The Big Screen Debate, Again :) Options

[tcr]

Hi all,

I've probably read about 1000 posts in the last week, on here and the AVS forums, about pros and cons of screens.

Firstly, my current setup consists of a Panasonic AE900 PJ, projecting onto a painted wall (I can see some of you cringing already). The screen is a 100" section of the wall painted with a combination of Gesso, a pearl additive and water. The screen has a very dark brown feature wall / border and is in a dedicated, light controlled HT room.

The whole screen debate really seems to come down to personal preference, so to satisfy my own curiousity I want to have a look at a couple of "affordale" options. I'm looking at a 16x9 100" fixed screen and at present the three options I have narrowed it down to are, the melamine board, Wilsonart "designer White" laminate and the high end (for me) Oz Theatre screen. However I just have a few questions for those that have been through all this before.

In regards to the melamine board my reservations are, that it appears to only come in a 16mm thick sheet, so even a sheet of 2400 x 1200, which isn't quite big enough anyway, is going to weigh a fair bit. Has anyone been able to get it on a thinner board? Has anyone been able to find a bigger sheet than 2400 x 1200? For those that have done this, how did you frame it and fix it to the wall?

The Wilsonart "Designer White" laminate seems to be quite popular in the states but I haven't seen much about it here in Oz. I can source a sheet of laminate fixed to a 2400x1200x16mm board through a cabinetmaker but I'll still have the same issues as mentioned above. I can source a 3600x1500mm roll of laminate through the same cabinetmaker but then I'll have to get it fitted to something. My cabinetmaker said it will really need to be fitted to a board rather than a frame and I just wondered if anyone has been down this path with the laminate?

In regards to the Oz Theatre screen, I really like the fact that it's a proven product that seems to have a decent reputation at a reasonable price. I don't live far from them so I will probably go down and talk to the guys and perhaps see if I can get some samples to throw up against my wall. My only hesitation with this product is whether I can justify the price really.

Paul.

[tkd]

Having the same thoughts myself. Was quoted $288 for a laminated 16mm board at that 2400 x 1200 size. That's about a 100" screen so that was big enough for my needs. I don't see weight being a problem if its fixed properly. It just seems like such a 'cheap' solution. Will it mean a 'cheap' picture as well? The few posts I've seen on it at AVS seem to be very positive. Mind you at $288 for a plain white board, that still doesn't include any black borders. So by the time you added that in,time for stuffing around with it, etc, I don't know that you would be fair off the price of an Aurora screen from oz theatres anyway.

I gotta say though that on a 16:9 screen, if you watch any 2.35:1 movies on it, the black border is pretty much uselss anyway. So is it really even necessary. Obviously would do something for a 16:9 source (xbox360, digital tv, etc). Guess it depends on how you are going to divide your watching time I guess.

The plus the laminate had for me is that the screen is going in the rumpus room with young kids and I'd consider it more kid friendly. At least I wouldn't have a heart attack anytime something touched the screen.

[norpus]

OP, 3 words - get a screen!

you won't regret it
best PQ
lowest weight
easiest install
worth at least something if you ever sell it
Richards screens are good and you'll obviously save damage/postage if you pick up locally (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)
Q. how much will your next projector cost, relative?

my 2c

[Prior]

Mate, get a screen.

I used to project onto a wall, and after I installed my OZTS screen, the difference was immediately visible.

The first thing I put on was LOTR EpII. The start, where the camera is flying around the mountains, was so immersive, it nearly gave me vertigo. You will not reget spending the cash on an OZTS.

My screen is a 3m wide scope screen using the Evo 3d fabric, and the whole thing, delivered was something like $1200!!! Now, a smaller, 16:9 screen will be cheaper, and you'll save on shipping.

Do yourself a favour. Don't put good money after bad by buying melamine board. Spend the money ONCE doing it right, and be done with it.

Here's a pic of mine

Cheers,

Chris

[MarkTecher]

You got to just love them Scope screens (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Mark

[Lunokhod (Michae...]

I spent years and years watching movies on a home made screen. You can see some of it here :-
http://www.users.on.net/~michaelcarey/pics...ce/IMG_0059.JPG
It's a pity that it took me so long to change to a commercial screen. It was only after I started playing with anamorphic lenses that I needed a new screen. I too went with the OZTS Majestic with Evo3D and the improvement over my home made screen was unbelievable! The biggest problem was that the Evo3D fabric really pointed out that my 10yo projector was on it's last legs, hopefully in a few weeks I'll have a new, quiet projector above my head.
Long story short, check out OZTS, you owe it to yourself to at least consider that path.
Michael.

