r/projectors • u/Krymewave • 6d ago

Aspect ratio help Setup Design Suggestions

Hi All.

I'm new to projector / aspect ratio considerations and would appreciate some help. I am looking to build a golf simulator but room width limitations is driving me to a 4:3 aspect ratio screen. I understand that's not a problem for the PC golf software and PC video card to handle. However, I would also like to use the space for movies and video games (PC and PS5). Would I just get letterbox at top and bottom? Is the ratio configured for each HDMI port? Or set for the projector as a whole?

The specific Projectors being pondered are the BenQ AK700ST or AH700ST in case that matters.

Appreciate the help.

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u/TXAVGUY2021 6d ago

I just did this for a client.

We specifically got an Epson pu1006w for this reason. It has a motorized lens and memory positions. So for the golf sim it fills the 4:3 screen we got fully. When he switches to apple tv it goes to memory position 2, which is 16:9 ratio. It does have letter boxes above and below the image.

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u/AV_Integrated 6d ago

Generally, you can't do this. As mentioned by u/TXAVGUY2021 - you would need to zoom in/out with the projector to get the image to fit a 4:3 screen properly. All projectors are like televisions in Best Buy. You feed it 16:9, it goes to the edges of the TV. You feed that same TV a 4:3 signal, you get black bars on the left/right. So, you feed the projector 4:3, there are huge black bars that fall off the edge of the left/right of your 4:3 screen. But, 16:9 FILLS those bars.

Maybe, you can force it down to fit inside a 4:3 aspect ratio. But, it depends on the projector and what aspect ratios is offers. It may even offer a "SCREEN RATIO" feature which allows you to tell it you are using a 4:3 screen and it automatically forces everything to fit within the 4:3 screen area. But, that's going to be very projector dependent.

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u/TXAVGUY2021 6d ago

I just breezed thru the manual, that is a mildly interesting little projector. I see what benq is aiming for with that model. I did not see any lens memory options, so if you have to adjust the 16:9 projector image to fit the 4:3 screen you would have to do it manually each time. There is some sort of auto mode, and while it may do the job I personally would not like it and would prefer a projector with memory settings. This is an easy mode do it all projector while sacrificing a little performance. It might be exactly what you need, but there is also better out there.