WOW! You guys weren't BSing. One of the best tweaks I have ever implemented. (1 Viewer)

[Cees Alons]

The first person to advocate the mattes on this forum was Mike Knapp, back in 1997. We were discussing the "vertical squeeze"and after trying the technique, he "invented" the effect of black mattes (with velcron, to be able to accomodate different movie formats). It made a lot of difference!

We first mentioned it in a publication about the vertical squeeze.

Its success has to do with human perception: what you cannot see isn't there (compare: the effect of the "blind spot"). For a lot of people it made watching widescreen on a 4x3 set much more of a pleasure!

 

[Andy_S]

Is this something that would only be benificial to Rear Projection sets? Is it worth doing on a glass tube TV?
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Check out my home-built mame cabinet here!

 

[Andres Munoz]

It is worth doing on any screen Andy. I own a 32" Sony WEGA and the mattes do make a big difference.
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Andres

 

[Mike Knapp]

For images of my screen matted to different ratios go http://www.hometheatertalk.com/Reviews/My_System/my_system.html
BTW...Cees was the first on this board to report the "vertical squeeze trick".
Mike

 

[Tony Cicirello]

Hi Mike,
I was wondering when you would reply to this one!
I took your suggestion on this long ago...
As always, you didn't steer me wrong!
Tony

 

[Vince Maskeeper]

Particularly for watching in a dark room, physical matting makes a world of a difference. (just ask anyone who went to my meet last weekend where I demoed my mattes)

I have to say, I attended Phil's get-together last week and the mattes were the talk of the meet!
Despite demoing The Phanotm Menace on Laser- considered the best audio demo available for HT,
despite having Saving Private Ryan on DTS DVD- considered to be one of the top DVD audio demos avaialble,
despite having Saving Private Ryan on DD Laser- considered the best SPR audio available- even better than the DTS DVD,
despite having a powered SVS sub- one of the most earth shaking HT subs money can buy,
despite having the fine film Fear of a Black Hat- one of the funniest films few people have ever seen
Despite having all this material available and shown at Phil's last weekend, I think the biggest impact that was made was the Mattes!!
A few dollars in black felt material, velcro and some cardboard. The greatest sub $50 tweak I can think of!
Vince Maskeeper
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[Rob L]

Wow.
First I just want to say that I am glad everyone is happy with this tweak. I have never seen it nor do I feel I need to use it. But, if it floats your boat then that is great to hear.
However, I find it mind boggling that something like that would be "the talk of the meet" and be more talked about than the other aspects of a HT. Crazy. I honestly can't fathom it making that much of a difference unless the set is waaaaaay off in the brightness and contrast level.
Another thing I find sort of amusing is just reading through this it makes me think some of you stare at those black bars or are drawn to them yet I am sure the same people go on and on about a non HT person bitching about the black bars they get with dvd. I am sure that is not the case but just by reading I get the impression that more people are focused on the bars than watching the movie.
I mainly use a 16x9 RPTV but do have a 4:3 rptv in my house. I think maybe I'll try the matte thing on it just to see how HUUUUUGE this improvement is. I guess I need to see it for myself before I can truly believe it.
I am not the type of person who stares or notices the bars when watching movies so it would be neat to see what I thought after slapping them on.
BTW, looking at Patrick Sun's pictures, I see no big difference but I suppose the camera could be the reason for that.

 

[Bob McElfresh]

I can picture the scene now:
My wife returns home from her trip to find the TV entirely framed out with black borders on the top/bottom, and the sides masked off with black bedsheets. All the furniture has been spray-painted flat-black.
"Oh No" she screams "He's been reading that damb HTF website again."
Then the kids come in .. also painted flat black.

 

[Mike Knapp]

Rob L.
It works. It is drastic. I wouldnt lie to you!
Mike

 

[Tim_ A]

I tried the mattes last weekend and really like the look it gives.(also covers the bright red light on the front of the tv) The only downside is when my wife gets on the phone during the movie, I'm in the habit of watching TV while she's on the phone. So, I either have to set there and listen to her (no thanks) or get up and take the mattes off. Also, my dvd player's user menu is displayed in the black bars, so I can't do any tweaking after I put the mattes on.
Is there any way to make the black-gray bars truly black on a Tosh X81?

