I use a Panasonic PT-AE8000U and project onto a light beige wall in my basement family room. For a variety of reasons, a screen is not really doable (due to limited ceiling height mostly which would limit my max image size) and so I'm content to project onto my wall. When watching movies projected with this system I find that the black bars are variably visible -- sometimes you can not seem them at all and I really get the cinema feeling and at other times they are easily noticeable and it detracts from the experience. I can't do anamorphic and I'm hoping that painting the wall darker (a medium gray maybe) will help the black bars become essential "invisible"? My wall is a light beige and the whites seem pretty white and brightness is definitely not an issue (I use the "cinema 1" and "eco" setting so fairly low light output but plenty bright), and ambient light is well controlled in the room.
Any thoughts or input about past experiences would be great, thanks!
Do a 2.35:1 "screen" (either hung on the wall or painted on the wall) with black black borders and dark color wall outside of borders.
Use lens memory to shrink TV content to fit within the height, and 2.35 movies the full width of the screen. Essentially, there is no screen where the black borders would be.
Downsides: your wall needs to be a darker color outside the screen, and HDTV size content is of a smaller size.
or
Use a darker screen, like gray, as you suggest.
Don't know if the bars will be invisible, because it depends on the distance projector from screen, how well it's calibrated, and how low or high the gain of the screen becomes. But they'll be darker, at least.
Do a 2.35:1 "screen" (either hung on the wall or painted on the wall) with black black borders and dark color wall outside of borders.
Use lens memory to shrink TV content to fit within the height, and 2.35 movies the full width of the screen. Essentially, there is no screen where the black borders would be.
Downsides: your wall needs to be a darker color outside the screen, and HDTV size content is of a smaller size.
or
Use a darker screen, like gray, as you suggest.
Don't know if the bars will be invisible, because it depends on the distance projector from screen, how well it's calibrated, and how low or high the gain of the screen becomes. But they'll be darker, at least.
A screen is not in the cards for this room unfortunately due to reasons stated above, although what you suggested is what I would have liked to do if possible. I guess I should try test painting and see if it makes a difference, but that pretty much commits me to repainting the wall then (which is actually not a big deal since it's a fairly small wall (maybe 15x7 ft). I guess I could try to find some gray colored paper and hold it against the wall and see if it makes a difference also, but curious if anyone has found the black bars to disappear by using a gray/high-contrast screen or paint.
Since the purpose of a gray/high-contrast screen is to get darker blacks, I'd say you'll find several that will attest to it.
Depends on what the gain is on your current wall. If it's already .8, then a new color of .8 won't make a difference. Although it may well be a more accurate than the warmer beige color you're currently using.
If it's currently .9 gain, and you move to .8, the dark areas will be darker, and if not invisible, better.
If you are handy make a removable masking system.
Use gator board/foamcore wrapped in black velvet. Embed sheet metal squares in/on the wall and feather in with dry wall compound outside the image area. properly done they will not be visible once painted. Attach neodymium magnets to the back of the panels that line up with the metal When watching a movie attach the mask to frame the image. (4 pieces) This will take a little planning and a little work but you can achieve a good result with a little effort. Image will never really be color accurate with a non white wall but if you are happy with it that's all that matters.
Ooooh... I love that idea. It sounds awesome. I may try it although not sure since I wouldn't want the magnets in the black bar areas since I make the screen bigger for less wide material (e.g. 1.85:1) and those areas with the magnets (even if painted) may be noticeable in the image, unless the magnets could be inserted in the drywall material and then "patched" over and then painted... maybe this will be my summer project, although I may try painting the wall first.
If you are handy make a removable masking system.
Use gator board/foamcore wrapped in black velvet. Embed sheet metal squares in/on the wall and feather in with dry wall compound outside the image area. properly done they will not be visible once painted. Attach neodymium magnets to the back of the panels that line up with the metal When watching a movie attach the mask to frame the image. (4 pieces) This will take a little planning and a little work but you can achieve a good result with a little effort. Image will never really be color accurate with a non white wall but if you are happy with it that's all that matters.
I'm not the OP with the screen, but I assumed you meant a neutral gray. Similarly, "white" can be warmer than neutral too.
Either way of course I'd suggest calibration.
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