EntropySink

Technical & Scientific => Hardware => Topic started by: Perspective on March 20, 2018, 09:23:07 PM

Title: Projectors and screens
Post by: Perspective on March 20, 2018, 09:23:07 PM
Thinking of putting a projector and screen in the basement, anyone have any experience with them? There's so much crap out there on the market.
Title: Re: Projectors and screens
Post by: micah on March 20, 2018, 09:35:01 PM
I have no experience, but how big a screen are you going for? With cost of TV's coming down, you could probably get a 60-something inch TV for less that setting up an expensive screen and projector.
Title: Re: Projectors and screens
Post by: ober on March 21, 2018, 08:08:44 AM
I'm with Micah.  I just bought a beautiful 55" TV which is big enough for large-ish rooms and it was only like 650.  Unless you're trying to go really big, why would you bother with projection?
Title: Re: Projectors and screens
Post by: Perspective on March 21, 2018, 08:59:46 AM
The idea with the projection is that it doesn't occupy any space with a retractable screen. It's the layout of my basement.

Basically my basement is a big rectangle, and it's just a huge play area for the kids which is great. We put a nice sectional in one corner so parents can be comfortable during play dates. I want a screen that's viewable from the couch without dividing the space.

In the middle of the basement the ceiling drops down (covering the ducts). I thought of hanging a retractable screen there. It's about 10 feet from the couch and I could put the projector on the window sill behind the couch. So it would only divide the room when the screen is down and wouldn't occupy any space otherwise.

I'm looking at $500 - 700 CDN (maybe $350 - $600 USD)
Title: Re: Projectors and screens
Post by: ober on March 21, 2018, 01:22:09 PM
Ah, that makes more sense.  Sounds reasonable but I can't really recommend anything.
Title: Re: Projectors and screens
Post by: Mike on March 21, 2018, 05:41:01 PM
Fold down TV mount!
Title: Re: Projectors and screens
Post by: Perspective on March 22, 2018, 10:43:41 AM
Fold down TV mount!

I thought about this as well, but I don't think my wife would like seeing it against the ceiling all the time. Something about "style" and "looking nice" or something...
Title: Re: Projectors and screens
Post by: Mike on March 22, 2018, 11:14:47 AM
It is a basement right?
Title: Re: Projectors and screens
Post by: ober on March 22, 2018, 12:48:06 PM
It is a basement right?
Oh you have so much to learn!
Title: Re: Projectors and screens
Post by: Mike on March 22, 2018, 03:09:48 PM
I haven't lived anywhere with a basement since I was like 5.  I honestly have no idea how you furnish it or who gets to decide.
Title: Re: Projectors and screens
Post by: ober on March 22, 2018, 04:28:02 PM
She always decides.  You just nod and do.

Our basement is partially finished and we've looked at a lot of houses around us that have sold recently and 95% of them have finished basements.  So we need to do a few things to ours before we ever sell.
Title: Re: Projectors and screens
Post by: Mike on March 22, 2018, 08:54:02 PM
> She always decides.  You just nod and do.

Yeah, that doesn't fly here.  And yes, it causes some disagreements and was an issue that was brought up in pre-martial counseling ;)
Title: Re: Projectors and screens
Post by: ober on March 22, 2018, 09:12:20 PM
You haven't been broken yet.  Give it time, young padawan.
Title: Re: Projectors and screens
Post by: KnuckleBuckett on March 27, 2018, 06:04:22 AM
Projectors are nice if you educate yourself well.  You will need to visit local experts and set your budget and expectations in lock step.  With modern TVs in the 2cm depth range I am not sure where a projector is saving much room...?
Title: Re: Projectors and screens
Post by: Perspective on March 27, 2018, 01:45:30 PM
>With modern TVs in the 2cm depth range I am not sure where a projector is saving much room...?

With the direction the couch faces, the "screen" essentially needs to be floating in the middle of the room. With a retractable projector screen I can have it down only when watching, and completely out of the way otherwise.

Can't change the direction of the couch or orientation of the room due to existence of wife.
Title: Re: Projectors and screens
Post by: ober on March 27, 2018, 03:41:05 PM
Can't change the direction of the couch or orientation of the room due to existence of wife.
:roflcopter:

There are some pretty crazy retractable tv mounts these days.  I bet you could find one that would allow folding the TV against the ceiling when not using it.
Title: Re: Projectors and screens
Post by: ober on March 27, 2018, 03:42:22 PM
BOOM: https://www.displays2go.com/P-35745/Flip-Down-TV-Ceiling-Mount-Sloped-Surfaces?utm_source=google.pla&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=GooglePLA&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI6p-gl6GN2gIVwxuBCh32HARJEAYYCSABEgKZAvD_BwE

There are cheaper versions too.  This one is just motorized so it has a cool factor.
Title: Re: Projectors and screens
Post by: Mike on March 27, 2018, 04:03:11 PM
Can't change the direction of the couch or orientation of the room due to existence of wife.

There are some pretty crazy retractable tv mounts these days.  I bet you could find one that would allow folding the TV against the ceiling when not using it.

Already been covered

Fold down TV mount!

I thought about this as well, but I don't think my wife would like seeing it against the ceiling all the time. Something about "style" and "looking nice" or something...
Title: Re: Projectors and screens
Post by: ober on March 27, 2018, 05:20:10 PM
I can't remember everything we already talked about ;)
Title: Re: Projectors and screens
Post by: Mike on March 27, 2018, 06:05:37 PM
Where are we?
Title: Re: Projectors and screens
Post by: ober on March 28, 2018, 10:14:25 AM
Who are you?
Title: Re: Projectors and screens
Post by: KnuckleBuckett on March 29, 2018, 05:55:11 AM
Get off my lawn!
Title: Re: Projectors and screens
Post by: Mike on March 29, 2018, 08:50:22 AM
Who are you?

Who is anyone? - Jaden Smith