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Angled Ceiling Drop Down Screen - Conflicting Info

post #1 of 12
1/17/13 at 1:03pm
Thread Starter 
So I found out I have room in between my ceiling joists to install a ceiling drop down screen, but I am getting conflicting information as to whether itis possible or not to install on an angled ceiling.

I spoke w/ Elite and they indicated that it is possible and an installer can do so w/ various chains and hooks. I have been told by another seller that it isn't possible.

Does anybody know for certain whether it is possible (meaning they have done so or seen it done) or have any ideas exactly how to do so? I would be looking to install it in the ceiling so that it is recessed. Below is an image of the ceiling to give you an idea of what I am talking about.

Hope that it is possible because this is the only way I would be able to a projector into my room.

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post #2 of 12
1/17/13 at 2:58pm
I am going to say no, not without a lot of custom work.
The screen must be level and square to the projector lens.
Your back to the custom engineering again with different length cables on computer controlled motors to lower the fully closed screen from the ceiling into a level configuration at exactly the proper height, then lowering the screen. In your other thread you said you had approximately $1000 budget, has that changed? You will probably not find much in the way of quality AT manual screens let along an electric one for $1000. I am going to go out on a limb and say without looking an AT screens, you will need it to be a tensioned screen (much more expensive then non tensioned) if you don't want waves in the screen surface. Maybe a perf would work but any kind of weave would need to be tensioned. Without some give on the better halves side you might want to look at some other room.. If you had unlimited depth in the pockets, I bet you could get it something built..

The assumption is there is a roof over that ceiling.. no attic space, correct?
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post #3 of 12
1/17/13 at 5:41pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by airscapes View Post

I am going to say no, not without a lot of custom work.
The screen must be level and square to the projector lens.
Your back to the custom engineering again with different length cables on computer controlled motors to lower the fully closed screen from the ceiling into a level configuration at exactly the proper height, then lowering the screen. In your other thread you said you had approximately $1000 budget, has that changed? You will probably not find much in the way of quality AT manual screens let along an electric one for $1000. I am going to go out on a limb and say without looking an AT screens, you will need it to be a tensioned screen (much more expensive then non tensioned) if you don't want waves in the screen surface. Maybe a perf would work but any kind of weave would need to be tensioned. Without some give on the better halves side you might want to look at some other room.. If you had unlimited depth in the pockets, I bet you could get it something built..

The assumption is there is a roof over that ceiling.. no attic space, correct?

Yea you are right, it is the roof above the ceiling.

Seeing that my $1000 initial goal is unrealistic, I have increased my budget to $2k on the screen, but I think technically doing what it would to take for the ceiling mount would be much more than that.

Unfortunately the basement is tiny, so no other room to do the projector in. I might just have to cough it up as being uncontainable, but I am holding out hope that a solution may present itself.
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post #4 of 12
1/17/13 at 6:02pm
You can't just hang an electric screen from the ceiling? That would work.
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post #5 of 12
1/17/13 at 7:53pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by economyte View Post



Unfortunately the basement is tiny, so no other room to do the projector in. I might just have to cough it up as being uncontainable, but I am holding out hope that a solution may present itself.

How many people will be watching.. Small spaces can make for big screen experience with a smaller screen.. closer you sit the bigger it is..
Then you could also go with a smaller portable pullup screen that can be put in the closet when you are done.. I had been using a portable tripod screen that gave me a 65" image for the past 3 years. It is all that really fits well in my tiny house. Just last week I got a used 110" Dalite Model C with the old HP 2.8 fabric for $300. 6 years old and almost like new, only one tiny flaw. They go for about $1000 with the 2.4 Gain HP new. This has been installed on the wall at the ceiling (didn't want to do that but if I want bigger gota install it) and I am making removable masking curtains as I can only use about 78" of the screen with the furniture that is in front of it. This is all about compromise. Don't give up, find a way to make it work, won't be perfect, may be more work than you want each time you use it.. but bigger is better.
Let me tell you this.. going from 65" to 78" is a BIG difference. So don't be hooked on 120", think about a floor standing screen that will fit between the speakers, give up a bit and move the speaker so can squeeze in a 100", as it will be a BIG jump compared to a 65".
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post #6 of 12
1/18/13 at 9:19am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Craig Peer View Post

You can't just hang an electric screen from the ceiling? That would work.

