Aspect Ratios, Aesthetics & Putting

[inforpar]

Hi All ~ I'm in the midst of my ProTee build out and am finally getting to positioning my projector. I didn't do a great job on figuring out my aspect ratio (actually never really thought of it) so will end up with about 3 feet of horizontal white space on my screen. It's not a major issue as I plan to mask it with black material. In looking at the many (awesome) simulator pictures it looks like some of you bring your image flush to the base of your screen and some do not. For those that do not, is it bothersome to putt "into the white" and then have the simulator pick up the roll?

Initially, I thought I would have the bottom of my image flush with my putting surface, however the sim room will also double as a home theater, so I'm leaning towards splitting my "black bars" evenly between the top and bottom of the screen.

Appreciate any thoughts!

[aeroburner]

If you see my set up I have a foot at the bottom and a foot at the top it really is a non issue on the affect of the game, I also use this for movies and my ps4 and xbox 1, if you wanted to fill the screen you would have to stretch horizontally around 16 feet and even finding a impact screen that size would be custom and expensive. in putting I am paying attention to the putt and after I get done with the putt I look up and the ball goes, and honestly with my sim putting the ball stops two feet back from the screen as I have grass turf border, this is all a matter of preference and there is no right or wrong on your set up. and if its a big deal go to a 4:3 ratio.

[aja]

A comment on aesthetics, I chose 4:3 for my impact screen because it covered the whole impact screen right down to the putting surface of my sim. I built myself a dedicated golf sim.

If you are going to make a golf sim / home theater you are going to have to compromise unless you go to 2 projectors or a sliding track for a projector (which one forum member has installed, I believe). I personally do not like the blank areas on the impact screen - kind of looks half-baked.

I also believe that the closer the visual representation of the golf course is to "real life" the better the chance of getting something approaching "real" putting. Remember, the impact screen provides an image of your golf game. White bars are not something you see in real life.

You may try and "mask" your white areas with some sort of material but take into account that the golf balls are going to hit that material as well... it may not be a workable idea.

[inforpar]

Thank you both for your responses!

[p3eps]

I agree with aja... that the image should go straight to the floor. I've had both, and think that having the image to the floor definitely increases the realism.

I masked the the top of my screen off with black material so that there is no visible white space left.

Have a look at my build thread here to see my old and new versions.

http://golfsimulatorforum.com/forum/build-your-own/enclosures/75415-my-golf-sim-build-v2-uk

[inforpar]

Thank you for the response and especially to the link to your build. That was an amazing thread to read. Love the pullys!

[aeroburner]

as you both have stated your set up is for sim only, who watches tv with the tv on the ground or even a movie with it sitting on the floor

[p3eps]

When I watch TV on mine, it puts about a foot of borders at the top and bottom.
I was watching the football (soccer) the other day whilst fitting my mattress topper. Pretty good picture, even with all the lights on!

[aeroburner]

mine stays exactly the same that's odd even when playing ps4

[p3eps]