Painted Screen? (1 Viewer)

Well the walls are framed, the wires run, sheetrock installed and sanded. The primer paint is going up this weekend and my 4805 projector should arrive early next week. Next, I need a screen. I am looking for around a 100” diagonal. I do not want to spend a fortune though. The local store had one for $1,200. (almost as much as the projector) The room has no windows and I have a dimmer for the lights. Where can I get an inexpensive screen? How about painted screens? How well do they work? What’s involved in the painting? What kind of paint do I use and where can I get it?
Thanks.

Ask this on www.avsforum.com

Greetings

I've used a gray painted wall with a colour called comet gray. It was effectly the same shade of gray as a Stewart Grayhawk screen and yielded very similar results. $25 for a gallon of that stuff ...

Cheap solutions do work sometimes ... but not everyone has the same room layout to use this solution.

Regards

Drobbins, I made my own screen, 52"X92", 106" diagonal, out of Blackout cloth from Joann Fabrics. The total cost was $40.00, and I'm very happy with it. There are instructions and photos at Avsforum.com in the DIY Screen section.

I checked out AVSForm and there is much info there. (maybe too much - I'm so confused) I will check out the local fabric store also. Thanks for the replies.

You can get just as good performance from a painted screen as from a stand-alone screen, provided you don't need to remove it from the wall when not in use, you have a perfectly smooth wall, you can put the paint on smoothly, and the projector beam hits the wall at the correct angle.

Video hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/video.htm

If you plan to build your DIY screen using blackout cloth here is a link. http://members.shaw.ca/danhanson/The...eenproject.htm

I followed these instructions with good results (you can see me 110" DIY screen here) http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htfo...hreadid=220477

In the DIY screen's link the guy says that the only thing he would change in his process is how to stretch the blackout cloth. He included a link to a site where they explain the right way (beginning by each side centre and going to the corner; read his link it's clearer there) to do it. Of course you have to adjust the method a little but the concept is the right one.

One thing I would add to his process (I didn't do it, but should have) for the screen's frame is to paint the frame with flat black before putting black fabric on it. This way the frame will be blacker than black and that may help if you have a little overscan.

drobbins, I have the Infocus X1, which is a DLP like the 4805. You should stick to a white screen with your projector. Most people that use a gray screen or paint are using LCD projectors, and the gray helps with the low contrast and black level. You can read all about it in the DIY Screen section at Avsforum.com.

I made an 8' x 6' screen using 1 x 3 pine from Home depot and some blackout cloth from a local store.
Total cost was $60 CDN.
There is a link on the AVS forum to showing how to make this screen. Thought I had it saved, but I don't. It's very strong and lightweight. Picture quality is fantastic.

Most places only carry cloth that is 56" wide, or something like that.
I found a place that carries it 110" wide, so if you need a really big screen, it can be done.

Nancy, I read your thread on upgrading your screen. I am glad to see the replies stating that the blackout cloth screen will do as good a job as the expensive screens.
Jim, thanks for clarifying the different screen types for the different projectors.
You all have convinced me. I bought the blackout cloth yesterday. My room is relatively small 13’ x 14’, so a 110” screen should be fine. My projector should arrive tomorrow and I will figure out the exact size. Now I am waiting on the carpet & seating to arrive. (another 2-3 weeks arrg!) Thank you for the links, and advise.

Drobbins, if your room is 13' x 14' check your projector specs before making your screen because a 110" screen may be a little to big for your room. You have to respect a ratio (usually 1.3 to 1.5 X your screen size) to place the first row of seats. If you are too near the screen you may experience SDE (screen door effects).

I suggest you check it before making your screen.

Nancy Parrish

Why didnt you guys ask me for a screen? I can get them for a good deal through my friend who is a Dealer with Dalite.
Geez let me know next time. I got mine for $120 dollars shipped and its a pull down type.
Anyways Just wanting to help you all out. Its always nicer to have a screen than a painted wall.
Matt

matt I need a 120" perm wall in that case

I received the 4805 yesterday and took it for a test run on a wall painted dark brick color. I am very impressed with the clarity and I am sure that will improve with a screen. I am planning to set up the projector and then size the screen to fit the best picture. I bought my projector from The Plasma Docs and I have a rebate from Infocus that gives me a free 76 diagonal screen, but I might want something larger. I did not see the SDE until I got about 8’ from the wall. For now I am planning only one row of seats, so it should be fine.

I have my 4805 shooting onto a Goo painted wall. This stuff is great and much better that normal paint because of it's reflective qualities. It is made specifically for this.

I am using the light digital gray but you may have different lighting conditions. the site can lead you to the proper combination. I have now done three screen with it and it is great.

www.goosystems.com

i would like to see a goo painted screen, I am curious about the reflective qualities of the paint, I have thought about adding some House Of Kolor Dry Pearl to some white paint to see what happens, Maybe its just one of those things I would have to test out, its basically crushed pearls and is a very fine powder, but it adds that reflectiveness almost like a metal flake to paint on a car but dont know if it would work with wall paint that is rolled on.

Travis

I tried a dozen mixes before Goo and I could never get it just right. Goo is idiot proof as they take the guess work out of the mix.

I have tested a few brand name screens as well and without spending a huge amount of money I couldn't best the Goo.

Once I saw my wall after painting, I decided to try the blackout cloth. My wall is not flat as I would have liked. Thanks for all the advice.
Dave

I'm using three sheets of white foam core from Staples, snugged together so you don't see the seam (one foam core board down the middle and then portions of the other two on each side, so there is no seam down the middle of the screen...just in case). And black felt above and below.

Total cost, somewhere in the $40 range.

I mounted the projector today and built the screen out of blackout cloth. I ended up with a 91” diagonal viewing area for the widescreen setup. I am very pleased with the results. Total cost for the cloth, wood frame, wood trim, and a quart of flat black paint for under $100. Thanks again for all the help.