Projectors are a great way to improve the quality of your home theater, by giving your home theater a bigger picture feel. Mounting the projector on a ceiling or wall will help make your home theater look shiny, look professional - and save space. When mounting the projector on a wall or ceiling, you should consider various measurements, including screen size and room size, as well as the specific capture distance from the projector and vertical offset (found in the user manual). Use this manual in conjunction with the projector's user manual to ensure that you mount the projector on the ceiling/wall properly.
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Part 1 of 3: Determining Screen Placement
Step 1. Determine the best location for the screen
Depending on the layout of the room, you may have little choice of where to place the projector, but if possible, choose a wall that is not exposed to direct light, as light on the screen will make the image look blurry.
- If you must choose a wall that is exposed to direct light, consider an ambient light that rejects the projector screen or, if you're painting a screen on a wall, you can use an ambient light that resists the paint (available at hardware stores).
- You may want to consider buying black curtains for your windows.
Step 2. Determine the height of your screen
This again depends on the layout of the room. If you only have a sofa and a few chairs in the room (i.e. not a theatrical row of seats), the correct height is 61 cm to 91.5 cm from the floor.
- If you have multiple rows of seats in your home theater, the screen should be slightly elevated so that people in the back row can still see the image or film you projected onto the screen well.
- To decide how high to place the screen from the floor, always pay attention to the size of the screen, because if it is too high from the floor it may leave little room for the entire screen.
Step 3. Know the screen size
Screen size is the height and width of the image you want to project from the projector. Make measurements easy as you will need them when calculating where to mount the projector.
Most new projectors can produce a high quality image of 254 cm, so if you are not sure what screen size you need - and your room can accommodate it - you can simply use a distance of about 254 cm
Part 2 of 3: Determining Projector Placement
Step 1. Calculate the firing range of your projector
Shooting distance is a measure of the distance between the screen and the projector lens. The firing distance is calculated using the projector's firing rate, which should be listed in the user manual as a single number (for projectors without optical magnification) or a range of numbers. To calculate how far away the projector is from the screen, use the following formula: firing ratio x screen width = shooting distance. This formula works for all units of measure - you can use inches, cm, feet, and so on.
- If you have a 254 cm screen and a firing ratio of 1.4:1 to 2.8:1, you can position the projector at a distance of 355.6 cm to 711.2 cm from the screen. The calculation goes like this (using the 1.4:1 ratio as an example): 1.4 x 254 cm = 355.6 cm.
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You can also reverse the formula. If you prefer to choose a screen size that fits where you want to mount the projector, follow this formula: firing distance divided by firing ratio = screen width.
For example, you want to place the projector at a distance of 487.7 cm from the screen, and it has a firing ratio of 1.4:1 to 2.8:1. Using the lower ratio (1, 4:1) as an example, divide 487.7 cm by 1.4, the result is equal to a screen size of 348.4 cm. Given the firing ratio ranges up to 2.8:1, you can choose a screen size of 174cm to 348.4cm
Step 2. Determine the best shooting distance for the projector
Once you know your shooting range, you can evaluate the room and decide on the most suitable place to mount the projector. Things to keep in mind when conducting an evaluation:
- Sitting/viewing position - if the projector is loud or heavy enough, it is best not to hang it directly above your head.
- Power jack/cable - the projector may have two cables: HDMI and power. You may need to make sure you are close enough to the receiver to plug in the projector, or that you have a cable/extension of the appropriate length.
- Image Preferences - even within shooting ranges, there will be differences in image quality, so you may want to test your preferred distance before deciding where to mount the projector. A shorter distance (i.e. the projector is closer to the screen) will produce a brighter image, and a longer distance (i.e. the projector is further away from the screen) will provide a sharper, contrasting image.
Step 3. Find out the vertical offset of your projector
The projector's vertical offset is how high or how low it is necessary to project an image at the correct screen height. This vertical offset is a percentage in the projector's instructions for use. A positive offset (eg +96.3%) means the image will be projected higher than the lens, while a negative offset (eg -96.3%) means the image will be projected lower. If the projector is mounted upside down, the positive offset is the more important offset to pay attention to.
- Many projectors are equipped with a vertical lens shift, which allows you to adjust the image height without having to move the projector. If you have this function, try holding the projector at different heights while adjusting the lens shift to determine the best place for the projector before mounting.