[thudabot]

to the OP
i think you are going down a route that's too hard, there are easier and better options out there, eg Ebay, DIY or buy one

[The_Preacher1973]

Mate, get a screen.

I used to project onto a wall, and after I installed my OZTS screen, the difference was immediately visible.

The first thing I put on was LOTR EpII. The start, where the camera is flying around the mountains, was so immersive, it nearly gave me vertigo. You will not reget spending the cash on an OZTS.

My screen is a 3m wide scope screen using the Evo 3d fabric, and the whole thing, delivered was something like $1200!!! Now, a smaller, 16:9 screen will be cheaper, and you'll save on shipping.

Do yourself a favour. Don't put good money after bad by buying melamine board. Spend the money ONCE doing it right, and be done with it.

Here's a pic of mine

Cheers,

Chris

Wow. That's an impressive looking screen. :ph34r:

[Prior]

Thanks Preach! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) I'm pretty happy with it! And it's size is spot on for the viewing distance too! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool.gif)

[Coops22]

I went for the Wilsonart DW laminate. Glued it myself to 9mm MDF to keep the weight down(compared to melamine). Got a few rolls of black felt(40mmx1m, self adhesive) from bunnings for the border. I used bevelled architraves to fit it to the wall. All up about $200. And I love it. Like you say, each to their own. Its my 1st DIY screen and it wasn't hard at all. I went for a 2.37 scope screen.

This post has been edited by Coops22: Nov 10 2007, 12:51 PM

[jd71]

Mate, get a screen.

I used to project onto a wall, and after I installed my OZTS screen, the difference was immediately visible.

The first thing I put on was LOTR EpII. The start, where the camera is flying around the mountains, was so immersive, it nearly gave me vertigo. You will not reget spending the cash on an OZTS.

My screen is a 3m wide scope screen using the Evo 3d fabric, and the whole thing, delivered was something like $1200!!! Now, a smaller, 16:9 screen will be cheaper, and you'll save on shipping.

Do yourself a favour. Don't put good money after bad by buying melamine board. Spend the money ONCE doing it right, and be done with it.

Here's a pic of mine

Cheers,

Chris

Chris, love your screen, whats the distance from the couch to the screen and whats the size of your screen please?

I am probably going to be a tight ass and get a Sanyo Z5 or similiar, so was wondering if its still worth splashing out a grand for a screen if u have a base model projector? I suppose if I were to ask if the screens on ebay are any good u would say they were pretty nasty???

cheers

Justin

[jd71]

They've got a

110 inch AURORA Fixed Projector Screen Velour Frame for 399 on ebay, would that be a good screen for the sanyo?

[Prior]

Well, my PJ is pretty basic. It's a PLUS U5-112 which most people haven't heard of. It's only 800 x 600 native, but I've managed to set it up with one of Mark's Aussiemorphic lenses, and it rocks. Just finished watching 'Death Proof' actually. Awesome movie!

Anyway, back on topic, my screen is just under 3m wide, and is 1.27m high. The seats are about 4m back from memory. I followed the calculations to figure it out, and the distance v height ratio falls smack bang in the middle of the THX 36o thing, or whatever it is.

I'm sure someone who remembers the formulae can chime in now. I've forgotten the calc's now... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif)

A projector is something I intend on upgrading, the screen I am not.

I could have bought a Stewart screen at 3 times the price, but I'll never buy a projector that will benefit from the marginal improvements a Stewart will give me over an OZTS.

Definitely, 100%, buy a screen if you can afford it. If you can't just now, wait. Put the $200 it'll cost you to build a home job aside, and save the rest for one of Richard's screens. You won't regret it...

Cheers,

Chris

This post has been edited by Prior: Nov 10 2007, 10:36 PM

[jd71]

Definitely, 100%, buy a screen if you can afford it. If you can't just now, wait. Put the $200 it'll cost you to build a home job aside, and save the rest for one of Richard's screens. You won't regret it...

