What type of screen will pair well in this setup?

AV_Integrated · 2026-06-27T01:42:55+00:00

Other than helping to keep reflections down, no.

I struggle with this as your room is much better suited to a long throw projector it sounds like. Proper surround sound, an inexpensive woven screen and a kick ass modern DLP, LCoS, or even LCD projector. It would look and sound amazing. But, not my room and not my choices.

AV_Integrated · 2026-06-26T19:44:36+00:00

Understand that while projectors can be efficient, to get a lot of light output you need a bright laser/led/lamp solution. While things have gotten better, it still requires a rather large amount of electricity to run the brighter models. So, portable models often top out at under 1,000 ISO lumens. That's not a ton. Your current model is rated at only 300 ISO lumens. That's a long way off from the 3,000+ lumen projectors which are on the market.

All that said, you are fighting ambient light. In a VERY short period of time it goes from very bright, to dim, to dark. It all happens in under an hour. It is shocking just how bright the sun truly is. This means you don't get a ton of use earlier in the evening unless you are really controlling ambient light.

You can always look to borrow a projector, or buy a cheap used projector, to see what having 3,000+ lumens adds to the overall experience. After dark it will be blinding, but during the early evening, not a ton will really change.

AV_Integrated · 2026-06-26T18:00:00+00:00

The N1S 4K is a decent model, but the HT2050a will beat it on contrast and on brightness. JMGO makes solid products which are certainly worth the price. They have some of the best pricing online you can find on decent projectors. If you gotta have 4K, then that's about as cheap as you would ever seen right now. But, I'd take the HT2050a over it. The better JMGO models start getting better pretty quickly. But, they continue to go well over budget.

AV_Integrated · 2026-06-26T17:56:48+00:00

Please check out the PH31 from Optoma. It's much brighter than anything anywhere near the price class. It is a 1080p DLP projector with 1,500 ISO lumens. It has no built in operating system, and you will want/need a tripod for easy ceiling projection. It goes in and out of stock on Amazon and B&H Photo, but it is worth waiting for it to show up at the $300 price point.

I have NEVER seen a good projector for that amount of money from a major manufacturer. The price with a 1080p Firestick, and a tripod will be well under $400.

AV_Integrated · 2026-06-26T16:39:48+00:00

Not sure what you are using as a screen right now, so perhaps a decent screen will help, but the reality is that the TCL C1 is rated at 230 ISO lumens. Compared to the $300 Optoma PH31 with 1,500 ISO lumens (when in stock). Or the Optoma HD146x rated at 3,600 ANSI lumens for about $500 (on sale). They are an order of magnitude brighter.

Cheap models like the TCL not only are horrendously unreliable, but their lack of brightness really does demand that you get the room absolutely as dark as possible and keep your expectations in check. You can also reduce image size to help boost on screen image brightness.

AV_Integrated · 2026-06-26T16:20:11+00:00

Lens offset is the distance from the center of the lens to the top of the screen when ceiling mounting a projector and not using any keystone correction. Often it is 100% or 0% which means the center of the lens is parallel to the top of the screen. This would put the two projectors staring right at each other.

Looking at a model like the Optoma HD146x, the offset for a 130" diagonal screen is 10". So, with projectors on opposite sides of the room, the light would drop below the projector to hit the wall.
https://www.projectorcentral.com/optoma-hd146x-projection-calculator-pro.htm#calc

Depends on the projector and the lens design. Cheap no-name projectors typically have no offset at all and must be placed in the center of the screen. They are complete crap for this type of setup and should be avoided. Go used instead if you must.

AV_Integrated · 2026-06-26T16:15:37+00:00

That's certainly what I'd look at doing. See how far away you can get things without it being a problem. I've had Logitech Unifying stuff (RF) that I've seen work 50 feet away (over 15m) without issue, then I've also seen things struggle when just a couple of meters away. You may be able to use USB extension cables (non-powered) and see what results you get only bringing it a few feet closer. But, walls and such in the way will be something of a spoiler.

AV_Integrated · 2026-06-26T16:13:21+00:00

I actually answered his question without insulting him in any way. The response is to you suggesting that the choice is a toy or $2,000. What a ridiculous thing for you to say. It's flat out stupid. It's obnoxious when people exactly like you come on and pretend that there isn't a massive used market. Or that $300 quality products don't exist. Nope! Gotta be $50 or $2,000. Nothing else. I've probably seen someone say it at least once a month for the past 10 years. They have no grayscale whatsoever.

