Using wall as a screen, what color paint should I use to yield best results?

Inspector Hammer! · 05-12-2004, 02:14 PM

I currently own the Infocus X1 and for now I am projecting on a blank white wall, I have cream colored walls, but after installing the projector I beamed a 16x9 image from the AVIA dvd onto it, masked that area off and then painted a 96" white field on the wall to act as a screen. I also made my own black frame for the "screen" with ordinary poster board, which I am going to replace with sturdier foamboard this weekend.

I'm also considering using another color for the screen if it gives me better results, improved contrast, black level etc...

For those using your wall, which color are you using and why?

I am aware that a real screen would be best, however I just can't swing that right now, so for now, i'm afraid i'll just be staring at the wall.

Neil Joseph · 05-12-2004, 03:28 PM

Light gray works well with the X1 as far as boosting the black level and I have read reports of reduced rainbow effect as a result too. Others can post the exact paint colour.

Michael TLV · 05-12-2004, 03:33 PM

Greetings

I am using comet gray on my wall. It is essentially the same colour as a stewart grayhawk. I am shooting 96 inches with a black velvet frame masking the screen.

The projector is a Panasonic LCD AE300 and the gray wall gives me better blacks ...

The wall outside the frame area was then painted ink black. coming into the room, one would be hard pressed to notice that I am actually using my wall.

I put a 3'x3' sample of the grayhawk on the wall and it essentially vanished into the image. There is no decernible difference between the wall colour and the screen material.

regards

Parker Clack · 05-13-2004, 05:00 AM

Michael:

What brand of paint did you use and where did you get it?

Parker

Brian Fellmeth · 05-13-2004, 09:09 AM

There is more information than you could digest in a lifetime on this topic in the screen topic at the AVS forum.

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Joseph Bolus · 05-13-2004, 09:37 AM

The "light gray" color actually works better with the LCD projectors than the DLP-based X1 in my opinion.

Don't forget that even the "modern" LCD projectors struggle to get up to a 1300:1 contrast ratio spec, while the X1 provides 2000:1. However, the X1 is already "lumen challenged" when it's operated in either its "film" or "video" modes, and you therefore want *at least* a 1.0 gain surface for your screen. With a light gray painted wall, you'll probably end up with a slight negative gain. A negative gain works best with LCD projectors which typically provide far more lumens than the X1. With that kind of projector you're trading lumens for a boost in the contrast ratio. You don't have the lumens to spare with the X1, and the contrast ratio is already adequate. Go with a white color. (And don't forget that a light gray color on your wall is *not* going to emulate a Firehawk screen, which has specially formulated reflective properties.)

Michael TLV · 05-13-2004, 08:00 PM

Greetings

Comet Gray ... Home Depot

Behr Brand.
Colorant 0Z 48 96

B Lamp Black 1/26/0
C Yellow Oxide 0/20/0
I Brown Oxide 0/8/0

Regards

Dan Stone · 05-14-2004, 11:11 AM

While not the least expensive solution, this certainly gives results which are quite a step up from your basic grey paint:

www.goosystems.com

Michael TLV · 05-14-2004, 04:10 PM

Greetings

It's a cheap low cost solution. If the goal is to match the characteristics of a grayhawk, then what would spending more give you if you cannot see a difference between the paint and the grayhawk already as it is?

One can always spend more money ... and there is not only one solution to this. But at the ground level, you can get pretty good results for essentially $20 worth of paint.

Regards