Just bought the Pearl......unfortunately not much $$ left for a screen.....I'm looking for a pull-down screen for around $500 or less. (Does it have to be tensioned?)

google high power model b

if you had the bucks, the new Stewart Firehawk SST would go great with that projector. It the screen was made for that projector. Being that you cant go with that, follow Tryg's advice and go with the highpower

if you had the bucks, the new Stewart Firehawk SST would go great with that projector. It the screen was made for that projector. Being that you cant go with that, follow Tryg's advice and go with the highpower

There were quite a few reports from CEDIA that people didn't much care for the new FH with the Pearl. Is it still 'highly recommended'?

Just bought the Pearl......unfortunately not much $$ left for a screen.....I'm looking for a pull-down screen for around $500 or less. (Does it have to be tensioned?)Once again, if you go with the High Power be sure the Pearl is mounted not far from your viewing position or else you relatively quickly lose the gain advantage. This usually involves mounting the projector on a shelf behind and a just above the viewing position. It means that when you stand up your shadow will be cast on the screen and for some people that's undesirable. I say it's a small price to pay.

The High Power, being retroflective, doesn't need tensioning to prevent seeing waves. That is one reason this screen can be had at big sizes for about what money you have left. Call AVS to see. :)

There is some more discussion here and in posts preceding
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=8481973&&#post8481973

Dan

Once again, if you go with the High Power be sure the Pearl is mounted not far from your viewing position or else you relatively quickly lose the gain advantage. This usually involves mounting the projector on a shelf behind and a just above the viewing position. It means that when you stand up your shadow will be cast on the screen and for some people that's undesirable. I say it's a small price to pay.

The High Power, being retroflective, doesn't need tensioning to prevent seeing waves. That is one reason this screen can be had at big sizes for about what money you have left. Call AVS to see. :)

Dan

And the other advantage of mounting it as you say (on a stand just above and behind the viewers' heads) is that it is closer to the screen, important for getting the highest brightness from the Pearl (and Ruby).

What about a Carada Precision screen? The Brilliant White screen is supposed to give 1.4 gain, and it has gotten great reviews for a very small price.

Would this be a good screen to use if the projector has to be ceiling-mounted?
Would ths be a good screen to use if there were light-colored walls?

Thanks in advance!

Not to diagree with other peoples opinions regarding the SST, from what I was told STewart and Sony worked together in developing the design for the screen. Personally, I thought they worked very well together

The story on the Stewart SST is that if you need to position the Pearl close to the screen, it won't hot spot, yet if it needs to be back a ways, the picture will still hold up. Plus it's got the new super smooth optical coating that's been designed for 1080p applications. If you want to see the best possible picture from a Pearl, Sony recommends this screen.

google high power model b

Seems like a lot of folks are looking at this but how does it handle ambient light?
That's not a strength for high power, correct? No one has mentioned a combo screen like the Graywolf. Complementing blacks and 1.8 screen gain would seem a good match.

I would try out the DA Lite High power... Cost is within your budget... At 2.8 gain it should be great..

I'm debating between the hp model b pulldown and their fixed screen. I was told the pulldown screens over time begin to develop waves and wear out. Is this not true with the hp model b?

Because of the gain differences (and different preferences for mounting height) you may want to consider one or the other based on screen size and mounting position rather than just generally accepting one screen as "best" for the Pearl.

If you have flexibility (dont mind a smaller screen size) and money to spare the new FH sounds very good. Most of the criticisms were that it wasnt bright enough which is to be expected with a lower gain screen that's too big for the lumens. If you can sit at say 1.3-1.5x from a 106" screen, the FH might be perfect.

Even without the (debatable) rapid Xenon light drop off the Pearl won't be a light cannon - choose your screen size with the 50% of initially reported lumens in mind (as opposed to advertised lumens.) Also remember that the Pearl loses upto 50% brightness at minimum throws (but gains contrast).

Xenon? But Pearl is UHP.

And don't you mean it loses brightness at minimum zoom? The CineHome measurements, btw, were closer to 15% loss at minimum zoom...

No?

Marc

hi

will it fit a 171" scope 1.4gain MP screen , black room, ISCO II ?

hi

will it fit a 171" scope 1.4gain MP screen , black room, ISCO II ?
How many FtL do you need?

FtL = ( lumens * gain)/ screen area in sq ft

hi
well i wish for mmhh... 15FTL minimum :D

so 15FTL= 658 ansi.....
20FTL would be = 878 ansi....


pj location: 6.7meters....

hi
well i wish for mmhh... 15FTL minimum :D
Well then you have your answer.

:) the answer is how many hours it will be able to produce let's say 600-700ansi at a good CR ratio :D

How does the Studiotek 130 match up with the Pearl (in a light-controlled room)?

:) the answer is how many hours it will be able to produce let's say 600-700ansi at a good CR ratio :D
Oh, I see you are trolling! Good luck.

Xenon? But Pearl is UHP.
And don't you mean it loses brightness at minimum zoom? The CineHome measurements, btw, were closer to 15% loss at minimum zoom...
No?
Marc

Yes the pearl is UHP. That's why I said even without ... Xenon i.e. that even though it does not have the (debatably) rapid dropoff of the Ruby it will still lose ~50% of it's initial brightness like all UHP bulbs do. UHP has a reasonable dropoff after the first 10% of its life and then a more gradual continuous drop in light output for the rest of the bulb life.

Minimum zoom = shortest throw.

I just read the cine4home article, and although it mentions that it uses the same zoom lens as the Ruby (which I would assume would cause the same light dropoff characteristics) he mentions a 17% dropoff in light but doesnt mention at what zoom extents (i.e. whether that dropoff is going from minimum to maximum zoom or not.)
If it is from min to max zoom, then that is an improvement over the Ruby.

Using the measured cine4home numbers, in the best case, you can get an initial 700 lumens @ D65, min zoom, adaptive iris, bulb in high mode, ~10000:1 DI CR. Given usual UHP bulb behaviour, this will likely drop to 350 lumens after a while (still bright enough for many uses). This is the brightest case. You can do the math on the other quoted values in the table. You could choose your screen where 700 lumens are just bright enough to give you the brightness you want, but then for the majority of the life of each bulb, you will be living with a brightness level significantly below that initial value. This is true for all pjs, nothing specific to the Pearl. You are better off chosing screen material and size based on the 50% number, IMO, but to each their own - not looking to offend anyone here.

I believe it is Max zoom=shortest throw and Min zoom=longest throw, just to clear things up.