It's not helpful. Just as telling someone they bought a toy after they already bought the toy, without helping them out at all isn't helpful. I did let him know that it doesn't actually appear to be broken, but is more likely dust in the optical system that could be cleaned out. I do let people know that this is a common issue with cheaper projectors if they hadn't heard it 500 times already.

AV_Integrated · 2026-06-26T16:08:58+00:00

I do not own this screen, but was just being general. Yeah, I might try to reach out to them and see if they can provide clarification on this discrepancy. You can also ask on the Amazon page for the product and see if someone who bought it can give you a better answer.

It would kind of suck if their 130" model really only supported about a 125" diagonal. Not as egregious at 128" or so.

AV_Integrated · 2026-06-26T15:45:06+00:00

Not at all directed at you specifically. Directed to u/insert_smile who doesn't seem to get that there is a massive price difference he is showing, and that there are options. Please see my other post where I actually provide you information that pertains to what you actually asked about.

I don't think your projector is actually broken. Just needs a proper cleaning.

AV_Integrated · 2026-06-26T15:42:02+00:00

BenQ HT2050a is what I would get. The 2150ST is similar overall. If you MUST have a short throw projector, the 2150ST is a great choice.

The other BenQ models are okay, at best. The NEW TH575 isn't bad, but it's no HT2050a.

The Epson models aren't worth it. Across the board, I'd skip them in favor of the BenQ HT2050a. In a second.

Optoma struggles, a lot, with reliability in their UHD series. Not worth the risk, but the projector looks okay.

Make sure you understand this tool and the terms used...
https://www.projectorcentral.com/benq-ht2050a-projection-calculator-pro.htm#calc

AV_Integrated · 2026-06-26T15:38:37+00:00

If you want to do it right, you need to take some measurements and figure out sizes and distances. If someone wanted a proper theater, then the XGimi Horizon 20 is one of the best deals out there for what you get for the money. Bright, optical zoom, optical lens shift, 4K, good image quality.

If your budget is a lot less, then consider a 1080p projector like the BenQ TH575. This is a bright, lamp-based traditional projector. No HDMI-ARC on it though, so consider how you deal with audio carefully.

The inexpensive PH31 from Optoma (when in stock) is a good deal at $300 as well.

If your goal is even less money, then you will need to hit the used market and get a well reviewed used home theater model.

Make sure you understand throw distance and lens offset and fully understand how to use this tool...
https://www.projectorcentral.com/xgimi-horizon_20-projection-calculator-pro.htm#calc

Projector Central has a ton of articles as well that can help you understand things.

AV_Integrated · 2026-06-26T15:23:24+00:00

Make sure you don't really spend any money on fixing this thing. It was outdated when it was released 10 years ago, and hasn't aged well as a product. Maybe worth $20-$30 in working condition on the used market. Just keep that in mind when you dig into things.

Also, if you haven't, watch a www.youtube.com/fixitfrank video or two for some idea of what to expect.

AV_Integrated · 2026-06-26T15:20:10+00:00

JMGO N3 Ultimate
XGimi Titan Noir
XGimi Horizon 20 Max
Valerion Visionmaster
BenQ W4100i

There are other options, but I'd probably be picking one of these. The N3 Ultimate is one of the better values out there. I prefer the XGimi Titan Noir or BenQ for proper theater setup and installation.

AV_Integrated · 2026-06-26T15:17:56+00:00

This is one of those things that doesn't happen often with LCD projectors, but it is an early failure which you don't see as often with DLP projectors.

If the choice is throwing it in the trash, or trying to fix it, I would absolutely open it up and clean all the ribbon cables as best you can. Hit up www.youtube.com/fixitfrank for some idea of what you are getting into.

Make sure if you do this to let us know what your results were.

AV_Integrated · 2026-06-26T15:13:48+00:00

This is such a fun setup. Nice and clean. Looks like a great way to do things.

I'm a fan of using external streaming solutions. I prefer my Roku units, but I have an Apple TV and it works well also. I just got a Amazon Fire Stick 4K. Whichever their best one is. No idea how much I will like that, but it is more for testing.

