Projector help needed! - My AV company is driving me CRAZY!!!!

[JustinTS33]

Hey all,

I'm getting very close to finalizing my simulator set up. I'm getting a 5 foot deep pro bay, you can see it here: https://www.carlofet.com/shop/pro-go...Aluminum+Pipes

4:3 screen at 8.5' by 11'

So, the main issue I'm having now is with my AV company as this is a new house build. I asked them to set up a projector for me and they quoted me $6500 to install this. Not even for the cost of the project, literally just to set up the projector! They said it'll take over 80 hours to "design the system" and figure out what projector we should use and where it goes.

Now, I know it's impossible its that complicated if you guys have done this yourself before. Can anyone else me with some suggestions?

Here are my room specs:



My ceiling is 9 foot 6 in the area where I'll be swinging.

I'm thinking maybe a projector could go right in the middle over the golfer head basically but it would need to be a somewhat slim projector so there is still clearance. Or maybe this can go further back? I have about 18' back from the projector screen to the back of the room. Planning on swinging about 10 ft from the screen.

Any thoughts? REALLY need help here as they are wiring my basement now. I at least need the wires in the right spot so I can install this later.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

[wbond]

I would suggest to ditch the company. What is the room width?

[CHansen157]

So what you need to look at is throw ratio. Some projectors have some limited enlarging/shrinking capability to adjust the size of the image, but the primary determinate of how big the image is, is how far back the projector is and every projector is different and throw ratio tells you how. You can use this calculator to put in your image size and a projector you're interested in and it will tell you how far back you have to mount it: https://www.projectorcentral.com/pro...ulator-pro.cfm. Most of us need a short throw projector (throw ratio less than 1) to get the size of image we need since a normal throw projector will often need to be 20 or so feet back to project a 10 ft tall image. Common short throw options are the BenQ 671ST and Optoma GT1080Darbee Short throw. More lumens equals more brightness which is better. I have the 671ST which is 3000 lumens and it washes out a far amount when it's bright in the room--I put up some blackout curtains during the day and it helps but I would have loved to have more lumens. It also depends on how far from the screen the projector is.

As for the position, well you want it centered on the screen so if your hitting area is centered it will be over your tee rather than over your head. It should be a pretty safe spot. Mine is in line with my tee (in the center of the screen) and a few feet behind. I think that's a pretty common location. You have a pretty broad range of distances from the screen, if it's a long way behind you you might eventually cast a shadow but you'll probably run out of room (and lumens) first. The vertical position will usually be in line with the top of your screen or close to it (you will need vertical keystone adjustment capability on the projector if it's not or the image will not be square, both the above projectors can do that), otherwise the top of your enclosure will cast a shadow.

[wbond]

You also need to pay attention to image offset. The Optoma is very large and the top of the image may not start where you want/need it. Also pay attention to zoom, some has it some don't. My optoma gt1080 does not and has to be placed in an exact location to match up to screen width.

[Gman17]

I am hitting at 10' and purchased an Optima EH515TST. The projector and mount will set you back around $ 2500. For your screen size, it will be mounted just behind you at 11' 7". You will get 5000 lumens and a great quality picture. Remember to have your contractors run some outlets near where your projector and/or overhead launch monitor will be!

[JustinTS33]

Gman17 That would be great! Seems like my one issue I'm running into though is my bay is only 8.5' tall. My projector will need to be at least 8.5' off the ground, so lens will be probably 8' 7" or so.

It seems like I'll end up with a shadow at the top of my screen. I could drop the projector down to 8', but that'd be about 20' from the screen. At that point I'm probably getting

It seems like its almost impossible to put a projector in a 8.5 x 11' bay that is 5' deep. I assumed it wasn't so hard since they sold them.

I talked to a projector store company and they said I will probably need something like benq LU951ST and it still might not work perfect. I don't understand what people do with a 5' deep bay that is this size.... ahhh

[JustinTS33]

The Optima EH515TST seems like it will be almost perfect! It seems like I can mount this right at the top of the screen so its not hanging down too far and offset it a foot as well.

This means I'll be hitting at 10 feet, projector will be at 12 feet (can use a little zoom to get image perfect size) and it will hang down to about 8' 2". Should

Will it be weird with the projector being just a few feet behind where you're swinging if its down that low? I know that isn't club clearance level, but also people don't swing straight back and it will be offset a foot to the right as well, just for extra measure. Or do I need to find something with a larger offset than 12"?

Should I put it back further than 12 feet and use the zoom to correct image size?

Thoughts?

[CHansen157]

Using a horizontal lens shift will put it more in the way if you have any lefties hitting in your bay, but maybe that's not a concern. Honestly the projector being in line with the ball, centered, is about as safe a place as you will find. I can't imagine any swing that will bring the club to 8'6" over the ball and 2 foot behind it.

[CHansen157]

Gman17 That would be great! Seems like my one issue I'm running into though is my bay is only 8.5' tall. My projector will need to be at least 8.5' off the ground, so lens will be probably 8' 7" or so.

It seems like I'll end up with a shadow at the top of my screen. I could drop the projector down to 8', but that'd be about 20' from the screen. At that point I'm probably getting

It seems like its almost impossible to put a projector in a 8.5 x 11' bay that is 5' deep. I assumed it wasn't so hard since they sold them.

I talked to a projector store company and they said I will probably need something like benq LU951ST and it still might not work perfect. I don't understand what people do with a 5' deep bay that is this size.... ahhh

I have a 5' bay and it's no problem, though mine is 10' tall. My projector is mounted 10' from the screen (I hit from about 8'6" or so) and at about 10' with a slight vertical keystone adjustment. If you're worried about a little shadow, you can do what I did (though for other reasons) and go without the upper outer cross pipe in the enclosure and just secure the edge of the enclosure fabric directly to the ceiling to tent it up a little bit to get it out of the way of the projector image.

[Blue2Red]

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