Tweet
Planning my build and before I commit to anything want to make sure I am understanding my options. Currently using ST hitting into Net Return and projecting on Smart TV monitor. I want to make the next step to an enclosure with screen and projector. My issue is my space restrictions. My garage in 128”W x 120” H x 288”D. I am looking at the Carl’s 7.7x10x5 DIY enclosure which frames out to 124.75” wide and 95.75 height. With my limited width I cannot hit from center, so I am about 30” from facing side wall. If I mount my projector over my hitting area, I will be off center by about 30” from center of the screen. Is this too much to be corrected by horizontal and vertical keystone? Would a lens shift be required for this set up? I was looking at the GT1090HDR if H&V are needed or GT1080HDR if not. I can floor mount with either of these projectors but really want to avoid a box in front of hitting area. Thanks for your help.
-
-
Can't you keep the projector in the middle? -
On a ceiling mount it would be in the swing follow through path for longer clubsComment
-
You have plenty of depth . If you hit from about 11 feet the projector will be 4-5 feet in front of you, so probably not on your swing path. But of course, I don't know know what your swing looks like 😁. You may or may not be comfortable putting the projector that far in front of you, but something to consider.Comment
-
Thanks - the throw calculator says about 6'5" for my screen size at 4:3 ratio and -14" vertical offset. If my calculations are correct I will need to be about 19" from ceiling. If I have hitting area at about 11-12', you think I should be fine? I may have some issue with lob shots at that distance from screen.Comment
-
Best thing is to try and mock it up. Suspend a cardboard box at the point where the projector would go. Swing your driver, make sure you are happy with it. With the lob shot it's difficult to say. To hit the projector you'd have to launch at 50° or so and pull it left. If you are really worried about it possibly you could fashion some sort of protective shield around it. Or not hit lob shots 😁
Full disclosure: my simulator is still in the planning stage. Like yours the hitting position will be offset, and I'm planning to have the projector on the centre line. But at the moment it's all planning. No experience. Might be a good idea to hear from someone that's actually done it.Comment
-
As soon as I read your post I went to the garage and hung something from the ceiling just like your said!!
Building a Sim is too much for my OCD personality - I haven't gotten a good nights sleep in days thinking about all this! 
Comment
-
Are my calculations correct?
Image top = 86”
Vertical Offset = 14”
Ceiling Height = 120”
Center of projector lens should be 20 inches from ceiling?
If mount is 4.91 “and projector is 4.5 “ (~2.5” would be center lens) = 7.16”-20” =12.84
So if I used an adjustable extension column 12-18” I should good?
Thanks
Comment
-
I agree with all your numbers.
In a previous post, you seemed worried about the projector being in front of you at a lower height. You could also go taller on the screen, or raise it a little, to keep the projector closer to the ceiling.Comment
-
I was looking at the Carl's enclosure 7.7x10x5. With my ceiling height at 10' how high could I go with the enclosure? Would that throw off the aspect ratio? -
My thought was that maybe you go with a 1:1 format and do 10'x10'. You'll fill the entire width with the image, but in 4:3 you will have vertical blank space (30") that you can split on the screen and adjust up/down on the screen by setting your projector closer/farther to/from the ceiling.
If you're not worried about the projector being in front of you hanging down 2' from the ceiling, it's a non-issue, just stick with your current plan.
If you are worried about it, and want to get the projector closer to the ceiling, that might be an option. You could also wrap fabric around the screen to cover the areas that the image won't hit. May give it a more finished look. Or just leave it as blank screen if it doesn't bother you.
I've seen several sims where they've built a short ramp from the ground up several inches on the screen to assist in ball return. If doing that, it would account for some of the unused vertical screen height. -
Thanks Joe, I am looking at increasing the enclosure height to 8.5' which should give me a screen height of 98.5". This will help with raising the projector but also since I will be back further from the screen and enclosure would like the added height for wedge shots. So now I have a projector question, that will change the aspect ratio to 1.19:1 so how do I determine if the Optoma 1080HDR is spec'ed for that?
-
-
All projectors are technically only spec'd for one specific resolution, their native resolution. 1920x1080 = 16:9, 1920x1200 = 16:10 and so on. You can force the projector to display a different resolution from its native resolution, but you will lose image quality if you do that. If at all possible, you want to display at the projector's native resolution (and therefore ratio).
A change from 16:9 to 4:3 doesn't really degrade image quality, you just end up not use a bunch of pixels that you're paying for.
16:9 @ 1920x1080 = 4:3 @ 1440x1080
The left over 480 pixels on the side that the projector wants to display, simply won't. You'll have 240x1080 on each side that don't display in 4:3 format. This is why if you use the throw calculator on Projector Central, you'll see in the 4:3 format, you have to pull the projector back farther away from the screen. Technically the pixels that aren't displaying are off the side of your screen.
The GT1080HDR's native resolution is 1920x1080 (16:9).
So in native 16:9, you'll have:- With a 120" of width, you'll get 68" of vertical
- 8.5' = 106"
- 106" - 68" = 34" of blank screen (split among top or bottom, however you choose, based on projector height)
- With 120" of width, you'll get 90" of vertical
- 8.5' = 106"
- 106" - 90" = 16" of blank screen (split among top or bottom, however you choose, based on projector height)
You'll have less wasted screen space vertically if you can find a 16:10 projector, but good luck. There are very few with a throw ratio that matches what you're looking at, and the few that there are, are significantly more expensive.Comment
-
Thanks Joe, sorry I am having a hard time getting my head around all this. i am spending significant money to put this Sim together and want to make sure it is correct. Based on you above explanation, my enclosure will have a screen size oh 115.75Wx98.5H - at 4:3 ratio I will get a image that will cover 116"Wx87'H (assume it is better to cover width on throw distance) so 98.5-87 = 11.5" of blank screen height. I am okay with this as I said before I like having the higher enclosure for shot safety. Is the vertical offset number calculated from the top of the screen (98.5") or image (87")? As I posted above, I would like to push the projector higher to the ceiling but to do this I would have pull it back from the screen and this would increase the image width, correct? Thanks again for all your help.
-
You don't sound like you're having a hard time with it, I think you're understanding it exactly right! The offset is measured from the top of the image. So in your case, to keep the projector closer to the ceiling, instead of having your vertical blank space at the top of the screen, have the blank space at the bottom. If you absolutely require that your image go down to the floor, then yes, you have to lower to the projector.
With that setup, the absolute closest to the top would be something like this:
(Top of screen = Top of image = 98.5") + (14" of vertical projector offset) = 112.5" to the center of the projector lens
That remaining 7.5" to the ceiling has to account for about 2.5" of projector height plus the mount. The bottom of your projector would be at about 9' 2".
For reference:- My projector lens is 6' 2" from the screen
- Bottom of the projector is at 8' 2"
- Ball placement on mat is 10' from screen
- I'm not anywhere near hitting the projector, but everyone's swing is different.
Here's your projector and setup.
Comment
Comment