16:9 or 2.35:1? Which screen dimension to go for?

bikram_singh

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Hi,

Thanks to the forum members, I've been able to select speaker system, AVR, projector, and cables to connect all. Now I guess I am in the final stage which is to select screen type and dimension. Please suggest what option should I go with.

16:9 or 2.35:1? Which screen dimension to go for?

I'll use my HT to watch movies (Blu-ray/DVD/ or downloaded), to play games on xBox, to watch documentaries some bought on disk, some downloaded, and also to watch TV on Tata Sky HD.

I'm planning to get my screen cloth material Carl's place. Please also let me know what screen material should I go for the dedicated HT room, where I'll have a complete control on the light.
 
I think 16:9 would be safer as most Blu ray Disks would be playable in this aspect ratio. The same is true for DVDs or most other video formats. So even though the film may originally be shot in 2.35:1 they would still convert it to 16:9 for domestic video use.

I dont have any personal experience of Blu ray players since i have never owned one. So this is just a guess.
 
Bikram_Singh, i suggest you go for 16:9. Reasons are -
1. Movies are made both in 16:9 and 2.35. Animation and 3d movies are mostly 16:9.
2. Given a certain front wall width, you can only get a certain size of picture - if you go with 16:9, you will see black bars on top and bottom of the screen. On the other hand, if you go with 2.35, you will still see pretty much same size picture but without black bars (because your screen material will be of lesser height). So watching cinemascope (2.35) movies on 2.35 or 16:9 screen will give you pretty much similar size picture (give or take)
3. Trouble starts when you want to view 16:9 movies on a 2.35 screen. Now you will see a much smaller picture.
So my advice - go for the biggest 16:9 you can accomodate.
How big are you planning to go? What is the viewing distance and what is the projection distance?
 
Bikram_Singh, i suggest you go for 16:9. Reasons are -
1. Movies are made both in 16:9 and 2.35. Animation and 3d movies are mostly 16:9.
2. Given a certain front wall width, you can only get a certain size of picture - if you go with 16:9, you will see black bars on top and bottom of the screen. On the other hand, if you go with 2.35, you will still see pretty much same size picture but without black bars (because your screen material will be of lesser height). So watching cinemascope (2.35) movies on 2.35 or 16:9 screen will give you pretty much similar size picture (give or take)
3. Trouble starts when you want to view 16:9 movies on a 2.35 screen. Now you will see a much smaller picture.
So my advice - go for the biggest 16:9 you can accomodate.
How big are you planning to go? What is the viewing distance and what is the projection distance?

Thanks. You've been quite helpful in the entire process of my deciding on different equipments, and now I think I'll go with 16:9 screen only. And I'm planning to go for 120" screen. The HT room size is 13.5X24 ft and height of ceiling is 10.5 ft. I guess I will be able to accommodate this big a screen. What do you think?

And which of the following two material do you think will be good for my purpose?`I am planning to buy it from Carl's place.

FlexiGray Projector Screen Material

FlexiWhite Projector Screen Material

ProGray Projector Screen Raw Material

ProWhite Projector Screen Material
 
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A gray screen can give you better black levels IMHO. The projector you have got is a very bright one and there is going to be ambient light if you are not careful.
Ex: If your walls, ceiling, carpet, furniture and anything else in the room is not dark, then you'll have tons of light reflected off it - and you may now think this isn't a big deal but trust me this is BIG deal. In such cases, a gray screen will give you better blacks.
If i were you i might have gone with ProGray. The stiff material may or may not be what you want - if you are building a frame and tensioning the material on it you may not need the stiff material.
Please remember - black/dark blue ceiling, at least darker gray walls (if dark blue is too much), screen wall complete black/dark blue, carpet will be dark. This will give you best movie experience. I found this out after i put acoustic material on the walls - so doing anything now is troublesome if not impossible (i might just do it very soon)
If you do all of the above the white would work as well as the gray - but really i don't see what you can lose by going gray.
 
A gray screen can give you better black levels IMHO. The projector you have got is a very bright one and there is going to be ambient light if you are not careful.
Ex: If your walls, ceiling, carpet, furniture and anything else in the room is not dark, then you'll have tons of light reflected off it - and you may now think this isn't a big deal but trust me this is BIG deal. In such cases, a gray screen will give you better blacks.
If i were you i might have gone with ProGray. The stiff material may or may not be what you want - if you are building a frame and tensioning the material on it you may not need the stiff material.
Please remember - black/dark blue ceiling, at least darker gray walls (if dark blue is too much), screen wall complete black/dark blue, carpet will be dark. This will give you best movie experience. I found this out after i put acoustic material on the walls - so doing anything now is troublesome if not impossible (i might just do it very soon)
If you do all of the above the white would work as well as the gray - but really i don't see what you can lose by going gray.

Thanks I appreciate your response. I think I will go with ProGray. In your signature I saw "Liberty Grandview 120" mentioned. How much did you get it for? and would you suggest going with that one? Or ProGray is a better option? And will it be good for 3D viewing?
 
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The Liberty Grandview screen that i have got is an excellent screen - top quality, thick material, no freckles or undulations. But it is a pull down instalock screen and not a fixed screen. If you are ok with a pull down screen then this would be a good choice. I got it for Rs 14 K or so from a Bangalore dealer named Sanghavi Impex.
I have watched tons of 3D content on this screen and the experience has been spectacular.
 
I don't own a projector, so this is purely based on mathematics.

I have a different point of view.