How does the Studiotek 130 match up with the Pearl (in a light-controlled room)?
I would like to know this too, seriously thinking about a pearl, and i own a 92" diagonal Studiotek 130 Stewart screen.

Somebody did the calculations for me with the 92" diag 130 and pearl and it came out to about 36ftL at min throw. So it should look verry nice and punchy I would think. I would also like some comment on this as I am looking at this exact combo.

The new Fire Hawk reportedly has a gain of only 1.1. It is a one material fits all in Sony's eyes. Mount it in a dark, light controlled room, only a partially light controlled room, bright walls, anywhere between 1.41 screen width to 2.4 screen width throw length and EVERYTHING WILL BE FREEKIN GREAT. Can't do better.

No sir. Not the case. NO IFS ANDS OR BUTS. NOT THE CASE.

The Studeoteck 130 fabric has just been optimized by Stewart for 1080p. That is still the Stewart choice for a good theater room (good light control and favorable wall colors or distance away).

Also the new FH will hot spot unless you use at least a 1.6 screen width throw distance. Don't ask Sony. But I have it from the very best possible source. So with a large screen, one would be making a choice, minimum throw, maximum ft lamberts but some hot spotting. And if one wanted maximum ft lamberts, why go with a screen gain of only 1.1.

Be careful here kiddies. Every situation is different and do not be guided by Sony, In this case the phrase, Sony, no boloney, may not be applicable. Here, one fabric does not fit all.

Toe. With that size screen, I would go to a longer throw. Instead of 1.41 times your screen width, go to 1.6, only what about 17 inches further away? I do not remember the exact screen width for a 92D. You will obtain the best light uniformity across the screen and still would have very adequate brightness even as the bulb ages.

Mark, could you please expand a little on the new optimized studiotek 130 fabric for 1080p? What changes did they make exactly?

I just saw your post :) Actually I will probably be at about 1.7 times the screen width for the Pearl and 130 if I go this route. I assume this would be fine as well?

You will have to ask Stewart. All Stewart front projection screens are made with one of two fabrics. That's it. A white and a gray. Yep. I'm sure. That's it.

Now each of these fabrics then receives a mist of optical coating which then gives the fabric its optical characteristics (gain among other things). We are talking a very fine mist with 10 oz of spay coveing something in the vacinity of 2000 sq ft. Something like that. Could be more sq ft. That's it. What's in each spray is proprietary. I haven't a clue. All I know is the spray formulation was recently changed for Studeotec 130 and for Fire Hawk. Is the change big enough to justify fabric replacement on a fixed frame screen? Probably not, but it is better. I will be getting some fabric samples soon and will report any observable differences based on small sq footage viewing.


1.7 will be fine and Studeotec 130 should be fine if you have good ight control and non reflective walls and ceilings. I assume a relatively dark carpeted floor.

From reading Jason's show report, he mentions that Stewart uses a different substrate material on its Fire Hawk SST. I will check on Monday to see if Stewart is now, in fact, using 3 or more different materials. this year there is a new Fire Hawk, the SST, an improved old Fire Hawk, the G3, which gets rid of those speckles people sometimes complained about but which were not observable when watching a picture, and a new 1080p optimized Studeotec 130.

Thanks for the info Mark! Yeah my carpet is a medium dark, and I have flat black ceiling, screen wall, dark blue side and back walls but with flat black acoustic pannels.

So If I ordered a ST130 today, would I have to request the updated 1080p version, or is that the only version available?

Oops [in re: the short throw / zoom thing] - Toe is of course correct, shortest throw is maximum zoom.

How will a Silver Star do with the Peatl? And how bad are the "sparklies"... reports of those scare me a bit.

how bad they are really depends on who you ask. With some people it does not bother them at all, with others it is a deal breaker. Your best bet would be to go look at one and decide for yourself.

Please keep the recommendations coming for any Pearl/screen combinations. I am also looking for the best screen at a reasonable budget level (say $1K).

For my example, I have a rectangular room in my basement, 20' deep, 12' wide approximately. I plan on having the couch approximately 17 feet from the screen. I'd like to go as big as possible on the screen while maintaining an acceptable brightness level. I have total light control and usually keep an low ambient light in the basement while watching movies on my current 65" rear projection.

Will I be able to get a 110" or 120" screen? I'm currently planning on placing the projector in a table in front of the couch, at whatever recommended distance from the screen (as close as possible is better I would assume?). The Carada BW sounds attractive because of the price. But with my viewing angle, I could get a 3.0 gain screen? This is all confusing for me.

My recommendation for the best screen is also one of the cheapest. HighPower.

Ken

My recommendation for the best screen is also one of the cheapest. HighPower.

I assume you mean the Da-Lite High Power? I see that B&H Photo's website lists a Perm-Wall Fixed Frame 119" Diagonal High Power screen for $644 (+$128 S/H), or a pulldown screen for $398 (+$127 S/H) Are those the inexpensive solutions you are talking about? Are there better mail order prices or perhaps local dealers (in the Chicago area) that sell these screens?

Thanks.

I assume you mean the Da-Lite High Power? I see that B&H Photo's website lists a Perm-Wall Fixed Frame 119" Diagonal High Power screen for $644 (+$128 S/H), or a pulldown screen for $398 (+$127 S/H) Are those the inexpensive solutions you are talking about? Are there better mail order prices or perhaps local dealers (in the Chicago area) that sell these screens?

Thanks.

I would second the recommendation for the Da-lite HP. With your long narrow room you have no problem at all with its relatively narrow viewing cone, so will get all the benefit of its retro-reflective character.

Perry,

That's the one, but for the best price call Jason here at AVS.

Ken

I just got my Pearl yesterday and I'm using my 6 year old hi-power. What a fantastic projector and of course a fantastic screen. Bright, colorful, contrasty, room lights no problem for casual viewing.

Thanks everybody for the information, it sounds like I have a plan in place. Now the tricky part is how am I going to move my old Toshiba 65" HD set out of the basement (450lbs, 5'x5'x2.5'). :P

I'm considering a Pearl + 120"diag HP screen. Does anyone here have one this large? The 'numbers' seem OK: I would have the HP in its optimal location to get the full 2.8 gain, and the Pearl at its closest throw, so in high lamp mode the Pearl's 700 lumens would yield 700*2.8/42.7 = 46 ftL, which should certainly be enough, even with modest ambient light. But I'm curious if anyone has any experience with this size screen and the Pearl.

I just got my Pearl yesterday and I'm using my 6 year old hi-power. What a fantastic projector and of course a fantastic screen. Bright, colorful, contrasty, room lights no problem for casual viewing.