- If your projector does not have a vertical lens shift (i.e. it has a fixed vertical offset), you must place the projector at the recommended height.
Step 4. Calculate the vertical placement of the projector
To calculate the ideal vertical placement of the projector, use the following formula: screen height x percentage offset = lens distance above/below the center of the screen.
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The following example is for a projector with an offset of -96.3% to +96.3%:
- The standard high-definition projection screen has an aspect ratio of 1.78:1 (16:9), meaning the screen is 1.78 times its height. If the screen is 254 cm wide, the possible height is 142.7 cm.
- To calculate the vertical offset for a screen of 142.7 cm:142.7 cm (height) x 96.3% (offset - if your count does not have a % symbol, use 0.963) = 137.4 cm.
- This means that the projector can be positioned anywhere from 137.4cm below the center of the screen to 137.4cm above the center of the screen.
Step 5. Determine the horizontal lens shift
Mounting the projector should ideally be in line with the center of the screen width, but if your room layout requires otherwise, you will need to calculate the horizontal lens shift. The rules for horizontal lens shift are pretty much the same as for vertical lens shift, except that you use this formula to determine the shift: screen width x percentage offset = lens distance to the left/right center of the screen.
Try not to use horizontal lens shift whenever possible, as this can distort the image and cause problems with vertical lens shift
Part 3 of 3: Installing the Projector
Step 1. Determine the best pad to suit the projector and the room
Projector bearings vary depending on where they are attached (ie ceiling or wall); whether to use a pipe or arm that helps adjust the height of the image or not; and what type/size/weight of the projector it can support. You should pay attention to all of these things when choosing bearings.
- Buy something that is sturdy and of high quality; low-quality projectors may wear out easily over time. This wear causes the projector (and image) to be misaligned with the screen.
- You may need to purchase an adapter for the padding, depending on the type of ceiling. For suspended ceilings (ceilings that are lowered from the structural ceiling, so they cannot support heavy loads), purchase suspended ceiling fixtures. For cathedral ceilings (tall and curved), purchase a Cathedral ceiling adapter.
Step 2. Install the bearings
Install the appropriate pads to the projector. Follow the instructions that came with the bearing kit and projector. Ensure that the bearing plate is aligned with the projector when it is installed, before proceeding. Ensure that all bearings are attached to the projector before securing it to the wall/ceiling..
Step 3. Calculate the bearing distance with the lens and adjust the firing distance accordingly
Use a tape measure to determine the distance between the center of the bearing and the front of the projector lens. Add this length to the range of acceptable distance between the lens and the projector screen (i.e. the shooting distance).
If the bearing distance on the lens is 15.2 cm, the new original total firing distance of 487.7 cm is 502.9 cm
Step 4. Mount the projector securely
Use the stud finder to place the ceiling studs the proper distance from the screen to the projector. Secure the bearings with studs and screwdriver, wrench and 2 bolts.
- Lag bolts (or lag screws) are fasteners with hexagonal flat heads and cylindrical threaded rods. These bolts can be screwed directly into the wood. can also be fastened to concrete when used by inserting objects called lags. Lag bolt sizes for projector bearings are 7.6 cm long and 7.9 mm wide (unless otherwise stated in the bearing instructions).
- To use the stud finder, you simply place it along the wall until the indicator shows that the stud finder is hitting it. More detailed instructions are in the user manual for the stud finder.
- If there are no joists in the location where you want to mount the projector, you may need to reconsider using that space, or first install a piece of wood that runs across the space between the two beams. If possible (i.e. if there is an attic above), hide the wood inside the ceiling.
Step 5. Install the cable in a secure location
Connect the cable to the projector. Follow the instructions in the projector's user manual.
- You may want to consider using wiremold (aka cable wrap) to help the cable blend into the wall as it runs through the receiver and outlet. This tool should be available at a hardware store in your area.
- If you're okay with the appearance of the cables but still want to keep them neat and clean, you can also tie the cables at specific points on the wall using cable holders and fasteners (these are also available at your local hardware store).
Step 6. Adjust the projector settings to adjust the image
Turn on the projector and follow the instructions for use to adjust the zoom, lens shift, and focus to the desired settings. Follow the instructions for use to set the desired contrast, color, and brightness on the projector.
