Floor vs. ceiling mount projector

[brymerica]

Any advice on a short throw projector on the floor versus ceiling mount - I have a 8'8" ceiling height so a bit limited but think I could do a flush mount projector.
I assume everyone with a floor mount projector uses the projector case which looks like it is several inches higher than most mats and could get hit by poorly struck shots.

[Sixmudd]

Any advice on a short throw projector on the floor versus ceiling mount - I have a 8'8" ceiling height so a bit limited but think I could do a flush mount projector.
I assume everyone with a floor mount projector uses the projector case which looks like it is several inches higher than most mats and could get hit by poorly struck shots.

Mines on the floor in a floor enclosure. It’s offset about 12 inches from my hitting path, so haven’t had Any issues so far.

[brymerica]

Thanks Sixmudd. If your projector is mounted 12" from the path, do you use a "horizontal shift" on the projector to get the image centered? Would love this option but cannot seem to find a reasonably priced projector ($1000) that is short throw and has horizontal shift.

[spaz]

If you can mount it directly over the ball it shouldn't be in your clubs path.

[GungHoGolf]

Ceiling mount is always preferable if at all possible. With your ceiling height of 8'8", I'd definitely mount flush to ceiling on the ball/target line (safest place in the room). My favorite mount is linked in the product description of my favorite projector: https://store.gunghogolf.com/BenQ-TH...NEW-p265749740

[brymerica]

Thanks GungHoGolf - I guess I never though of the "safest" place for the projector being right above the ball on the center line of the screen, was always considering putting it a few feet in front of the hitting mat (mat planned to be placed about 10' from the impact screen). Will work out the throw distance and make sure that works, and make sure I secure the mat so the kids don't move it one way or another which would make the projector location a prime place to be struck with the club. I have thick carpet there so may even have to inlay the mat into the carpet (i.e. cut a hole in the carpet the size of the mat).

[brymerica]

Any options to use the projector in both 4:3 (for the golf sim) and 16:9 for movies?
Throw distance is different for these - hence I would have to move the projector. There has to be a software solution for this (zoom)??

[Sixmudd]

Mines on the floor in a floor enclosure. It’s offset about 12 inches from my hitting path, so haven’t had Any issues so far.

Yeah I have the image shifted both vertically and horizontally, so it’s pretty much centered (at least I think it is). I also have to use the keystone adjustment which I have read distorts the image a bit so it’s not as crisp vs. a non keystone adjusted image. Btw, I have the optoma 412st projector.

edit: was trying to reply to brymerica’a post.

[brymerica]

Thanks! Much appreciated. See my question below. Hoping this works for me as well.

[brymerica]

Thanks Sixmudd. That I think is the most ideal situation for me -- floor mount off center (so the swing path/mat is centered) and without the projector protector sticking up right in front of the swing path/ball strike area (as most of the other floor mount photos I have seen).

I did a bit more digging -- called Optoma and they said that their projectors have a horizontal digital shift but then you are cutting off part of the image. Unless they said potentially if you are projecting a 4:3 image and then you can move it into the "black space" on the left/right. They don't have a "lens shift" to do that, just a digital horizontal shift.

I also called BenQ and they don't have either lens shift or digital horizontal shift on any of their home models (only on a model that is 5k+).

So my question -- are you projecting 4:3 and just move the image digitally? I think that might work for me also.

My only other concern is that the image they (Optoma) said has a 12-14" projection up so the projector would have to be aimed "down" for the image to be near the floor and keystone adjusted.

[Sixmudd]

Thanks Sixmudd. That I think is the most ideal situation for me -- floor mount off center (so the swing path/mat is centered) and without the projector protector sticking up right in front of the swing path/ball strike area (as most of the other floor mount photos I have seen).

I did a bit more digging -- called Optoma and they said that their projectors have a horizontal digital shift but then you are cutting off part of the image. Unless they said potentially if you are projecting a 4:3 image and then you can move it into the "black space" on the left/right. They don't have a "lens shift" to do that, just a digital horizontal shift.

I also called BenQ and they don't have either lens shift or digital horizontal shift on any of their home models (only on a model that is 5k+).

So my question -- are you projecting 4:3 and just move the image digitally? I think that might work for me also.

My only other concern is that the image they (Optoma) said has a 12-14" projection up so the projector would have to be aimed "down" for the image to be near the floor and keystone adjusted.

I’ll try to answer. I’m not really that knowledgeable about the technical stuff (eg lens shift vs digital shift, and all that stuff).

In my projector, there a option called “native mode”. I am not really sure if native mode is 4:3. I don’t think it is, because 4:3 is also an option and it looks terrible. So I’m projecting in native mode and have to zoom the image. I think I have the zoom set at either 1 or 2. So basically that fills the image in the screen and then I have to adjust using vertical and horizontal shifting. Then I have the keystone adjustment set to -6 I think. In the floor enclosure itself, I have a small maybe half inch to an inch thick piece of wood so the back legs of the projector are sitting on top, so i guess yeah it’s projecting the image downward a bit. I’m not really sure if this was the best way, but it worked for me so I’m sticking with it lol. The enclosure box is about 7.5 feet behind the impact screen. Hope that helps. Oh I’m also projecting off an iPad, so if you’re using a pc, it might be different. Not really sure

anyway let us know on your progress and setup. I like seeing what others have done

[brymerica]

Super helpful. Thank you. I'm planning on doing the same - using an ipad as well which does output in 4:3 and good to know that you can do some vertical/horizontal shifting. Keystone is necessary when you have the back legs elevated a bit so it points downward.

Any reason why you chose the Optoma EH412ST versus GT1080HDR (or more expensive laser GT1090HDR)?
Am going to make sure the GT1080HDR can also do the horizontal/vertical shifting.

[brymerica]

Anyone else have experience with floor mount offset of center? The hope is to avoid a projector box sticking up from the area that I am hitting.

[pcascio]

Floor mounted projectors are much more susceptible to high impact hits from balls coming off the club, and from ricochets. Also, there's the issue of heat buildup with floor mount enclosures. Personally, I think it's tough enough having to avoid one obstacle on the floor when walking - the ST -- adding a second, especially in an undersized space, is asking for trouble, IMO. By mounting your projector overhead, at the midline of the screen you'll also minimize keystone distortion.

[brymerica]

makes sense, just not sure my ceiling height of 8'8" will allow a ceiling mount. Wish I had another foot of ceiling space...but may try a flush mount and see if I can make it work.

[brymerica]

Anyone use the BenQ TH671ST as a floor mounted projector about 10 inches off center? Seems like the Optoma brand can shift a 4:3 image digitally to the left (not technically "lens shift" as the image is shifted digitally) but when I called BenQ they didn't quite understand my question (from what I could tell) and ultimately said they didn't think that any BenQ had that ability.