Cheers,

Chris

Death proof is pretty cool, did u watch a dvd version? Started watching Planet Terror the other night, thats pretty wild )

So u went for the cinemascope screen, have been reading about the differences on their site, do u like it much better than 16.9? I always thought 16.9 was the 'go' but it seems thats just the size the panels are made up of.

[Prior]

Oh, yeah, Scope screens are the duck's nuts man!

I thought of it like this - I wanted to have a home CINEMA, not a large TV. Cinema screens are all scope screens. There's a tonne of movies that are in scope format, so even on a 16:9 screen, you still get black bars.

If you want to emulate the true "movie" experience, then you have to go scope. I can still watch 16:9 movies. I just slide the Aussiemorphic lens out of the way, change the display type on the projector, and I'm done! Movie is the same height, it just doesn't fill out the entire width of the screen.

I've never looked back. I only got mine at the start of the year, and I just love it!

Cheers,

Chris

[tcr]

Thanks for all the replies guys.

I'm swaying towards the Oz Theatre screen at the moment so I'll head down and check them out. If I can see the difference for myself then I'll be able to justify spending the extra money and save the hassle of the DIY thing.

Paul.

[MarkTecher]

Anyway, back on topic, my screen is just under 3m wide, and is 1.27m high. The seats are about 4m back from memory. I followed the calculations to figure it out, and the distance v height ratio falls smack bang in the middle of the THX 36o thing, or whatever it is.

I'm sure someone who remembers the formulae can chime in now. I've forgotten the calc's now... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif)

Basically the best way to find the ideal screen height in your room (regardless of AR) is to divide the room length by any number between 5.18 and 3.68. This gives you a range of suitable screen heights. Times that by the AR to get the width. Times the screen height by any number between 2 and 4 to find the seating distances. 2x the height is the absolute closest and 4x is the farthest you want to sit. Obviously, if you choose a number less then 4 to divide the room length by, then your seating distance can only be between 2x and that that number.

All the above is based on the SMPTE (Society of Motion Pictures and Television Engineers) specs. To me it just makes plain good sense to find out their recommendations and work to them - they did set the standards after all...

THX's golden 36 degrees is 3.68 x the screen height but this angle is only 36degree for a 2.39:1 CinemaScope screen - it would change slightly for our 2.37:1 scope screens - maybe 3.65x - anyone any good at trig?

SMPTES preferred viewing angle is 3x the image height, which does not change regardless of AR...

Mark

[nonny]

I have the 110" Aurora OZTS screen and can highly reccomend it.

I used to display direct onto a white wall painted in Dulux 1on1 and thought that pretty acceptable picture wise but I then managed to stretch my extremely tight (read: "enforced") budget to allow for a cheap screen. Having emailed Richard and got some prices the Aurora was about the only thing in my price range sub $500.

All I can say is I was not disappointed in either service or quality. Extremely easy to install and the picture quality is far better than my expectations were ready for.

My advice conforms with the majority here: Get a screen!

[VideoPenguin]

...

In regards to the melamine board my reservations are, that it appears to only come in a 16mm thick sheet, so even a sheet of 2400 x 1200, which isn't quite big enough anyway, is going to weigh a fair bit. Has anyone been able to get it on a thinner board? Has anyone been able to find a bigger sheet than 2400 x 1200? For those that have done this, how did you frame it and fix it to the wall?
...

I got 2400 x 1200 x 3mm melamine board from Bunnings. It is white on one side but too glossy for a screen so I painted the other side of the board (the glossy side didn't take paint too well). My only concern was possible warping but this has not been a problem, even though it is only supported at the base. Because of its relative lightness it could be hung by suspending it out from the corners if desired, even with fishing line.
I started with low-sheen white Dulux 101 then tried (unsuccessfully) to make it semi-translucent greyish (ended up too dark). Still using it like that but will try redoing it again some day.
I have heard people who do have experience with commercial screens recommend Dulux 101 as an alternative to any sanely priced commercial screen and if you have the time to DIY its makes a cheap option. Maybe the others are trying to sell screens, I don't know.

Have fun!

[Prior]

Maybe the others are trying to sell screens, I don't know.

Ah, NO, we're giving our advice! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/angry.gif) If you read the thread, you'll see that a few people have already gone down this route, and have come to valid conclusions having experienced BOTH scenario's!

Then again, maybe we all have vested interests in screen manufacturing companies... :ph34r: