I am designing an outdoor theater in a client's garden. The architect wants to project on a glass screen. Has anyone done this or know of anyone that has done this? Can anyone recommend a particular kind of glass or at least the qualities that the glass should have (opaque, neutral white, matte or semi-matte finish, etc.)?

Thanks,
Bernie

many people make them, expect to use a very high lumen projector.

If you are expecting to be able to do this in daylight conditions think again. It's a ridiculous idea. buy a plasma

Sorry, I should have said for dusk and evening use only. I am looking at 3500 - 4000 ANSI lumen projectors, such as the NEC NP2000. The screen will be a 120" diagonal 16:9 and the projector will be about 24 feet from the screen.

If many people make such front projection glass screens, can you please name a few. The only one I have found is the Claro, which retails at $45,000 for 102" diagonal, this price being way beyond the budget. And it may not be available in the U.S.

Bernie

Further research shows that the Claro is a rear projection screen.

Nippura
Draper
Sunscreen

and many others. Expect to spend a lot of money

http://archive2.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=446512

Thanks for the reference to the review. In it you will find that the Nippura and Draper are both rear projection. I couldn't find the Sunscreen there or on a Google search. Do you have a link for Sunscreen. I need front projection. The screen will be mounted on the wall that is adjacent to the neighbor's yard so there is no room behind the screen for a projector, mirrors, etc. Even if we were to move the screen forward, they don't want the bulk of a rear projector setup. And they want the projector, when not in use, to roll away (to be mounted on a Billy Bags rolling rack or something else similarly attractive) into a storage room for weather and security reasons.

Thanks,
Bernie

I have to ask why a glass screen for front projection? regular screens are much better for front applaications

Thanks, Tryg, for the continuing conversation. I had proposed a waterproof Draper screen that I've used successfully right next to a large lap pool, but the architect got the client interested in the elegance of using architectural glass. She had seen, at the office of the landscape designer of the project, glass used as the projection surface for a projector showing still images. I have explained that video is much more demanding than still images, but they still want to try glass.

"I have explained that video is much more demanding than still images, ..."

Perhaps for the pj, but I don't see why that would be the case for the screen.

I am currently looking into a similar setup - any luck finding something workable>

Was hoping to create also something like this inside.

http://www.gizmag.com/linktous/3271/

TY

I saw an episode of Pimp My Ride that used some new material in a car with a projector. Can't remember the name though.

Why not go to glass store a get some small samples of frosted and etched glass and see what a projected image looks like on the various types available. Even if you can find something suitable there could be a problem in getting a single piece in the size you need. I hope no baseball playing or rock throwing kids live in your client's neighborhood!

I've got two ideas for you. First, we constructed a custom waterscreen, or Waterfall TV, as the client calls it, to sit poolside at our clients weekend beach house. It was designed strictly for night time viewing, and is 100" diagonal. Similar to some production & stage water projection systems, it pumps water from a basin and then pressurized in a perforated PVC pipe, shooting down a wall of water. Coupled with the 16 100watt outdoor speakers, it is quite an experience. The projector is kept dry and cool with a custom enclosure by projectorprotector com, and is mounted on a post in the flowerbed. Okay, so the other comment was to ask whether or not this glass will be simply suspended in the open, or will it actually be a window from which the rear projection is coming from inside the house? If the projector-side of the glass is in a dry environment, take a look at the rear projection coatings from Goo Systems. We used some on a 60 x 80 three-eights thick sheet of acrylic, which is hanging at the back of my church auditorium to provide sermon notes & lyrics to those on stage. IT works great! The only thing is that since the coating is water-soluable, I don't know if it will hold up to weather over time.

This might be of interest

http://www.projectorcentral.com/planar_xscreen.htm