DLP Projector....what screen? (1 Viewer)

[Joshua L]

I have a Davis PowerBeam VI Projector and am trying to figure out what kind of screen surface I should use.

Here are the stats:
Brightness (Lumens) : 650 ANSI
Contrast:
ANSI: 250:1
Full On/Off: **
Throw Dist (feet) : 5.7 - 16.4
Image Size (inches) : 39.6 - 168.0
Display: Type: 0.9" DLP (1)
Native: 800x600 Pixels
Maximum: 1024x768 Pixels
Aspect Ratio: 4:3 (SVGA)


Any suggestions on the screen surface? The projector will most likely be 14 - 16 feet from the screen and light control is not an issue in the room.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Gabriel_Lam]

Size and budget?

Edit: Hmm, wait a sec. 14-16' away from the screen? Take it 14' away from the wall and adjust the zoom so that it throws the minimum picture size. How big is it?

 

[Joshua L]

On the minimum zoom, the picture is 72" wide (Not diagonal)at 14'

 

[John Kotches]

In all likelihood given the low contrast ratio, I would suggest the Stewart Firehawk.

It's a 1.3 gain screen with a gray backing.

Tremendous difference on my NEC LT-150.....

Regards,

 

[Joshua L]

Well to be quite honest, Im looking for something in a manual Pulldown fashion.

I dont think the firehawk series is pull down.

Any suggestions now?

 

[Cees Alons]

Joshua,
You may want to give DA-Lite a look. I used one of their 100" screens for more than four years now (a motorized version, but they have manual versions plenty) and I'm still very happy with that one. I have a high-gain screen (2.6 x!), but you may also like a 1.3x. They have it all (look under Specs to find the different screen materials). People may warn you against "hot-spotting": I haven't seen it!
But beware: if your viewing region is wide angled (mine isn't, we all sit rather straight in front of the screen), some high-gain screens may be less suitable (reflection will diminish with increasing viewing angle: see the specs on their site).
Good luck!
Cees

 

[Joshua L]

Well I found two dalite screens for a decent price:
Model B 69" x 92" Video Format, Matte White -$115.20
Model B 69" x 92" Video Format, Video Spectra 1.5 -$140.40
Which would be best in your opinion. It produces a decently bright picture on my wallpapered wall at home
Matte White
The most versatile screen surface and the premier choice when ambient light is controllable. It evenly distributes light over a wide viewing area while colors remain bright and life-like, with no shifts in hue.
Viewing angle 50° Gain 1.1
Video Spectra 1.5
Especially designed for demanding video and overhead LCD projection applications where a balance of higher gain and greater viewing angle is required. The special pearlescent surface may be cleaned with mild soap and water.
Viewing angle 35° Gain 1.5

 

[Gabriel_Lam]

For that low brightness projector on that large of a screen, you're going to definitely need something that's high gain. 1.5 gain may do it.

 

[Cees Alons]

I would say, take the Video Spectra. It will also enhance the contrast a bit.
You will be amazed, so will your friends .
Cees

 

[Bill Lucas]

If it is 650 ansi lumens it is not all that *dim*. The Dalite 1.5 gain screen would work okay but a gray screen would help with black level and contrast ratio. If the viewing angles you pasted are correct I'd avoid those screens like the plague. A 35 or 50 degree viewing angle is quite poor performance given today's screen technologies. Anyone off-axis will be looking at a decidedly different image than those on axis. Regards.

 

[Joshua L]

Actually, I think I am more inclined at this point to make a DIY Screen.
I just dont know how well it would work.
I have found several websites to purchase screen material per quare foot. I could get the dimenions I want and build a wall screen on my own.
Link Removed
I dont know if any of the screen surfaces they offer would be sufficient.
In addition, there are several sites which have made DIY Screens out of white blackout cloth. I could probably find a slightly Gray Material as well.
There is also a screen I found with a guy who made his screen out of MDO
The board was painted with two coats of Sherwin-Williams flat white paint (could be any quality brand), then two coats of ICI Dulux Dorian Grey, mixed with white; 1 part grey to 5 parts white.
His Projector was 600 Lumens and the picture was great from what I saw.
It sounds like its almost an opinion on what looks best to the viewer.

 

[Bill Lucas]

Joshua,

It depends on whether you want to adhere to the accepted standards for image quality. Ultimately, it IS your eye that needs to be pleased but video is not like audio. There's a reason that screens are made and that some (Stewart, for example) carry a premium price. The performance can easily be measured and there are specific guidelines as to what is correct.

