New Epson 5020 owner, Da-Lite HCHP 106" screen w/room, zoom, offset & placement questions - Page 2

I have to agree with Mark. The only reason I bought the HPHC screen was to pair it with my less than ideal lumen outputting projector, the Marantz VP-11S1. There are some negatives to the material that are obvious. There is a slight grainy look to the image. I'm not sure if that's attributed to the material itself or if the higher gain is to blame. Then there is the retro reflective nature of the screen that can be a pain to deal with. The half gain is also very low, but to be expected with this high of a gain at only 25-30 degrees. On top of that I and a few others seem to be having an issue seeing the texture in spots on the screen.

I don't hate the material as it does what its supposed to. Unfortunately there are a couple drawbacks that most people can deal with. I think Mark just wants people to stop praising this material as "perfect" or "without flaw" and that's totally understandable.

Mark, what material (1.1 to 1.5 gain) would you recommend that has what you would call a "looking through a window" attribute? I want something with a slightly high gain that looks completely "smooth" so all you see is the content. I've heard a lot of good things about StudioTek 1.3 material. Is that something you'd recommend? Or are there any cheaper solutions, maybe something like a Carada screen, that has this trait?
Edited by Seegs108 - 1/6/13 at 7:16pm

Since we have you here, Mark, have you ever seen a Draper Radiant/Contrast Radiant screen? I, for one, am not praising my HCHP screen :-P I absolutely cannot live with its texture. But there are times (when texture isn't apparent) that the screen does disappear and create a 'window' effect. But this depends highly on the source material as well-- the source has to be a clean, sharp, low grain image. Softness, grain, and other artifacts really pull me away from this 'window effect', which is why (I think) I only see it sparingly.

And, yes, in really bright portions there are times I can sort of see a bit of sheen to the HCHP material. But nothing like the Black Diamond, which is utterly horrible (to me). And nothing like the glass-beaded screens (e.g. GrayWolf), where I see it as soon as the image gets even a little bright.

I am ordering in a cheap HP to put in front of my screen for 3D viewing. I need or woulld like, i really don't need, extra brightness for 3D viewing. for 3D only, i am willing to give up the transparency I have for 2d. 3D with glasses is just not transparent to begin with.This may be because of the glasses or the reduced resolution or whatever. I don't know.

My judgements re screeens totlly changed upon switching Studeotec 130 to snowmat 100. Huge improvement in realism, transparency, making the fabric disappear.
My judgements on the other screens is based on viewing them outside my theater so i think it will be interesting to have an exact same size HP 2.4 to compare to my Snowmat.

Based on my observations I like the snowmat as well as the JKP Affinity 1.1 which actually because of different dealer margins can street for even less that many of the traditional draper fabrics and is definately cheaper than the Stewart screens.

There are many of the 4K fabrics that I have not seen but most are with gains of less than one and going negative would not give me enough brightness with my err cute little 110" D 1.78.

There is a huge improvement in PQ going from the studeotec 1.3 to the Snowmat 1.0 to answer the specific question asked.

Now back to the recent observations of others regarding theHP screens. I wonder is some of what you have seen regards the HCHP rather than the plain HP?I have not seen the HCHP and perhaps I would find the HC more objectionable,

BTW. My sony is mounted just asbove my eye height so the HP would work to its maximum gain in my set up.

And no. I have not seenthe radiant/contrast.

and thanks for your characterization of my feelings regarding HP. i think its a fine choice for many. its just that you do give up a lot though you gain, pardon the pun, a lot and solve too big a screen for your projector problems, perhaps the best way.

From what I've read it seems the JKP Da-Lite Progressive HD 1.1 is the material to get. The only problem is that when I google it all I see is companies offering it as a perforated material. I realize they offer both but I've yet to see one website selling it as a non-perforated material.

Seeg. Please send me a pm with your name and phone number.

I am surprised it is even offered anywhere as a perfed material. Joe Kane strongly oppose any perfed or woven screen because he is a video perfectionist and does not suffer compromises to such quality to accommodate something as silly as sound.
Edited by mark haflich - 1/7/13 at 6:34am

Thanks for your feedback. Seems to me I can't find many reports of HCHP screens without texture so I think I'm just sending it back for good.

Also, I paid $1200 for mine (Cinema Contour). Maybe that's why I'm griping so much :-P

I received my replacement HPHC screen today. For those interested in the outcome please read here:

http://www.avsforum.com/t/1455184/hats-off-to-da-lite/0_50

I also bought an older 2.8 HP screen off of ebay to compare the materials. We'll see how they compare when that screen arrives.