What projector and screen should I get?

[Newbie15]

I am considering upgrading my garage hitting set up.

 

I already own a good net and mat.

 

I think I want the Rapsodo MLM2pro as my launch monitor.

 

That leaves me needing a screen and projector.  Economical is important to me.

 

For the screen I am thinking 10ft by 10ft or smaller. I could buy the screen without finished edges and DIY that part to save money. 

 

For the projector ... I have no idea. I could mount it to the ceiling as close as necessary or I could put it 15 feet back.  Or I could put it on the floor.

 

Is there is a relationship between the quality of the launch monitor's graphics, the screen and the projector? I assume so. If the monitor can only put out "OK" graphics you probably don't need a great monitor and screen. And if you have great graphics coming from the monitor you probably need a quality screen and projector. I don't know what the Rapsodo is capable of in terms of graphics and I have no idea what to look for in a screen or projector.

 

I'm open to any advice.  

 

Here's a picture of what I have now.

 

 

 

[ucmike11]

What sim software are you planning on running? E6? Do you have a pc/laptop already, or will you just use an ipad/tablet?  

 

 

[Newbie15]

1 hour ago, ucmike11 said:

What sim software are you planning on running? E6? Do you have a pc/laptop already, or will you just use an ipad/tablet?  

 

 

I am waiting on a new IPad that should be the latest model. In terms of software, I was going to start with whatever the MLM2Pro comes with and then go from there. Thanks

[ucmike11]

1 minute ago, Newbie15 said:

I am waiting on a new IPad that should be the latest model. In terms of software, I was going to start with whatever the MLM2Pro comes with and then go from there. Thanks

 

I am in the process of setting up a budget setup as well, I dont want to comment on the impact screen I bought since I haven't used it yet, but I will say that since you will be using an Ipad, you can certainly get a great deal on a used 1080p short throw projector.  As for the quality - stay away from the cheap projectors on Amazon, and you should be fine. I have an Optoma and it has enough brightness to be blinding!

[Newbie15]

41 minutes ago, ucmike11 said:

 

I am in the process of setting up a budget setup as well, I dont want to comment on the impact screen I bought since I haven't used it yet, but I will say that since you will be using an Ipad, you can certainly get a great deal on a used 1080p short throw projector.  As for the quality - stay away from the cheap projectors on Amazon, and you should be fine. I have an Optoma and it has enough brightness to be blinding!

Which Optoma do you have? I see some on FB marketplace. Is there a minimum number of lumens I need in order to be able to see during the daytime in the garage?

[ucmike11]

I use an optoma gt780. It claims 3800 lumens, anything above 3000 lumens should be adequate unless the sun is directly hitting it

 

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1774265-REG/optoma_technology_gt780_short_throw_720p_projector.html/?ap=y&ap=y&smp=y&smp=y&smpm=ba_f2_lar&lsft=BI%3A514&gclid=Cj0KCQjwmICoBhDxARIsABXkXlJkJSBWGEZuRO_RxNY_Xlv1_ULwMdVu3n-jwt4Tcc-0yYC9TCHJCigaAmfBEALw_wcB

 

 

[goinforeit]

Definitely seconding what @ucmike11 is saying about the brightness. Most sim software will look fine on a decent projector, but would be annoying  if you had to turn all the lights off. 

Check out the Carl's Place screens. They are affordable and seem to want to last a crazy long time. I have well over 15,000 shots on my premium screen and it's holding nicely. It's also very easy to get the tension just right so the ball bounces back to your feet without getting the hitting into a sheet look. The finished edges are more of a looks thing for sure, but you really want to make sure you have padding on your top frame  (Trust me on that one)  and the flaps help hold that in place. If you aren't planning on using it as a movie screen or looking for the sharpest graphics, you'd be fine with the preferred screen to save some cash. 

Give the folks at Carl's a call, sometimes they have returned screens that you can get for a few bucks off. Never hurts to ask. 

[Newbie15]

7 hours ago, ucmike11 said:

I use an optoma gt780. It claims 3800 lumens, anything above 3000 lumens should be adequate unless the sun is directly hitting it

 

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1774265-REG/optoma_technology_gt780_short_throw_720p_projector.html/?ap=y&ap=y&smp=y&smp=y&smpm=ba_f2_lar&lsft=BI%3A514&gclid=Cj0KCQjwmICoBhDxARIsABXkXlJkJSBWGEZuRO_RxNY_Xlv1_ULwMdVu3n-jwt4Tcc-0yYC9TCHJCigaAmfBEALw_wcB

 

 

Hmm. I thought I had to spend a lot more than that. That one’s bright enough?

[goinforeit]

10 hours ago, Newbie15 said:

Hmm. I thought I had to spend a lot more than that. That one’s bright enough?

Man... I am running this one: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1669755-REG/benq_lk936st_5100_lumen_4k_uhd.html

And while I run the brightness at around 75% (I find the colors look better without the brightness cranked), it doesn't take much to wash out the image. With the garage door open 1/4 way on a clear day, it's probably 50% washed out. 

I know I keep touting Carl's Place's horn, but they are incredibly nice folks. Give them a call and be honest about your budget, setup, and goals. They'll line you up with the projector that will not have you guessing. They actually tried to talk me out of mine, but I wanted the best. That tells me they won't oversell you, which goes a long way in my book. 

The way I see it, the image is a large part of simulator excitement, so you want to get it right. That doesn't mean expensive, it just means doing your research. You can always upgrade.