Projector Options, Locations and Setup

[Riedy09]

Looking for some advice on a projector. Attached is a schematic of the proposed locations for the projector. Impact screen will be 12’W x 9’H (4:3) and set off the wall by approximately 1’-0”. I will have four (4) dimmable cans lights over the hitting area. Here are some questions I can’t seem to find definitive answers to.

A. If the golf simulator is set to 4:3 to fill the screen and I want to watch a movie in 16:9 I assume there will be bars on the top and bottom. Is there a way to setup the projector to display the 16:9 and keep the top of the 16:9 display at the same height as the top of the 4:3 display without pivoting the projector? Sort of like a keystone correction for each specific input.

B. BenQ HT2150ST – This appears to be a great projector, if not for ambient light. I will have ambient light and believe I need more lumens. Thoughts about BenQHT2150ST with ambient light?

C. Optoma GT1080 – Although the lumens, on paper, is greater than the BenQ, many real world reviews state the lumen output is very similar. Thoughts about Optoma GT1080 with ambient light?

D. Optoma EH415ST – This is the projector I am thinking of, but it states the maximum screen size is 152”. Why do the specs on this suggest it can only display image 152”? I know another poster used this for his 16’-0” screen.

E. Panasonic PT-VZ570U – I also noticed many of the Panasonic projectors, although not short throw, have excellent specifications on paper. Are these projectors as good as stated on paper?

Thanks.

[aja]

You can get a lot of information abut projectors from: http://www.projectorcentral.com/

They also have a "calculator" that will show the effects of different image sizes and projection distances for each projector.

There are also in depth articles about projectors, basic info to advanced. See the Buyer's guide section for this.

There's a bit of work to getting this figured out, but the resources are readily available.

[CBearsSB]

Riedy09. I have the Panasonic PT-VZ57. It is native WUXGA (16:10). It is an excellent projector. High lumens and relative short throw: I project a 16 ft x 10 ft image with a throw of 17 ft. My ceiling is 12 feet. I can use in ambient light and have excellent images. Generally all retailers will let you have limited amount of hours with projector before it can be returned. Projector central is a great resource but ultimately one needs
to see the projector in action. I recommend purchasing the one that meets your criteria and give it a try, knowing it an be returned. I utilize the manual zoom on my projector allowing me to have a large image from only 17 feet away. In my opinion keystone correction generally distorts the image and you are best purchasing a projector with the native resolution that best fits your screen.