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Help picking a screen

post #1 of 15
4/3/09 at 7:12pm
Thread Starter 
Room Size- 21'x11'
PJ-Panasonic PT-AE3000U, 1600 Lumens w/60,000:1 Contrast Ratio
Ceiling Mounted at 14' from screen wall, also no ambient light in the room.

I have been advised to look at Vutec, Draper, etc. in white.

I am looking for 100" or 103" screen, fixed frame. I know I can spend a lot on a screen but my budget is no more then $1000.00 I see DaLite screens for 4-5 hundred, are these screens good enough or are they as good as a thousand dollar screen? What makes them different and a recommendation would be great.

Thanks
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post #2 of 15
4/4/09 at 6:55am
In fixed frame and with a ceiling mounted PJ, I would suggest you look at Carada in Brilliant White (carada.com). You will find lots of favorable reviews on that screen in this forum. Also, you don't say what color your walls, ceiling, floor, and seating are. For best results they need to be a dark color. Anything light colored will reflect screen light back onto the dark areas of the image, lowering your contrast. This is especially true for surfaces near the screen.
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post #3 of 15
4/4/09 at 6:31pm
Are you looking for fixed frame or retractable?
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post #4 of 15
4/4/09 at 8:51pm
Thread Starter 
Jason,
I am looking for a fixed frame
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post #5 of 15
4/6/09 at 1:00pm
For a fixed frame in that budget, go with what FLBoy suggested...Carada. They will be under your budget whereas most others you mention for comparable frames will be over (and not necessarily better).
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post #6 of 15
4/7/09 at 8:38am
Thread Starter 
Any thoughts on the Elite EZ Frame?
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post #7 of 15
4/7/09 at 10:54am
Cheaper, but not nearly in the same quality level. If budget is what you are after it is a good option (better than a wall for instance). However, you'll also find that Elite is not that much less than Carada for a comparable screen.
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post #8 of 15
4/7/09 at 11:00am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jet Captain View Post

Any thoughts on the Elite EZ Frame?

It's inexpensive. IMO its construction quality won't be nearly as good as that of the Carada screen.

I suggest you start a few pages from the end of the Official Elite screen thread in this forum to get a feel for Elite. Some thought their screen was fine, others thought it was a bit flimsy, and still others noted QC problems.

ETA- LOL Jason, you beat me. (Good thing our answers were similar!)
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post #9 of 15
4/7/09 at 11:05am
Quote:


ETA- LOL Jason, you beat me. (Good thing our answers were similar!)

Great minds think alike...
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post #10 of 15
4/8/09 at 5:52pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks guys. I have read the reviews on Elite and I am sold on Carada, especially after speaking with a Carada rep. He gave me unlimited time for questions with no pressure to buy. Carada it is! Again, many thanks.
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post #11 of 15
4/8/09 at 5:57pm
Carada screen material has no black backing correct? just the white vinyl.
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post #12 of 15
4/11/09 at 5:15pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by FLBoy View Post

In fixed frame and with a ceiling mounted PJ, I would suggest you look at Carada in Brilliant White (carada.com).

Why the Brilliant White? I'm new to all this and looking at screens and projectors myself. If he specifies no ambient light, is the brilliant necessary?

For reference I'm looking at this quote on the carada site:
Quote:


Classic Cinema White Screen Material
Our Classic Cinema White screen material provides an exceptionally wide angle of view, helping to maintain a consistent image from different seating areas. It has a gain of 1.0, and is most suitable for dedicated theaters with good ambient light control.

Brilliant White
Our Brilliant White screen material has a gain of 1.4 for that extra bit of punch, with a minimal decrease in viewing angle. It is also a thicker, more opaque gauge of vinyl than our Classic Cinema White. With its higher gain, it is a good option for dimmer projectors, or in environments with some ambient light such as boardrooms or churches.
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post #13 of 15
4/11/09 at 8:50pm
Thread Starter 
Don't know if this will help, but after speaking with Carada and letting them know my PJ is a Panasonic AE3000 they recommended the Classic Cinema White with a material gain of 1.0.
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post #14 of 15
4/12/09 at 7:54am
Quote:
Originally Posted by coopasonic View Post

Why the Brilliant White? I'm new to all this and looking at screens and projectors myself. If he specifies no ambient light, is the brilliant necessary?

Personal preference. (I like a bright picture.) With his screen size and PJ, either the BW or the CCW would work fine for the OP if he darkens his room surfaces. One other difference is that the BW is nearly opaque, while the CCW is somewhat translucent. Translucency in a front projection screen can cause undesirable effects in some installations.
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post #15 of 15
4/13/09 at 10:00am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jet Captain View Post

Thanks guys. I have read the reviews on Elite and I am sold on Carada, especially after speaking with a Carada rep. He gave me unlimited time for questions with no pressure to buy. Carada it is! Again, many thanks.

Welcome!

Quote:


Why the Brilliant White? I'm new to all this and looking at screens and projectors myself. If he specifies no ambient light, is the brilliant necessary?

Remember the Panny projector is not that bright. Moreover, the lamps in digital projectors dim pretty quickly. Lastly, the BW is not really a 1.4 gain (really tests out more like a 1.1 or so).
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