AVS › AVS Forum › Display Devices › Screens › DIY Screen Section › First Projector and DIY screen building from South Africa
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

First Projector and DIY screen building from South Africa

post #1 of 7
2/11/13 at 7:48am
Thread Starter 
Hi Everybody

I am from South Africa and this forum has helped me allot so far.

If I am posting in the wrong section please let me know and my questions might be very stupid but I have no clue what some of you are taking about.

I have read several posted and used the DIY beginners guide to get and idea what is needed to build my first screen. Well as the days gone by I have read more post and at this stage I am so confused about all the materials and paint that I thought it might be better to get clarity.

My projector is a OPTIMA HD23.

And my frame up to now, I will put the braces in during the week.



I have read some where that you need to calibrate the projector to your screen? How would I do that. Or can I just set it to cinema and don't worry about all these fancy stuff.

Then there is BOC that needs painting and that was my plan in the beginning to paint it a gray shade as my room is not a dedicated theater room. But after reading more on the forum I see you can use Spandex material in gray color. Do I then first put the BOC over my frame and then spandex. If I can skip the paint then it would make my life so much easier cause to find the correct shade of paint in our town is not going to be easy.

Just one last question. I see lots of people talk about +1.0 gain material??? What is that and do I need to worry about that. I still want the best DIY screen I can build but all this technical stuff make my head spin.


Regards

See Ya On The Wire
Reply
Reply

AVS Top Picks

post #2 of 7
2/11/13 at 10:35am
Quote:
Originally Posted by SpiderWire View Post

Hi Everybody

Hello Spider! Wecome to AVS's DIY Screen Forum. We all hope you'll continue to hang around and bug us. Just don't bite. tongue.gif
Quote:
I am from South Africa and this forum has helped me allot so far.

Hmmmm...ya think? biggrin.gif
Quote:
If I am posting in the wrong section please let me know and my questions might be very stupid but I have no clue what some of you are taking about.

Your where you need to be.....but be comforted in knowing that sometimes we are just as clueless. smile.gif
Quote:
I have read several posted and used the DIY beginners guide to get and idea what is needed to build my first screen. Well as the days gone by I have read more post and at this stage I am so confused about all the materials and paint that I thought it might be better to get clarity.

Clarity on info / advice is always good, and absolutely essential as far as how good your image looks as well. You don't want a fuzzy image. tongue.gif
Quote:
My projector is a OPTIMA HD23

A nice bright PJ. It does have some considerations. It has no Lens Shift....a short Focal / Zoom range (...just over 2') so placement as far as distance from the screen for a given size is limited, and a 12" image offset.(your PJ Lens must be 12" above or below the Top or Bottom edge of the Screen.
Quote:
And my frame up to now, I will put the braces in during the week.



I have read some where that you need to calibrate the projector to your screen? How would I do that. Or can I just set it to cinema and don't worry about all these fancy stuff.

The need to calibrate is wholly dependent upon several important items.

1. Screen Color & Gain

2. The quality of Color / Contrast settings "Out of the Box" in an / all of the various viewing Modes.

3. Room viewing conditions.

To calibrate you use one of several available Calibration DVDs. The most popular and easy to use one among NOOBs is the Disney WOW Disc
http://www.familyvideo.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=399197&source=shopping
Quote:
Then there is BOC that needs painting and that was my plan in the beginning to paint it a gray shade as my room is not a dedicated theater room. But after reading more on the forum I see you can use Spandex material in gray color. Do I then first put the BOC over my frame and then spandex. If I can skip the paint then it would make my life so much easier cause to find the correct shade of paint in our town is not going to be easy.

Spandex has become quite popular as of late, but it's use is dependent upon matching the Color / Type of Spandex with the Room and PJ selection. You can...and should use a double lyer approach, with either a White or Silver Gray backing behind a White or Silver Gray screen surface. You would wrap / stretch the Spandex across your Frame "as is"...you need not back it with another material, although that is an option.
Quote:
Just one last question.

Yeah...riiiiiiiight. We've all heard that one before. wink.gif
Quote:
I see lots of people talk about +1.0 gain material??? What is that and do I need to worry about that. I still want the best DIY screen I can build but all this technical stuff make my head spin.


Regards

See Ya On The Wire

Gain levels represent how much of the original brightness of a projected image is retained and how it is directed back to the viewer.

A - 1.0 gain surface will reflect all light received back to

B - +1.0 gain screen will, as the gain level rises, direct a ever growing percentage of the light received back on a axis (direction) more centered on the viewing position. The highest gain screens effectively narrow the returning light down so tightly, when viewed directly in front of the screen, the image might seem to have gained actual lumen. But it is really a case of focusing light down to a smaller point, much like a adjustable Flashlight...or even better still it represents the same pirinciple as that behind a Laser beam. The tighter the beam, the more apprently brighter the image will seem.

