I have just recently completed my projector and screen setup and am in absolute ecstacy over the results. Waiting for my dad to lend me his camera so I can get some screenies up...

I have a q about the placement of 5.1 surrounds; Specifically, about the VERTICAL placement of the front left, center, and front right channels. I am currently viewing a 104" wide 16:9 projction from 14' back, on a bed that is fairly low to the ground. The screen is set up so that the top is about 10" from the ceiling, and there is a closet door on the right side of the screen. Here in lies the canundrum - there are only three possible layouts I can have:

+ : screen
- : screen boundry
. : spacer (plain wall)
o : closet

1) The FL, C, and FR channels are all mounted in the same horizontal along the ceiling.

...FL....................C.......................FR.................
...---------------------------------------....................
...++++++++++++++++++++++...................
...++++++++++++++++++++++...................
...++++++++++++++++++++++....ooooo......
...++++++++++++++++++++++....ooooo......
...++++++++++++++++++++++....ooooo......
...---------------------------------------.....ooooo......
.........................................................ooooo......

2) the FL and FR are placed midscreen and the C is along the ceiling:

.........................C.............................
...---------------------------------------....
...++++++++++++++++++++++...
...++++++++++++++++++++++...
FL++++++++++++++++++++++FR
...++++++++++++++++++++++....
...++++++++++++++++++++++....
...----------------------------------------....
.........................................................

3) The FL and FR are placed midscreen and the C is along the bottom of the screen:

.........................................................
...----------------------------------------....
...++++++++++++++++++++++.....
...++++++++++++++++++++++.....
FL++++++++++++++++++++++FR
...++++++++++++++++++++++.....
...++++++++++++++++++++++.....
...----------------------------------------.....
..........................C.............................

The other variables are there is a couch 12" below the screen, and the distance from the floor to the bottom of the screen is about four feet (9.5' ceiling).

Which setup would be the best? I am thinking the vertical seperation of the FL,FR, and C channels wont be jarring because the center channel is supposed to carry dialogue - therefore the separation will make the dialogue clearer?? Please advise

Edit: ASCII diagrams

of those options 3 is probably the best. When placing speakers you always place them at or near ear level. You might want to check out dolbys guide on placement...its somewhere on their site as well as other guides made by DTS or anybody else. Also check avsforum.com and audioholics.com they always have the best answers to your questions in my opinion. Heres a direct link to audioholics guide.

I ended up going with option 2 as I preferred the sound with the center channel mounted above the screen rather than below it... if only there were a acousitcally transparent screen that would work well with out PJ's... i just don't think they have enough lumen output to be successful on that type of screen.

This pic shows my basic speaker setup. The Front (R&L) speaker are the ones at the very top of the "stack of three speakers" (yes, old speakers make good speaker stands for the new ones ) I think basically the Front, Surrounds and Rear speakers are kinda high right now, but i'm leaving it that way until I removal all furniture, then I will set everything about 12-18" lower. (closer to ear level)

Anyway, for what it's worth...

Click to view attachment

Where's the pee-jay in that pic? Ceiling or floor mount...?

It's floor mounted. It's actually mostly obscured behind a pillow on the couch, but it is underneath the bright yellow/flowery looking piece of cloth (dishtowel), which is being used as a light shield for the overly tall fresnel lens. I plan to cut the fresnel down to size, once I finalize how much lens shift I will do. (still experiementing)

Went with option 3 because my pj is ceiling mounted and the screen is a bit higher. So far, it sounds great! I'm happy ... for the moment ...