Tom, What is the size of your HP? Thanks, Bill

Is there any reason the Pearl would not work with the HP Horizon 4 way masking screen? My concern is that the default aspect ratio of the screen is 4:3 so the pj would have to zoom out when switching from 16:9 to 4:3 (if I am thinking straight). I am a FP novice, but the fact that the pearl has a zoom lens would seem to indicate that it could work.

Also, any thoughts on 4 way masking/Horizon from those with experience?

Tom, What is the size of your HP? Thanks, Bill

106" Diagonal (92"x52")

106" Diagonal (92"x52")

Thanks much. I'm planning to on 120" diag, but sounds like it should still be OK.

Millerwill, how are you figuring the ftL? I understand you took the lumens x gain/ ?
how do you determine the last number that you divide by?

Millerwill, how are you figuring the ftL? I understand you took the lumens x gain/ ?
how do you determine the last number that you divide by?

That last number is the area of the screen in square feet.

So, for example, a 92 inch diagonal screen is 6.67 feet wide x 3.795 feet tall, which is 25.31256 sq. ft.

Thanks Gremmy :)

The Studeoteck 130 fabric has just been optimized by Stewart for 1080p. That is still the Stewart choice for a good theater room (good light control and favorable wall colors or distance away).


That is not what Don Stewart has to say. He loves the Firehawk and believes it is the best in almost every situation, for any digital projector.

And I know Sony believes the Firehawk SST is the best screen for their projector.

-- Cain

PS I know they changed the Firehawk for 1080, but I have not heard, read or heard Don mention the StudioTek was changed in any way, it never had the "sparklies" issue the Firehawk did.

The FH is certainly an excellent screen, but the Pearl may not be bright enough with it. But the Studiotek 130 actually has the same gain and is thus no brighter.

Here's another room scenario offered for screen suggestions:

Basement is light controlled, 110" diag. screen. Throw distance isn't an issue, as I will be ceiling mounting at about 7'6" high.

Some limitations: I can only go 110" diagonal unless I go for an acoustic screen. I want to get a screen for less than $1300. There will be walls pretty close on either side of the screen (4ft on one side, 2ft on the other), and the ceiling will be inches from the top of the screen (to maximize the potential of a back row of seating down the road). I'm going to paint the ceiling black, and either run black velvet curtains down the sides, or paint them black too, depending on the cost of curtains (looks to be expensive!). Finally, the carpet is off-white, and we probably won't do anything about that.

The Hi-Power is mentioned quite a bit, but it's retro-reflective, and I think with the ceiling mount, I'd lose too much brightness, potentially being UNDER 1.0 gain from the seating position.

My last screen was a 1.0, and I'd like a screen with more gain, but I don't want anything TOO risky with it's own potential aggravations (sparklies, etc.)

I have read that the lowest the HP will go is between 1 and 1.1, but this maybe incorrect.

Some limitations: I can only go 110" diagonal unless I go for an acoustic screen. I want to get a screen for less than $1300.

I have been happy with my SandManX AT screen. Gain is 1.16.
Link: http://www.smxscreen.com/

Yes Hi-Power by Dalite.

120" 514 bucks one year ago (mail order) for my Optoma H31 DLP (VGA rez).

the Hi Power is incredable.

if you like high contrast there is no other.

if you don't like high contrast - you do not want this screen.

You say you will have ceiling mount? - forget the HiPower then.

I know - when I got it I had to move my projector from 8ft down to around 5.5 ft.

no big deal, just built an extention and platform and mounted the H31 2.5 ft lower to shoot straight at the screen's center.

If you refsue to lower the mount of your projector YOU WILL NOT WANT THE HIPOWER.

It will offer you nothing under those conditions. - unless you want to stand up through the entire show!

just so you know...................

BTW there are no "sparkles" with the HiPower.

the Glass beads are much too small to give sparkles.

other reflective screens have sparkles - not the HiPower however.

Just installed my Pearl PJ with my older 106" Firehawk screen. I was worried about the brightness issues after reading some posts.

Needless to say I think that even the older FH screen looks great. Blacks blow away my older Infocus PJ (guess it wasn't that hard). It is plenty bright. I have it mounted about half way between min and max throw.

Very happy so far.

I would greatly appreicate some input. I would place the Pearl on a coffee table in front of me 12-15" off the ground, approx. 12-13 feet from a screen that will be 106-120" diagonal ( I can't be any more precise right now). I am sitting approx. 4 feet behind it (17 feet from the screen) centered with the projector and screen on a couch of normal height. The other seat that will be used is 5 feet sideways and 3 feet forward of where I am. How will the HiPower work in this setup.? Thanks very much for your help.

Just installed my Pearl PJ with my older 106" Firehawk screen. I was worried about the brightness issues after reading some posts.

Needless to say I think that even the older FH screen looks great. Blacks blow away my older Infocus PJ (guess it wasn't that hard). It is plenty bright. I have it mounted about half way between min and max throw.

Very happy so far.

Is your room 'totally light controlled', i.e., dark walls, ceiling, etc., or a 'mixed use' room?
Tx, Bill

Bill,

Most of my viewing is done at night. It is a mixed room though. Red theater chairs and couch, Light yellow walls and white trim. It is pretty dark at night though.

Installed the Pearl tonight so I haven't tried any day time viewing. I do have black out curtains that block probably 85% of the light during the day. Even with canned lighting (no direct light hitting the screen) the image was still very watchable.

The contrast and black level of this PJ seems to be pretty darn solid. So far I give it a 10/10.

I have a 120" Stewart Videomatte 200 screen now with my Runco 991 CRT that I am planning on replacing with the VW50. Will this screen work even though it is supposedly designed for CRT?

The room is completely light controlled day or night but it is a living room that often has ceiling lights on but it works now with a low lumen CRT pretty well even with the lights on.

There has been a lot of good information on the Pearl so far and with my new house getting closer to completion I need to give my vendor that is doing the room my final choices for a projector and screen. I am ready to pull the trigger on the projector but I am still not sure on the screen. here is the specs on my media room.

The room is 20' long 16' wide and 10' ceilings with a slope on the left side that starts 6' from the floor and angles to the ceiling entering the room about 6' at the ceiling. The room does have a window on the left side but I plan on blacking it out. The lighting in the room is from 4 wall mounted lights that will be on a dimmer switch so the room will be light controlled. At closing the walls will be a beige color with a light/medium carpet. Later the carpet will be replaced and the ceiling and walls will be painted. I plan on ceiling mounting the projector with a drop tube if necessary at a 14' throw and am planning on a 106' diag screen centered on the front wall with the bottom of the screen 3' from the floor. Seating will be 12' back from the screen.

