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Buying a Projector Screen 4 CRT

post #1 of 17
8/19/12 at 11:41am
Thread Starter 
Looking to buy a new screen for my projector. I managed to find an Elite M80NWV with 80 inch diagonal, 4:3 screen with a gain of 1.1. Any input on this is most appreciated.

Two additional questions:

1.) Is there a minimum recommended gain for CRT projector systems?

2.) What is the recommended max screen size for CRT projectors?
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post #2 of 17
8/19/12 at 12:01pm
For my first screen - I aimed projector on the wall to the size that looked the best - marked it off with a pencil - put paint tape on the wall - primed it - and did screen goo paint. Then I put regular wood trim painted black around the edges. I even used double sided velcro tape to keep the trim on the wall. If that floats your boat - check out DYI screen paint threads. Lots of great options. Mine is 120" diagnonal. Still very happy with it.
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post #3 of 17
8/19/12 at 1:16pm
Thread Starter 
Building my own would be very nice, but I will be leaving my apartment at university within a year. Getting a fixed screen back home intact would be a major challenge. What projector are you running on yours?
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post #4 of 17
8/19/12 at 2:36pm
A fixed screen is ideal, as any pulldown screen will have some wrinkles in it. Usually not noticeable when the projector is on, but they are there. Stewart is top of the line, DaLite and Draper not far behind, and I avoid the cheap Chinese and Indian screens like crazy. Your best bet is probably a new old stock screen on ebay, as lots of installs end up switching screens, and the installation company is left with something they don't need, which they will sell for cheap. If you can find a local used screen that's fine too, but since everyone throws out the packing material, shipping a used screen is quite a risk.
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post #5 of 17
8/20/12 at 7:13am
Thread Starter 
The one I was looking at is definitely Chinese - I knew the price was too good! Why do you avoid them so much? What specific problems have you seen with them? By the way, its an Elite M80NWV. One guy in a review already complained about wrinkles on his a bit and poor packaging at the factory. Any thoughts on this?
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post #6 of 17
9/5/12 at 11:55am
Any pull down screen will basicly suck. Tehy will have wrincles and all and some of them are made so cheep they will eventually break.

A fixed screen is pretty easy to put together and take apart and you can easily transport it when you move. Not somehting youll want to do all the time but for a set up and break down when your moving ever few years or so isnt the end of the world.

Your problably looking for a 92" Diagnal screen mabe 100 at most. 7" Projectors are not really good for more then that. Oh and youll want a 16:9 screen not 4:3.

Im dealing with DragonFly Screens. They are made in the same place the Other "S" company is mde in im pretty sure.......
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post #7 of 17
9/11/12 at 6:38am
If you're still looking, a dalite high power type B or C pull down, even though it might have some waves or wrinkles in it, they don't show much in the projected picture compared to other screen materials.
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post #8 of 17
9/11/12 at 9:52am
the high power from Dalite is also a much, much thicker fabric than any other material out there. I believe for this reason their roll ups have been zero wrinkles and I've installed at least 4 so far.
great screen for less than 300 bucks delivered.
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post #9 of 17
9/15/12 at 8:49am
Thread Starter 
Just found a DaLite pull down screen right next to where I am for $100. This strikes me as a really good deal. What do y'all think?

Outside of gain, what else should I look for when buying a screen like this? According to my calculation, the screen size is 115". Is this too big?
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post #10 of 17
9/16/12 at 11:42am
Dalite makes a dozen different materials for their screens. Most of those are completely wrong for CRT. So just saying Da-lite screen tells us nothing. If it's matte White or high power it will be fine, most of the others, especially the Gray, are a waste of time or worse than a sheet-rock wall

http://www.da-lite.com/products/selecting.php?viewMode=front
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post #11 of 17
9/18/12 at 8:24pm
A wise man once told me gray is the digital projectors bandaid.

Will - I wouldn't go any higher gain than 1.5 at least that's what my calibrator told me. You run into color shifting and what not.
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post #12 of 17
9/19/12 at 9:54am
Quote:
Originally Posted by neonsky View Post

A wise man once told me gray is the digital projectors bandaid.
.
biggrin.gif
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post #13 of 17
9/20/12 at 10:38am
Thread Starter 
Its a Draper Luma with no wrinkles, Matte White, 115inches diagonal, Gain or about 1.0 or 1.1
Edited by UncleWill - 9/22/12 at 10:05am
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post #14 of 17
9/23/12 at 10:50am
that's ok, nothing spectacular. It's the screen I use in my shop for testing, a little dull but better than black out cloth or painted white wall. If it's in good shape offer him 50 bucks
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post #15 of 17
9/23/12 at 4:17pm
Chances are he will take it. Storing screens takes up a lot of real estate in ones home. I speak from personal experience. At that price you can't even diy cheaper.
Edited by neonsky - 9/23/12 at 4:31pm
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post #16 of 17
9/24/12 at 5:32am
Thread Starter 
Hey, when I first contacted him he said he had a DaLite so I was ecstatic. Looks like he has sold it since then. frown.gif Oh well, such the quest of the n00b.
Quote:
Chances are he will take it.
No, I haven't bought it yet. I was waiting to value the opinions and input from the folks on here before making a move.
Quote:
If it's in good shape offer him 50 bucks
He's asking for $100 so I'll shoot for the average. Thanks!
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post #17 of 17
10/1/12 at 2:04pm
Thread Starter 
Just an update, I decided to finally go with it and drove down to pick up the screen this Sunday. The screen is massive - way bigger than I imagined, even with the measurements. It is absolutely ridiculous! Sure, this is not the best screen by a long shot, but this purchase by itself feels like a pivotal moment in this whole hobby. Things are getting more complex and sophisticated. Building this thing piece by piece has allowed me to take time and consideration each step of the way. Many thanks to all the help of the wonderful folks up on this forum, guiding the n00bs on our way! biggrin.gif

Looking at the current projector arrangements, the room is going to need some adjusting. I might place projector on the floor or again behind the couch , but it will certainly take some ingenuity for sure just to get it right. Thankfully, the connection between the living area and kitchen inside the dorm has a drop ceiling. While I was originally planning to put the screen above the the window, this new setup seems *perfect*. Not only does the room remain open, it will actually gives back more space period. Will post pictures once mounting begins.
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