To comfortably watch movies in your home cinema, you need to choose the optimal screen size at the stage of its arrangement. The right format will allow you to immerse yourself in the plot of the film as much as possible. To make a choice, it is enough to use just three simple rules and one small life hack, which we will talk about in this article.
The evolution of screen formats in the film industry
The idea of the correct format for a movie theater screen has gradually evolved along with the development of the industry. For a long time, the gold standard was considered to be a screen aspect ratio of 1.33:1, and viewers were seated at a distance of one and a half to three screen heights. That is, in a movie theater with a screen height of 3 meters, the farthest rows were located at a distance of 12 meters.
In the 60s and 70s, new technologies emerged, and films were shot in wider formats. Accordingly, larger screens were required to show them. At that time, a new standard for the aspect ratio appeared – 1.85:1. Interestingly, cinemas were often not rebuilt – their owners simply made the screens wider, leaving the height the same. The rule of constant height has also passed into modern standards for creating multi-format home cinemas.
In multiplexes located in shopping malls, distributors try to install the largest possible screens due to space limitations. In doing so, they ignore the rule of constant height and install screens of the 1.85:1 format. This can prevent the full transmission of the picture when showing blockbusters filmed for the 2.40:1 standard – the image is cut off a little at the top and bottom. This problem occurs even in those halls that use the popular IMAX technology, despite the statements of distributors that the films are specially reformatted for it.
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Three Key Parameters When Choosing a Screen for a Cinema Hall
The first thing you need to determine when ordering a screen for a cinema is what it will be used for most often. If you plan to watch sports events, TV channels, music videos or series, or play video games, it is better to choose a 1.78:1 screen. This is the format in which most such content is made. If you want to watch modern blockbusters, then, as we mentioned above, it is worth purchasing a 2.40:1 screen.
The second point is the geometry of the room. You need to consider which wall you will hang the screen on and what size this parameter allows you to choose. You cannot place the screen on any of the four walls of the hall, at least the doors and windows will physically prevent this.
The third parameter is personal preference. You need to think about where you usually like to sit in the cinema. If you like seats in the first or second row, then you need to look for the largest screen. If you prefer to watch movies from a distance, then you need to check the standards of organizations that recommend movie viewing angles.
The oldest historically established academic standard suggests a horizontal angle of 43 to 62 degrees. The THX company, founded by the creator of Star Wars, suggests sticking to an angle of 36 to 55 degrees. The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) recommends an angle of 33 to 62 degrees. 20th Century Studios suggests using a viewing angle of 45 degrees. On average, all recommendations revolve around numbers from 45 to 55 degrees – they can be taken as the golden mean. The vertical viewing angle should be at least 30 degrees per screen.
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Keep in mind that if you want to make several rows in a chamber home theater, the viewing angle will change faster depending on the place than in a regular theater. Because of this, you will have to choose the main row and focus on it, choosing the optimal screen size. All other places about it will already be a compromise.
Lifehack when choosing a screen
There is one interesting life hack that will help you choose the ideal screen size – you need to place the chair in the place where the sound engineer would sit when mixing the film track. Most studios seat this specialist at a distance equal to the width of the screen.
Thus, if the height of the screen is 5 meters, then the row should be delivered at the same distance. In this position, the viewing angles on both axes are approximately 53 degrees, which fits into all available recommendations. As a bonus, in this position, you will get not only a better picture but also better sound.