But there are drawbacks to having too high a Gain surface, with a distinct loss of viewing cone being the most prodominant. Get far at all "off axis" to the screen and brightness can drop noticeably. Or precipitously if the gain is over 1.5 - 2.0.

Spandex is a material that reflects light very well, but because it is also very thin, when washed with light, some light does penetrate, so there is a loss of gain. That is why Spandex is usually backed by another layer of the same or lighter / darker material to prevent undue loss of light. If someone is using Spandex for it's acoustical transparency attributes, then the second layer must be Spandex. If it's simply for use as Screen, a White / Gray / Silver hard,opaque surface is a very good solution.

Of all the Spandex materials, the type called "Milliskin" has the finest weave. I just finished construction a 135" diagonal 2.35:1 example and I gotta relate that the finish (weave) of the spandex leaves nothing to be desired against the finest sprayed on coatings I can achieve. And I ain't no slouch at spraying either. cool.gif

In your case, I would suggest the following for the Screen if you can stretch it out / over a White surface. http://spandexworld.com/c3/catalog/product/5954

That Sir is about all there is at this point.

For additional info please remit a Krugerrand to.......................................... biggrin.giftongue.gifwink.gif
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 7
2/11/13 at 11:11am
Thread Starter 
Hi MississippiMan

Thanks for the very detailed and great reply, now I understand a little better, and you are correct there is more questions.....hahahahah biggrin.gif

You said that the lens of my PJ must be 12" above the screen. So do I understand it correctly by saying that if my PJ is mounted on the roof then my the screen should be 300mm below that, as shown in my picture below.


Ok then in South Africa Spandex is not that freely available and leave me then to the paint option. I have read the beginners guide for the painting but every product they speak about is not available here, so you see my problem. We have DULUX and PLASCON and I have try to match the HTML colors like they suggested RGB - 202, 202, 202 but how do I translate that to paint color and what kind of paint do I use, (MATT, SHEEN ) and on what side of the Block out cloth do I paint, cause I have read there is a cloth side and a acrylic side. Do I need to use an under paint?

I have to apologize for all the questions, and I am sure they have been ask before but to go through all the post is just to much:eek:.

Thanks again for you great help and brilliant answers.

I will post the frame progress as I go along. Its coming together very nicely, just hope it looks OK when i'm finished and it fit the picture:)

See Ya On The Wire
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 7
2/11/13 at 11:18am
Thread Starter 
O Yes and another problem we are on ZONE 2 for DVD and I have checked on our local international suppliers they have it for +-$50-00 but you have to have a zone 1 player to use it, so yet again a problem. What do you call the calibrator or can I just search for HD TV color calibrator?

See Ya On The Wire
Reply
Reply
post #5 of 7
2/11/13 at 1:40pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by SpiderWire View Post

O Yes and another problem we are on ZONE 2 for DVD and I have checked on our local international suppliers they have it for +-$50-00 but you have to have a zone 1 player to use it, so yet again a problem. What do you call the calibrator or can I just search for HD TV color calibrator?

See Ya On The Wire

Get this "Region Free" copy.

http://www.amazon.com/Disney-WOW-World-Wonder-Blu-ray/dp/B0045ASBLG/ref=sr_1_3?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1360617927&sr=1-3&keywords=region+2+dvd%27s

Or...convert your existing DVD Player the Region Free: http://www.multi-region.net/


Purchasing and shipping Spandex to your location should not be any real issue.

Dulux has some good paints ( Ultimate White -w/Lumitec Tech. ) and other specialty components can be had Online or Locally with a thorough search.

But the Spandex might be just the solution for someone in your position.
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 7
4/5/13 at 8:23am
Thread Starter 
Hi Guys,

I was meaning to report back a while ago, so here goes. My screen is up and running and thank you all for the help and advice. Dont ask me what type of gray I have used case our material shop only had one color gray and I think it worked out pritty well. The picture is taken with my Phone camera so the quality might be a bit of.

The framed build and painted


Then I have used a 50 inch flat screen bracket. I have cut the backplate in half and mounted the two brackets on the back of screen for easy mounting on the wall.


Frame pre fitted on wall to check alignment and looks good.


I forgot to take a picture with the white block out material on but here it is with the grey spandex on.


Last is the finished product. I am really not sure if its up to standard, but for me it looks great and enjoy each move very much.


See Ya On The Wire
Reply
Reply
post #7 of 7
4/5/13 at 10:15pm
I think you're end results look great. And your use of a flat panel TV mount to hang the screen was very innovative.
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: DIY Screen Section

AVS Top Picks

AVS › AVS Forum › Display Devices › Screens › DIY Screen Section › First Projector and DIY screen building from South Africa