In case of 16:9
horizontal display - 1920p
vertical display - 1080p

In case of 2.35:1
horizontal display - 1920p
vertical display - 817p

Making the height as common ratio we get,
Width is 1920p for 16:9 and
Width is 2538p for 2.35:1

Case:1 Let us project this on a 2.35:1 screen of size say 2538" X 1080"
You get:
2538" x 1080" size of image for 2.35:1 videos
1920" x 1080" size of image for16:9 videos

Case:2 Let us project this on a 16:9 screen of size say 1920" X 1080"
You get:
1920" x 817" size of image for 2.35:1 videos
1920" x 1080" size of image for16:9 videos

So, from Case 2, we see we loose some height for 2.35:1 video keeping the 16:9 size intact in both case. So case 1 gives for optimal projecting surface.
 
1080 is taken as the common ratio (factor) to solve a ratio problem.

We can't project pixel count but height and width, so to get common width deriving from it.

It is an assumption to calculate the heights of the case 1
That didn't answer the question: where do you get content (source material) that is 2538 pixels across.
 
As far as I know 2.35:1 screen is called cinema-scope screen. It is only meant for cinema-scope movie. If U instal 2.35:1 screen you may face some problem for viewing 16:9 movie as because some part of your movie seance will be out of your screen.

Unless you have a 'Anamorphic Lens' or a Pj which has in-built anamorphic change over facility such as 'Panamorphic' features in some Panasonic Pjs, 2.35:1 screen will not be a wise idea. But both are very costly.

So my friend always go for 16:9 screen. Any change of ratio through software will costs your image quality.
 
I don't own a projector, so this is purely based on mathematics.

I have a different point of view.

In case of 16:9
horizontal display - 1920p
vertical display - 1080p

In case of 2.35:1
horizontal display - 1920p
vertical display - 817p

Making the height as common ratio we get,
Width is 1920p for 16:9 and
Width is 2538p for 2.35:1

Case:1 Let us project this on a 2.35:1 screen of size say 2538" X 1080"
You get:
2538" x 1080" size of image for 2.35:1 videos
1920" x 1080" size of image for16:9 videos

Case:2 Let us project this on a 16:9 screen of size say 1920" X 1080"
You get:
1920" x 817" size of image for 2.35:1 videos
1920" x 1080" size of image for16:9 videos

So, from Case 2, we see we loose some height for 2.35:1 video keeping the 16:9 size intact in both case. So case 1 gives for optimal projecting surface.
Here you are comparing screens of different widths for 16:9 and 2.35.
Most rooms, width of the front wall is the limiting factor not the height. So given a constant width of front wall, you can get either a 2.35 or 16:9 of the SAME width. With same width screen, the cinemascope movies will have the same image size whether you go for 2.35 screen or 16:9 screen (on 2.35 screen, you will see black bars on top and bottom). However when you watch 16:9 content on 2.35 screen, the projected image will be much smaller (you will have to adjust the zoom here) since the height of the 2.35 screen is smaller.
So given a fixed front wall width, it is best to get a 16:9 screen under current circumstances - you cannot lose anything.
 
Hi Bikram,

As you must have seen I am also undergoing the process for my HT built. Screen is something which is pending for me as well.

This is a fact if you pick up most of the current hollywood blockbusters, 80-90% of them are in 2.35:1 ratio, some as 2.40:1 as well.

2.35:1 movies, also termed as cinema-scope does provide you a full experience and movies made for this aspect ratio should actually be enjoyed the way they are.

Now because almost all Home Cinema projectors are native 16:9, they can natively only project a 16:9 image. so, if you go with 16:9 screen, 2.35:1 content will show with black bars at top and bottom of the screen. Which I personally feel is ok, as that is how we view content on our HDTVs currently.

However the problem is not black bars. Since as I said all projectors project a native 16:9 image, if you have a 2.35:1 screen and play a 16:9 content, it will not cover the entire screen and for that you have to manually use the zoom of your projector to make the image fill up the screen, AND vice versa.

This in high ended projectors is automated like Panasonic AE8000, which remembers the zoom position and changes that automatically as per the content.

With the projectors we have bought this has to be done manually.

Personally speaking for me this is the biggest drawback that I feel, which makes me not to go for 2.35:1 screen. Rather a big 16:9 and live with those black bars on top and bottom. As I would not like to keep zooming in and out every time the content is changed

But still before you purchase the screen I would suggest, to mount your projector, mark screen corners on your wall with tape for both 16:9 and 2.35:1 ratio and play with different content, zoom in and out and see what suits best for you. This is what I will also do. When finally satisfied and decided what aspect ratio seems good enough for you, order the screen and create your frame .......
 
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Here you are comparing screens of different widths for 16:9 and 2.35.
Most rooms, width of the front wall is the limiting factor not the height. So given a constant width of front wall, you can get either a 2.35 or 16:9 of the SAME width. With same width screen, the cinemascope movies will have the same image size whether you go for 2.35 screen or 16:9 screen (on 2.35 screen, you will see black bars on top and bottom). However when you watch 16:9 content on 2.35 screen, the projected image will be much smaller (you will have to adjust the zoom here) since the height of the 2.35 screen is smaller.
So given a fixed front wall width, it is best to get a 16:9 screen under current circumstances - you cannot lose anything.

Sash,

Yes, that is a good point and I understand what you are saying. As, I mentioned I am putting it purely from mathematical point of view. So, yes in practice there are few limiting factors such as width of the room etc. And you have to adjust the zoom every time the ratio changes.Thank you for explaining me.

- Koushik.
 
Make sure that you wall behind the screen is black,

To the extent that is is possible, also extend the black wall, to side walls

Make sure that the ceiling is black

For Home Viewing go with a 16:9 screen

If the room is dark enough- you will not notice the black bars- even when viewing content which is 2.35:1
 
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