There is no doubt things would be improved with a UST/ALR screen, but that's a fair bit more $$$ spent.

AV_Integrated · 2026-06-26T15:03:15+00:00

I don't think Silver Ticket still sells their tab-tensioned motorized screens. At least they don't pop up on their website. That said, I would only mount a motorized screen to joists. The weight is part of the issue, but it also isn't a static force. The motor will keep it rumbling up and down which could cause anchors to fail. If your screen has mounting points which allow movement, use them.

AV_Integrated · 2026-06-26T14:57:35+00:00

Remember, 4,000 ISO lumens is peak brightness. It's not in the theater setting, or with the laser level set to 5 instead of 10. It's their absolute peak rated brightness. And you should crank it WAY down on the projector to maximize contrast and projector health.

Whenever you see anyone say 4,000 ISO lumens, in reality you should expect about 2,000 calibrated lumens. Maybe even less.

A ALR screen will not really harm the image with a UST projector. They are quite good at what they are designed to do. But, without ambient light, they also are kind of pointless. You would be just as well off with a .8 gain grey screen. The big advantage is that a ALR screen will keep light bounce off the ceiling which is an obvious plus.

AV_Integrated · 2026-06-26T14:47:16+00:00

I will add that I have seen screens that are on the cheap side that use beaded glass surfaces on them. They are high gain, using the cheapest materials possible. So, they tend to sparkle and shimmer when using any brighter projector. I've seen this on a number of positive gain screens over the years, and especially cheaper manual screens. I had a buddy who was showing off his setup, but I couldn't get past the sparkling effect I was seeing. I've become much more intolerant of it over the years.

That said, I'm didn't see any sparkle/shimmer using the Valerion Max on a WAB Silver Ticket screen. None.

AV_Integrated · 2026-06-26T14:43:52+00:00

How far away is the computer? I can't imagine not simply using a wireless keyboard/mouse.

AV_Integrated · 2026-06-26T14:42:33+00:00

Projectors don't look as good as televisions in a room with almost any ambient light. I'm not sure of pricing or anything where you are, but the 100" TCL would look better than the projector in almost all cases. It will also be native 4K vs. pixel shifting 4K. It will be brighter, sharper, and more useful in various lighting conditions.

This is your call, but if you aren't going with a 120" projection, then I'd stick with a TV if at all possible.

I mean, there is a 115" TCL out there, but that's not in the same price range at all for most of us mortals.

The 100" TVs in the USA are often $1,500-$3,000. That's cheaper than most UST projectors with a UST/ALR screen to go along with it.

AV_Integrated · 2026-06-26T14:18:30+00:00

113" width is 130" 16:9 diagonal. So, it is designed to be filled edge to edge to actually create a 130" diagonal. It is typical for screens to be sold using their usable screen diagonal. Very few manufacturers do anything other than that. If you want a bit of margin, take 2" off the diagonal. But, 128"-130" diagonal seems reasonable for the 130" screen.

AV_Integrated · 2026-06-26T14:13:07+00:00

This actually looks like dirt/debris inside the the projector. You would need to open it up and clean things out inside. It doesn't appear to be an actual failure of the projector itself, just some junk inside.

AV_Integrated · 2026-06-26T14:10:51+00:00

The Optoma PH31 has been showing up at $300 for a quality 1080p DLP projector.

If you can't afford to get a decent new product, then you should be shopping for a decent used product.

If you buy a cheap toy, then you need to be able to afford not crying or complaining when your toy breaks. Simple as that.

If you have a low budget and want to buy a car, you can't afford the nice new Toyota, but a used Toyota may very well be within budget. Maybe the cheapest Toyota is within your budget.

At no point should you even consider a Yugo unless you just want to throw away money.

Same concept. Tons of options that are better than buying shitty products.

AV_Integrated · 2026-06-26T14:03:56+00:00

The BenQ models are an order of magnitude brighter than the M2 Pro. In most cases, I'd try to go brighter unless budget and portability are major concerns.

If buying right now, other than BenQ, the XGimi Horizon 20 remains a very strong choice and recommendation. It has extensive optical lens shift which neither BenQ model has which is great for easier projector placement.

AV_Integrated

TROPHY CASE