Questions about projector/motorized screen setup at work

[Megatomic]

Hi, I am a total noob in all things AV so I'm here to benefit from your collective knowledge and experience. Here's the deal:

We have a conference room where we have an older Epson 1600x1200 projector that is wallmounted in a really jerry-rigged fashion on a real arm system but with shallow channel unistrut bolted on to extend the projector to where it throws properly on the wall 17ft away. The wall was recently painted an accent color (brown) so it's not so great anymore as a screen.

We (my boss and I) were given the go ahead from the powers that be to upgrade the AV setup as we use our conference room as a training center for the companies we rep and we want to make the best impression possible. What we want to do is upgrade our projector to a full HD model (https://www.amazon.com/Epson-EX9200...3_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=F240JE6PJ7V5XWWFD6MY) and install a motorized screen (https://www.amazon.com/Elite-Screen...p_n_feature_twenty_browse-bin:9729704011&th=1). We'll be removing the unistrut extender so the distance of the projector to the screen will be roughly 19.5ft.

Before we write the PO to buy that stuff, can I get some feedback from you guys as to whether or not the throw of the projector is appropriate for the distance to the screen and the size of the screen? Is there something I am not taking into consideration? I'll take any information or opinions I get from you into account. Thanks!

 

[Kaido]

Is there any reason you need a motorized screen? Because:

1. I have an Elite motorized screen (100" or 120", I forget) & it's great.
2. Motorized screens are generally reliable, but since there's a motor, there's a risk of it breaking.
3. Manual pull-down screens come down instantly & are cheaper.
4. Fixed screens are permanently on the wall & are also cheaper.

The motorized screen is cool & there are times when it's needed. I did an install not too long ago in a corporate lunchroom where there were no available walls & the ceiling was so high that a manual screen with a pull-string wouldn't make sense. But that same company also had a retractable screen in a conference room where it literally stayed down 24/7 because that was the only thing the wall was ever used for. At my local college, they put whiteboards behind the pull-down screens, so that's a pretty functional reason for having a retractable screen. Just something to think about. A 16:9 139" screen is only $280:

https://www.amazon.com/STR-1610139-Silver-Ticket-Cinema-Projector/dp/B00DGWGZFI/

Although you're getting a 1920x1200 screen, which is 16:10, so that wouldn't work (unless you swapped out to a 1080p Epson).

 

[Kaido]

Also, here is a throw calculator for that Epson: (if you haven't used it already)

http://www.projectorcentral.com/Epson-EX9200_Pro-projection-calculator-pro.htm

A 19.5' throw distance = 182" screen. Your link is to a 142" screen, so you'd need to move the projector 15' 2" away from the screen to achieve that. You can adjust a bit with the zoom to compensate as needed.