My goal is to have a good overall picture with good contrast and brightness that will give us many hours of enjoyment

Any advice will be greatly appreciated

Would it be too much to ask the Pearl to drive a 133" HP screen from 19 feet back? I was leaning towards 119", but according to the projectorcentral calculation page, the foot lamberts only drops from 20 to 16 when going from the 119" screen to the 133" calculated using the HP's 2.8 gain. The price difference between the 119" and 133" is only $50, so to me bigger is always better. I have total light control, and am only planning on having a very low light behind the couch for ambient lighting.

Jason's preliminary report says that the Pearl puts out ~ 800 lumens in high lamp mode, and presumably at the closest it can be to the screen. This would generate 53 ftL with a 119" HP, and ~ 42 with the 133"; seems like enough to me! In low lamp mode the lumen output drops to ~ 485, and the ftL's above drop to 32 and 25, still pretty good. Go for it! (and let us hear how it goes).

By the way the review will be up at www.avscience.com/reviews.htm momentarily.

Nice!

with a HiPower you simply cannot have ANY light behind you - so that light by your couch ain't gonna work.

light from the side is fine. but ANY light from behind you is verbotten!!

HiPower will shine that light off itself and staight back at your eyes! I have a street light one block away which shine into my theaterroom frm behind me. I shows ALOT and lights my screen up!!..................so of course I pull my shade even at 11 PM at night.

point is - ONLY light from the side will work with the HP.

Show me the money!

By the way the review will be up at www.avscience.com/reviews.htm momentarily.

:)

Besides loosing gain, are there any other negatives from being outside the high power viewing cone? Do you still get all the exact same detail, clarity, etc as one who is in the viewing cone just at a lower brightness?

Mainly just losing the gain. The problem is the 1/2 angle is small. So effectively once you go beyond that, you are not much better off than with a standard 1.3 gain fabric (although you do have the more narrow cone which helps cut down on ambient light reflections).

How would you compare the viewing cone of the HP to that of the typical current rptv?

Depends too much on the RPTV. Some of the RPTV use frensel linticular lenses (I know that is spelled wrong). These are more similar in that they are narrow. But not all RPTV's use those anymore since the digital units are brighter than the older CRT based units.

I dont know why I am having such a hard time with a screen choice :o

In one line of thinking, my thoughts are the ST130 is plenty like you have said at 92" and why go with anything else, but then I read all the glowing HP/Ruby reports and Ruby/silverstar reports and I think just get the HP. The thing is worst case scenario with the HP and my view angles I will get 1.3 gain, same as the ST130. At my primary seat though I will get a 1.7 gain with the HP which is not much more than the 130, but may give me just enough extra punch. Just thinking out loud at this point..........dont mind me :)

http://www.avscience.com/reviews/projector_sony_vplvw50.htm

Great review Jason!

Toe, it also depends on whether or not you have any ambient light in your room. The ST130 and SS have very wide viewing cones, but because of this they degrade VERY quickly if you have any significant ambient light in the room. The HP, since it has a narrower viewing cone, tends to reject ambient light (from the side) much more effectively. That's one reason people like the HP so much. Another is that the HP screen seems to 'disappear', i.e., has no visible screen texture or hotspotting, while the SS is well known to have a 'sheen' that is very noticeable (and objectionable) to some people, but not to others. So like everything is this hobby, it is HIGHLY recommended that you try to see these various things yourself, to see what bothers you and what doesn't. One can certainly learn a GREAT deal from the Forum--heaven knows, I have--but in the end there is nothing like seeing it for yourself. I know it's very hard to do this, and in fact I've had most success in making contacts here on the Forum with people that live in my area, and arranging to visit them to see their setups. People have been incredibly hospitable in this regard, and the experience has been invaluable.

Thanks Millerwill, I know you are right. I dont have any ambient light issues (no windows, black ceiling/screen wall, dark side and back walls, etc...) I cant find anyone in my area that has a HP, but I did see the ST130 at Cedia and thought it looked awesome and it did not seem to show itself in bright scenes from the time I spent with it. I am bothered by being able to see the material from a screen as I can see my Severtsen HC grey screen in bright scenes and would like to avoid that with my next screen which is why I was thinking the 130 or HP. I have read the silverstar has the visible sheen to it which is why I have not even really considered it. I just need to make a decision.......

Nice review by the way Jason :)

Went to the source for an answer to my setup question. Went ahead and emailed Carada with my general setup and what they recommended for the Pearl. After several emails back and forth it looks like the 106" Carada BW is the winner.

One thing that the rep agreed with was a statement that I made on my first response.

[…it is easier to increase contrast with the Brilliant White then it would be to increase brightness with the Classic White.] This is exactly right. Starting out with a slightly brighter image and toning it down for contrast is the way to go. You cannot raise the brightness of a dim image without degrading the picture quality significantly"

Went to the source for an answer to my setup question. Went ahead and emailed Carada with my general setup and what they recommended for the Pearl. After several emails back and forth it looks like the 106" Carada BW is the winner.

One thing that the rep agreed with was a statement that I made on my first response.

[…it is easier to increase contrast with the Brilliant White then it would be to increase brightness with the Classic White.] This is exactly right. Starting out with a slightly brighter image and toning it down for contrast is the way to go. You cannot raise the brightness of a dim image without degrading the picture quality significantly"

The BW looks like an excellent screen. This is also what I decided to buy.

But based on my own observations and the reviews I have read, I don't think I could recommend Carada's other two screen materials at all, except for those who have super bright projectors. The actual gain on the CW material was measured at .65 gain by projector central. And the high contrast gray is very, very dark.

What Da-lite screen material would work best with the Pearl on a 106" diag. screen with no ambient light problems? I do not want a high power because I am ceiling mounting from about 15' back.

I currently have HCCV material and it would be easy to unsnap the material and put another Da-lite material up.

Jason,

Could you tell us anything about the convergence on your sample unit?

Also how far back was the projector setup from the 100" screen?

Thanks for the review!

My room is totally light controlled 16 wide and 27 deep with a 8'2" ceiling. The ceiling is black, the walls a flat green and the carpet beige. I have one challenge though, I have to mount the projector within 14 feet of the screen. I am planning on mounting it to the ceiling. Can some one please reccomend a screen, I would like to go as wide as I can without sacrificing image quality Thanks!!!