The requirement for me to get this was that when the projector is not in use, it shouldn't be in any way visible in the room. I think the portable projector is a decent option. Can just move it out of the room when not in use. Really just want it for movies, which is a once a week type thing for us.
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post #7 of 12
1/18/13 at 9:23am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by airscapes View Post

How many people will be watching.. Small spaces can make for big screen experience with a smaller screen.. closer you sit the bigger it is..
Then you could also go with a smaller portable pullup screen that can be put in the closet when you are done.. I had been using a portable tripod screen that gave me a 65" image for the past 3 years. It is all that really fits well in my tiny house. Just last week I got a used 110" Dalite Model C with the old HP 2.8 fabric for $300. 6 years old and almost like new, only one tiny flaw. They go for about $1000 with the 2.4 Gain HP new. This has been installed on the wall at the ceiling (didn't want to do that but if I want bigger gota install it) and I am making removable masking curtains as I can only use about 78" of the screen with the furniture that is in front of it. This is all about compromise. Don't give up, find a way to make it work, won't be perfect, may be more work than you want each time you use it.. but bigger is better.
Let me tell you this.. going from 65" to 78" is a BIG difference. So don't be hooked on 120", think about a floor standing screen that will fit between the speakers, give up a bit and move the speaker so can squeeze in a 100", as it will be a BIG jump compared to a 65".

That is a good point. A 100" screen would still be a big difference, and I can get a portable non-motorized one for considerably cheaper than the motorized drop downs or floor rising ones. If we find we really enjoy the projector and want to use it on more than once or twice a week, we can commit more money to doing an installed version and expend the cash needed to make it work in our room.
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post #8 of 12
1/18/13 at 9:32am
You will find after you set up and break down a few times it is no big deal. Been doing it for 3+ years EVERY NIGHT and it takes 3 or 6 minutes Hang light traps (black velvet on adjacent walls, get screen from closet and set up, hang screen skirt (tripod cover) hang black sheet over mirror in rear of room, move projector from top of cabinet to setup table, plug in cable, center and focus. Can do it in about a 3 minutes if I rush.. break down is 1/2 setup time. Now with a pull down, still have to do as much, in that I need to hang masking curtains since the screen is way to big. The compromise we make to have a LIVING ROOM without a theater when we are not wanting a Theater!
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post #9 of 12
1/18/13 at 9:40am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by airscapes View Post

You will find after you set up and break down a few times it is no big deal. Been doing it for 3+ years EVERY NIGHT and it takes 3 or 6 minutes Hang light traps (black velvet on adjacent walls, get screen from closet and set up, hang screen skirt (tripod cover) hang black sheet over mirror in rear of room, move projector from top of cabinet to setup table, plug in cable, center and focus. Can do it in about a 3 minutes if I rush.. break down is 1/2 setup time. Now with a pull down, still have to do as much, in that I need to hang masking curtains since the screen is way to big. The compromise we make to have a LIVING ROOM without a theater when we are not wanting a Theater!

Yea, that is pretty fast, all things considered. We have very young kids, so there is no way we would be using it outside of friday night thru sunday, we barely watch tv on the weekdays to begin with.
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post #10 of 12
1/18/13 at 10:51am
Quote:
Originally Posted by economyte View Post

Yea, that is pretty fast, all things considered. We have very young kids, so there is no way we would be using it outside of friday night thru sunday, we barely watch tv on the weekdays to begin with.

You haven't mentioned what projector you have or where it will be placed? I assume like me, you will set it up on something and put it away when done?
You may be surprised how much more TV you will want to watch when it isn't on that little box.. I hated watching TV and movies till I got the projector..
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post #11 of 12
1/18/13 at 2:16pm
Thread Starter 
I actually just bought the benq w1070 for $899, so couldn't pass that up.

For a 100" screen on projector central says it should be only 11" ft or so from the screen. That would put it basically in the center of my room in front of all the seating. Not sure if the table you use is in front of your seating, but do you find it distracting to have the projector on a table in front of the seating, as opposed to on the ceiling?
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post #12 of 12
1/18/13 at 2:53pm
My room is rather small so the projector ends up being about 2-3' in front of our feet which is well below our line of vision. BUT, the trick is to cover the table with a piece of triple black velvet and cut a piece that will just fit on the top of the projector without covering any vents. The table and projector disappear. I covered the back side of the the piece of velvet for the projector with black Gaffer's tape to give it some body.. duct tape would work just as well.
My projector has no lens sift so if that does have lens shift you may be able to put it on a very low support that is well out of your vision. Black velvet is a good thing to have around.. you may find there is something behind your screen that is reflective and distracting.. a piece of black velvet works like Harry's cape.. now you see it.. now you don't!
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