 

[Max Leung]

Is there any way to make the black-gray bars truly black on a Tosh X81?

Well, not really...but an ISF calibration could help. Use Avia or Video Essentials disc to adjust brigthness levels, then do a grayscale calibration should improve it.

 

[Glen_L]

Vince said:
>>The greatest sub $50 tweak I can think of!

 

[DustinDavis]

BTW...Cees was the first on this board to report the "vertical squeeze trick".

Mike, I'm sure that Cees was hoping you would keep that between just you and him.

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Dustin A. Davis '94
Dustin Davis for Dummies : My HT : Link Removed
"But they are useless. They can only give you answers." - Pablo Picasso on computers

 

[Mike Knapp]

Glen,
Equal to, no lie.
Mike

 

[Gregg Loewen]

Glen, better than !!!
Rob, you have to believe!!
Gregg
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[Vince Maskeeper]

However, I find it mind boggling that something like that would be "the talk of the meet" and be more talked about than the other aspects of a HT. Crazy. I honestly can't fathom it making that much of a difference unless the set is waaaaaay off in the brightness and contrast level.

Not at all- even PERFECT contrast and brightness settings will not be perfect at keeping BLACK AT BLACK. Black level, especially on RPTV, is altered by the color of surrounding areas. It is simply the nature of the gun/folded optic system.
The color of the Black bars DO change in respect to the complete white level in a particular scene. I never really noticed how much it can change, even on a well calibrated and expensive set, until I tried mattes.
Keeping the level of black in the bars absolute changes the way your mind processes the image. I certainly don't "stare at those black bars", however keeping the black colors absolute just turns the space into an absolute lack of image rather than a variable "black bar".
Trust me, it makes a ton of difference.
Vince
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http://www.musicianassist.com
ICQ: 95789543 AIM: VinceMaskeeper
Want to join our Ohio Hometheater Club? Click Here .
Join the Crusade to get Say Anything on DVD! Click Here !

 

[Peter_G]

hi all,
i have a 110" 16:9 front projection system that i mask as well, i use curtains to mask the sides when viewing 4:3 ,use full screen for 16:9 and for 2.35:1 etc. i made a top to bottom masking system using roller shade rods and the same fabric as the curtains (black velvet) also my screen wall and ceilling are black.
the reason i did this is because when your watching a 2.35:1 movie with the black bars reproduced from your monitor they are never true black, so when a dark scene in a movie comes the picture fades into the so called black bars and then the picture looks washed out very distracting.
it does make a huge differance i won't watch it any other way, if you've ever been to a movie theater you would see they do the same thing.
BTW stewart,drapper and da-lite all make masking systems for FPTVs they are expensive though.
peter

 

[Tim_ A]

Max
I have calibrated with Avia and Video Essentials. I would like to have my set ISF'd, but there's no one in my area that I would trust to do this.
Would adding a hood and lining with Duvetyne help make the bars more "true black"?

 

[Mike_Boulanger]

I made mattes for my 16:9 Toshiba RPTV for watching 2.35 material, and it really does make a HUGE difference to me.
Also made some for 4:3 material, but I watch most 4:3 in a stretch mode anyhow.
HIGHLY recommend the mattes.
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My Home Theater:
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[Burke Strickland]

i made a top to bottom masking system using roller shade rods and the same fabric as the curtains (black velvet) also my screen wall and ceilling are black

OK -- I've already got the black wall behind my 120" diagonal 16:9 screen (ceiling 18% neutral gray like the rest of the walls - for now, black paint ready) and that paint scheme makes a HUGE difference. I have had the "black bar mattes" in my HT plans for a while, but haven't resolved the logistical and mechanical details -- for instance, where in blazes did you find roller shade rods that long and how did you attach the black velvet fabric? And how are they and the curtains controlled? Manually or motorized?
BTW -- no kidding about the screen mfr's masking systems being expensive. One I've seen in a local HT demo room sure is slick, adjusting to any selected aspect ratio, but it costs $35,000! (That's just for the motorized, remote controlled, masking system. And they've actually sold one.)
Burke
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