A data point (also posted on official pearl thread)

I just watched The Incredibles on my Pearl and it really was incredible; just a terrific picture.

For those keeping score, I'm in a 18' x 12' light-controlled room, sitting 12' away from a 120" diagonal greyhawk screen (.92 gain). The projector is on high lamp, and sits around 18.5 feet away (about 80% of the way between max and min throw), ceiling-mounted (where my old G15U was).

Given that the brightness is more than acceptable to me, and that I'll be getting StudioTek 130 material for the screen, I think this will be fine even with 40-50% reduction in lamp output (of course, by then I'll just buy another bulb, since I don't expect that to be for a year or more - say, 250 hours.)

Again, this is just a data point. My inclination is to say that people worried about brightness and wanting HP's or SilverStar's for their 120' screens are worried about the wrong things, but I understand that these things are very subjective. I guess what I will say is that people shouldn't assume that the projector won't work for them because they have a large screen - it ain't necessarily so.

Marc

Marc,
I was thinking of waiting a while before getting a new proj. but what I am hearing about the Pearl has changed my mind. Since you have a Pearl/Greyhawk combo at the moment, I have a question:

Currently I have a 92" Greyhawk screen with the Luxus Deluxe frame. My current 10HT is exactly 12' from the screen, directly overhead of the seating position. I only use the projector at night so light control is never an issue. If I were to replace the 10HT with a Pearl at the same location, using the same greyhawk screen, what kind of results could I expect?
Regards,
Dom

DomNY - It will be terrific, I predict.

Marc

Hey, newbie here.. going to get the Pearl soon, and really want the HP screen (114" if they make that size). I'm hearing HP isn't great when ceiling mounted... my scenario is as follows: Shelf mounted about 14' from the screen, and about 6' off the ground - directly above and behind (slightly) the couch. Will that work with the HP? Totally light controlled room, dark colored walls and a black wall that the HP will be mounted on. Any help is greatly appreciated - I've learned so much by reading these forums!

I doubt you need a HP, frankly.

Marc

Marc (MBlank), was that a reply to my post? If so, why wouldn't a HP work for me? Thnx

I didn't mean to imply that it wouldn't work. I just meant that you probably don't need all that gain.

Thanx for replying.. I was looking at the Studiotek 130 as well, but the prices were so much higher. The HP seemed like a good price/performance screen. Keep the advice coming, I can only hope to make a decision before the end of October!

Hey, newbie here.. going to get the Pearl soon, and really want the HP screen (114" if they make that size). I'm hearing HP isn't great when ceiling mounted... my scenario is as follows: Shelf mounted about 14' from the screen, and about 6' off the ground - directly above and behind (slightly) the couch. Will that work with the HP? Totally light controlled room, dark colored walls and a black wall that the HP will be mounted on. Any help is greatly appreciated - I've learned so much by reading these forums!


Seems like the perfect setup for a HP+Pearl. I've had my 106" HP for about 4 years now in a similar setup (with Panny 300 then 700 PJs), and love it. The gain is fantastic, and really extends the usable life of your bulbs IMHO.

Also, someone asked earlier about folding or wrinkling over time with a pull-down HP screen. I haven't had any of those problems. After 4 years and probably close to 1000 times pulling/retracting the screen, mine is as good as new.

-tony

theater pics (http://www.pbase.com/tbacos/theater)

Hi all,

I've enjoyed reading all of your informative posts in this thread. I'd like to hear anyone's opinion on how I'm planning to set up my room. My current plan is to match the Pearl with a HP screen. It will have a throw distance of 18' and be about 4 to 5 ft off the ground. What I'm undecided on is the size of the screen. Any suggestions? Also, is it a big deal if you project a smaller image than the size of your screen? As my bulb wears out I'm thinking I may want to project a smaller image to maintain brightness.

Thanks,
David

I have been using a jvc d-ila M15 connected to an htpc and 80X60 matte white screen for the past five years. I just purchased Toshiba HD-A1 and the picture looked great. However, after some calculations I realized I am missing about 45% of of the pixles from the 1080i hd-dvd and I will not be able to project high def on protected material (no dvi or hdmi inputs).

So, I just ordered a pearl (sony vw50). I also ordered a dalite high power, 106inch screen. I have the following questions.

I measured 49 inches from the floor to center of the new screen where it will be mounted.

I am proposing to mount the pearl on a shelf right behind my head at about 12.5 feet from the screen. (I hope I did not screw up the throw measurements and this projector can handle this distance/screen size.)

What height should I mount the projector? I was thinking at 45 inches from the floor, since if I mount it upright I can adjust the screen upwards a few inches. If I mount it above the center of the screen, then I would have to invert the projector. Is my understanding correct?

If I offset the pearl to the left of the center of screen about 6 inches, is the picture quality sacrificed (I believe I can adjust for the offset with the lens)?

I will have to use a 35 foot hdmi cable- any suggestions on the brand I should get?


I was thinking of also installing an hdmi switch-any suggestions?


My HTPC has a MYHD card (about 4 years old). Should I reconfigure the HTPC for over the air reception with the DVI output or just buy a new HD receiver with an hdmi output?

Sorry about all the questions.

Can't wait to get the new projector!

Thanks

I meant to say in my previous post right above that the distance from the floor to the center of the screen is 59 inches and that I am proposing to mount the projector at 54 inches from the floor.

Thanks.

jmelcher,

What you are proposing to do sounds very similar to my set up (http://www.pbase.com/tbacos/theater). I believe you are correct that you would need to invert the projector if you mount it above the mid-point of your screen. I would recommend somewhere between 42 and 50 inches shelf height - that's low enough to get the max gain from your HP, but high enough that your head won't block the projector (unless you're 6.6" or sitting on a barstool).

Vertical offset, I believe you would be fine placing the projector slightly off center and using lens shift to center it on your screen. The only barely noticeable effect will be that your high-power viewing "sweet-spot" will now be slightly off-center as well, but 6" is such a small amount that you won't even be able to tell IMHO.

MYHD card....let me know how that works for you. I have one a few years old too that doesn't get much use because it was too finicky. Personally, I'm going to go for a new HD Tivo this time around and save myself countless hours of headache.

Best of luck. Let us know how it all turns out.

-tony

Tony,

Thanks for the reply. Which tivo unit are you going with? I only have over the air reception.

Jeff

I am proposing to mount the pearl on a shelf right behind my head at about 12.5 feet from the screen.
According to the Ruby tech manual the minimum throw for a 106" screen is 129.55". So at 12.5' you will not be at max zoom or brightness.

Can the pearly be mounted slightly above the top of the screen?

