewardjr69

This is my second 55s. I had a bad accident and had to buy another projector. I had to choose between the 60, 55 and 40. I was able to get a really good deal on a new 55es. Plus i already had the original spare lamp and now I have two. I figured I loved the picture and with the lamps I would be good until 4k is more reasonable.


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## Deepstage

Now I'm trying to decide whether I should get a Oppo 103D. It's got some features I want and I've read that the Darbee processing in conjunction with that of the Sony, when used sparingly, makes a noticeable difference in picture quality. My only concern is when their new players come out (whenever that may be) I'll be back to having an outdated player.


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## ewardjr69

Deepstage said:


> Now I'm trying to decide whether I should get a Oppo 103D. It's got some features I want and I've read that the Darbee processing in conjunction with that of the Sony, when used sparingly, makes a noticeable difference in picture quality. My only concern is when their new players come out (whenever that may be) I'll be back to having an outdated player.


I have the Oppo 103 and a separate Darby and it makes a nice difference. You could go ahead and make the move because it will be a while before the 4k model comes out and you don't have a 4k projector.


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## Deepstage

Finally got the HW40ES projector and Chief RPAU mounted. Took a shot of the mount a little closer to show people a reference with the pop can at how far down it mounts when flush mounting. Exactly a pop can width 

This is my 7 ft ceiling height set up. Exciting news as my Seymour 120" retractable AT screen may be ready to pick up later this week. For reference, it will span to the outside edges of my speakers. Kind of a narrow room but it's cozy and you will really get that "right there" feeling. Viewing distance is 13 ft and throw distance is 16 feet. 

New rack mounts for some equipment will be in tomorrow so I should have my equipment rack near complete as soon as I get a couple more custom Middle Atlantic shelves made for the PS4 and cable box.


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## NBPk402

Deepstage said:


> Finally got the HW40ES projector and Chief RPAU mounted. Took a shot of the mount a little closer to show people a reference with the pop can at how far down it mounts when flush mounting. Exactly a pop can width
> 
> This is my 7 ft ceiling height set up. Exciting news as my Seymour 120" retractable AT screen may be ready to pick up later this week. For reference, it will span to the outside edges of my speakers. Kind of a narrow room but it's cozy and you will really get that "right there" feeling. Viewing distance is 13 ft and throw distance is 16 feet.
> 
> New rack mounts for some equipment will be in tomorrow so I should have my equipment rack near complete as soon as I get a couple more custom Middle Atlantic shelves made for the PS4 and cable box.


I am sure you are going to be loving the new screen. I sit 12' from our 195" Seymour AV AT screen, and it is great!


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## Deepstage

wait, 195"? That is insanely large. Don't you have to physically move your head to view the whole thing? lol 

Which screen material did you get? I got the UF as I believe the 40ES will be bright enough to light it up and I want the best black levels. Seems like everyone gets the XD


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## NBPk402

Deepstage said:


> wait, 195"? That is insanely large. Don't you have to physically move your head to view the whole thing? lol
> 
> Which screen material did you get? I got the UF as I believe the 40ES will be bright enough to light it up and I want the best black levels. Seems like everyone gets the XD


Nope...it is fully within your field of view. 15' wide. I am using the XD material.

This was taken with my smartphone while the SB was on...not paused.


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## jefny

The only problem with a projector involves something called offset (especially if there is no lens shift). When I ceiling mounted a projector (ceiling height 7'6") my old Infocus model had an offset where the projector lens had to be at least 12" above the top of the screen but I didn't have he room with my 106" screen. The result was the projected image wasn't a perfect rectangle and had to be adjusted. My new Sony 40ES projector has lens shift and so the offset issue didn't exist. Other than this offset issue with projectors that don't have lens shift you shouldn't have a real issue especially if you ceiling mount.

JEF


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