Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater What screen for a projector in a nondedicated room

We are progressing along in our home theater in our basement, and I am needing to decide where some final wiring goes and then I am going on a drywall frenzy the next few days. Anyway, we are on a tight budget, and while I will have Axioms (3 more weeks!!!), I would rather spend the money on a nice projector than on an expensive screen.

Anyway, I know some people have gone the DIY route and painted screens, etc. Our problem is that this is a non-dedicated room, so the idea of a screen always being there doesn't sit well with my wife, and with me for that matter.

I like the idea of a pull down, or even a motorized screen, but they cost more than a perminant screen (fabric or paint) and I hear that some people have issues with the screen being "wavy" looking because it isn't pulled tight. Then of course you can add a screen tensioning add on, but the price goes up again.

What do people have here? I will probably post this on AVS as well, but many times over there I get responses that don't directly answer my specific question, like I can see getting a response like "skip the projector and go plasma" or something that doesn't answer my screen question at all.

Any ideas would be great.

Non permanent and it aint cheap. ~$550


http://www.spaceloft.com/h30/mini-IMG_2394.htm
click on previous 4

I recently bought a DaLite pull down screen in HDTV format 45X80 High contrast matte white for under CDN $250 with free shipping. (I also bought my projector and cables from this site) In USD this would be under $200 bucks!
I am just finishing up my drywall so I have not mounted it, however a friend of mine has a pull down screen which he tensioned with a bracket near the floor and a bungee cord. Works great.
E-mail me if you want the site with the screen information

Do you notice the "waves" in the screen when you are watching a movie?

I used flat white paint for my screen, after I wet sanded the previous paint on the wall. The strategy you might want to take is to paint the wall flat white, before you decide on the actual screen and the size. That way, you can find out what size picture works best for your size room. Could be, you'll be happy with just a painted wall, and won't even have to buy a screen. It's helpful to better understand the size of your projection, before actually buying a screen.

not sure I answered your question, but -- all the advice I ran into was to project against the wall before you make screen decisions. If you go with a pre-made screen -- know that certain type of projectors work better with the different screen offerings.

Hi Nick,

I just ordered some screen material from Dazian on Ebay, they sell a "Home Theatre" material that is very affordable, I think you can get enough for around a 100" screen for around $30. You would have to construct a frame, out of wood or something else. It would be very light weight and could be moved easily. I just ordered some of their more expensive material in "matte white" pvc vinyl. It is supposed to be the same material they sell to movie theatres around the world...anyway I got some 54" x 108" material, and I plan to make a 2.05 AR screen as most of my movies are AR above 1.85...when watching AR's less than 2.05, I'll just back off the zoom a bit so the height fits, this way I can get the full experience as in theatres on wider aspect movies...

I am still planning on comparing this material to the Light Fusion painted methods I told you about on AVS. Since I have a gallon of Mississippimud and the HVLP paint gun, I should be able to whip up some samples to compare to this material....

Nick,

I must be a couple weeks ahead of your project. I am about 6 weeks away from my test viewing. Seems like a good reason to share my opinions (and my first post).

I went with a manual 106" Da-lite model B matte white with CSR. I think it was $275ish with freight.

My reasons for this selection: Da-lite has an excellent online chat for Q/A? This helped me with size/screen material not to mention the screen model itself. CSR should help minimize damage to screen when retracting. I didn't get a tensioned screen. It is my understanding that it becomes a bigger issue with the bigger sized screens. I didn't need a high contrast screen because my DLP projector has pretty good contrast itself. Ultimately I went cheap with the model B and I can always upgrade later. I wanted to spend a little more on the audio setup initially.

I did run power to the screen pocket in my ceiling. Also I had it boxed out about 8" x 8" in case I want to go with a larger sized electric unit in the future.

I am having the screen drop in front of a bookcase. This will conceal the screen opening behind the molding. Also there won't be a void in the room. I want my system to be as hidden as much as it could. My biggest issue now is hiding the projector itself without spending a couple grand on a lift.

xj8: Thanks for the tip. I was going to go with one you mentioned but the area where my current one is has no straight wall. It is on an angle. Hence the floor portable model. The screen I have also has a Wide Power fabric. It gives some great gain and gives an overall brighter vivid picture. I used to have a high contrast matte white and the "Wide Power" or "High Power" definitely gave the picture more punch. Tension is usually bad because after 1 year it definitely gives you more waves. Non tensioned retractable or fixed frame gives you the least waves. My screen since portable with a pneumatic scissor system and having the wide power fabric cost more than a pretty penny.

nickbuol: No mine has no waves. The fabric is very thin like cellophane type material. It is held up by a pnuematic mechanism that has no tension...so there is no pull to create those waves. It is not puncture proof so care must be done...like not having your dog run into it. It is the third screen I have owned and the best so far. Its been 8 months with no wrinkles. The end bend a little in the border but little or no consequence on the main white viewing part.