What is the da-lite Video Spectra 1.5 like for the pearl?

I will have to use a 35 foot hdmi cable- any suggestions on the brand I should get?



Monoprice (http://www.monoprice.com)

Thanks, I picked up the 35 footer.

Hi all,

Also, is it a big deal if you project a smaller image than the size of your screen? As my bulb wears out I'm thinking I may want to project a smaller image to maintain brightness.

Thanks,
David

This comment caught my eye. It is certainly no big deal to do this, but I have a feeling you won't. The degradation of brightness over time isn't very perceptible. You might "suspect" it isn't as bright, but you probably won't notice until you replace the bulb and go "whoa!".

On the other hand, if you shrink the image down you WILL notice that immediately and if you don't have black masking around the edges, the white image borders will reduce the percieved contrast of the image as well.

!Idea! Maybe you could implement a very slowly shrinking screen and mask that would maintain brightness and make the reduction of size imperceptibly slow. :)

My Pearl is going to be mounted 45" high between and slightly behind my seating. My room has a white ceiling and light wall/foor but no external light sources. Most of my viewing will be HD DVD in a dark room and the throw is about 11.5' and seating area is 8' wide.

At the momment I'm considering a 92" Da-Lite Matte White High Contrast or the HP .

Q) Will the HP raise black levels too much in a dark room and be too bright ?
Q) Will the MWHC be too dim given the Peal isn't a light canon and light coloured room ?
Q) Which will provide best ANSI CR given my room ?

Any advice, opinions or alternatives appreciated.

Dazzer

I have had a few responses from a few members on here with a 92" diag HP and the Pearl and both felt it was too bright. One of the forum members was thinking of trying to find a used firehawk, and the other was using a filter to tone down the brightness. I was considering a HP as well, but after these reports I think a 1-1.3 gain white would be plenty bright and the HP would simply be to much with this small screen size.

I have had a few responses from a few members on here with a 92" diag HP and the Pearl and both felt it was too bright. One of the forum members was thinking of trying to find a used firehawk, and the other was using a filter to tone down the brightness. I was considering a HP as well, but after these reports I think a 1-1.3 gain white would be plenty bright and the HP would simply be to much with this small screen size.


Toe

Thanks. I'm not sure how well the Firehawk will work for me as my PJ isn't ceiling mounted plus it's uber expensive. I guess my main concern is ANSI CR with a white screen and light coloured walls. :(

Dazzer

Have a Sony 10HT since December 2000. I'm ready to go to the Pearl. (The different discussions here have been wonderful.) I've been using some sort of Office Max pull down (about 106") and will be buying a new screen.

My situation is absolute light control. Dark walls, black carpet, white acoustic (popcorn) ceiling.

Since all agree that the choosing of a screen is a subjective matter and the opportunity to go out and view a variety of screens may be limited I thought it would help (certainly me) to have any (or all?) of the following sentences finished out by those who know/have an opinion.


So here they are:

1. A high gain screen is desirable because:

2. A "grey" screen is desirable because:

3. A screen with a 2.0+ screen is desirable because:

4. A screen between 1.0+ to 2.0 is desirable because:

5. (This manufacturer) is desirable because:

6. If I had your situation, the screen I would choose would be:

These are just six options. Feel free to add your own sentences.

I hope you all think this will help. I'm a long time reader. Don't contribute much because by the time I'm done with a thread, you guys have all done a great job of clearing up any of my questions.

Kevin

I am using a Carada BW at 100" with my Pearl and it is a perfect match.

DT: I think you first need to decide what SIZE screen you want/your room will hold. This will then help determine what screen gain will be necessary with the Pearl. E.g., I'm planning for a 120" diag screen, so I would really need the Dalite HighPower to have sufficient brightness. With a smaller screen you will have more options.

Similar situation here. My room is near completion and I need to make a final decision on screen size.

The room is a bat-cave (completely light controlled with dark walls and ceilings).

I'd like to do a 108" wide (124" diagonal) 16:9 Studiotek (1.3 gain) screen with the Pearl within 6-10" of near minimum throw (~132"). First row of seats will be approx 171" back.

Will this be bright enough? Primary use will be movie watching.

Similar situation here. My room is near completion and I need to make a final decision on screen size.

The room is a bat-cave (completely light controlled with dark walls and ceilings).

I'd like to do a 108" wide (124" diagonal) 16:9 Studiotek (1.3 gain) screen with the Pearl within 6-10" of near minimum throw (~132"). First row of seats will be approx 171" back.

Will this be bright enough? Primary use will be movie watching.

Sounds like it will be bright enough in a room like yours. With the Pearl producing 700 lumens (in high lamp mode), it and your screen will generate ~ 20 ftL; not rptv or 'plasma' brightness, but presumably quite enough for 'home theater' in a dark room.

DT: I think you first need to decide what SIZE screen you want/your room will hold. This will then help determine what screen gain will be necessary with the Pearl. E.g., I'm planning for a 120" diag screen, so I would really need the Dalite HighPower to have sufficient brightness. With a smaller screen you will have more options.
Bill:

About the same size. 106" for a 16:9 format.

Kevin

DT: OK, you are ready to calculate the foot-Lamberts (ftL) for various scenario's. A 106" diag 9x16 screen has an area of 33.3 ft^2. So, e.g., if you run the Pearl in high lamp mode, and have it placed as close to the screen as possible to obtain the 700 lumens it is supposed to produce in this situation, a Dalite HighPower screen (with the pj optimally positioned) has 2.8 gain, so you would have (700/33.3)x2.8 =/~ 59 ftL, about the brightest possible you can get for this size screen. And this is probably overkill, certainly so in your ideal light-controlled room. It should still be plenty bright with a screen with 1.4 gain, say, (i.e., ~28 ftL), which the Carada BW screen is. And you can look at other possibilities, e.g. a Stewart ST1.3 (1.3 gain) or Firehawk (1.25 gain), etc.

PS In low lamp mode, I think the Pearl produces ~ 485 lumens, so you can do the calculations for this.

Sounds like it will be bright enough in a room like yours. With the Pearl producing 700 lumens (in high lamp mode), it and your screen will generate ~ 20 ftL; not rptv or 'plasma' brightness, but presumably quite enough for 'home theater' in a dark room.

Thanks-- I understand that movie theaters are calibrated to sub 16 ftL, so it sounds like this should certainly work in replicating/surpassing the movie theater experience.

Presumably 20 FtL will be less than ideal for something like a Super Bowl party with some ambient light in the back of the room though.

