# Newb to Projectors, please review & critique my proposed setup



## bmfjimbo80 (Jan 12, 2012)

I'll start with the room. The room is 12.5ft x 10ft with 6ft-11" Ceiling height, (only three sides, open at the back into the bar area). The 12.5ft wall is going to be the screen wall. The seating will be back enough to give approx 9ft of viewing distance from seated position to the screen. I am going to do a DIY BW screen on 5/8" to 3/4" MDF. I currently have all two zone of recessed lighting on dimmers, one in the screen area and one set in the bar area. I'm going to also change the two recessed closet to the new screen to eyeballs to redirect the lighting. I have no windows in this room and it can become pitch black. Also entire basment is under remodel so walls have not yet been painted any final color so can do whatever is best for light absorption.

Now onto the projector. I have pretty much narrowed it down to either the Epson 8350 or the 8700. I have two options to mount with these two as i have gone through the specs thru the elite projector calculator. 

Option 1: Mount the projector directly above the seating, which would be approx 3ft overhead while seated. This would give me the greatest brightness out of either machine due to its closeness to the screen. 

Option 2: Mount it all the way to the back of the room, 18ft from the screen to the projector lens on a shelf. I'm worried about mounting here though as the light has to travel extra far and afraid of loosing the brightness. 

My viewing criteria: I plan to use the projector for say 70% sports viewing with dimmed lighting and the other 30% for movies in full dark and or tv in low lighting. There is the DLP vs LCD war but really i'm not a crazy videophile by any stretch so i don't think one will matter either way to me. 

Hope i have given sufficient information, does this sound like a good setup? Is there another projector i should be looking at? :blink:


----------



## Prof. (Oct 20, 2006)

Since you have a low ceiling, I would not mount the projector over the seating area..it could easily get bumped..and moving to the back of the room is not very practical as you will lose light output as you mentioned..
If possible I would mount the PJ a little back from the seating and as close as possible to the ceiling..

A DLP projector in your situation is not going to work as a large offset is required for most DLP's and you don't have the height..
Other members may have some alternatives..


----------



## bmfjimbo80 (Jan 12, 2012)

I really can't move it back much as I am going to be building a bar in the area behind the couches. The backs of the bar stools will be 2.5ft away from the back of the couch. Looking like I may have to do some revised planning. Main problem is my bar really cant fit anywhere else.


----------



## lsiberian (Mar 24, 2009)

18feet is too far for the 8350 IMO. If you can ceiling mount than go for it. You can also put it on a shelf behind the seating. It will adjust down very well with lens shift. It's been a very good projector to me.


----------



## lsiberian (Mar 24, 2009)

bmfjimbo80 said:


> I really can't move it back much as I am going to be building a bar in the area behind the couches. The backs of the bar stools will be 2.5ft away from the back of the couch. Looking like I may have to do some revised planning. Main problem is my bar really cant fit anywhere else.


Why not put it in front of the seating then? It's a large projector too.

You could also mount it directly over the back of the couch, but be advised it's a huge projector.


----------



## bmfjimbo80 (Jan 12, 2012)

Ok after brainstorming for an hour down here i've come up with the solution. I am going to take the screen off the 12.5ft wall and move it to the 9ft-8" wall. This allows me to mount the projector behind the couch. It is not my layout of choice by a long shot as we wanted when you came down the basement steps and made the right you would be looking right at the screen, sort of a focal point of the room. Gotta do what you gotta do i guess. I'm not giving up the bar thats for sure hehe.


----------



## bmfjimbo80 (Jan 12, 2012)

New specs, projector distance from screen to front of the projector lens will now be exactly 11ft-0".

Now I have to have another look at some DLP's cuz the projector being behind the couch and wall, a dead space i can mount the projector lower.


----------



## lsiberian (Mar 24, 2009)

I suggest going with an LCD model. It makes placement much easier.


----------



## bmfjimbo80 (Jan 12, 2012)

I think I'm set on the Epson 8350. Seems like it's going to be the best all around for me.


----------



## bmfjimbo80 (Jan 12, 2012)

Actually now that I have found out the 8700 is putting out more actual lumens than the 8350 I think thats my guy. I just gotta hope they will stay around long enough, i need another month to save up the extra cash for the more expensive unit.


----------



## HT nut (Aug 31, 2011)

bmfjimbo80 said:


> Actually now that I have found out the 8700 is putting out more actual lumens than the 8350 I think thats my guy. I just gotta hope they will stay around long enough, i need another month to save up the extra cash for the more expensive unit.


wait a month and they will be gone
this epson authorized dealer still has them
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=epson+powerlite+8700&N=0&InitialSearch=yes


----------



## kiwiaudio (Mar 18, 2011)

+1 for the 8700ub. (8350 is supposedly a better choice if ambient light is an issue). Epson Service is amazing if you ever need it. I have one mounted 20' from the screen hugging the ceiling in my 7'8" high room giving me 6'10" head clearance, but i did experiment with as little as 10' from the screen without an issue. This 10" height differential will give you only 6'1" head clearance which is pretty iffy. I used the shortest mount i could find - 5" (brand escapes me right now) but you might find a shorter one. Don't worry about adjustment, both the 8350 and 8700 have it in spades. I made a 126" screen but there was enough adjustment to go way up or down from there.
I cannot speak of the availablity issue though - just reading about that today - haven't been on here in a while !


----------



## bmfjimbo80 (Jan 12, 2012)

Yea been reading for weeks now comparing models. Projector reviews shows the brightness test between the 8700 and tbe 8350 to be very very very close

The epson 8350 is on the left

Dynamic 1378 1203 Lumens 
Living Room 1010 1079 Lumens
Natural 459 503 Lumens
Cinema 463 454 Lumens

Thus the reasoning i would go for the 8700 over the 8350. Although the price of the 8350 is so good its still tempting hehe.:dumbcrazy:


----------