What we hear? Now that's a different story. That is much more subjective.

 

[Cees Alons]

Joshua,

As I stated before: I'm using a motorized pull-down screen for more than 4 years now.

But... I'm working on a new HT-project in my home and I already decided to use a fixed DIY screen of which I'm now sure it will give the best quality/$ ratio: a painted wall! There are several paints, I'm told, that do the trick very well. I just can't tell you myself at the moment which they are (working on other aspects of my new HT now), but I'm sure this information will appear to be rather readily available.

Of course it's not necessary to use a wall for it: any other self-made construct could work as well, IMO.

Cees

 

[Robert James Clark]

Joshua,

As an owner of a Davis 650 DLP projector, also with 650 lumens, I STRONGLY recommend the Dalite manual pull down model B with the "High Power" surface.
You will be very glad you did.
Try CousinsVideo on the web...

Robert

 

[Don Bingaman]

Josh,

I've got a Sharp 9000U DLP, and I just installed a 100" Stewart Firehawk in my new HT room. Two surprises - first, the damn thing is not gray OR white, its a flat silver color ! Second, it just about doubles the contrast ratio of the Sharp, compared to the tripod-mounted white Draper I borrowed from my slide projector !! The images on this thing are drop-dead gorgeous, (we watched the new Ashley Jude movie "High Crimes", last night, and I realized that Ashley is even prettier than I imagined!!) Anyway, with a DLP, if you can use one of these in your situation, I highly recommend it. In addition, the workmanship of this Stewart screen and frame is outstanding - I think they are definitely worth the premium price ( $ 1300.00 for a 100" fixed "Deluxe Velux" model.)

As far as a Firehawk pulldown model - I'd bet Stewart could make one for you if you asked them - they do a lot of custom stuff.

 

[Joshua L]

Well, some questions about the viewing angle on these screens.

Some have a 30 degree viewing angle.

If you were sitting outside that viewing angle, would the screen then appear as if it was being projected onto a screen with little gain, like a bed sheet?

Joshua.

 

[Gil D]

Joshua,

This is what I surmised for my situation when I was shopping for a portable screen (tripod or floor model) for an 800 Lumen LT150 table top mounted.
My typical viewing is off axis from 10-35 degrees so I would be losing gain for anyone seated off-axis. So the way I figure it at 10-35 degrees the gain will be somewhere as follows: (based on conversation w/ DaLite for table top mounted PJ)

High Power: 2.4 - 1.3
Wide Power: 2.0 - 1.5
Video Spectra: 1.4 - dim(less than one here at 1/2 the gain?)

I went with the Wide Power since I was sold on the Insta-theater for a portable screen and it's the only screen material option. If I could have mounted a pulldown I would have went with the HiPower although if the room is light controlled I am tempted to try HCCV. I would note that I do see some hot spotting on bright scenes with the reflective Wide Power, which seems to not be a problem with retro-reflective screens like the HiPower.

The problem with your PJ is the low light output and low contrast. Firehawk is too expensive for me, but it looks to be the best of both worlds if you can afford it. If the price is too steep, I would consider Robert Clarkes suggestion to try the Dalite HiPower since he actually has experience with your projector.

Also, Jason at AVS has the best pricing on DaLite screens. I highly recommend them.

 

[Joshua L]

Here is what I found on the highpower screens.
High Power:
Gain=2.8
Viewing Half-Angle=25
That basically equates to about a centered 4 - 5 foot wide optimal viewing/seating area at 11 feet from the screen if my math is correct. Keep in mind I am not so good with math
So anything outside that 4 - 5 foot angle would be dull.
I dont know how "dull" the image would be however, as I have never seen the effect of gain in action. The only screen I have used, as stated above is a white bedsheet.
I guess I will have to just...take the plunge and try it.

 

[Cees Alons]

Joshua,

If you're getting outside that central region, the light reflection starts to diminish. Not immediately dramatically, BTW. But if you're really outside that area it gets visibly dimmer.

To draw a proper area, use the two outer edges of the screen (left and right) and draw lines with the given angle to the opposite side of the room (because, wherever you'll have to sit, the whole screen should be appropriately lit.

Between both those lines: (1) from the left side of screen going to the right of the room and (2) from the right side of screen going to the left of the roo, one will have a good place to watch all your movies!

Cees

 

[Stasulos]

Any experience with Glass Beaded Screens anyone?