Robbo

Thanks for the PM. It just depends on your viewing preferences. It's much harder to gain brightness but easy to cut back on brightness.

1.3 gain would be ok if your projector is close to the short end of the throw. Great for movies.

For sports many like a super bright image. Many choose the Da-Lite High Power because of this. Then you can run the projector in economy mode and still get a nice robust image. Put it on bright for the Superbowl! ;) Remember the High Power is retro reflective. for more info read below

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=262466
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=240074
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=228371

DT: OK, you are ready to calculate the foot-Lamberts (ftL) for various scenario's. A 106" diag 9x16 screen has an area of 33.3 ft^2. So, e.g., if you run the Pearl in high lamp mode, and have it placed as close to the screen as possible to obtain the 700 lumens it is supposed to produce in this situation, a Dalite HighPower screen (with the pj optimally positioned) has 2.8 gain, so you would have (700/33.3)x2.8 =/~ 59 ftL, about the brightest possible you can get for this size screen. And this is probably overkill, certainly so in your ideal light-controlled room. It should still be plenty bright with a screen with 1.4 gain, say, (i.e., ~28 ftL), which the Carada BW screen is. And you can look at other possibilities, e.g. a Stewart ST1.3 (1.3 gain) or Firehawk (1.25 gain), etc.

PS In low lamp mode, I think the Pearl produces ~ 485 lumens, so you can do the calculations for this.
...and the advantage/drawback of the Carada BW is/are?

...and the advantage/drawback of the Stewart ST130 is/are?

...and the advantage/drawback of the Firehawk is/are?

Thanks! I'm stepping up in the "screen world" so your/any help is gratefully received. I know it comes down to personal choice, but anyone who's gone down this road before me can give me the real world insight and help me make an informed decision.

Kevin

What Da-lite screen material would work best with the Pearl on a 106" diag. screen with no ambient light problems? I do not want a high power because I am ceiling mounting from about 15' back.

I currently have HCCV material and it would be easy to unsnap the material and put another Da-lite material up.

In order to change material you have to send frames back to Da-lite through your dealer. Da-lite says they need frames for perfect fit.

Mark

DT: OK, you are ready to calculate the foot-Lamberts (ftL) for various scenario's. A 106" diag 9x16 screen has an area of 33.3 ft^2. So, e.g., if you run the Pearl in high lamp mode, and have it placed as close to the screen as possible to obtain the 700 lumens it is supposed to produce in this situation, a Dalite HighPower screen (with the pj optimally positioned) has 2.8 gain, so you would have (700/33.3)x2.8 =/~ 59 ftL, about the brightest possible you can get for this size screen. And this is probably overkill, certainly so in your ideal light-controlled room. It should still be plenty bright with a screen with 1.4 gain, say, (i.e., ~28 ftL), which the Carada BW screen is. And you can look at other possibilities, e.g. a Stewart ST1.3 (1.3 gain) or Firehawk (1.25 gain), etc.

PS In low lamp mode, I think the Pearl produces ~ 485 lumens, so you can do the calculations for this.

Hi Bill

How do light coloured walls and ceiling factor into the above ? I have no external light source but my room is painted matt white. The screen will only be 92" diag at almost min throw but I'm concerened about how reflected light may affect a 1.3 gain white screen. BTW the PJ will be mounted just above my head.

Thoughts ?


Dazzer

I've been happy using the smooth side of a white DIY 96" Parkland Pollywall screen (~1.3 gain from what I read).

Hi Bill

How do light coloured walls and ceiling factor into the above ? I have no external light source but my room is painted matt white. The screen will only be 92" diag at almost min throw but I'm concerened about how reflected light may affect a 1.3 gain white screen. BTW the PJ will be mounted just above my head.

Thoughts ?


Dazzer

Dazzer, I'm no expert in this by any means (DarinP, Tryg, etc. are the experts), just go by what I'm learning here in the Forum. But a retro-reflective screen can help minimize the effects of light-colored walls by focusing the reflected light directly back (and not so much to the light side walls and ceiling). And a gray screen is also helpful in minimizing the effect of reflected light. Thus the Graywolf screen--gray and retro-reflective--is very good in this regard, though it has some shortcomings (screen texture) that bother some people. You can find lots of discussion of this in the Forum. Good luck!

I tired both a Graywolf II and a High Power, in 92inch diag size, with my Pearl, and definitely prefer the High Power. Yes, it requires a ND2 filter to get the brightness under control with the High Power in such a small size. But it did the best job of:

1) Dealing with the light color walls in my viewing room,
2) Introducing no texture or grain to the image (which is very important for 1080p, since one can sit so close and see every detail in HD sources)
3) Minimizing the effects of any waves of wrinkles in the screen,
4) Being of more solid construction (hipower weighs 3x the graywolf)

Your mileage may vary, and if you can try both, I recomend it. I really thought I'd prefer the gray backing, but it didn't work out that way. Even if the texture hasn't been an issue on the Graywolf II, I'm not sure that the grayness of the screen would have been to my liking. The Pearl just doesn't seem to need it, or even want it. (Glad I bought the Graywolf at Costco so it was easy to return!)

My only complaint is that I wish I could turn down the Pearl lamp even further, so I wouldn't need to use the ND2 (neuatral density factor 2) with it.

Nathan,

Thanks for your notes on the direct comparison. Did you do any test with some lights on in the room and can you tell us more about your room and lighting environment.

I have the older Graywolf and will be interested how it works with a Pearl in a more normal room situation without perfect light control. I found the Graywolf helped greatly in producing a viewable image for a Panny AE700 and Optoma H78. Without the retroflective gain of the Graywolf daytime baseball was not very watchable.

I tired both a Graywolf II and a High Power, in 92inch diag size, with my Pearl, and definitely prefer the High Power. Yes, it requires a ND2 filter to get the brightness under control with the High Power in such a small size. But it did the best job of:

1) Dealing with the light color walls in my viewing room,
2) Introducing no texture or grain to the image (which is very important for 1080p, since one can sit so close and see every detail in HD sources)
3) Minimizing the effects of any waves of wrinkles in the screen,
4) Being of more solid construction (hipower weighs 3x the graywolf)

Your mileage may vary, and if you can try both, I recomend it. I really thought I'd prefer the gray backing, but it didn't work out that way. Even if the texture hasn't been an issue on the Graywolf II, I'm not sure that the grayness of the screen would have been to my liking. The Pearl just doesn't seem to need it, or even want it. (Glad I bought the Graywolf at Costco so it was easy to return!)

