I joined the site and paid for the membership because I am really serious about having one of these projectors. I wanted access to the pro guide thinking it would be a step by step instruction guide for the build and all materials needed.

I found instead an outline with not so stringent guidelines and information missing.

For one...what is the range of the standard and pro lenses? I discovered by rummaging through the forums (not the guide) that the pro is a long throw lens and the standard is a short throw lens..

ok...so is there any information on how far back a projector needs to be to get X size screen using which lens?

Check out these:

Focalcalc & Throwcalc

Ya gotta kinda "pay your dues" by surfing the forums to get info. Check out my signature line for my tweaks topic. There are other very helpful pinned topics throughout the forums. Welcome and have fun!

thanks..i actually found the calculator but didn't know the focal length of the standard lens..i rummaged around some more and found a .pdf guide that uses a triplet lens and I just had to make the assumption it's the same as the one sold here. So that would give me a 6.3' throw distance to get the screen I'm looking for (approx 75" diagonal).

I'm a little worried about having the projector in front of me as I'm sure the light leaking out of the tiny holes would be quite a distraction when trying to watch a movie...so I guess that means I HAVE to purchase the Pro lenses...with the pro lens it's says for widescreen monitors...would it also still work with a standard 15" lcd? This is not mentioned in the shop, it only says 15-19" widescreens.

The pro lens is good for all monitors if I'm correct up to 19"and it will let you move your projector futher back, I don't know how your room is layed out but you can also cieling mount your PJ (projector) to get it out of your viewing path if thats an option , either way this is very addictive and one project you will enjoy.

RR

RaginRudolph got it right - the pro stuff works for everything up to 19" so 15" standard is just fine. The longer throw capability of going pro is arguably the main benefit but to each his own they say. Some are quite happy with their standard lenses and have achieved awesome results and the standard kits costs less too.

to those who have the projector in front of you..do you find it a big distraction when trying to watch a movie? or do you have methods for containing the light so it doesn't detract from the movie watching experience? I'd really love to get the standard Haas enclosure and the standard lenses if possible.

I used to sit beside my projector. Of course the more people watching the screen, the more to the side people had to get. More than 3 people, and it started getting less fun.

Now I have pro lenses, and 5 or 6 people no problem. The projector is further back, and we can get the chairs more centered to the screen. (Of course I don't have enough chairs there, but that's another issue entirely.)

Because I wanted to minimise keystone correction, my projector was mounted high, (So is the new one) which made sitting behind it impossible. With my 15" build everyone had to be beside the projector, or beside/behind. Straight-on viewing to the screen wasn't possible, unless you wanted neck strain.

Now in it's new home, the stand is opened up so that people can sit on either side, and still converse/see each other. The projector's new home is a room that is very wide but not very long. (If they had pro lenses then they'd change the orientation, and probably be happier with it. Perhaps I'll have to build another pro lens projector for this eventuality.)

hmmm..so it looks like maybe i have to get the pro lenses..they are just SO much more expensive!

here is what my room looks like. "Please excuse the crudity of this model, I didn't have time to paint it or build it to scale" :



if anyone has any suggestions pleeease let me know. Can I still get the super nice looking haas design with the pro lenses? I knowthe built ones available for purchase right now are being made for the standard lenses..

I suppose ideally the projector would sit on a stand/table directly behind the couch at about 13' from the screen. My screen I would need would be about 75" diagonal as I have a 60" pulldown screen I was given a while back. I also had a triplet from a 3M OHP but I suppose that wouldn't be able to give me what I want from that distance. I don't mind going out and buying the lenses seperately from other places but it seems like the ones here have been "matched" for use in a particular design and all the figuring has already been done to show how far apart each component should be....

i'll also need to find 16' or so of s-video and optical cabling...this could get expensive. I'll be hitting $500 without even having a box or an lcd