My only complaint is that I wish I could turn down the Pearl lamp even further, so I wouldn't need to use the ND2 (neuatral density factor 2) with it.

Hi nathan_h

Thanks for sharing. I assume the new bulb isn't helping. Also is it calibrated to D65 as this appears to reduce output by about 25%.

Dazzer

My room has dark floors (persian style rug covering most of a wood floor), one deep red wall on the right, one light cream wall (on the left), a light ceiling mostly covered with gray acousitc foam tiles. The wall where the screen is in cream colored but when the screen is down the wall is hidden, and then speakers flanking the screen are black. Note that the screen is out from the wall a good foot, so there is little light that can spill from the screen to the wall behind it and back to the screen. Behind me is another room, with some light surfaces. I do my critical viewing at night, so while I don't have perfect light control (that would require dark surfaces everywhere) I had medium good light control.

I think the high power looked better in ambient light than the graywolf, but I didn't do any serious viewing that way, because I don't tend to watch anything that way. So take that statement with a large grain of salt. and don't make and decisions based on it! I was very much focussed on what the differences between the two looked like in a dark room, from 1x screen distance, while seated in the sweet spot. So, the fact that the Graywolf was more uniform ( by which I mean there was less fall-off in brightness) when watching off-axis was not too important to me.... and might have actually exacerbated any room problems I have. But in another situation for another person this might have been a selling point.

(I watch a "cheap" 37inch flat panel LCD, if I want to do casual viewing / viewing during the daytime / viewing with ambient light.)

My projector has not been calibrated. I'm watching in low lamp mode, color temp is low, etc., which allegedly is close to 6500k, though not necessarily close to D65 (especially since I have left the color mode in WIDE). Certainly the color accuracy in, for example, skin tones is as good or better than my old projector, which had accurate grayscale via calibration from 30IRE to 100IRE. The bulb has more than 50 hours on it, now, so I suspect it is getting close to where it's light output will be stable for several hundred hours.

Our Theater is starting to be constructed, and we are ordering the tech stuff..

but today we got the SST Firehawk 100' cant wait to see it with our Pearl aka. Vpl-Vw50

In my mixed-use apartment living room (100% full light control but mostly light walls, ceiling, and carpet with the notable exception of the true floor-to-ceiling curtain covering a large amount of the right wall where the patio door is being a dark navy velvet), my Pearl, mounted on the underside of a wall shelf (very similar to SOWK's setup, down to using the same mounting system ;)) has a throw distance of around 11 1/2 feet to a Carada 16:9 106" BW screen (Precision frame) with seating at around 10 feet. I haven't formally measured it but the lens-center height should be something around 55". Despite the less-than-optimal room conditions that I'm sure are killing the ANSI CR, it still looks phenomenal! :D

Googer,
Man it sounds like you live in my apartment. How come I never see you. Those are the
exact same measurements I have. About 121/2 foot to the screen and seating is 11 and half.

Damn! I was looking for Pearl and 92 inch Carada. Looks like this is a great combination. I built
a 50 inch stand for the projector. Now all I gotta do is order this thing and fire it up.

Can you post some pictures so that I can get an idea?

I tired both a Graywolf II and a High Power, in 92inch diag size, with my Pearl, and definitely prefer the High Power. Yes, it requires a ND2 filter to get the brightness under control with the High Power in such a small size.


Hi nathan_h

How does the ND filter attach to the Pearl lens ?

Dazzer

Poorly. Perhaps someone can help us with a better setup, but for now I have a large square cokin ND2 filter literally taped over the front!

Poorly. Perhaps someone can help us with a better setup, but for now I have a large square cokin ND2 filter literally taped over the front!


Thanks

Question to nathan_h or anyone in the know.

Does the Pearl lens have a filter thread (I assume not) ? Apart from a reduction in light does the ND filter have any other side affects on PQ ?

Dazzerxxx

^

Thanks

Question to nathan_h or anyone in the know.

Does the Pearl lens have a filter thread (I assume not) ? Apart from a reduction in light does the ND filter have any other side affects on PQ ?


No threads, and I must admit I prefer the picture on a 1.0 gain screen and no ND filter, versus the picture on a 2.6 gain screen but with a ND filter. But the directionality of the latter was important to me in my space at the time where I couldn't get great light control (ie, no light was coming into the room, but the sides of the room were not as dark as they could be).

Im leaning towards getting the Pearl over the new JVC. Reasons are less fan noise and dealing with any potential servicing issues. I will be going with a 120" diagonal screen.

I will be having two rows of seats, with the front row of seats appx. 12 feet from the screen. The back row of seats is appx. 16 to 17 feet back. The room goes back to about 22 feet to the back wall. My ceiling height is 8'3" and I have a 8" riser for the 2nd row of seats. I know 120" is about the max I can do for a screen without having line of sight issues in the 2nd row.

I will be watching movies and TV. My room is fully contained from any natural light, but will have some dim can lighting on when watching TV with friends.

I'm thinking of getting the Steward Widescreen Firehawk G3. I'm a newb about PJ's and screens, so any help would be appreciated.
Also, how far back should the PJ be from the front screen? I have a preference of brightness over contrast (my eyes are not 20/20 anymore). Pearl specs have a throw range of 145" to 252" for a widescreen 120" diagonal screen. Does that mean at 145" I'm getting alot brighter screen then if I go to the back end of the room? What are the drawbacks to having the PJ at the mimimum throw range?

(I will be having two rows of seats, with the front row of seats appx. 12 feet from the screen. The back row of seats is appx. 16 to 17 feet back. The room goes back to about 22 feet to the back wall. My ceiling height is 8'3" and I have a 8" riser for the 2nd row of seats. I know 120" is about the max I can do for a screen without having line of sight issues in the 2nd row)


My theater ia almost set-up exactly as yours-2rows, 1st row=12', 2nd row 17',24' to back wall.I have a Pearl set-up 18'7" from a 133" da-lite high power screen. My 56yr old eyes are not as good as they ounce were but the picture produced by blu-ray/hd-dvd is stunning.I have some dim lighting as well. As far as throw distance-the closer the projector the brighter the image.I am not sure what gain the Steward Firehawk G3 is but I would recommend a screen gain of at least 1.6 for a 120" screen. Hope this helps, Ron

would recommend a screen gain of at least 1.6 for a 120" screen.

Wow, the screen I had (Stewart Firehawk G3) in mind has a gain of 1.25. Why that much gain?

Wow, the screen I had (Stewart Firehawk G3) in mind has a gain of 1.25. Why that much gain?

The size of your screen means it might be very dim at 1.25 gain.